Chapter 9

Doctor’s Office:

Mamiji walks to Anjali and calls her: Anjali bitiya.

Anjali pulls away from VJ and wipes her eyes. She turns to Mamiji: Mamiji, this is Vishal Jaiswal. We were in college together back in Lucknow.

Then she turns to VJ: VJ, this is my mamiji.

Vishal gets up and smiles at the colourfully dressed woman. He folds his hand and says: Namaste.

Mamiji beams at him and smiles back: Hello hi bye bye. Pleased to meet you. How come you never came to our home before?

Vishal says: Well, right after university, Anjali left to get married. Soon after, I went to USA to study medicines. By the time I came back, Anjali and her brother already left for Delhi. I stayed in Lucknow for a while practicing medicine and just moved to Delhi.

Mamiji says: Now that we have met again. You should come to our house for dinner.

VJ looks at Anjali. Anjali nods with a smile: Please do.

Vishal nods with a smile: Thank you. I will.

Mamiji takes Vishal’s cell phone no. and gives him their no. Then mamiji and Anjali leave the hospital for home.

Living Room, Shaantivan:

Khushi gasps and pulls away from Arnav. Arnav surprised at the sudden action looks at Khushi’s ashen face. He reaches out to Khushi and calls her name.

Khushi looks at Arnav dazedly and sways as if she is about to faint.

Arnav swiftly moves and picks her up in his arms.

Khushi instinctively grabs his collar like she always did before.

Arnav pauses briefly at the familiar sensation of Khushi’s hand on his collar but concern for Khushi’s health makes him move faster to her room soon after.

Once there, he gently lays her down on the bed and shouts for HP.

HP comes running along with Nani and Payal.

Arnav asks him to get a glass of water.

Nani asks worriedly: What has happened, Chotey?

Arnav replies distractedly never moving his eyes from Khushi’s still pale face: Khushi was about to faint.

Naniji gasps in surprise: Khushi bitiya? Do you think it’s because of…

Khushi swiftly looks at Nani and quickly shakes her head indicating her to not reveal their plans.

But Arnav swiftly turns to Naniji and asks: Do you think it’s because of what?

Naniji stammers: Ummm… Chotey…

Khushi quickly intervenes with her hand on her forehead: Arnavji, I think I need to eat. I forgot to have lunch today.

Arnav turns back to her with concern: What? You skipped lunch? Why?

Khushi replies: Errrmmm… Because I forgot. But don’t worry, I will have some food later. (beams bigger hoping to end the discussion right there)

But unfortunately Arnav doesn’t oblige. He growls: No. You will have food right now.

He turns to see that HP has arrived with a glass of water. He takes the glass and instructs him to bring a plate full of food for Khushi.

HP gapes at Khushi. He thinks to himself: Why Arnav bhaiyaa wants to get Khushi didi food? She just ate enough pooris at lunch to last a normal person for a whole day.

But Khushi nods at him to bring the food, so he runs to kitchen to get her plate.

Khushi turns to Arnav: Arnavji, see HP is getting me food. Now you go okay? I will eat my food and then take rest. (smiles nicely)

Arnav turns to her: No. I won’t leave until you finish your food.

Khushi looks at Naniji and Payal in dismay.

Naniji hurriedly assures Arnav: Chotey, we will make sure Khushi bitiya takes her food. You go and do your work. (Subtly elbows Payal)

Payal also hurriedly assures Arnav: Yes absolutely. We will take care of Khushi. You go and do your work.

Arnav scowls at them: It’s okay. I don’t have any urgent work that needs to be done right now. You guys can leave. I will make sure Khushi eats her food.

Khushi makes a pleading face behind Arnav’s back at Naniji. Naniji tries her brave smile at her.

HP arrives with a plate heaped with food.

Khushi gulps looking at the mountain of food on the plate.

Arnav takes the plate from HP and hands it to Khushi: Start eating.

Khushi gulps and picks a small section of poori with curry, puts it in her mouth and starts chewing very slowly.

Arnav looks at her weirdly. He remembers how Khushi gulps down food when she never even misses a meal and now in spite of missing lunch, she is eating slowly.

He asks sarcastically: Khushi, I said I don’t have work right now. But I didn’t say I don’t have work for the rest of the week. So if you please start eating, we can all go do our work.

Khushi pouts at Arnav and tries to eat again while cursing herself in her head for coming up with the stupidest excuse to land in this position.

Anjali and mami come home. HP opens the door for them. Anjali goes to her room. But mamiji stays back and whispers to HP: How’s the preparation going?

HP replies confusedly: I don’t know, mamiji. Khushi didi is in bed and Arnav bhaiyya is feeding her lunch.

Mamiji gets confused too: Again? How much food can this girl eat? We had lunch together just before we left 30 minutes ago.

Mamiji goes upstairs to Khushi’s room to see Khushi sitting with a mountain of food with a very sad face may be for the first time in her life and Arnav is glaring at her of course for the umpteenth time in his life.

Naniji and Payal are wringing their hands with scared expression.

Mamiji looks at Naniji and nods her head indicating what is going on?

Naniji points at Khushi and makes signal Mamiji to distract Arnav.

Mamiji calls Arnav: Arnav bitwa, I need to talk to you.

Arnav turns to Mamiji: Can’t it wait until Khushi is done eating?

Mamiji looks at Khushi to see she is gesturing wildly grabbing her throat and making choking gestures behind Arnav’s back.

Arnav was about to turn to Khushi when Mamiji stops him: Ummm… No. Arnav bitwa, it’s about Anjali bitiya’s health. I need to tell you what doctor said.

Arnav stands up worriedly: Is everything alright?

Mamiji grabs his hand and pulls him out of the room: Yes, yes. But I have to tell you that she is alright. Come with me.

Then she pulls a confused Arnav out of the room.

Meanwhile, Nani and Payal run to Khushi. Payal grabs a plastic bag from one corner containing decorations, empties them on the floor, grabs her plate, empties the food in it and then gives back the empty plate to Khushi. Naniji pushes the decorations under the bed hurriedly.

Outside the room, Arnav stops Mamiji and asks: What happened to Di?

Mamiji answers with a big smile: She is having a lovely baby in just few months.

Arnav (what the look): What the? I know Di is having a baby in few months.

Mamiji replies: Ah, but did you know that she is having a lovely baby?

Arnav gives her his “unbelievable” expression and goes back into the room ignoring Mamiji’s attempt to stop him and sees Khushi sitting on the bed with a deer-in-the-headlight look. Naniji and Payal were standing by her side with equally startled look.

Arnav strides to Khushi and sees the empty plate in her hand: What the? How did you finish that much food so soon?

Mamiji sighs big in relief.

Khushi gives him a big smile: I was so hungry Arnavji that I ate very fast.

Arnav asks again: But you were eating so slowly when I was sitting right here.

Khushi stammers: Errrmm… That was because I was feeling shy eating in front of you. (Pretends to be shy and bats her eyelashes for good measure)

Arnav is taken aback: What the?

Khushi beams.

Payal and Naniji beams back.

He turns back and looks at Mamiji and she beams back as well.

He shakes his head and mutters: Unbelievable

And he strides out of the room.

Khushi, Payal, Naniji and Mamiji let out a big sigh of relief together.

Naniji asks Khushi: But Khushi bitiya, why did you get sick? What happened to you?

Khushi looks at Naniji worriedly and wonders why she had that vision and what it means. She decides, she will try to find out before she reveals anything to anybody.