Chapter 22

When Khushi woke up, it felt like a dream as she saw the ocean from the glass doors. She used the washroom and then flopped down on the bed again and jumped back into bed and snuggled into the blanket.

"Good morning!" Arnav walked in, shirtless, his track pants low on his waist. He smiled showing off his white teeth and Khushi stared at how devastatingly handsome he looked with his tousled hair, beard and his spectacularly muscled body. She opened her eyes wide, pinching herself just to make sure all this was real.

"Khushi?" Arnav came up to her and leaned down to kiss her in the cheek, "I said good morning."

"Good morning." Khushi sat up and accepted the coffee cup hoping he hadn’t noticed that she was drooling over him.

"I will go out in a little bit and get some breakfast for us," he told her as he sat down beside her. "I have some work in the city," he put his arm around her, "after that I will be back and we can go to lunch."

The aroma of the coffee was invigorating. "Arnav, how long are we going to stay here?" she asked him.

"Why?" He asked her, "Don’t you like it here?"

"I absolutely love it here, but the art project is complete --- I have to start my Masters course soon –"

"Well the whole point of distance learning is that you can do it from anywhere," Arnav pointed out.

"Arnav, we can’t keep eating out all the time," she told him, "the kitchen here doesn’t have all the utensils. Wouldn’t it be easier if we just stayed at the ancestral house?"

"We can’t be like this with Ratna hovering over us."

"That's true but we have to get the house cleaned up before aunty arrives next week, don’t we?" She took a sip of her coffee.

"Yes, we do," he agreed, "we need to spruce up the house for Aarav's engagement."

Khushi sat up in surprise, "Aarav is getting engaged!?" She put her coffee cup on the nightstand.

"He called me a few days back," he said, "he has found his future wife."

"You are telling me now!" Khushi exclaimed, "Who's the girl? Is she a doctor?"

"No, she is not a doctor," Arnav smiled mischievously, "she is a baker."

"Oh," Khushi said, "where is she from?"

"Udupi."

Enlightenment dawned on Khushi. "Oh, my God – it's Rashmi!"

Arnav smiled. "I was wondering how many more clues I would have to give you."

"How did it happen?" Khushi asked him.

"Rashmi recently took Sanvi and her mother to the US for a holiday. They stayed with Aarav and then they all went to Florida together and spent a week visiting all the amusement parks there."

"I think it all began when Aarav took Rashmi home after our trip to the waterfall," Khushi reminisced, "He helped her with Sanvi when she was sick." Khushi was playing with his chest hair absently sending goose bumps down his body.

"Yes, they kept in touch after Aarav left India," Arnav said as he put his coffee cup away. "Looks like Aarav always had a crush on her since college days and that was the reason for his frequent trips to Udupi all the way from Mysore."

"Really? That's so romantic! His story is just like Manav's --," Khushi blurted out before she could stop herself, "I mean he had a crush on Rashmi too –"

"I know you are talking about Di." Arnav said.

"You knew?" Khushi asked him in surprise.

"Of course, I knew," he said, "he is my best friend. It was hard to watch him all these years, but there was nothing that could be done about the situation."

"Aarav asked me if it was okay to propose to Rashmi," Arnav chuckled, "as though he was going to drop it if I said no."

"I am so happy for them." Khushi sighed.

"Do you think I should shave for the big day?" he asked her.

"No way!" Khushi exclaimed, touching his beard, "I mean you look better with this." She said softly.

"Really?" his voice was husky, "what else?"

"Your voice is – sexy."

As Arnav stared at her Khushi said, " Your eyes are the color of chocolate -- "

Arnav captured her lips silencing her from talking further.

That night, Khushi woke up her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

"Khushi, it's alright," Arnav spoke beside her calming her. "Was your nightmare about Payal again?" he asked her.

Khushi nodded her head. "Payal was being taken hostage by my kidnappers."

"Khushi I am sorry you are going through so much stress –"

"Just hold me."

Arnav stroked her hair until sleep claimed her again. Since she was kidnapped, he hadn’t wanted to let her out of his sight. He'd had his PI watch over her house in Chennai 24X7 and when she had come to Delhi he had insisted that she stay back in his absence. That was also why he had insisted on accompanying her to Udupi make sure nothing of that sort ever happened again.

The person behind her kidnapping was someone who knew what had happened between Akash and Payal all those years ago. He had used that to get to Khushi. But why had that person become active now, after all these years? Was it because Khushi had started digging into the past? What was he or she worried about?

A week later, Khushi stood in the kitchen making breakfast thinking about the time she had first entered Mrs. Rai's beautiful house, her mind full of uncertainties about what the future held for her and here she was now with her heart full of love.

Arnav came up behind her and slid his hand over her flat stomach just above the waistband of her skirt.

"Arnav!" Khushi slapped his hand, "let me finish this." They had moved to the house a few days ago so they could get the house cleaned as planned.

"No way!" he kissed her neck, "you have to let me fulfill my desires."

"What desires?" she looked at him.

"Well, whenever I saw you in the kitchen - before," he told her huskily, "I had this intense urge to come up to you like this. Especially that day when you wore that white top."

"When was this?" Khushi couldn't think with his hands playing havoc on her skin.

"It was the day we went to the well to rescue the girl from the bootha."

"Oh, yes I remember now!" How could she forget that six pack abs drenched in water?

"Do you also remember how scared you were when I jumped on you that evening?"

Khushi looked at him with her wide doe like eyes. How could she forget the almost kiss?

"That night I wanted to –" he leaned toward her.

"Get a room you two!" Manav walked in, "Can I get a cup of coffee?"

"Perfect timing!" Arnav muttered shooting daggers with his eyes.

"Two more coffees please," Anjali walked in followed by Akash.

 Anjali, Akash and Manav had arrived from Delhi just the day before to attend Aarav's engagement.

"Where is Aarav?" Arnav enquired.

"He must be on the phone with his beloved." Manav quipped.

"I am right here!" Aarav announced as he joined them, "Rashmi's family will be at the banquet hall in a couple of hours. So, let's hurry up."

Khushi heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Ratna coming toward the house.

"Why don’t you all sit in the dining area?" she suggested, "breakfast is almost ready."

As they all sat with their coffees, Ratna and Khushi served coffee, followed by breakfast.

"Where is Ma?" Arnav asked Khushi.

"She is in the pooja room," Khushi said, "she won't be having breakfast today as she is fasting."

"How are you holding up Di?" Aarav asked his Anjali, "I heard about what happened."

"I am fine now that I have sent the notice," she said, "sorry I have been so closed up since the day at the farm house."

"We understand Di." Arnav said.

"I had been thinking of leaving Shyam for a long time."

Anjali revealed Shyam was obsessed with houses. "When he was younger they had to vacate their house because his dad had lost everything and the bank seized their house. I think he married me expecting that I will inherit the Raizada house." He'd been disappointed that Anjali didn’t want to file a case against her aunt for not giving her the share of the house.

"I am sorry Anjali." Akash apologized for his mother, "I will talk to mom and sort this out."

"Please stop apologizing Akash," Anjali said, "it's not your fault. After all she raised me—got me married --"

"That doesn’t mean she should take your share of the house."

 "I don’t know how Shyam's family gor the business deal for your father Akash," Anjali said, "I don’t think they were as rich as they claimed to be. After the wedding, when I went to my in-laws' house, it was bare except for utensils in the kitchen. They said they had ordered for new furniture. In a few days, Shyam suggested that we move into the fully furnished apartment that my dad had left for me."

"Then a month later my in-laws house was furnished like magic," Anjali said.

"Sia was probably using your credit card to furnish her parents' house." Arnav told Akash.

"Do you know where Shyam lived when he was young?" Arnav was curious.

"He never mentioned that Arnav," Anjali said, "he only told me about his house once accidentally."

"Life has been miserable from the day I was married. I always knew that he had all this latent anger – I had seen it raise its head a few times, but then he suppressed it. I wondered when all that would explode and it finally happened."

"I am there for you Di," Arnav consoled his sister.

All the men in the room concurred with Arnav in their support.

An hour later, Khushi and Rashmi stood in the small dressing room of the party hall in Udupi city. Khushi helped Rashmi iron out the pleats of her saree which was Kancheevaram silk in orange and a green border with gold zari, with a matching embroidered blouse in green.

"Khushi," Rashmi said as Khushi worked on the pleats. "I want to tell you something."

"What is it?" Khushi asked her with concern.

"About Arnav and me," she said, "I want you to know we didn’t – you know." She hesitated, "I come from a very traditional family –"

"It doesn’t matter Rashmi –" Khushi said, "you don’t have to explain."

"I will feel better if I did," Rashmi said, "in the beginning we were just friends hanging out together – Arnav, Manav, Aarav and me. There were many guys who were interested in me, Arnav included and it was a nice feeling – to know you are sought after -- but I knew my father would never allow an inter caste marriage. Then Payal came into the picture and she started to grab the limelight. When I realized that she had a crush on Arnav, I don’t know what came over me – I" she stopped.

"That's when you agreed to be Arnav's girlfriend." Khushi completed what Rashmi was trying to say.

"Yes," Rashmi said, "I sensed Arnav's disinterest when he returned after the holidays but I went ahead and proposed that we go steady. But I soon realized that he wasn’t into me at all. I just thought you should know."

"You were very young then Rashmi," Khushi hugged her, "You have Aarav now."

"Sometimes we don’t see what is right in front of us and go after something that is not meant for us." Khushi felt a Deja vu as Rashmi echoed what Payal had written in her notes. College life could get complicated especially in a co-ed situation, thought Khushi.

Aarav and Rashmi sat together as the priest solemnized the engagement ceremony with their family gathered around them.

As Khushi stood talking to Mrs. Shetty and her daughter Vibha who was holding an infant in her arms, Arnav watched, his heart began beating erratically. She looked stunning in a dark teal lehenga in linen satin, with print and hand embroidery with a matching blouse and sheer dupatta. With her long hair let loose, she wore silver jhumkis, bangles, nose pin and had kept her neck bare of any jewelry.

After the ceremony was complete, to his pleasant surprise, Khushi walked onto the stage and performed on a popular Bollywood song ghar more pardesia.

"Khushi dances so well!" Manav exclaimed, standing next to him.

"We knew that," Anjali said, "Rashmi asked her to perform today."

By the end of the song, she had stunned the audience with her graceful moves.

Arnav stood riveted through the entire performance.

When she joined them later, Arnav asked her, "Where did that come from?"

"I love dance," she told him, "I had a solo performance all three years of my degree college."

"A performance like this deserves a reward," Aarav said, "what would you like?"

 Khushi thought for a few moments. "I am craving for some gud bud!" she giggled.

A little later, the group sat in Sheetal ice cream parlour digging into their ice creams, as Manav regaled the story of how Khushi had walked off into the darkness without telling anyone the last time they were here.

"Madam was angry with me because ---" Arnav stopped as Khushi kicked him under the table.

"We should have brought the girls we us. " Khushi changed the topic. Ananya and Sanvi who had become inseparable since they met, had gone back to Mrs. Rai house.

"They both wanted to play with each other as much as possible before Ananya leaves," Rashmi said, "Luckily amma will be there to help aunty -- " Rashmi said shyly.

"You have to tell us about your love story Rashmi." Khushi said.

"Ask him," Rashmi looked at Aarav blushing profusely.

"It's a long story." Aarav said tersely.

"Aarav, how could you propose to Rashmi?" Manav asked him, "didn’t you know she was my crush? You have hurt my feelings."

"Don’t lie to me Manav," Aarav retorted, "I know you love someone else." He said tongue in cheek.

"Everyone know that!" Akash said, "It's Arnav!"

As everybody burst into peal of laughter, Arnav said, "I wouldn’t choose Manav even if I were gay."

"Why not?" Manav muttered in mock anger, and then realized what he had said, "I don’t believe I just said that."

"I don’t believe it either but it's because you are my best friend idiot." Arnav answered

"Lavanyaji thinks you are gay," Khushi said out of the blue looking at Arnav. She put a big scoop of ice cream into her mouth.

"What the --?"  Aarav's eyes went wide.

"Do we have to share that "Emily" story now?" Arnav said sarcastically, "that woman is nuts."

"Who is this "Emily"?" Rashmi was curious.

"No -- Lavanyaji told me this when she called me," Khushi said, "I didn’t tell you everything."

"What did you say to her?" Anjali asked Khushi with a mischievous smile.

"Nothing." Khushi shrugged nonchalantly.

"Come on Khushi," Manav goaded her, "you should have defended Arnav. You should have told him about his prowess ---"

"Shut up Manav!" Arnav hit him on the shoulder.

"I agree with Manav!" Rashmi giggled.

"Me too." Aarav echoed after his fiancée.

Khushi went red in the face, realized the tables were turned as she became the target of their ridicule.

Arnav excused himself when his phone rang.

"I called you to give you some good and bad news," DCP Rathod said,

"What's the bad news?" Arnav asked, raking a hand through his hair. He braced for the news that he had feared for some time now.

"Your suspicion was right Arnav," he said, "The accident of your brother and his partner Payal – wasn’t really an accident. A gang member from the drug gang, ratted on two other members of the gang in exchange for a lesser sentence. We need to investigate but I think they might have been behind the death of Payal Gupta."

"F@#$!" Arnav swore, "Was this anything to do with my involvement in the drug cases all those years ago?" Arnav asked the DCP.

"I don’t know Arnav," Rathod said "they have mentioned that Nandita had an important role to play."

"What?" Arnav was stupefied, "the junkie who went missing? What has she got to do with all this?"

Ajay was silent for several moments. "The good news is that we have found Nandita. They have already brought her to Bangalore and will be here soon. I will let you know once she reaches Udupi. We will know more once we have her in custody."

A little later, Arnav rode the Royal Enfield with Khushi behind him.

"Why are we going to back to the beach house Arnav?" Khushi asked him resting her face on his back.

He had to talk to Khushi and that would not be possible with Akash in the house. His brother had gone through too much and he didn’t want to ply him with news that would surely break him.

"I wanted to be alone with you tonight," Arnav said as he enclosed her hand with his, "I have to tell you something ---"

Khushi smiled and then she remembered something. "Arnav, you know what Vibha told me?" Khushi said, "The girl Nandita Shanbogue -- you were asking me about her back in Delhi –  she was in a relationship with a man who used to come to their parties."

"Was this man a student?" Arnav asked.

"Nandita never revealed the identity of the man," Khushi said, "But Vibha suspected that it was one of the big shots who used to come there from time to time. He couldn’t have been a student because this man was older. And she said the man was a North Indian and they continued their relationship even after he was married."

"Do you think she has a picture of this man?" Arnav's heart was thudding in his chest.

"I am not sure about that. But Vibha showed me an old picture of Nandita," Khushi said, "Nandita has an uncanny resemblance to Payal -- she had the same complexion, curly hair and build."

It was just a few kilometers from the beach house but Arnav turned the bike around. "Khushi we have to talk to Vibha," he said just as it started raining heavily. "Can you tell me the direction to their house?"

"Are you sure?" she asked him, "it's raining. The visibility is so low."

"It's important!"

His urgency had started to worry her. "It's quite a distance to the city."

The path was pitch dark due to power outage, except for the light from the Royal Enfield. When the truck came at them from nowhere, it was pure instinct that made Arnav swerve away from its path even though he could hardly see anything ahead of him. Khushi rent out a loud scream but held onto him tight. When Arnav saw that the truck had gone off the path, he decided to turn around and head back to the beach house.

After reaching the house, Arnav quickly took Khushi to the attic in the study room on the first floor.

"What's going on Arnav?" Khushi asked shivering uncontrollably.

"Khushi, please stay here until I come for you. I will explain later."

As he hurried down to the living room, he saw a man seated on the sofa. He wasn’t really surprised but how had he entered the house so easily?

"I see that you missed getting into an accident Arnav."

"It becomes easier when you are expecting it," Arnav said, "unlike my unsuspecting brother."

"That fool had no clue." He said in his chilling voice.

"Yes, my brother had no clue that his own brother-in-law was planning to kill him!"