Even before the words fell out of La’s lips, both Khushi and Payal slapped their heads.
“What was the need?” Khushi hissed softly.
“I can’t start a relationship on a lie,” La said, keeping her head down.
“Nandkisore!” Buaji sighed. “It’s modern zamana,” she began explaining. “We should all move forward with times.”
Nani continued glaring at La. “What do you mean you are not…”
“Deviyani…there is no need for such drama.”
“I am doing drama? Did you hear what she said, Sumi? That too in front of everyone?
“Shameless girl! She’s not even ashamed in accepting…” She sighed in disgust.
“How could you?” Nani hissed. “Who is he, Lavanya? Tell me his name, right now.”
“Hello Haye! Sasumaa!” Mano tried to control the situation.
“I’m sorry.” La sniffled. “I never thought…” And she was so choked up she couldn’t speak.
Renu watched in silence as La wiped her tears. She then turned her angry eyes on her son.
“Kalmuhe!” She pounced on her son.
“Beda garag ho tera. Ee sanskaar diye tumko?” (Is this how I brought you up?)
She began thrashing him with both her hands.
“I’ve been asking myself since I arrived why is such a beautiful educated flawless girl willing to marry a useless village buffalo like you.
“Now it all makes sense,” she hissed. “Shameless! Havas ka pujari.”
Everyone froze. Khushi and La both looked at each other.
“No, it is not his fault…” La began.
Both Payal and Khushi jumped on her and covered her mouth with both their hands.
“Chup rehiye,” they hissed together.
Renu continued trashing her son. “Aise ghilona harkat karne se pehle sharam se kaahe nahi mar gaya?” (How could you not die before doing such shameless deeds?)
“Ammaji, Lakhan is not…”
“Haan tho kaa karte?” Lakhan stood up with a roar.
And glaring at his mother, “Paitees ke ho gaye,” he said. “Boley tumko saadi kara diyo. I’m a man. I have my needs. And she’s so beautiful and loving. I couldn’t control myself.”
La stared on. So did Khushi and Payal.
“Devi Maiyya!” Khushi glanced at La.
La was in tears. “Lakhan!” La whispered.
“Chirand kahin ke….you are not even ashamed of what you did?” Renu yelled.
“Why must I feel ashamed? She is mine. I love her.
“I am her lover.” He turned his glare on Nani. “I want to marry her which is why my mother is here? Any questions?”
Nani sighed heavily. Renu was flaming in anger.
“Ek tho chori upar se tevar dekho.” Renu hissed. “Is this how you talk to elders?
“Aur saadi naahi karayenege tho you will ruin young innocent girls?” She continued beating his arm in vain.
“Where is my chappal?” She asked. “Somebody bring me a broom.
“Chodenge naahi tumko aaj.” She tucked her saree. “Khandaan ka naam mitti main mila diye ho.” (You have destroyed your family name.)
“Kaunsa khandaan?” Lakhan hissed. “Divorced ho tum. Chodi hui ho. Ee kaa sindoor mangalsutra paini ghoomti hai? Pagal aurat!”
“Chup ekdum!” She hissed.
But she looked at La and she welled with tears. Joining her hands in apology, “I’m really sorry that my son has behaved like this with you.”
“Not, it’s not…” La began.
“I tried to give him the best qualities. But…” She glared at her son. “Baap pe gaya hai. Chichora kahin kaa.”
But then her eyes fell on Arnav.
He was halfway eating a biscuit. He froze. His turn to get trashed, he realised.
Quickly he dunked the biscuit into the tea and ate it, but
“Look at this boy,” Renu sniffled, however. “My Ratna Bhabhi’s son.
“Her sanskaar. Kya sanskaar hai.
“Look how he is.” She pinched Lakhan’s arm till she cried.
“Itta shareef….He doesn’t even open his mouth in front of his elders. So well behaved. My goodness!” She sighed.
“Such naked girls work all around him, kaa bataye,” she told everyone. “He doesn’t even look at them. Aisa hovat hai sarafat…”
Khushi’s jaw dropped to the floor.
Arnav grinned. And nodding, he dunked another biscuit and ate it.
Renu turned to her son. “Dekho kaise sanskaar hai…Look how he makes his mother proud even in her afterlife.
“And look at you…Khandaan ka kalank.”
Lakhan slapped his head.
“I wished for a son like that.” She gazed at Arnav with longing. “I got this one.” She slapped her son’s back.
“Argh!” He groaned.
“That boy is a living proof that upbringing is bigger than dirty blood. But you two…” She turned her angry glare on Aryaman. “Filthy dogs!”
“Humko kaahe dog bolti hai?” Aryaman snapped.
“Tumri galti hai sab.” She tuned her anger on Aryaman. (It’s your fault.)
“Hum kaa kiye?” He groaned.
“It’s all your fault.” She pounced on him. And she started beating him.
“Humko kaahe maar rahi hai pagal aurat?” Aryaman cried when she pulled his hair. He kicked Lakhan for he was getting trashed unnecessarily. (Why are you beating me, mad woman?)
“You ruined that phool jaisi Priya. And this useless boy had to follow into your footsteps. You are a very bad example Mannu.” She thrashed both of them till she was panting.
“Buffaloes,” she hissed. “They are so strong. My hands are aching.”
“Dikhao.” Lakhan began massaging his mother’s hands.
“Renu Bhabhi, why are you blaming my Mannu?” Tanvi argued. “Priya is at fault. She went to his flat and molested him.”
“Oh Chachi!” Aryaman roared.
Renu glared. “I don’t know which world you come from Tanvi. But in my world, whether an apple falls on a knife, or a knife falls on a apple, it is the apple that get’s sliced into a half.
“And this boy.” She grabbed Aryaman’s hair and shook him like she was washing a dirty rag.
“He walks out of the bathroom in his towel. And Priya slips and falls on him. Straight on his dick. Awww! How convenient? Bewakuf samjhe kaa humko?”
“Bua baal chod…ganja karke chodegi kaa?” Aryaman screamed.
She kept pulling his hair with both hands. “We all know who molested whom. Havasi darinda…
Aryaman glared at Lakhan. “Aisa kantaanp lagane ka mann kara hai tumko…” (I want to slap you so hard.)
“Hum ka kiye?”
“Look what your mother is calling me.”
“Tum bulaye….helicopter main bithake….jhelo ab.”
Renu continued lamenting. “Woh tho bitiya ke izzat ki khatir Dilip Bhaisaab got them both married off. Warna iss bhainse ko kahan milti Priya jaisi hoor.” (How could this buffalo have landed a damsel like Priya?)
Aryaman clenched his jaw. That stupid girl in the veil wasn’t even coming to his rescue. She wasn’t his Priya. His Priya would have scolded everyone for treating him so badly.
He was fuming, till she cuddled the kitten in her arms and sent it to him. The little thing ran straight into his arms. She had put a cute daisy bow on the kitten’s head.
He cuddled the kitten to his heart. And he sighed, for the kitten smelt exactly like Priya.
And there…around the neck was a tiny collar with a little bell that chimed cutely. Priyaman, she had written on the collar.
Aryaman welled, for in over ten years he felt like Yaman. He felt like that boy who had once caught a kitten for her and had waited all day just to see her scream in joy.
Renu pulled his hair snapping him out of his blissful day dream.
“Argghh! Bua, baal chod!”
“Mard jaat…” She hissed. “Chichore kahin ke. They do what they want. Then they blame the girl.
“And a fool like you believes in these men.” She glared at Tanvi.
“And if you have so much faith in men, Tanvi, why is it you are not living with your husband?”
“Bhabhee!” Tanvi hissed.
“Awaz neeche!” Renu hissed. “You have left your husband shamelessly and you sit here and speak badly of my Bahu.
“Priya is a suhagan, don’t forget that, Tanvi. She died a suhagan. Devi hai…Priya.
“To speak of her on an auspicious day like this brings good luck. And you sit there…and speak ill of a suhagan? Besharam aurat.”
“I am also suhagan still.” Tanvi hissed. “But you Bhabhi? What are you?”
“Chachi!” Aryaman snapped.
Renu glowered. “I am still married to my husband,” she said. “I don’t believe in a piece of paper.”
“It doesn’t matter. You are divorced.”
“I don’t believe in that. That was not how we were married. Phere liye unke saath…Bhagwan ko sakshi manke.
“Bulao pandit,” she said. “Bolo ulte phere padwao…”
“Amma….calm down.”
“Why should I?
“She left her husband. She didn’t even come to Ratna Bhabhi’s funeral. At my Priya’s funeral she was eating kulfi…
“Kulfi?” Renu screamed with tears. “Jawan bahu ki arthi utt gayi ee kulfi chaos rahi thi….Dayan kahin ki.”
Tanvi rolled her eyes. “Bhabhi…you are divorced. You signed those papers. So, don’t pretend you are better than me.”
“I did, because she was pregnant,” Renu choked.
“Uday Bhaisaab said if I don’t sign they will force her to get an abortion….Tho kaa karte? I couldn’t let that happen, so, I signed.” She wiped her tears.
“Amma!” Lakhan sat up to hold his mother.
“But that does not mean I left my husband, Tanvi. Not like you.
“I only gave him the permission to marry her so her son wouldn’t end up like him.” She waved to Aryaman.
“But I don’t believe in divorce.
“I hate the word divorce.
“It’s not in my faith. I don’t accept such nonsense.
“I am married to my husband.
“Whether he wants me or not, I am his wife.” She placed her mangalsutra in the centre of her heart and stared at Tanvi. “I am still his wife. Always his wife. Don’t ever utter that word divorce in front of me.”
“It’s useless fighting with fools like you.” Tanvi sighed, as she got up and left.
But La rested her head on Renu’s shoulder and closed her eyes.
Renu patted her head. “Mano, she’s so chui mui,” she sighed.
And she cuddled La. “I wanted a daughter, Ammaji. I always wanted a daughter. Ee tho bohut hee pyaari hai.”
But she turned her angry glare on her son.
“Now…” She declared. “You will marry this girl, Lakhanwa. You will bring her home like a noble man. You will remain loyal to her for the next seven lives and more.”
“Tho kahan mana kiya?”
“You had every intention of hiding this matter from me. You thought farmer hai tho you’ll play with her and leave her? Not happening till I am alive.”
“Arey Amma…”
“That poor girl is crying, bitwa…Kaa kar diye tum?”
“Amma! I want to marry her.”
“Tho ehsan kar rahe ho kaa?”
Lakhan slapped his head and sighed in despair.
“Waisey,” she looked at La. “What are the chances you could be pregnant?”
La froze. “Erm!” She shook her head.
“Amma she doesn’t want kids. You will not torture her to have babies. She’s not a baby making machine.”
“Ee dekh lio…Having a baby is a god’s blessing, bitwa. And you call us women baby making machines?
“Dekho Ammaji. Look how disrespectful this boy’s thoughts are. I can’t believe he is my son.”
“I don’t care Amma. You will not force my wife to have babies. She doesn’t want babies.” Lakhan made it clear.
“But I want a baby.” La said.
“Aw!” Renu sighed. “Mannu…she can’t be a farmer.” She said. “Waisey how many babies do you want?”
“Two.”
“Two is perfect. Ekdum perfect.
“Hey Prabhu!” Lakhan pulled his hair for he was truly caught between two mad women.
“So…let us fix the date. Then marriage. Then kids.”
“Amma…she wants to focus on her career first.”
“Oh!” Renu frowned. “You don’t want to have babies immediately after marriage.”
“No, she doesn’t.”
“I do,” La said. “I want a baby as soon as we marry. I don’t want to wait.” She looked at Lakhan.
“Ab!” He was truly lost for words.
“He doesn’t want a baby, Ammaji. He wants to do chichorapan.”
“Arey Amma!”
Bhaiji, help me understand these women, he wanted to ask.
His Bhaiji was lost to the woman in the veil who was sitting on the ground and rolling out perfect rotis for kachori.
“Amma, she doesn’t want to marry now,” Lakhan said. “She won’t marry for another ten years.”
“What?” Renu’s face fell in disappointment.
“Ten years?” Khushi gasped. “Arey hamari biness ka kya?” She grabbed La’s arm, but “Oui maa!” She cried again when Payal pinched her arm.
“Ten years?” Renu welled. “I don’t know if I’ll be around till then.
“I came here hoping to fix your marriage at the next available date….But ten years?”
“I never said ten years,” La glared at Lakhan.
“Arey…tum conphoose kar rahi ho humko, Rani.”
Renu sat up. “Look, bitiya, the next Mahurat is in two weeks…”
“Okay.”
“Huh? Okay?” Renu looked at her son.
His jaw was lying on the floor.
“Okay to marry in two weeks?” Renu asked.
“Yes.” La nodded.
“Ee tho good news hai…Mannu…” She cried.
Lakhan looked at everyone, till he stared at Aryaman. “Yes, boli Bhaiji.” He frowned.
“Rani…are you sure…Prabhu.” He couldn’t contain his heartbeats. “Are you sure you want to marry?”
Renu glared at him. “She wants to marry. But you don’t want to marry because you want to do rangbaazi…If you don’t marry her in two weeks…aisa chamat marenge…”
“Arey Amma shant tanik…” Lakhan took La’s hand. “We need to talk.”
“What talk? Talk in front of me.” Renu demanded.
“Amma…Give us a minute.” He dragged La behind him.
“Don’t you dare threaten her…Lakhanwa.”
“What are you doing?” Lakhan asked La, when he took her to the edge of the lawn.
“What are you doing?” She snapped. “Why did you tell them you are my lover?”
“Because I am.”
La was about to argue, but she blushed at the way he gazed at her with all that love.
“Am I?” He bent over her and held her eyes.
“Hmm…” She closed her eyes for she couldn’t hold his loving gaze. “Stop making me blush,” she hissed.
Lakhan laughed. And taking her into his arms. “Two weeks? But last night you said you want to focus on your career.”
She glanced at his mother. “I changed my mind.”
Lakhan frowned. “Just like that?”
She looked at his mother again, at how she was laughing and discussing the wedding plans. “She looks so happy.”
“You changed your mind for my mother?”
La nodded. “I didn’t have the heart to refuse when she asked.”
“Aah! Rani!” He sighed. “No one has ever put her wishes above their own.
“Thank you for that,” he said, taking her hand.
“But Rani, this is huge. This is your life. Your career.”
“I’m scared,” La said.
Lakhan frowned for a moment. “Arey that attack that happened…it’s nothing…”
“I’m scared I’ll break up with you.” She said, making him stop in his tracks.
“I’ve broken up with you so many times already, Lakhan…I’ll keep doing it.”
“Ee liye bol rahe hai…this is marriage….you can’t break-up once we marry.”
“Exactly! There is no break-up in marriage,” La said. “And I hate the word divorce.”
His eyes glistened. “Me too.”
“Marriage will be forever. Let’s do it.”
“Arey…Rani…” He sighed.
La locked her fingers with his. “I may not have a job for a few months,” she said. “Will that be a problem?”
“Pagal ho gayi hai?”
“What is the problem then?” She asked. “Is two weeks too short?”
“Arey…I’d marry you tonight if I could.”
“So what is the problem?”
“This is a big decision. I don’t want you to regret later.”
“I wanted to marry you since I was fifteen,” she said.
Lakhan was struck again. “Aisa naahi bolo…warna choom lenge sabke samne, bata rahe hai.” (Don’t say such things or I’ll kiss you.)
La gripped his shirt and tugged him closer. “Tho choom naa…”
A handsome smile touched his mouth. And leaning closer, he kissed her forehead.
“What are you both discussing so much?” Renu yelled.
“Lakhanwa if you are threatening her to say no…bata raha hai mara muh dekhoge Amma ka.”
Lakhan sighed. “My Amma!” He told La. “Aisi hee hai…she’s too loud…bholi hai par.”
“She’s lovely.” La said. “But Lakhan you said your father fooled her to sign the divorce paperwork.”
“He fooled her. Aisi hee Amma. She defends him. She takes the blame on herself always.”
But La wasn’t convinced. Renu had willing let go of her man to protect another woman’s honour. She was nothing like her mother who had left her to rot. Renu was a noble woman. She only rose higher in her eyes.
“Why does she keep calling me farmer?” She asked. “She wants a girl from a farmer family?”
“Farmer naahi…foreigner.”
Oh! La laughed her heart out.
Lakhan gazed at her with all the love in his heart.
“Pyaar karti hai humse, Lavanya?”
She blushed. “Tu shadi kar naa…phir batati hoon…” (Marry me then I’ll tell you.)
“Haye Prabhu!” He caught his heart. “Batayegi? Ki jatayegi?” (You’ll tell me? Or you’ll love me?)
“Dono.”
“I can’t breathe.” He pumped his fists.
“Stop hopping,” she scolded.
Lakhan composed himself. Holding his hand up for her, “Ready?” He asked. “To start the next chapter of your life with me?”
“Yes,” La said, taking his hand. “But Lakhan, I’m haughty and arrogant and opinionated. Fiercely independent too. I will boss you around. Life will not be perfect with me.”
“That sounds perfect.” He smiled.
___
As they walked back to the lawn, “Tho….Dadiji, Naniji,” he said. “Lavanya and I have decided that we will be marrying in two weeks.”
Everyone clapped. NK and Akash got up to congratulate La.
“Hello Haye! Where is that Alexwa?” Mano cried. “Sasumaa…wedding….I can’t wait. I have so much to sort. Khoon bhari taang…we are going wedding shopping tomorrow.”
“Our first wedding event. We are going to get rich!” Khushi and Payal were clapping and hugging each other, but
“Devi Maiyya!” Khushi gasped. “Two weeks? How to get a venue so quickly?
“Lakhan Bhaiyya! Two weeks is too soon.”
“Venue’s already booked,” Aryaman said. “Tanvi Chachi will handle everything.”
“Tanvi Chachi? Arey par…”
“It’s okay, Khushi,” Payal said. “This is a high profile wedding. We don’t have the experience.”
Khushi nodded in disappointment as she looked at Arnav.
She quickly wore her brightest smile. “We’ll make the desserts,” she told La. “It’s our gift from our family.”
“What the!” Arnav glared at her. But before he could scold her for letting go of an opportunity,
“Is this how you do business?” La asked her. “I thought you are a professional.”
Khushi opened her mouth to explain, but
“This is a grand wedding, Lavanyaji,” Payal said. “Khushi and I want you to have the best wedding imaginable. And the truth is we don’t have the experience…”
“We do,” Akash said. “Are you saying Bhai and I cannot pull this off?”
“No…I…” She glared at Akash. “Why are you fighting with me over every little thing?”
“Because you are so irritating.”
“I’m irritating? You are irritating.” Payal hissed. “You left your dirty cup on the newspaper today. It stained. I almost threw up.”
“Hello Haye! Sasumaa! They are fighting. Remind me to do extra round of prayers tonight.”
“You are praying for them to fight?” Renu asked.
“It’s a special Babaji mantra, Renu. Whenever I do it, they fight.”
“Give it to me.”
“Arey stop making a scene over everything. I’m willing to marry in a temple.” Lakhan hissed.
“I want a grand wedding,” La hissed. “I want to marry in a palace.”
“Haan…me too.” Renu said. “My only son. It has to be the grandest wedding of the year.
“My son’s wedding has to be the grandest this city has seen, ten times better than Priya and Mannu’s.”
“Humare saath kaahe competition karti hai?” Aryaman hissed.
“Because your wedding Mannu was so perfect…it still pokes my eyes.”
“Mine too.” Mano nodded.
“Fine! It’s decided. Chamkili will organise my wedding.”
“But Lavanyaji…” Khushi said. “Let’s be practical. Tanvi Chachi knows a lot of people. She can organise faster.”
“You know me better. And only you can handle my tantrums.”
Khushi was about to argue, but she laughed.
“But Lavanyaji, two weeks?” she still argued.
“It’s doable, Khushi,” Arnav said. “Venue is booked. Al will sort the clothes. Aryaman will handle the food. Arjun can paint the invites. I’ll handle the flowers. Akash can look after the guests. Vish will sort security. You can make the sweets. Everything else…we’ll do it, together.”
“Together?” Khushi was overcome with tears as she held his eyes.
“Together.” Arnav smiled.
Her heart skipped so many beats. First he’d said he loved her, in French. Then he declared she was his in front of his Nani. And now…
If he continued showering her with this love, she was going to start dreaming her wedding.
She knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to marry from her father’s house. She wanted to wear a red saree. And she wanted to stand outside on the balcony and catch a glimpse of her groom as he’d come down their narrow lane on his storm.
Arnav smirked as though he’d read her might.
Khushi’s heart soared and danced.
Holding La for the tightest hug, “Devi Maiyya!” She cried in joy. “This is going to be thrilling. Can’t wait to start planning.”
“I’ll tell you what all I want.” Renu said.
“Haan Chachiji…pehle…Muh meetha tho kijiye” She grabbed a tray. “You are going to become a mother-in-law.”
Renu joined her hands and looked up to the heavens, but just as she was about to take a sweet, her eyes fell on Khushi’s bangles and she frowned.
Slowly, she looked up at Khushi. She threw a quick glance at Arnav.
As it all made sense to her, “Chotey ki Bahu hai?” She asked Dadi in a soft gasp.
She checked Khushi’s bangles.
“You are my Ratna Bhabhi’s Bahu?”
Taking Khushi’s hands, she turned them. And she flickered her eyes all over Khushi. “Pehle kaahe nahi bataya?” She was overcome with so much emotion.
“Hum bhi wahi soche…” She looked at Arnav. “The way they keep looking at each other…hain naa Ammaji? They look so good together. Ekdum Shiv Parvati ki jodi hai.”
Khushi froze, her body bursting into flames. She looked at Aryaman. And at Arnav too.
Lakhan’s mother took her hand, muffled a sob as she touched Ratna’s bangles. “My Bhabhi’s Bahu,” she choked. “So lovely, just like her.”
“Khushi bitiya,” Nani said. “Take her blessing.”
Khushi was trembling. She looked at Arnav, hoping he’d stop this.
He was promised to Preeti. These were the Singhals. The world now assumed she was marrying Aryaman.
But she had Ratna’s bangles on her hands.
This was so messed up. She was so conflicted.
“Khushi bitiya,” Dadi said.
“Jee.” She was about to bend to touch Renu’s feet.
That was when Arnav stood up and clapped off the crumbs from his hands.
As she froze again, he walked up to her. He bent over her to take the edge of her dupatta.
Covering her hair with her dupatta, he took her hand.
Khushi stared at Arnav in disbelief. Her heartbeats were so loud and violent, she didn’t know what to do with herself.
But as he bent, so did she. She turned to look at him, asking him silently what this was all supposed to mean.
He had already declared so blatantly to his Nani.
And now this?
Lakhan’s mother touched their head fondly, blessed them a lifetime of happiness.
Forever, she blessed, hamesha.
When Khushi slowly stood up, Renu caught Khushi’s arms and crushed her to her heart.
“This is such a divine day,” she said. “I never thought I’d live to see my Bhabhi’s Bahu.
“You are such a blessing,” she said Khushi.
“You have stepped into this family, and now my Bahu is here.”
As she kissed Khushi’s forehead. “I’m getting a very good feeling, Ammaji,” she told Dadi. “I can see the curse is finally lifted.
“Things are only going to turn for the best from here on. I can sense it in my heart.”
As Dadi nodded, “Devi Maiyya has blessed us at last.” She wept.
Khushi glanced around, at Lakhan. He smiled at her, not an ounce of anger or malice in his eyes. He was Preeti’s cousin. His mother’s acceptance clenched her heart.
But she couldn’t.
This was not her right, nor was it her place.
Those bangles though.
It wasn’t even about Preeti anymore.
This was about stepping into Ratna’s shoes.
Everyone expected her to. Everyone saw her as Ratna’s Bahu.
But she couldn’t. She wasn’t worthy of being called such a noble woman’s daughter-in-law. She was no blessing. She only brought bad luck and death to everyone.
And Preeti?
As she turned, her eyes met Veer’s. He was in the kitchen, watching the spectacle unfold from the window.
The guilt that went though her was dark and ugly. He was her friend. Her childhood friend. He had always come to rescue her.
Yet, she had kept this matter from him.
She clutched her belly, stepped backwards, excused herself from all that celebrations, and she ran.
She ran into the lounge, and across the corridor, till she locked herself in the downstairs washroom.
As she splashed her face with cold water, so many faces flashed from her past. They were mostly blurry, but her flashes were a constant now.
She froze when she saw herself in that tunnel again.
“I’ll call my brother,” she heard her friend’s voice.
Veera! She sighed.
He had always followed her, always watched over her.
And while she had forgotten him, he had remembered her. He had pushed her to remember her past even when she had resisted him.
He was a true friend, a friend who never gave up on her.
And she had betrayed him like this.
She had to apologise to him, she resolved.
As she wiped face with a towel, and stepped out, Veer was waiting for her outside.
Khushi hid her hand behind her back.
“I’m…I’m sorry,” she said, lowering her head. “It’s not what you think. Arnavji and I…”
How was she meant to explain herself?
“I’m a nobody, Veera.” She welled. “I’m just a passing ship.”
Veer studied her for a moment. “Don’t mention any of this to Pri, okay?”
She nodded.
“Sorry,” she said again. For she truly was.
She was sorry for so many things. Mainly for the all misery that had fallen upon others because of her.
But as she looked at him, his handsome face from when they were kids flashed in front of her eyes.
She remembered him. Oh! She did. What if she didn’t remember the details, his face was clear as day in her memory now.
“Gobbledygook!” she said. It was from that time when they were trying to memorise big words with that other boy.
Veer frowned for a moment before he burst into a laugh.
“Blatherskite!” He said.
“Me? You?”
He had teased her by that word for she usually spoke non-stop.
And they held each other and laughed.
In the weeks since Khushi had known him, he hadn’t laughed like that, with such abandon.
He was her friend. Her childhood bestie.
She caressed his cheek, now fuelled by her memories of their happy times.
“I know you,” she said. Oh! Everything was just within a grasp, but she was unable to see it all in clarity.
“You were…a…mouse…” No, she was the mouse.
“Your hair was so soft…” But he was not a mouse…he was a …
What did their Didi call him?
“Rat?” She laughed, as it came to her.
“Veer…you are a rat.”
Veer chuckled. “Hmm…I’m Veer…rat…” He nodded.
“Veer the rat.” Khushi teased. “Veer Rat.”
That’s was what they called him. Veer Rat.
But he was gazing at her, she knew, waiting for her to remember everything.
Oh! She was trying. She was really trying her best to remember him.
“Veera…did they come for you?”
“Hmm.” He nodded. “We came to tell you to leave. Why didn’t your father listen?”
Yes! He had. Now it all flashed in front of her eyes. She had been playing hopscotch with Veer that afternoon.
“Are you never coming back?” She asked, holding his hand.
“I will…soon.” That had been his promise. “Baba said we’ll be back in a few days.”
She nodded. “Will you come meet as soon as you return?”
“As soon as.” He made a pinkie promise.
It had taken them over a decade and more to meet each other.
“You did come to meet me,” she said. She had forgotten that. She had forgotten so much.
“I’ve been looking for you for a very long time, Ayushi.”
But she had given up all hope of every finding any connection to her past.
She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Her friend was here, at last.
But then she shot her eyes open again.
“Somen Chachu,” she whispered.
Her head started spinning as the memory flooded.
He was there that day when Veer had come to say his final goodbye.
Somen was there with him. He had come to meet her father. Her father and Somen spoken at length.
She had been playing outside with Veer and so she didn’t remember.
But….
“Somen Chachu.” She looked at Veer.
“Who are you?”
Veer shrugged. “Do you want me to tell you? Or would you rather remember I’m Veer and rat?”
“I want to remember.” She nodded.
Remembering her past was proving to be the best exercise so far. Painful, but it was a true account of what she had seen and felt.
“I will remember you, Veera. I will remember them too.”
But she frowned. “Do you remember them?”
He sighed.
Khushi’s heart stopped altogether. He knew. But it wasn’t fair to push him. He was in hiding too.
“Take care, Veer. Stay safe.”
“You too.” He was about to turn around, but
“Khushi,” he said. “Just want to give you heads up.
“He didn’t die. You only injured him that night. He’s still alive though.”
A chill went up Khushi’s spine. How did he know though? Was it before Veer left or after? She had believed it was after.
Devi Maiyya! Her memories were so messed up.
“Be careful,” Veer said. “Things are different this time. We’re not children anymore.
“Especially you. He’ll hurt you if he finds you.”
She nodded. And she reluctantly let go of his hand.
So, she had missed that night. He had bled though. Her dressed had been drenched in his blood.
How had he survived that?
“And Khushi.”
“Hmm.”
“Don’t smile.” With that he stormed off.
Devi Maiyya! She leaned back into the wall and calmed her heart.
But just as Veer turned and walked down the corridor, he stopped.
Khushi froze too.
Arnav stood at the entrance to the corridor. He was glaring down Veer. Then he turned his angry glare on her.
Veer confidently walked past Arnav.
Khushi bit into her lip and waited for him to lose his cool with her.
Arnav shoved his hands into his pockets and stormed off.
There wasn’t much she could tell him.
But he had some rather disturbing assumptions about her father.
Why? She didn’t know. Perhaps because her Baba had named her Khushi?
She couldn’t bear Arnav holding her father in such low opinion.
For that, she decided to set that record straight.
Author’s note
Hello my lovelies
This chapter is up. Hope you like it.
I loved writing this chapter. It is so wholesome in so many ways. All characters come together and it is such a roller coaster of emotions.
Lakhan projected Renu as a very simple village woman. That maybe his perception of her, given he may have compared her with Anu and Tanvi etc.
The chapter is mainly La Lakhan. But it still has a few moments of Arshi and that really takes our heart. Arnav is in full Tashan Lol!
Khushi and Veer. Ah! I never thought they’d become such an endearing Jodi to write when I introduced Veer. But his character has really got so much depth it’s impossible to ignore him.
Keep reading guys. More shockers coming along in the next chapters.
Love Chitra
