106

Next day morning, Khushi woke up late. Her Amma had stayed with her. She had felt secure in her arms. ""Amma?" she called out. "Khushi, I am here! And now get up and get ready for the breakfast!" Amma said smiling at her. She looked at the watch, it was almost nine.

She got up with a jerk, got ready and went down in the lounge where papaji had promised her to meet and take her to the local market only for reminiscing her childhood days. She looked around. Mummiji was sitting with Shondeep's parents.

She greeted them and asked "Mummiji, where is he?"
"He, who?" asked mummiji. "Papaji!" she answered.
"What? Is he not with you? You were supposed to go out, right?" asked mummiji in surprise.
"No! Actually I woke up late and came searching for him!" said Khushi looking around.

"Where is he then? I haven't seen him since morning" Mummiji said looking around.
"Has he left me behind?" Khushi felt guilty. She knew papaji's punctuality. She looked around. She came near and almost snatched the cell from Shondeep's hand saying "I will call him!" the phone was not picked up. She grew worried. She ran towards Raj's room.

"Raj bhayya!" she knocked on the door. The security guard had stopped her from pushing the door open. Raj came out. "Khushi?" he blurted in surprise.

"Where is papaji?" She asked eagerly. "I don't know! Why? Where is he?" he asked looking at her worried face and dialled his Dad's number. No one picked up! Elsa came out. She too looked worried.

Khushi came down again in the lounge area. "He never does this! He always tells me where he goes!"  Mummiji was worried. Khushi didn't know what to do.

Raj entered and said "Its ok. Mom, don't worry, he will come back soon. Must have gone nearby! You know how weird he behaves sometimes!" Raj said consoling his mother. Shondeep too was trying his number in vain.

"I know! However weird he behaves but he always tells where he is going!" Mummiji said sternly. She was panicking.
"Come on! Let us have breakfast first and keep trying his number! Or may be Arnav knows where he is!" said Raj dialling Arnav's number. Arnav had got ready and was about to descend to the lounge.

"What? I don't know! Where is he?" asked Arnav in surprise entering the elevator.
They had their breakfast not even bothering what they were eating. Khushi refused to have anything. Arnav went to reception area to enquire about Mr. Balwindar Singh. No one had seen him since morning. Arnav asked who was on duty early morning. The shift had changed. The receptionist dialed the number of the person who was on duty before her. He told her that Mr. Balwindar Singh left the Hotel at around five in the morning driving his Mercedes.

He came back with the information. Everyone was worried. He looked at Raj and Shondeep. He's gone out at five in the morning driving himself" He whispered. They didn't know what to do. It was 10.30 in the morning. He was missing since five hours! Khushi was pacing restlessly.

Mummiji's phone rang. "Hello biwi! I am fine. Coming in the evening. You carry on with the program!" He said hurriedly.
"What? Where are you?" she almost screamed. Everyone gathered around her. Khushi came and snatched the phone from her.

"Hello, papaji. What is this? Where are you? Are you ok? ... And what is that commotion behind you?" Khushi screamed.
"Khushi..." papaji started off. "No! You come back first. Tell me you are ok!" she sobbed.
"Khushi, give the phone to Raj!" Papaji ordered. She thrust the phone in Raj's hand.
Raj went aside to talk to papaji. "Raj, I will be little late. There was an emergency. I am in Delhi. Nothing to worry! Understand? And ask Shondeep to contact me when he is alone" said papaji firmly disconnecting the phone.

"He is ok. He is in Delhi for some urgent work and asked us to carry on. So carry on!" he said smiling at everyone.
Everyone looked still worried. But Raj carried on and made everyone relaxed.
"Where is Di?" asked Arnav suddenly, looking around.
"She has gone to Mandir and to prepare for Mehendi program. Damadji is with her!" said Nani casually.
"What?" Arnav and Khushi rose from their seats in shock. "Di has gone alone?" Asked Arnav angrily.
"No! Damadji is with her! And the maid is with her to help her!" said Nani looking surprised at Arnav's reaction. He slowly took his seat again. He looked little relaxed.

**** **** ****

All the women had gathered in Gupta's old house for Mehendi. It was evening by the time the preparations got over. Everybody had tea and the Mehendi artists arrived. They all were discussing the designs.

Mummiji was very particular about the aesthetics of the designs. She chose the design for Khushi and Elsa. The neighborhood women had gathered with Dholak and Harmonium as accompaniment for their singing. They all were having a gala time. No men were allowed. All the men were at the hotel relaxing.

There was a bang on the door so loud that Khushi's heart jumped out of her skin in fright. Buwaji hurriedly went to see who was at the door.

"What? What are you all doing here? No No No.. you are not allowed inside!" She screamed. But papaji came in and looked around. All the other men were hesitant to get in. They waited outside.
Buwaji came behind Papaji telling him, he was not allowed.

He did not pay any attention to her and went into the hall where all the ladies had gathered.
Khushi got up with a jerk. "Papaji!" she screamed and ran forward. He hugged her lightly and pushing her aside asked "Where is my biwi? My wifey?" He spotted her sitting with the dholak.
"What? What are you doing here? When did you come?" she asked her husband. He came in like a king and said "I knew it! You ladies won't allow men to enter!"

"Yes! Men are not allowed inside. Its not good! Inauspicious! Go out! Mummiji and Buwaji ordered Papaji.
"Pandit ji!" papaji called out!
"What? What has pandit ji to do in Mehendi ceremony?" asked mummiji looking around. The neighboring women were feeling awkward.

"Oh yes! He has !" said papaji. The elderly pandit came in.
"Pandit ji, tell me!" asked papaji looking straight at Pandit ji. "Is it written anywhere in your Shastras that men are not allowed in mehendi?" he asked winking at panditji. Panditji, avoiding papaji's gaze said "No! its not written anywhere. And in fact if husband draws mehendi on wife's palm, its auspicious!" He looked at the shocked ladies and went out hurriedly. Papaji got what he wanted.
"See! I told you!" he said with a winning grin.

Raj had made an entry into the house after papaji and soon all the men barged in. "This calls for a tea!" ordered papaji looking at Khushi's Amma and Buwaji. Buwaji went in muttering furiously with Amma.

"Papaji!" Khushi was pulling papaji's hand. "What?" he asked her. "Is everything ok? Where were you?" she had tears in her eyes.

"Oh! Yes, Puttar, everything is ok! Relax!" He sounded like Arnav. When Arnav tried to hide something he avoided the eye contact, and papaji was looking away.
"Papaji, Tell me!" Khushi warned him.

"Khushi, its nothing. Just had an emergency in the office and had to rush to stop further damage! That's it! Don't worry!" he said looking at her and putting his hand on her head.
"Khushi! Now that papaji has come back, go and have some food, before she starts drawing mehendi design.!" Ordered mummiji. Papaji looked at her in surprise.

"Khushi, why didn't you eat? Silly girl !" He again sounded like Arnav. Khushi looked around. "Was she missing Arnav?" She felt sad.
Papaji cupped her face and asked, "Khushi, why did you not eat? Stop being so sentimental, Khushi! I told you, I was alright!" he said looking serious.

"But you also told you will come soon! So I waited for you!" she said retorting back angrily for being made to sound so stupid. Papaji smiled. "Now go and have something and we will carry on the fun!" declared papaji.

She went into the kitchen and froze! Arnav was filling her plate while Amma and Buwaji were busy preparing tea and snacks.

He handed over the dish to her and said "Have something!" She looked at him unblinkingly. His lip curled up in a smile and he went out!

Khushi heard commotion and arguments outside and hurriedly went out stuffing the samosa in her mouth. She chocked coughing hard she went red and out of breath. Arnav rubbed her back and she again went out of breath. Arnav went away. She turned around.

"Did you not listen what panditji said?" Papaji was arguing with his wifey. "No no no no..Its not like that! You people will spoil the design!" the ladies cried. Khushi came and sat on the edge of the mattress looking amazed! "What is this argument going on for?" she wondered. She looked at the people arguing and then blushed furiously.

In that entire commotion on one noticed and when they did, there was a pin drop silence.
Arnav had already knelt on his knees, pulled Khushi's hand and taking a mehendi cone from the tray, had already started drawing on her right hand. The crowd gaped at the couple. Raj whistled! Khushi closed her eyes. He drew calligraphic K and superimposed it with intricate calligraphic A and then encompassed it with a heart. He held her palm at arm's length and looked satisfied with his design skills. He got up leaving her hand and went out of the hall confident, smiling, and victorious! Everyone looked at him in envy. Papaji whistled in appreciation. Khushi was dumbstruck, furiously blushing, her heart taking somersaults...!

There was whistling in the crowd. Even Shondeep's father joined with papaji. They all tried their best to draw mehendi on their life partner's hand the symbol of love and claimed theirs to be the best! Aakash had lost himself in Payal's eyes and had forgotten to draw on her palm. Raj had followed Arnav and had drawn intricate design on Elsa's palm. Sham had a shaky hand almost spoiling Ajnali's mehendi, Mamaji had drawn flowers on mamiji's hand. Lavanya had given her hand to the designer to draw staring at Shondeep. Papaji had drawn two hearts on mumiji's hands and boastfully claiming it to be the best. Arnav and Raj were declared to be the joint winners by the ladies leaving sulking papaji alone.

Another round of tea was served with sweets and samosaas. The designer had finished with Khushi's hands elbow length and took some time out to draw on her feet. Khushi was sitting on the chair in the nearby room and trying to sip the tea. Papaji was feeding his wife with sweets. Khushi could not control her giggle looking at mummiji's embarrassed face and she choked.

"Khushi ji, Are you ok?" Sham was holding a glass of water. She looked around. Everyone else was busy in their own world. She got nervous. She never wanted to create a scene in this joyous occasion. She turned her face.

"Khushi ji!" He hissed leaning and bringing his face near. "You cannot avoid me like this. I promise, you are going to be mine. Do you understand?" he was hissing threateningly. She closed her eyes. She couldn't slap him with her mehendi drawn hands. She fumed with rage. She looked up at Sham to retort back angrily and saw a strong hand pulling sham backwards gripping his shoulder. Arnav was burning with rage.

"Don't you even dare talk to my wife!" he said with gritted teeth, his hand tightening the grip.
Sham opened his mouth to retort back but suddenly shut his mouth seeing papaji was entering the room.

Papaji had sensed some disturbance. He came and holding sham by his collar said "Mr. Sham, I think you should leave now!" Papaji looked at Arnav and said "You stay here!". He thrust his hand on Sham's shoulder and manoeuvred him out of the room. Khushi looked at Arnav.

"I told you, not to be alone!" He hissed at her.
"What?" That mehendi wali was with me. Just now she went out to get the new cone!" Khushi blurted in her defence.

Arnav sat on the next chair and leaning forward he said, "Khushi! Be careful!" He saw the mehendi wali coming in. He got up and left.

Khushi sat there blankly. She was scared and worried. She was worried for everyone around. "He must be stopped! He must be stopped from causing harm again to anyone!" She thought staring at her intricately designed mehendi!

Amma and Buwaji wanted Khushi and Payal to stay that day. But Papaji and Khushi both said "No!"
Papaji did not want to take any chances with the security and Khushi wanted to dig out the reason. They came back to the hotel and Khushi without a word went to her room. She wanted to be alone for some time.

She looked at her mehendi. Elsa had sprinkled lemon and sugar water on her mehendi to ensure its darkness. She paced her bedroom thinking hard. She could not imagine the magnitude of the emergency.

"Why did he suddenly disappear this morning? Why did he not tell if it was business emergency, he always tells me everything about business and gives me updates on his meetings? What was so urgent that he didn't even tell mummiji while going?" She felt her brain will explode!

"If it was so important, why didn't anyone else know about it?" She thought. She fidgeted. "There has to be some way to find out! Papaji.... Papaji had to go! He never does anything unscheduled! What made him go to Delhi all of a sudden? "

"Ok!.. Ok!.. If its that important! Some news will throw light on this."She searched for the remote and surfed all the news channels. "Khushi.... Think! There must be some news!" She nervously scanned through the headlines. And there it was... on IBN7 In 10 minute wrap up!

A blast in the cotton warehouse blew off the entire godown! No Casualties! It took Ten hours to put out the fire! The Textile minister rushed to the scene! The Nanded based Sahakaar spinning mill's godown was brought down to ashes . The new management was unavailable for its reaction, initially. The chairman of the BTR group, made a statement in New Delhi about the blast and assured probe into this incidence suspecting sabotage. This will be a major setback to this new acquisition of a cooperative by private section. The blast shattered the entire area and all the other industries closed down immediately fearing terrorism! It turned out to be blast in the warehouse! Who is responsible or whether any terrorism is involved is yet to be revealed. No one has claimed the responsibility of the blast yet!

Khushi watched the footage holding her breath shaking! She hurriedly dialed Arnav's number. He was still in the lounge. "Khushi?" he blurted! "Khushi?" he picked up the phone.

"Arnavji" She was in a hurry! "Did you see the news? Where are you?" she asked hurriedly.

"What? What happened? Khushi.. Which news?" He looked at everyone and getting up asked Khushi.
"Where are you?" she asked again. "Lounge!" he answered. "Wait there I am coming!" she screamed and ran out of the room. When she came down she saw everyone gathered in the lounge and were chatting with each other including sham. She looked panic. Arnav was waiting for her.

"Khushi! Are you ok?" he asked holding her hand. She looked around. She saw papaji relaxing on a sofa! He looked at her. "Papaji! " She screamed! "Come here!" she ordered him.
"Shhh! Khushi! What the..?" Arnav did not like her tone!

"Khushi! Go and get some rest!" Papaji ordered her without leaving his place. He knew from her face what she meant. "No!" she said striding over to him and pulling him. She took him aside to everyone's surprise and hissed "I saw the news! Why didn't you tell me?" she was enraged.
"News? What news?" Asked Arnav. "The shocking news! Mr. Businessman! Shatir Dimag!! " She taunted him angrily.

"Its already come in the news?" he blurted.
"Khushi, calm down! Everything is under control! Now, don't go blurting about it everywhere!" Papaji told her angrily. Arnav turned around and hurriedly started walking towards the elevator. He wanted to see that news.

"Arnav! Papaji called out. "Wait! I will tell you. But not now! And may be we will have a meeting in her room some time later. " he looked at Sham, who was curiously looking at Khushi's outburst!
She came with papaji and Arnav and sat next to Shondeep! She still had her mehendi on her palm. Shondeep looked at her kindly and smiled. Leaning towards her, he whispered "Don't get so tensed up!"

She smiled back at him glancing at Arnav. He was busy talking to Raj. Sham, sensing the tension in the atmosphere added fuel "Is there something wrong? I mean I sense tension here!" he asked contemptuously.

"Oh! Its nothing! Don't you worry! " said Shondeep mildly. He smiled at Sham. Sham had expected some harsh reactions from others. But everyone else seemed to have entrusted dealing with Sham to Shondeep. Every time Sham made the statements, Shondeep would answer!

"I am going to my room! You all come whenever you are free!" she said angrily.
"Khushi, let us have dinner first! I am dyeing with hunger!" said papaji smiling at her. "How can he smile in such a crisis? I know he must have lost a couple of hundred crores in today's blast!" thought Khushi admiring him.

"I am not hungry, I am going!" she said.
"Oh! No no .. Khushi! You didn't have your lunch so have dinner with us!" said papaji . They had their dinner. And Khushi went to her room. Others waited for Sham to retire to his room. But he did not for a long time. They were whiling away time and Sham got a phone call. He took the phone and turned his back on others moving away. When he came back after some time everyone had vanished. He looked around.

"Bulls eye!!! I know what is going on! Khushi ji! I need only one chance! I am already winning!" he thought aloud.

"Mr. Balwindar Singh! You do not know with whom you are battling. You may win these small fights but I am going to win the final battle" he thought with a glint of pride in his eyes.

*** **** ****

Papaji, Arnav, Raj and Shondeep had gathered in Khushi's suite. She was still restless.
"Papaji, I had told you to send him away somewhere!" she said accusingly.
"See, what he is doing now! He will ruin everything. Why do we have to bear with him always?" She asked everyone.

They had no answer. It was their decision to make him witness the wedding ceremony. They kept looking at each other.
"Sir, why did you go alone? Why didn't you tell me last night when you got the phone call from the minister?" Shondeep broke the silence.

"Shondeep, as a chairman, it was my responsibility to attend to the problem!" said papaji.
"And you went all alone! Running into risk for your life!" Khushi stated furiously. "What if it was a trap?" she asked everyone.

"Khushi, it was not a trap. The union minister of textile had called me! It couldn't be a trap! And anyway, I have come back safe!" said papaji calming her down. "Have some sweets, Khushi, you will feel better" he offered her. She took and started eating. They had a sigh of relief with her mouth shut!

"Ok! Now here we go..." said papaji chalking out the plan.

*** **** ***

"Arnav Puttar, you have to take care of your sister! She does not know yet, what is coming on to her!" Said papaji gravely.

"Oh yes! She knows!" Said Shondeep. Everyone looked at him in surprise.
"She has some idea about all this and knows what kind of person this sham is. She knows he is up to something and she knows there is something between him and Khushi and she must save Khushi!" he said as a matter of fact.

"She blurted out this to me in her weak moment when that husband of hers taunted her for her lameness!" said Shondeep.

"Ok! That's great! At least she won't be swept away She will try and swim across!" said Papaji. Arnav gaped at Shondeep!

"Shondeep sir, can you and Lavanya ji take care of her when the truth comes out?" Khushi asked hopefully to Arnav's surprise.

"Yes! and I will tell Ms Lavanya!" Shondeep promised. Papaji looked at Khushi and she avoided his gaze.

"Even in this crisis she has not forgotten her matrimonial mission!" thought papaji shaking his head. Khushi smiled and winked at papaji. "However you deny, you will be with me in this, Papaji!" she thought to herself....