Desert Rose Chapter 10 - 13

Desert Rose – Chapter 10

IT was another flawless morning, getting warmer by the minute and Khushi stood in the kitchen wiping the sweat off her forehead with her dupatta. Today she was making Lucknowi food for Anjali. She had mentionedthat nani, who was fromLucknow,was away at Jaipur and that she had been missing her cooking. So Khushi had made Mathura kealoo, poori, matarpulao, Lucknowikoftas and badamkheer. She had wanted to make jalebis but stopped herself when images of what had happened in this very same kitchen flashed before her eyes.  She realized she would never be able to make jalebis again without thinking about him.

Three more gruelling days had passed since then and although there was no sight or sound of him since, her emotions were still ragged, her senses in turmoil.

 She had told herself a hundred times that this was a crazy unwanted feeling. This was a result of not having interacted much with men, having grown up with a sister and not having relatives to speak of. Even at the boutique, all her clients were women and most of the tailors were middle aged to old men whom she affectionately addressed as bhaiyya or uncleji.

This had to be infatuation ---- yes, that was what it was or it ever could be --- meant nothing. Absolutely and totally nothing.

Life in Delhi had not been easy, but she’d coped --- had managed to resolved all issues calmly. Yet now….

I don’t know what’s happening to me, she thought desperately. I’m not in control anymore, and I hate it. I miss my peace of mind. I want it back.

But there would be no inner tranquillity here, in this desert town. Living in the guest house was a constant torment, with its reminders of the shadowed past Arnav had shared there with his beautiful young fiancée – and those even more potent recent memories, from which there was no escape.

The thought of his kiss still burned her lips, the memory of his hands moving over her body sending shivers through it, giving her goose bumps even now. When she had felt his heart beating under her fingers, she almost felt that her own heart trying to match its rhythm.His presence seemed to linger in the room, evoking a strange trembling awareness she had no power to suppress.

After that night, presumably he was staying aloof, awaiting her message to say she was ready to deal, Khushi thought bitterly.

But, even when he was absent, she was always aware of him, just the same. Sometimes, as shadows in the green house, looking almost close enough to touch, and as she dried her hair on the balcony amidst the colourful bougainvillea, she had the odd impression that unseen eyes were watching her, although she knew that was absurd.

The need to go – to get away before it was too late -– had begun to obsess her. Part of her mind was saying that theidea of coming here to Rajasthan was hopeless, anyway. That Arnav did hold all the aces, and their best course would be to agree to some kind of financial settlement. But she knew any suggestion to Payal that they should cut their losses and return to Delhi would be indignantly resisted.

Payal, immersed in her emotional maelstrom, had no idea of the confusion that was ripping her sister apart. Nor did Khushi want her to know.

‘Khushiji,’ Anjali appeared beside her, looking elegant in a magenta net saree. She had taken Payal under her wing, supervising her diet, and taking her out for regular walks.  ‘I think Payal is feeling a little down today because of the morning sickness. She is resting.’

‘I think she gets a little anxious with each passing day.’ Khushi said a little stiffly.

Anjali’s brows creased with concern and she came up to Khushi.  ‘I can understand what Payal must be going through. Manav has promised he will bring Payal and Akash together as soon as the coast is clear.’

She put a hand on Khushi’s shoulder. ‘But Chotte is rarely away from the Haveli these days,and when he is absent it is only for a short time – and he leaves HP to watch Akash.’ She frowned. ‘We must find a way to draw him away from the Haveli and keeping him away for several hours.’

Khushi asked haltingly, ‘Will he not be going to ---Delhi sometime?’To meet his girlfriend she added mentally.

‘You mean on business?’ Anjali gave a casual shrug. ‘I have no idea, and he is too concerned with Akash right now. In fact --’ she leaned forward, ‘—he has told Manav that he may soon take Akash to the States to see specialists there, and if he does…’ she shrugged again ‘… I think that will be the end of Payal’s hopes.’

‘There is no doubt about that.’ Khushi said quietly. ‘Does she know about this?’

‘No. I thought it was best not to mention this to her. But don’t worry Khushiji, we will find a way.’ Anjali said briskly, ‘Now, tell me what we can do to cheer her up.’

An hour later, when Arnav rang the bell to the guest house he was surprized that no one opened the door. He was sure his sister was in there as he saw her car parked outside. What was going on? He realized he would have to get into the house like the other night. His mouth stretched into a thin line as he thought about that night.

He climbed in through the open window and stood in the living room to find it empty. He heard music playing in the bedroom and pushed the door open. The sight he beheld was something he had never expected --- His sister and Payal stood swaying to the music, clapping their hands and laughing up at ---- Khushi. She stood on the bed, gyrating to the latest Bollywood item number ChikniChameli!

She danced with abandon, her face flushed with excitement. She had taken off her glasses and her hair had come undone from all the dancing. Though this was a raunchy number, he had to admit she moved with a certain grace that belied the very concept.

Arnav stood quietly inside the room watching the three of them lost in their own world. Just as the song was about to end, Khushi lost her balance and was about to fall off the bed. As she began to flail backward, she closed her eyes expecting to hit the hard floor. Except that, she did not. She opened one eye to find herself safely ensconced in Arnav Singh Raizada’s strong arms. Khushi’s eyes went wide as her mouth opened in an O.The same expression was mirrored by the other two ladies in the room.

Arnav put Khushi down unceremoniously before turning his attention to Anjali, ‘If you can spare some time from the all the revelry, will you please tell me why there is no food in the house Di?’

‘But… Chotte….. you weren’t supposed to be back for lunch!’ exclaimed Anjali.

‘Well….. my meeting got cancelled and I decided to come back home,’ he returned, ‘what’s going on?’

‘Khushiji invited me to lunch and since you were not going to be there I gave the HP and Lakshmi the day off.’ She answered sheepishly.

‘What about Akash?’ he asked her looking at her in disbelief.

‘Don’t worry Chotte…..Manav is taking care of him,’ she said coming up to Arnav, ‘er….you could have lunch here,’ she added.

Hey Devi Maiyya! Anjaliji was inviting the Laad Governor to eat her simple Lucknowi food? Khushi thought apprehensively.

‘No thanks.’ The smell of food wafting from the kitchen had made him ravenously hungry, but he’d rather starve, Arnav decided.

‘Chotte, you know we don’t have any restaurants nearby and moreover we have enough to spare don’t we Khushiji?’

‘Yes… of course.’

‘I ___’

‘She has made poori and Mathura Aloo --- your favourite.’ Anjali knew her brother too well.

He looked at his watch and conceded. ‘I have a call in half an hour…….maybe I will just grab a bite.’

The bite turned into a finger licking sumptuous meal. He was forced to admit that this was the best meal he had in ages. F@#$! How the hell he had managed to survive on HP’s cooking all this time?

‘Khushi, would you please sit down and eat?’ Arnav said as Khushi tried to serve him another poori. ‘I hate it when people hover over me.’

‘Khushiji, please do join us,’ said Anjali, ‘we have no formalities here,’ she added much to the consternation of Arnav.

Dammit! Did Di have to be obvious about what she was trying to do here? This was going to cause a lot of problems ---like he didn’t have enough already, he thought looking at Khushi. He picked up the bowl of kheer.

‘Arnavji, you can’t have that kheer, it has sugar in it!’ Khushi blurted out, as she grabbed his arm to stop him.

Arnav stiffened as he saw Anjali staring at them in amusement. The ring of his mobile phone hadn’t sounded more wonderful to him than this moment and hequickly excused himself to take the call in privacy.

Khushi Kumari Gupta! You are just plain crazy, Khushi admonished herself for her blunder. Anjali had just taken Payal to the room and she had begun to clean up the dining table and kitchen. This was her latest obsession to maintain the cleanliness of this ultra-modern house and it was soon going to tire her out. For all his airs, Laad Governor seemed to have enjoyed this simple Lucknowi meal. She had actually seen him licking his fingers a little in the end. So this businessman with the fancy American accentwas a desi boy at heart, after all. Her phone rang and she picked it up absentmindedly. ‘Hello?’

‘It’s Mrs Malhotra here.’ The gruff voice of her boss broke into her reverie.

‘Mrs Malhotra!’ exclaimed Khushi, ‘How are you?’

‘Let’s do away with formalities and get straight to the point, shall we?’ Mrs Malhotra seemed to be angry. Had her business taken a hit because of her absence? But before she could say anything, she continued, ‘All I want to know is if you will be coming back to work?’

‘Of course, Mrs Malhotra.’ Khushi said emphatically, ‘you know I am only on ten days leave.’

‘Well ……’ She paused, ‘you seem to be moving in high circles these days. With such influential people backing you, I wondered if you would be interested in coming back to work for me.’

‘What are you talking about Mrs Malhotra?’ asked Khushi completely baffled, ‘what influential people?’

‘Arnav Singh Raizada. He called me few days ago and had me remove all your pictures from the online catalogue. He threatened me with a lawsuit if I didn’t comply. When the owner of a top fashion house takes so much interest in my employee, that he personally calls me about this, what am I supposed to think Khushi?’

‘I am sorry Mrs Malhotra.’ Khushi apologized.

‘So you do plan to come back to work?’ She asked again.

‘Yes,’ she answered, ‘I just need a few more days leave.’

‘Of course, take your time. I don’t need another law suit on my hands for not giving you enough leave.’ Then the phone went dead.

How dare he? thought Khushi her anger rising up several notches. Wasn’t it enough that he was playing with Payal and Akash’s lives that he had to butt into hers as well? She went up the stairs,her entire body seethingand barged into her bedroom.He was walking about the bedroom, talking into his bluetooth device. She went up to him, blocking his way, plucked the device off his ears and threw it on the bed.

‘What the F@#$!’ he swore loudly.

‘How dare you interfere with my personal life like this?’ she raged at him.

‘That was a frigging important call!’ he hissed, ‘I will have to call Ria ---’

‘I don’t care!’ she shouted at him, ‘your girlfriend can wait until you finish answering all my questions.’

‘This had better be good, or you are going to be in real trouble Khushi Kumari Gupta!’ he thundered.

‘You told Mrs Malhotra to take my pictures off the web site.’ Khushi stated.

‘So?’ he asked her nonchalant.

‘That was none of your business!’ she exclaimed.

‘It seemed like you were unaware that she had put them online.’ He said. ‘Am I right?’

‘Yes, but that’s beside the point.’ Khushi said looking at him her eyes flashing, ‘You had no right! I don’t need your help. I can take care of myself. As I have done --- for the last seven years!’

‘Alright, fine!’ said Arnav, his own temper rising a notch, ‘I will call the old dragon and tell her to put them all back again. I didn’t know you wanted them there.’

‘No!’ she snapped back, ‘I don’t want them there!’

‘So, what do you want me do?’

‘Nothing! You have done enough already. I am probably going to be sacked anyway.’

‘So?’ he asked her, ‘you will definitely get another job. I have seen the pictures. You are really good.’

He thought her designs were good?

‘In fact I think I acted in haste there, so do accept my apology. You should continue whatever you are doing. I run a fashion house and I understand beauty when I see it.’

He seemed to be going overboard in his praise for the blouse, she thought. He surely had better designers at AR. She couldn’t understand this Laad Governor at all.

‘But what I don’t understand is,’ he said looking at the simple green suit, ‘why you hide such beauty under those appalling clothes.’

Oh God! He was talking about her. He thought she was a model. She decided not to correct him. What difference would it make what he thought of her? Now, he had a problem with her clothes.Although her meagre salary at the boutique afforded them to lead a decent life, it did not allow her the luxury to buy fancy clothes.

But then, of course, his tastes inclined toward a rather more flamboyant style of female dressing, she acknowledged, recalling Ria Chopra’s jazzy ensemble. That was not her style at all, though it was impossible to suppress the stab ofirritation when she thought of Arnav looking ather.

‘I dress to please myself, Mr Raizada!’ she snapped. ‘I don’t think my appearance should be any of your concern.’

Her tartness was a mistake. She knew that as she saw his eye brows rise up in response to her sharp tone.

He shook his head as he walked toward her and a sudden wicked grin made his teeth flash against his lips. ‘You are right,’ he murmured, so softly that instinctively Khushi tensed, suspecting strongly that he wasn’t going to leave it at that, ‘but it doesn’t stop me wondering why you are bent upon dressing like a school teacher.’

Without warning he reached a hand and touched her hair, tugging the hair-stick free, from the neat chignon, and letting it unfurl down her back, his eyes glinting with a disturbing fire. Khushi froze, stunned by the total unexpectedness of the gesture.

‘Shiny, straight, black hair.’Arnav’s voice was a disturbingly husky whisper, one that made Khushi’s nerves twist in instinctive response. ‘What a terrible crime to have hair this beautiful and then drag it back in that unflattering style.’

With his other hand he took off her glasses in one swift movement.

‘Give them back to me!’ she exclaimed furiously, trying to snatch it back from him.

Holding it high over his head, Arnav grabbed her waist with his other hand, stopping her from reaching his hand.

As Khushistruggled to reach for the glasses, she looked up to seemolten chocolate eyes looking at her intently, a look she had now come to understand quite well. Her heart began its erratic dhak-dhak as she became aware that she was flush against his body, her breasts crushed to his chest, one of her hands clutching his shoulder.A raw heat suffused her body from her head,settling down in the pit of her stomach. When his eyes moved downward to look at her lips, she closed her eyes, her lips parting unconsciously.

‘Chotte?’ Anjali voice broke into the silence. ‘I thought you had left.’

Khushi wrenched herself free from his grasp as Arnav turned to look at his sister behaving as though it was quite normal to be found with a girl in his arms.

‘I came up here to take a call. Khushi came in looking for her glasses,’ he explained calmly. ‘I found them for her and was just giving them back to her.’

‘Is that right?’ asked Anjali, her eyebrows raised, her tone flippant.

‘Absolutely.’Arnav’s tone brooked no more arguments ‘I have another meeting soon and I am going back home. Arnav told her as he walked out of the room.‘What about you?’

Yes chotte, I will go back with you.’ Anjali followed him, waving Khushi a quick goodbye, unable to supress the mischievous smile that broke into her lips.

Later that night, Arnav stood in his greenhouse, tending to the plants. This was his haven --- a place he came to sort out his thoughts. He looked out of the window to see if Khushi’s bedroom lights were on. Was that her silhouette or was it just the shadows cast by the creepers growing on the terrace?

He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the other night.When he had taken her hand to put it on his chest, he had felt a searing heat in spite of his clothes, and his heartbeat had thudded heavily, his pulse thrumming through his body. He had begun to feel some primitive emotion he couldn’t name.

All this had begun from the encounter in the green house. That day, he had only wanted to prove something to her, but the moment his lips had touched hers, he could have sworn that stars had exploded, lighting the heaven with glorious colours. And this had never, ever happened to him before.

His thoughts then went back to the phone call he had received some time back. It was from the PI he had hired to find out about Payal’s background. The PI had given her a clean chit.

He had himself realized the same when he had watched her jumping with joy while watching Khushi’s antics on the bed. Her innocence just shone through. He had not even seen his Di laughing so much in ages. He also knew that she had been sneaking out to visit them every day and had embraced them into her life. It was so simple for her, wasn’t it? Why not? She was happily married to the man of her dreams. Whereas he had ended up with …….

Lavanya….

He had worked very hard to bury those old memories, until Khushi had brought her up a few days ago. Khushi had described her as “someone lovely with so much going for her”. Only he knew the truth.He remembered what she had said the other night --

You can’t protect him from experiencing or prevent him from making his own mistakes….

Was he was letting what happened with him come in the way of Akash’s happiness?Was it was time to let go of the past?

ShyamManoharJhawalked into Jha Associates office. ‘Hey Shyam, when did you get back? How was your trip?’ asked Amar Vyas, Shyam’sassociateat the firm.

 ‘Just got in this morning Amar,’ Shyam said, ‘It was fantastic. You should take your family and go there sometime.’

‘As if I could afford it,’ returned Amar, ‘you should have taken the day off, you know, jet-lag and all.’

‘I have a lot of pending work I want to wind up before I leave,’ he said, ‘I am planning to go to Rajasthan for a few days. I am missing Anjali a lot.’

‘That’s wonderful, say hello to bhabiji,’ he said folding the newspaper he had been reading.

‘Anything interesting in the paper today?’ Shyam asked him, switching his lap top on.

‘The usual, scams, murders and oh by the way we also have a suicide ---  a young woman. She jumped off her apartment building. Here, take a look at this.’

A 25-year old woman committed suicide by jumping off the fourth floor of an apartment building on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Anita Sharma, a bpo worker who had been living in the apartment for the past few months.

Police recovered a suicide note from the apartment in which the deceased has not implicated anybody behind her stern step. According to the police, the woman’s last call to the cell phone was to an unknown number. Police is investigating if there was some abetment of suicide and is waiting for the post-mortem report in order to rule out any foul play.

‘Oh God!’ said Shyam his eyes going wide with surprize, ‘I don’t understand how people can waste God given life like this.’ He closed his eyes for a few brief seconds. ‘One should learn to be happy with whatever life throws your way.’

‘You are so right, Shyam.’ Amar Vyasconcurred with a nod.

Khushi came downstairs to the kitchen to make her morning cup of tea. As the water began to boil, she was lost in her thoughts.Things were getting out of hand with each passing day. Mrs Malhotra’sphone call had put her in a quandary. She had asked her for a few more days leave. But what was going to happen in a few more days? Anjali had told her yesterday that Arnav was planning to take Akash to America for further medical treatment. They couldn’t afford to follow them there. Khushi was startled out of her thoughtswhen she heard the knock on the door.

‘Khushiji!’ said Anjali as Khushi opened the door. She looked very excited. ‘I just got a brilliant idea last night ----about how to get Chotte away from the Haveli. You will have to do it.’

‘Me?’ Khushi’s eyes went wide with surprize. ‘What are you talking about?’

Anjali went on, ‘You tell Chotte that you want to meet with him, to make a deal, but away from here, because you want to keep it a secret from Payal. You can ask him to show you around Bikaner and keep him with you the entire day,’ she added, her smile widening. ‘I think …..that should not be a problem, am I right?’

‘No.’ Bright spots of colour burned in Khushi’s face. ‘I am sorry, but I can’t --- I won’t. That will not be possible,’ she said, her heart thumping against her ribcage. ‘Anyway, he wouldn’t believe me. I have made it more than clear that I won’t negotiate.’

‘But a woman can change her mind, can’t she?’ Anjali asked. ‘I am sure Chotte understands that.’

Khushi bit her lower lip, ‘I’m sure he does. But I don’t play such games.’

Anjali took her hand and appealed to her. ‘Then there is nothing we can do Khushiji. Akash will go to America, and Payal will be devastated.’

Khushi groaned inwardly knowing Anjali was absolutely right.‘I will never get away with it,’ she said desperately.

‘Unless you try, how will you know?’ Anjali coerced. ‘Besides, everything is fair in love and war and Chotte is the one who has declared this war. He has always said that an easy deal is not worth making. He expects you to fight. You have tried standing up to him quite bravely so far. Don’t give up now, when there is a chance – however small ---of victory.’

Khushi was silent for several seconds before she capitulated, ‘All right – I will try, but I am not sure about this.’

‘I think now is your chance because I see Chotte turning into the driveway.’

‘Oh God!’ The breath seemed to choke in her throat. She turned on Anjali. ‘What is he doing here? Did you know he was coming?’

‘No, I swear it. He didn’t say anything at breakfast. But looks like he is going somewhere and you shouldn’t miss this chance,’ Anjali said urgently. ‘Make him take you with him, wherever he is going – then keep him with you until sun set. Give us some time.’

She rose gracefully to her feet. ‘As soon as you leave with him, I will take Payal to the clinic to bring Manav so that he can supervise their meeting, and then we will all come back to the Haveli.’ She put her palm against Khushi’s cheek. ‘Good luck to all of us,’ she whispered.

Khushi looked at Arnav who was now parking the Jeep. She looked at the blue sky.

It would be a very long time until sun set. She realized numbly. And she would need more than luck to come through unscathed.

Hey Devi Maiyya, what have I just agreed to?She thought in despair.

Desert Rose – Chapter 11

KHUSHI walked outside to meet Arnav. She wore a white Lucknowchikan suit with pearl drop earrings.

‘Hi.’ He greeted her as he swung himself off the jeep lithely. He was wearing beige cotton trousers which hugged his lean hips topped by a white cotton shirt, which he had tucked in, with the sleeves turned up to reveal his tanned forearms. With his hair tousled in the breeze and two of the top buttons undone to reveal a light sprinkling of chest hair, he looked devastatingly sexy.

Khushi swallowed her mouth going a little dry as she said, ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I wonder why you keep asking me this question,’ he said his mouth twisted in smirk. ‘But this time I will tell you. I think we should talk.’

‘Good.’ Khushi said constrictedly, ‘I wanted to talk to you about the deal as well.’

‘Oh.’ A strange look flashed through his eyes and was gone so fast that Khushi thought she might have imagined it.

‘That is what you wanted to talk about, isn’t it?’ she asked hesitatingly.

‘Yes, of course,’ he said his face stoic. ‘What else could it be? I knew it would be a matter of time.’

‘How?’

‘You were running out of time.’ He said, his mouth twisted, ‘You have a life to return to --- a job you need badly. Maybe someone waiting for you back home.’

His tone insinuated that it was more of question than a statement.

‘That,’ Khushi said quietly, ‘is none of your business.’

‘Then let’s discuss the real business and get it over with. So, you want to negotiate a settlement?’

‘You….you  have left me no choice.’ Khushi said unable to meet the intensity of his gaze.

‘Alright, I will come by this night after dinner with the details of my proposal.’ His tone was very matter-of-fact.

‘Oh no.’ That was not going to work,thought Khushi. ‘I had hoped that we could talk – privately, first –before I let my sister know about this.’

He shrugged. ‘Ok – when?’

Khushi took a deep breath. ‘How about now?’

‘Now?’ The dark brows lifted,his dark eyes speculative. ‘That’s not possible. I am going to Katariasar, a village on the outskirts.’

Khushi crushed the sides of her kurti with her hands, as he asked, ‘Can I come with you?’ She saw the surprized look on his face and hurried on. ‘Now that I have made up my mind I don’t want things to drag on. And, anyway, I have hardly seen anything of Rajasthan, and this could be my last chance. That is if you don’t mind a passenger,’ she added, waiting as he stared in silence.

‘No,’ he said at last, his smile crooked. ‘I don’t mind at all – if you are prepared to risk it.’

‘Risk?’ Khushi looked beyond him at the Jeep. ‘The vehicle seems to be in a good condition. Do you drive very fast?’

Arnav laughed out loud and Khushi was stunned to see Arnav’s transformation from a serious businessman into a carefree man. It took years off his face.

‘Never mind.’ He said sobering down quickly.‘That is not what I meant.’ He said enigmatically. He let his gaze deliberately go over her hair and gave a small satisfactory nod.

Khushi realized that she had forgotten to tie up her hair and the look on Arnav’s face told her what interpretation he put on that one small fact. His next words confirmed her suspicions.

‘What happened to the school teacher image? As I told you yesterday, you shouldn’thide behind it. This is much ---better.’ Khushi thought for a moment that he was going to say something else.‘What brought about the change I wonder?’

‘I told you before --- I dress to please myself and no one else. Give me a minute to get my purse. I will be right back.’

When she came back five minutes later, she had tied her hair up in a bun and put on her glasses. Khushi lifted her chin up in a challenge as she sat in the passenger seat. Though he didn’t say anything, his body language told her she had irked him quite a bit.

By asking him to take her out like this, Khushi knew she had given him the wrong idea. But as Anjali had told her, this would be her last chance. She would be fine she assured herself. She sent up a silent prayer.

Khushi trained her eyes on the scenery which was not becoming very familiar to her. The landscape which had seemed inhospitable to her a week ago, now looked peaceful, tranquil and pristine. There was rare inexplicable beauty in its vastness and Khushi was beginning to fall in love with it.

‘Why are we going to Katariasar?’ she asked curiously. ‘Is there something special there?’

‘Yes, myfriend KeshavRathore’s sister’s sangeet ceremony. But the main reason for my visit is to see his baby who was born a month ago.’

‘Oh!’ Khushi swallowed. ‘I didn’t realize I was going to be intruding on such a private occasion. I am sorry.’

‘If I thought you were intruding, you wouldn’t be here.’ His tone brooked no arguments.

‘Oh.’ Khushi imagined how easily she could have been left behind today. ‘Thanks but I think I might not be dressed for a ceremony.’ She looked at herself in the mirror.

‘That can be resolved very easily.’ He reached out,pulled the hair-stick which confined her hair and tossed it casually out of the moving vehicle.

‘What are you doing?’ Khushi demanded furiously, trying to control her flying mane with her fingers, and failing as the breeze gleefully whipped it all over her face.

‘Today ---’ Arnav drawled, ‘you are not the tied-back, buttoned up, responsible sister. Today, you will enjoy yourself.’ He paused, ‘And your eyes will smile at me.’ he said huskily.

‘What?’ she asked not sure if she had heard him correctly.

‘By that I mean you need to get rid of this as well.’ He reached out once again and took off her glasses and tossed them out like the hair-stick.

‘Stop the Jeep!’ yelled Khushi, infuriated with him. ‘I said STOP.’

Arnav brought the Jeep to a halt on the shoulder. Khushi got off the Jeep and ran back a little ways trying to find her glasses. She realized there was no way she was going to find them in this terrain. She strode back angrily.

‘What did you do that for?’ she demanded when she saw him lounging casually by the side of the Jeep. ‘Are you crazy?’

‘I am not -- but I think you definitely are for wearing those horrible plain glasses.’ He said. ‘I checked yesterday when I took them off.’ He explained at her surprized look and went on, ‘What are you trying to hide behind those almond beauties Khushi?’

‘How could you?’ she spat out and pushed his hard chest with all her might.

‘Believe me, it was simple,’ he said as hecaught her hands in his, then pushed her back and pinned her hands against the Jeep. ‘This --- is the complication.’ Without any warning, he bent his head and captured her lips in his.

Khushi felt the cruel dazzle of the sun on her face, beating against her closed eyelids, as his kiss deepened, taking control, forcing the lips apart to admit the invasion of his tongue. When Khushi felt the familiar sensation assail her body, she gave in to the hunger andopened her mouth,allowing him entry into the warm sanctuary.

As a liquid heat pooled in the pit of her stomach,he released her as abruptly as he had grabbed her.

He took her chin in his hand and lifted her face up to him and said, ‘Don’t ever wear that dirty brown lipstick again.’ He strode back to the Jeep and took the wheels.

An hour later, they reached Katariasar. It was a small village – a straggle of houses, painted colourfully. They parked outside a house which was clearly a wedding venue with colourful multi coloured shamiyana dominating the front courtyard. There was also a welcoming committee Khushi noted in dismay.

She said, ‘I think I will stay here in the Jeep --- I don’t know anyone.’

‘Don’t be silly,’ he chided her, ‘Keshav will be offended if you don’t come in.’

He took her arm, urging her forward as his friend Keshav came up to him and enveloped him in an embrace. There was a whole battalion of people who came up to Arnav and shook hands with him. She saw him smiling at them and saying a few words to each and every one of them. This was such a strange scene that left Khushi baffled. Who were all these people and how did Arnav know all of them? she wondered. He then moved away from them as he seemed to have received a call on his cell phone.

KeshavRathore walked up to Khushi and asked her politely, ‘Madamji, can I offer you something?’

‘No thank you Keshavji. Please call me Khushi.’ She was surprized at his formality.

He immediately gave her a toothy smile. ‘I am so honoured that Chotte sahib and you were able to come to our small function.’

‘Of course,’ said Khushi surprized that he had addressed Arnav as ‘Chotte sahib’. ‘How can he not come to see his friend’s baby?’

‘That’s his humility that he considers me his friend Khushiji. I am just the foreman in his factory you know. My father, and my grandfather before him, worked for his father and grandfather. But Chotte sahib is the one who crossed the barrier of difference and embraced me as his friend -- only because I happened to teach him cycling when we were boys.’

‘He told me about that.’ Khushi said quietly.

‘He proved it when the factory had to be locked up when his father died in the accident. From whatever money the family received from the sale of the Haveli, he gave some to me so that I couldkeep my family afloat for some time. After a year when he made his money in the business he came back and made sure he revived the factory back to its former glory.

‘It is the livelihood of most of the people you see here Khushiji.’

Khushi was stunned at what Keshav had just told her. She looked at Arnav still talking on the phone and realized that he was a man with a great sense of responsibility. Guilt assailed her but she stemmed it immediately when she thought about Payal. She had a responsibility toward her family as well.

‘Shall we go see the baby now?’ Arnav had finished his call and come up to them.

Keshav took them inside the house which was bustling with activity. Strings of alternating yellow and orange marigold flowers were strung up all over giving the house a very festive atmosphere. Khushi observed that the doorways were decorated with rangoli designs.Women dressed in bright, colourful sarees and lehengas, moved about serving the guests. In one corner, there was a group of musicians playing Rajasthani folk songs, accompanied by little girls dancing to the tunes. Khushi’s eyes lit up when she saw the little girls doing the Ghoomar that she had learnt back at the hotel in Bikaner.

In the room, Pari, Keshav’s wife was sitting up in bed holding her baby in her arms. She was a pretty girl, a contented glow on her face, in spite of the weariness. She smiled at them in greeting.

Khushi sat on the bed and bent down and told Pari that the baby looked just like his father. Pari put the sleeping baby in her arms and Khushi happily began to croon to the baby.

She looked up to see Arnav gazing at her with a strange look in his chocolate eyes.

‘Would you like to hold him, Arnavji?’ she asked him.

‘Oh, no’ Arnav took an alarmed step backwards. ‘He is too small. I might drop him.’

‘Come on Arnavji,’ she encouraged him, ‘come sit on the bed if you think that will be easier.’

Seeing the expectant look on everyone’s faces Arnav muttered an expletive as he sat on the bed gingerly. Khushi handed the baby over to his reluctant arms. A murmur of approval went about the rest of the family clustering in the doorway.

 Clearly, a visit from such an important and respected figure was an event in their lives, Khushi thought. He was central to so many people’s lives here in this little village – quite apart from being the business tycoon.

As the baby snuggled in his arms smiling in sleep, Arnav’s face broke into a tender smile.

Khushi’s heart skipped a beat. ‘See I told you it was easy.’ Khushi said as she leaned on his arm unconsciously to touch the baby’s chin.

As the baby let out a wail of protest, Arnav promptly handed him over back to her. Khushi rocked the baby and began to coo to him to calm him and he relaxed back into peaceful slumber.

She was a natural with babies, thought Arnav looking at Khushi. She would make a great mother someday he realized with a pang. Suddenly, one small starfish hand emerged from the shawl he was cocooned in, and moved to splay her breast. The little baby puckered his lips as he turned – seeking.

A strange anguish lanced through Khushi as she wondered for the first time in her life what it would be like to bear a child to the man you loved. To be the focus, as Pari was, of his pride and adoration.

Hey Devi Maiyya…I wish….she stopped the dead at the directions her thoughts were heading.

As if magnetized, she looked up at Arnav, her eyes widening, her parted lips tremulous. His face was serious and aloof, his lips pursed in a barely controlled temper.

He probably resented the way she, a stranger, an unwanted outsider at that, had been drawn into this intimate family moment, she thought painfully. Nor could she blame him, considering the deception she was practicing on him.

An old woman from the group of onlookers came up to Khushi, put her hand on herhead and began to speak rapidly in a Rajasthani dialect. Khushi shook her head in incomprehension.

Sona, Keshav’s sister and bride-to-be,supplied the cheerful explanation, ‘Dadisa says that both of you are a good looking couple and will have beautiful babies one day.’

Khushi felt a wave of helpless colour sweep into her face. She did not dare look at Arnav as she handed the baby back to Pari. Luckily everyone left the room to rejoin in the activities and they were asked to come outside to where the table was being set for lunch.

As Arnav was escorted ceremoniously to the dining area, Khushi walked behind slowly lost in thought. She didn’t see the young girl serving orange sherbet to the guests and crashed right into her, spilling the contents of the jug onto her white kurti. The girl shrieked in terror at the mishap and Khushi began to console the girl and explained to all the women surrounding them that it was her fault.

She was quickly escorted by the women to Pari’s room where she instructed the women to give her a change of clothes. When Khushi apologized for the inconvenience, Pari explained that it was no trouble as these clothes were a part of hershagun anyway.

Her “shagun” turned out to be a beautiful traditional Rajasthani lehngacholi. The lehenga was a dark brown self-printkali skirt with a dark red border embroidered with silver thread work. The front of the lehenga seemed to have a separate piece attached which had wide horizontal strips of blue and green embellished with silver edgings and scattered silver kairis on them.The choli wasblue with half sleeves and only a single tie up dori at the back. The dark red chunri was bandhani with gotaedgings and rosettes sewed into it. She wore the ensemble with apprehension.

Khushi found herself surrounded by the womenfolk who began to admire her complexion, her hair and beauty with openness she found embarrassing. Before she could protest, they adorned her with the traditional oxidized silver jewellery, the maangtika, jhumkas, necklace and bangles. One woman plaited her hairand arranged her chunri over her head.

An hour later, a girl came up to Khushi to inform her that her beend was looking for her. Some of the women there had addressed her as beendni. That must be how they addressed guests in Rajasthan Khushi thought to herself.

Arnav stood waiting for Khushi in a small corridor away from all the hustle and bustle. He was replying to an e-mail message on his phone when Khushi came out of the women’s chambers. He didn’t recognize her for a moment and had turned his head back to the e-mail message. Then he looked up again. Khushi looked breathtakingly beautiful!

Her radiant face flushed with excitement, eyes, lined with dark kajaland her desert rose lips mesmerized him. The dark coloured lehengacholi stood out in stark contrast to her milky white skin. The short blouse and the lehenga riding low on her hips, emphasized the long slim length of her curvy waist. He felt hot and his body hardened at lightning speed.

As Khushi walked up to him, she realized that she had nothing to be apprehensive about. The look in Arnav’s eyes told her everything.

Arnav put his hand on her waist spanning it to rest on the small of her back.Khushi’sdhak-dhak began wildly as he pulled flush against him and she closed her eyes, parting her tremulous lips in wild abandon.

‘Are you ready to go?’ he whispered his lips just inches away from hers.

Khushi opened her eyes shocked at his question when he pointed to their spectator. A little girl stood a little distance from them, looking curious.

‘Sonadidi told me to get you Khushi didi,’ she said shyly.

‘Sona wants me to perform in a dance for her sangeet,’ said Khushi hesitating a little bit, ‘We did a little bit of rehearsal for it. Is that ok?’

‘Uh….sure.’ Arnav said shrugging his shoulders casually, ‘Did you eat anything?’

‘Yes…. they fed me while mehendi was being applied to my hands.’ She said showing her mehendi to him absently. As she followed the little girl, her throat was chocked with guilt at his concern.

Khushi felt the pangs of guilt again as she stood waiting for her dance to begin. She had only herself to blame. If she hadn’t gone along with Anjali’s suggestion and pushed herself on to him for the day, she’d have been saved all this discomfiture. She could only pray that back at the Haveli everything had worked out, and that the end would, somehow, justify the means she had chosen.

She had decided to stay back for the dance, because the longer it extended into the afternoon, the less time she would have to spend on her own with him, and the less opportunity there would be for the kind of self-betrayal she dreaded, she thought despairingly.

As she was about to close her face with her hands she realized she had mehendi on them and lowered them back. Suddenly, she realized why Arnav had stared at them for so long. Intricately blended into the design was the hindi letter A. The women had assumed that she belonged to him. It suddenly flashed to her why the old woman had addressed her as beendni. It meant wife.

It was time for the dance to begin and Khushi and some of the women took their positions and began to perform the Ghoomar for the famous Rajasthani folk song, MharoAssi Kali Ro Ghagro.

Though Khushi went through the motions of the dance she had begun to love, she was conscious of the chocolate eyes looking only at her. Above the laughter and chatter there seemed to be silent zone where the two of them existed alone. A place where she could look at him, and smile, and say the words of love and desire she dared not even think. Where his kisses burned on her parted lips, and her body bloomed under the touch of his hands. A secret place, she thought, which would haunt her for the rest of her life, tormenting her with all kinds of unfulfilled yearnings.

Next, Khushi began to dance to the famous Bollywood number from the movie Lamhe….

MorniBaaga MaNaacheAadhiRaat ma

Arnav knew that Khushi loved to dance. He had seen how she could lose her inhibitions while dancing in fun. But today she seemed different. Her body moved with a grace and latent sensuality which was completely riveting.

As the dance came to an end, amid a roaring applause, Arnav came up to her, his face remote, his eyes guarded. ‘It is time we left.’ His tone was crisp, formal. ‘Let’s go and say our goodbyes.’

They went up to Pari’s room where some of the relatives including Sona had assembled. Arnav handed Pari and Sona an envelope each, while Khushi hugged them both.

They were escorted back to the Jeep and Khushi waved to Keshav and his family until they vanished out of her vision.

‘You enjoyed yourself?’ Arnav asked quietly.

‘Of course,’ Khushi said without the slightest hesitation. ‘I felt privileged to be made so welcome. And I love weddings and babies.’ Khushi blurted out before she could stop herself.

He was silent for a moment. ‘They are simple people,’ he said at last. ‘I hope their – openness didn’t bother you?’

‘No.’ Her face warmed again. ‘I suppose they were bound to draw the obvious conclusion.’ She tried to laugh. ‘I am not going to be seeing them again anyway. It doesn’t matter.’

‘Right.’ The monosyllable was clipped and curt, and she ventured no other comment.

‘I can’t believe I couldn’t find my clothes,’ Khushi said feeling awkward wearing those clothes sitting next to Arnav. Shehad gone back into the room to change into her old clothes only to find them missing. As she searched in vain, Sona told her it would be impossible to find them in the chaos and assured her that she would send them to her when she found them, forcing Khushi to go back home in the lehenga. ‘I feel odd wearing all this jewellery,’ she said taking off her maangteeka and her necklace.

Just as she was about to take off her bangles, Arnav grabbed her hand. ‘Let them be,’ he said quietly.

Khushi removed the chunri from her head and arranged it in the normal way on her shoulder. Though the sun was going down, the humidity was stifling and she felt sweat trickling between her breasts. She put her hands to the nape of her neck, lifting away the heavy fall of hair.

It occurred to her suddenly that Arnav had not turned the Jeep back the way they had come, but had taken a different route.

She looked at him. ‘Where are we going?’

‘You said you haven’t seen anything of Rajasthan right?’ he returned. ‘Since it is winter, it is the Desert Festival season here in Rajasthan. There is a camp not too far from here where they conduct these festivities --- music, fire dances, camel rides and bon fire.  I thought you might enjoy this having come so far.’ He paused. ‘And, we could do our talking over dinner.’

‘Talking?’ Khushi repeated dumbly, aware that her pulses had begun to thump erratically.

‘We have negotiations to conduct,’ he reminded her silkily. Had you forgotten?’

‘Of course not,’ she retorted. ‘But I thought it was getting late.’

His smile widened. ‘It’s not late. It is perfect timing.’ He left the words tingling between them, and turned the Jeep into a curve.

As the sun began to set in the faraway horizon, Khushi watched the vast, shape changing environment. As they went deeper into the desert the land started to look drier and more barren creating a sort of trepidation in her. It seemed very quiet – very lonely.

She swallowed. She would have to keep him talking, she thought, touching her dry lips with her tongue. Make it formal – a discussion of terms. The problem was she wasn’t very good with numbers and had no real idea what bargaining power she could command. She didn’t even know what hypothetical amount she could ask for, on Payal’s behalf.

But Arnav Singh Raizada would know, down to the last rupee, and could call her bluff whenever he chose.

But the question was, what else did he know -- or suspect? That was the real risk – the danger she needed to be on guard against. She remembered his words --

What are you trying to hide behind those almond beauties Khushi?

She could never let him look into her eyes again in case he saw the pitiful truth she needed at all cost to conceal; that against all logic, reason or even sanity, she was in love with him.

Desert Rose – Chapter 12

ARNAV parked the Jeep in a makeshift lot set aside for vehicles. As Khushi got off the Jeep,he came round to her side, caught her by her shoulders and turned her around so that her back faced him. Khushi closed her eyes, a shiver going up her body in anticipation.When Khushi felt a pull at her hair, she realized what he was doing. He was unravelling her hair from its braid.

‘Now it’s fine.’ He said in his husky timbre.

Fine? Nothing was fine since I met him thought Khushi trying to stem the dhak-dhak that had begun a few seconds ago.Laad Governor!Why did he behave like he had every right to touch her like that? She knew the answer to that didn’t she?

Because, she had practically thrown herself at him this morning, asking him to take her out. And now, by allowing him to bring her here, she was letting this charade go too far, she thought guiltily. I have to find a quick way to finish talking about the negotiations and get out of here,thought Khushi despairingly. Hey Devi Maiyya, give me strength she prayed silently,quickening her steps to catch up with him.

The desert festival seemed to be bustling with unbound energy. The fair, lit up by flames from torches was a sight to behold. Khushi and Arnav thronged through the crowd to wherehawkers selling pots, handlooms, wool and carpets beckoned them to come and buy their wares. Arnav explained to Khushi that these items were hand made by the local tribe known as Jasnathis.

Khushi was fascinated by these people. They looked sturdy, resilient and full of life. The men wore colourful turbans sporting thick moustaches while the women dressed in brilliantly coloured costumes accessorized by chunky jewellery.

One woman began to call Khushi to her stall. She was selling colourful lacbangles in different colours embedded with precious stones.The woman held out one set of six bangles embellished with tiny mirrors, red and gold beadsmatching Khushi’schunri. Khushi’s eyes lit up when she saw those beautiful bangles, but shesimmered down remembering just in time that she had kept her purse along with her clothesin KeshavRathore’s house. Just as she began to refuseher, the hopeful woman turned her attention towards Arnav and spoke in a dialect in which Khushi could only understand one word – beendni. Here we go again, thought Khushi groaning inwardly.

Arnav took out his wallet and paid for the bangles even as Khushi protested. When she turned away from him in anger, he took her hand in his and jerked her toward himself.

‘I’ve paid for these goddamn bangles!’ he grated.

‘Then you can wear them yourself,’ she retorted, her eyes flashing with anger.

Arnav gripped her hand firmly and began to force the bangles onto her hand. Khushi winced with pain,as the bangles refused to go around her knuckles and the older woman rattled off in her dialect chuckling aloud.

What was the old hag laughing about? Looked like the men around here treated their women like their property, thought Khushi irked at the patronizing attitude of the woman.But whatever she said seemed to have worked wonders. Arnav took her palm,gently folding it in his large hand as he smoothly slid the bangles onto her hand starting another spate of dhak-dhaks.

Trailing behind Arnav through the crowds Khushi grudgingly acceded that her loose hair was indeed a sensible idea, realizing that she was already drawing glances from many men in the crowd. As one of them approached her trying to lead her to his stall, Arnav strode up, scowling at the shorter man so fiercely that he scampered away without looking back. After that, he took her hand in his holding her close to his side.

‘Could I please have some gol-gappa?’ Khushi’s face lit up in a child-like delight as she spotted a pani-puriwala.

‘Are you sure?’ asked Arnav grimacing at the dirty cycle. ‘the water ….’

‘It’s alright Arnavji……. it had been so long since I had them.’ Khushi begged.

Arnav watched Khushi in fascination as she closed her eyes savouring the taste. He couldn’t stop himself from going up to her. As Khushi opened her eyes to see him standing so close, he lifted his hand up to her lips and wiped the pani that had trickled half way down to her chin, licking the pani off his fingers in an unconscious gesture before he took hold of her hand again.

 Khushi realized that they would have to leave before things got out of hand. They could talk about the deal on the way back to the Haveli.

 ‘Arnavji, thank you for bringing me to the Desert Festival,’ began Khushi, ‘I think we can talk on the way back.’

They had reached camel stand where colourfully dressed camels stood looking royal and elegant.

‘We will talk over dinner,’ he said firmly guiding her toward a seated camel. ‘And this camel is going to take us there.’

They were going to ride the camel to get to the camp site which was a little further away. Arnav helped Khushi onto the cushioned saddle before getting on behind her.

As they began their ride, Arnav pointed toward a herd of Chinkarasmaking their way toward home across the silent sands.Khushi felt Arnav’s heart beating – albeit unsteadily ---at her back triggering her own dhak-dhak. Arnav began to speak proudly about how people of the Thar lived in perfect harmony with this seemingly inhospitable landscape, that kept shifting as the strong winds re-arranged the terrain at will. These people led a simple life completely at ease with their surroundings and were fiercely proud of their roots and traditions.

Just like him thought Khushi asshe looked into the distant silvery dunes bathed by the full moon. She closed her eyes trying to tell herself that all this was just an illusion --- a mirage, and that none of this was real.

Nothing had been real since the time she had arrived at Raisar. She had been so sure of her ability to handle things, but looking back it seemed like she might just have made the situation worse.

Participating in the deception might have been the only way to make amends for Payal, but she hadn’t anticipated the consequences to herself. Physical damages eventually healed. But emotional damage could scar for life.

This was not something she could go back home and forget as a casual holiday flirtation.

Because Arnav Singh Raizada mattered. He was in her mind and her heart, in the blood running through her veins, and she didn’t have the least idea how or when it had begun to happen. She had been in to0 deep before she had even seenthe danger.

But what she needed to remember, above all, was that it wasn’t mutual. She was an annoyance to Arnav – a small problem to be resolved, and that was all.

Khushi.

Khushi opened her eyes startled to hear Arnav’sthroaty voice whispering into her ear. He was telling her that they had arrived at their destination.

The campsite had a few groups of people mostly foreigners who had come here to experience desert life. Tents were erected around a central area where they had a huge bon fire going. Dinner was being served in the banquet area. Khushi loved it that they had gattekikadi on the menu. After dinner, they sat down on the sand to watch a group of musicians and dancers displaying their talents to the assembled group. Khushi watched in fascination as colourfully dressedfire dancersmoved their hands delicatelywhilstbalancing pots of fire on their heads.

‘You love dancing a lot don’t you?’ Arnav asked quietly.

‘Yes.’

‘I wouldn’t have guessed until I saw you in that hotel that night,’ he said looking into her eyes. ‘That is the only time you smile.’ He paused, ‘I see anger, defiance and anxiety but what I never see is a smile.’

‘Well….’ She turned away her face swiftly. ‘There hasn’t been much to smile about since I got here.’

‘Or before that, either, I think.’ His voice was perceptive. ‘How long have you been taking care of your sister?’

‘It is almost seven years since my parents died. ’ Her voice shook as she briefly told him about the accident. ‘But --- please don’t think it’s been some kind of a burden,’ she added hurriedly. ‘We have been each other’s support.’

‘At least you didn’t fight with them before they died.’ Arnav said quietly, his voice choked with emotion. He looked up at the sky as he told her about the argument he had had with them.

‘You can’t blame yourself like that Arnavji,’ said Khushi placing a soft hand on his arm. ‘I am sure they don’t.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘Look there,’ she told him pointing at the stars in the sky, ‘they are up there shining brightly which means that are proud of you --  of how you took care of your family, of how you revived the factory, of what you have become today.’

They sat silently staring at the stars in the sky.

‘F@#$!’ Arnav swore under his breath as something she had said earlier flashed to him. ‘You said your parents died in the Jaipur-Delhi highway accident seven years ago! You are the girl I saw…….’

‘What?’ She asked him trying to comprehend what he was saying.

‘You wore a red dupatta that day…...’ he saidquietly. He went on, ‘You stood under the tree, crying, I think, and then suddenly lost your balance and fell ---’

Right into my arms.Strands of hair covering your flushed face, your luminous almond eyes moist with tears and yourluscious pink lips had quivered tremulouslyreminding me of the flowers of the tree beyond --- the Desert Rose.

This was the elusive memory that kept haunting him since he laid eyes on her. As she had run away from him into the dwindling light, he had stood there for several minutes trying to compose himself until he had been reminded of the real reason he had set out on this journey – Lavanya….

Arnav stood up abruptly and walked away from Khushi, his whole body seething with rage as unwanted memories came crashing back into his mind.

Hey Devi Maiyya! The baazigar with the molten chocolate eyes who had been haunting her dreams was Arnav Singh Raizada?

‘Arnavji!’Khushicalled out to him as she got up and ran after him trying to find out what was going on. Suddenly she cried out as felt something sharp pierced the soft sole of her bare feet, realizing too late that she had forgotten to put on her joothisin her haste.

‘Khushi!’ He was at her side instantly.

‘What the f@#$!’ he swore vehemently when he saw the piece of broken glass piercing her delicate skin. ‘Why aren’t you wearing your goddamn slippers?’

‘I am fine!’ she snapped, her eyes tearing up due to excruciating pain, the blood gushing out of the cut as he removed the shard of glass from her sole.

‘Like hell you are!’ he rasped, sweeping her up in his arms swiftly as he walked back toward the camp site.

As the staff came up asking what happened, Arnav gave them a dressing down for their negligence. They began to apologize in earnest and requested Arnav to take her into one of the tents so that she could rest her feet on the bed.

Arnav gently laid her on the bed and told her he would be right back as he went out of the tent. Khushi looked around to see thatthesmall, but cozyinterior had a tented roof in red silk, with the yellow silk curtained walls, aglow with the light from an oil lamp placed strategically on an ornate brass night stand.The floor bed,on which she lay, was covered in yellow and red silk sheets accompanied by several throwpillows in the red silk.Suddenly,Khushi began to imagine herself as Queen Razia Sultana walking the deserts singing the song ---

Aye Dil e Naadan ….Aye dile e naadan

Aarzukyahai …..justjukyahai…… 

Unbelievable! Arnav muttered under his breath as he entered the tent and saw Khushi giggling all by herself. This girl is crazy, he thought as he came up to her.Khushi was startled out of her reverie as Arnav held her feet so he could clean up the wound. She jumped nervously.

‘Stop fidgeting dammit!’ Arnav rasped as he grasped her feet firmly and dabbed her cut.

‘It hurts!’ bit out Khushi as the Savlon began to sting.

‘Of course it does,’ he returned angrily. ‘I can’t believe you could be stupid enough to run without your foot wear.’

‘And I can’t believe you are actually yelling at me,’ she hit back equally angry. ‘You shouted at those poor people out there as well’ she went on, ‘mistakes happen you know. Haven’t you heard of the saying….? Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.’

‘I don’t believe in that nonsense,’ he said looking at her, his brown eyes glittering. ‘In my world, people pay for their mistakes.’ He finished dressing her wound and put away the first aid box.

‘’That’s cruel,’ said Khushi gave him a direct look. ‘Although, I found out today how kind you have been --- to Keshavji and the people of Raisar-– by reviving the factory. I just wish you could spare some kindness for Payal and Akash.’

He shrugged. ‘Sometimes you must be cruel to be kind. I am sure you have heard about that.’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘But I am not sure I believe it.’

‘Then you should,’ he said softly. ‘Also that you should not let your heart rule your head. That can only lead to – disaster.’

Khushi looked into the glow of the lamp. She heard herself say, ‘You met Lavanyaji in college, didn’t you?’ and braced herself for an explosion.

‘Yes.’ His quiet reply surprized her. ‘Back then, we were good friends. It was only a few years later when her modelling career was dwindling that she decided that she needed a change of direction --- which I provided.’

Khushi’s breath caught in her throat. She said, ‘There must have been more to your relationship than that.’

‘At first, yes.’ His voice slowed to a drawl. ‘She was a beautiful, smart woman and I enjoyed spending time with her. But unfortunately things didn’t stay that way for long.’

He took a glass of water from the brass jug kept on the table, his fingers holding the glass really hard.

He went on. ‘I had made it clear to her from the beginning that I was not interested in marriage and she seemed to be okay with that. But after a while she began to want more.

‘Co-incidentally, my nani back home found out about Lavanya and began to kick up a big fuss about her being a ultra-modern girl, unfit to become a Raizadabahu. This irked me to no extent. I didn’t like anyone making decisions on my behalf. So, I rebelled just for the heck of it and threatened to walk out of the house. Di was very upset. So my brother-in-law, Shyam intervened and convinced everyone that Lavanya should come and stay with us, allowing her adapt to our customs and traditions while getting to know the members of the family. I played along just to keep my sister happy.

‘At first, Lavanya being the actress that she was, played the role of an ideal bahu to perfection. She loved Raisar. She thought it was exotic. But that was a view of a tourist – someone passing through, who looks but does not see. But soon, she realized that life here would be very dull and boring. She couldn’t adapt to the culture and traditions, nor could she get along with anyone in the house. She began to miss city life, her friends, the restaurants and the parties.’

His voice was weary. ‘Though I had other houses, I would always want to come back home – here to Raisar. For me work always came first and I could not give her the attention she needed. She began to feel neglected. One day, she told me that I had my life and that she should be allowed to have hers. So she left me and took up a movie offer.’

‘Please,’ Khushi broke in urgently. ‘You don’t have tell me all this.’

‘No Khushi, I do.’ For a moment the dark eyes glittered at her. His voice deepened. ‘Couple of months later, I found out she had been sacked from the movie for unprofessional conduct. I think this was the time she had started experimenting with drugs. I knew that in the modelling industry, indulging in some drugs was common. But I didn’t want to get involved in that mess. But she kept calling me again and again. Finally I gave in and went to her apartment one night after work. She swore that she would never do drugs again and begged me to take her back. She said she was sorry….

‘When I told her it was not possible, she offered me a drink for old time’s sake. After that, all I remember is waking up in her bed with a raging headache.

‘About a month later, she called me to tell me she was pregnant with our child.’

‘Oh God!’ said Khushi constrictedly.

‘I decided to do the right thing and asked her to marry me,’ he continued his face stoic.‘We got engaged in a private ceremony and set the date for a quick wedding.

‘But she didn’t seem to taking her pregnancy seriously. She continued partying. When I saw her drinking at a party, I tried to tell her it was not good for the baby and she lost it. We quarrelled and I left the party. I was angry.

‘Then one week before we were supposed to get married, she called me and begged me to forgive her. She asked me to come and meet her at a hotel. I decided to give it another chance for the sake of the baby. That is the same day I visited the memorial ……

‘After I left there, I went to see her at the hotel. She was already dead. Initially the police thought I had a hand in it, because of the public fight we had earlier.

‘Eventually the police found an eye witness who had seen me at the memorial – with you – at the time of death. I was finally exonerated.’

‘The baby!’Khushi’s voice was an anguished whisper, her throat choking up with emotion.

‘Wait Khushi, you haven’t even heard the best part yet. During the course of investigation another piece of information came to light. It turns out I wasn’t the father of her baby.’

‘Oh God!’

He turned his head slowly and looked at her. ‘Are you wondering why I have told you all this Khushi? Why I spoke about things I had buried in my memories forever? It is to make you understand once and for all, why I must protect my family – stop them from making the same mistakes as I did.’ His shrug was cynical. ‘I know you will tell me that Payal is not Lavanya. And that Lavanya was self-destructive. But it is not that simple.’

He beat a clenched fist into the palm of his hand. ‘When you are young, you think love can solve everything – thatit can tear down the barriers of background and culture. Overcome all difficulties and misunderstandings.’ He shook his head. ‘It is just crap! I had money, and power, but I could not offer Lavanya what she wanted, or save her from what she ultimately chose.’

It was all there in his voice – the anger, the regret, the underlying sense of desolation.

There was a loneliness, an isolation in the tense, dark figure beside her that caught Khushi by the throat. Although the things he’d spoken of where light-years form her own experience, the instinct to offer some kind of comfort however inadequate, was overwhelming.

Going up to him, she said his name. Put a hand tentatively on the hard muscle of his shoulder. Felt the hard muscle clench beneath her touch, and the harsh tremor which seemed to shake this whole body. She wrapped her slim arms around his shoulders, pressing herself to him as she held him in a tight embrace.

Eyes brimming with unshed tears he buried his face in the crook of her neck, snaking his arms around her in deathly grip, holding her like his life depended on it.

As she smoothed her hands gently over the back of his head in a comforting gesture, he swiftly raised his head, almost savagely, his eyes dark and intense as he bent his head to capture her lips in an urgent possession. She gasped, her lips parting to allow the urgent, aching dart of his tongue.

She didn’t know which was worse – the warm, aroused masculine scent of his skin, the erotic taste of him or the feel of his body pressed against hers --  but she responded by digging her own fingers into the sensitive area of his back, her senses thrilling as he responded by raising his hands to her hair, threading them through the long wavy strands of black silk, imprisoning her head so that she  had to press even closer against him, forcing her to lift her face as the heat of his body transmitted itself to her.

When his weight carried her backwards, downwards on the silk mattress, his lips still joined to hers, she had no thought of resistance. Her hands held on to him – an anchor to a drowning person. As he moved his hand over her breasts rolling one hardened peak between his fingers, a shaft of pain bordering on pleasure shot through her, all the way to her toes. He thrust one knee between her legs separating them, pressing his throbbing arousal into her heated core. As his tongue continued to plunder her mouth moving in and out of her moist warmth, his hips began to undulate, mimicking the motions of his tongue.

A liquid heat began to pool at her core, as his assault on her body went on and on, turning the bewildering sensations into a vortex.  As the sensations reached a crescendo, she clutched the hair at the back of his head stiffening, shuddering and curling her toes as she splintered into a million pieces.

He slowly raised his head to see her in throes of a release. He had never seen a woman this sensitive and seeing her come apart in his arms like this was too much for him to handle. He couldn’t wait any longer.

Impatiently, he wrenched at the dori of her choli, almost ripping it apart in his haste. His stomach did a double take when he saw the rounded beauty of her unbound breasts and the delectable peaks of her rosy nipples. His hands shook as he undid the ties on her lehenga, sliding them down the flare of her hips, revealing the satiny skin of her long long legs inch by inch. His fingers slipped into the waist band of her panties, peeling them off her to reveal the silky triangle of her womanhood. Arnav felt like his heart had stopped as drank in her beauty. She lay in front of him like delicate flower – a Desert Rose.

He felt like a man who had found an oasis in the desert. With reverence, he grazed his fingers over her throat, down to her heaving breasts, her ribs, her quivering stomach and then lower as he dipped his fingers into her molten core.

Her eyes sprang open as she woke up from the daze, clutching his hands in surprise. Arnav removed them firmly pinning them above her head equally surprized at her diffidence. She began to writhe against his stroking fingers, an involuntary moan breaking out from her lips as the bewildering sensations from which she had just gained respite took over her once again.

Letting go of her hands, he quickly undressed and brought her hands to his chest, suddenly assailed by a need to be touched by her. As her fingers came in contact with the smooth skin of his muscled chest, she was startled into an even greater jolt and she moved her hands quickly over his neck to the back of his head to pull him down to her mouth.  That was it. Moving her legs apart, Arnav thrust into her in one smooth motion.

A sob arose in Khushi’s throat at the shooting pain and he stilled, his face going pale at the realization. Recovering quickly, he took her lips in a tender kiss, soothing away her cry as he continued a little slowly, assuaging the pain, turning it bit by bit into a pleasurable sensation.

He left her lips to trail kisses down her throat until he took the delicate skin at the nape of her neck between his lips, still moving slowly inside her. Wordlessly, trailing her hands down the hard planes of his back, she began to move in accordance with him. As he sensed the need for patience was past, and that her desire was as complete as his own, his initial gentleness splintered rawly into driving passionate urgency.

An anguished moan escaped her lips, her fingers nails raking down his back as an intense pleasure engulfed her, her body convulsed in tremors, stars exploding in her brain throwing her spiralling downwards into an abyss.

Then she saw Arnav’s head rearing back as he made one final thrust, his face strained, almost anguished as he reached his own climax.

As they floated back together, to a normal breathing consciousness, Khushi held Arnav to her,their bodies delirious with a mind numbing satisfaction.

Desert Rose – Chapter 13

I LOVE YOU

Khushi swallowed the words that were reverberating in her heart and mind. Words she reminded herself, he would never want to hear from her – ever.

The realization penetrated with a chilling clarity through the heavenly euphoria which had succeeded their love making.

Now she moved restively as awareness flooded back, alerting her to the reality of the situation. Reminding her with merciless lucidity, precisely how far she had allowed herself to stray from her self-imposed guidelines of morality and commonsense.

As she sat up, clutching the sheet to herself with hands that shook, she saw Arnav walking out of the tent, thankfully giving her privacy to dress.

A few minutes later, Khushi, struggling with the strings of her dori, sensed his presence inside the tent, as he came up to her and helped her tie up them up at her back. Khushi moved away quickly, picking up her chunri, not wanting to linger over this intimate gesture.

‘Why did you make yourself out to be what you are obviously not?’ he asked harshly, breaking the silence between them. ‘This is your first time and I can see you regret it.’

Her throat hurt, but she answered, her voice brittle, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ She draped her chunri around herself, tucking the ends into the waist band.‘I can’t imagine I am the first to be swept away by your fabulous technique, and come to her senses when it’s too late.’

His gaze sharpened. ‘F@#$! You think I planned this? Look who’s talking!’

‘What is that supposed to mean?’ she asked sharply though her heart was thudding guiltily.

‘Your dressing – you make yourself look years older than you probably are. And the way you take care of your sister – anyone would think you are older than her. Arnav came up to her, grabbing her shoulders hard as he asked her, ‘Answer the question dammit! Why the act?’

He thought she was older than Payal? Whatever it was Khushi had not been expecting this. ‘It wasn’t an act, just an assumption on your part.’ She tried to shrug off his hands. ‘Let me go!’

‘Assumption?’He made no attempt to remove the restraining hand. ‘You work in the fashion industry for heaven’s sake! What was I supposed to think?’

Khushi realized that his prior experiences had led to his presumptions about her, but she was not in the mood for clarifications. ‘You are just looking for excuses,’ she said wryly, ‘I am sorry I wasn’t equipped to provide the kind of entertainment you were hoping for.’

It was a moment or two before he answered that one, his expression difficult to define in the dim light. ‘Let me remind you that you asked to come with me today.’

‘I haven’t forgotten….anything.’ She lifted her chin, ‘you said you could have me whenever you wanted. It must be wonderful to be infallible.’

‘Don’t talk like a fool,’ he said with sudden brusqueness.  ‘Believe me Khushi, I did not intend for this to happen.’

‘I believe you.’ Fighting for control, she laced he tone with scorn. ‘I don’t think even you will be able to handle two paternity suits in the same family.’

‘Is thatall that matters to you?’ His voice was very quiet. ‘The financial implications?’

‘What else is there?’ She felt very weary suddenly, and close to tears. ‘That is what we came here to discuss isn’t it? She buried her teeth in her lower lip. ‘Until, of course, I allowed myself be so expertly distracted.’

‘In that case, all future discussions should be conducted by our lawyers,’ he said harshly. That will make it completely impersonal.’

Our lawyers?thought Khushi numbly. How would the mighty Arnav Singh Raizada know that people like her didn’t move around with lawyers in their pockets? And that even if she did hire one,if he or she would be competent enough to fight legal battles againstlegal experts from AR industries.Probably not.

She had no inkling, as of this moment, what was happening at the Haveli in their absence. Even if Akash had regained his memory, she had no idea if he would want to accept Payal and the baby.

She remembered Arnav’s arrogant words –

He knows he has made a mistake ……I am the head of the family and he will do as he is told….

What if Akash decides that he would not be able to afford earning his brother’s wrath?

Hey Devi Maiyya, I came here to help and all I have managed to do is make everything a thousand times worse – not just for Payal, but for myself as well.

The return trip was a silent one. As they left the silent sands and hit the main road, Khushi sat quietly staring ahead at the path, illuminated by the headlights of the car. The enchantment the desert had weaved around them a few hours ago had vanished, leaving the air still and almost threatening. Or maybe, it was her inner tension that made it seem that way.

As they reached and saw the guest house shrouded completely in darkness, it became clear that there was no one inside. A tremor of apprehension crept down her spine, as Arnav, his brows drawn together in a frown, asked her to get back in the Jeep. She straightened her shoulders, bracing herself mentally. He was angry enough as it was. When he found out he had been duped……

Her heart was hammering wildly. Hey Devi Maiyya, protect us, she silently prayed.

When they arrived at the Haveli, Hariprakash came running out to meet them, and spoke urgently in a low voice. She had no trouble guessing the topic though she couldn’t hear a word. Arnav looked at Khushi, his brown eyes darkening, his face harsh with silent accusation. Helplessly, she gazed back at him, clutching the sides of her lehenga with clammy hands.

He swung himself off the Jeep and hurried inside, Hariprakash in tow. Khushi followed slowly in their wake, her throat dry, her heart hammering, dreading the inevitable face-off that was about to begin.

They had all assembled in the living room. Akash was in a chair, his injured leg supported by a stool. Payal stood beside him, her hand in his. They looked so happy and at peace.

Khushi felt a catch in her throat at the sight, tears filling her eyes. It was crystal clear that they were made for each other. Surely, Arnav could see that and forgive.

But, he didn’t look particularly compassionate, she saw with a pang. He was quietly, furiously angry, his dark eyes glittering, jaw clenched, his mouth a straight line.

Khushi was afraid that Arnav would destroy the vulnerable couple with his rage. She had the sudden urge to get between them so she could protect them.

He spoke in a quiet voice, ‘So, Akash, your memory has returned. How do you feel?’

‘YesBhai,my memory is back!’ Akash replied emphatically. ‘And I feel absolutely fine, thanks to Payal.’ He lifted Payal’s hand and pressed it to his cheek in a gesture of tender possession and then gave Arnav a level look. ‘Bhai, this is the girl I want to marry. I hope you can give us your blessings, but I want to let you know that I will go ahead even if you don’t.’

‘I see that you haven’t recovered your senses along with your memory.’ Arnav’s voice was harsh.

‘Chotte!’ Anjali, who had been standing quietly with Dr Manav, interposed herself. ‘Payal has helped Akash regain his memory – it’s a miracle, can’t you see?’ she pleaded. ‘You have to accept their love and welcome Payal into our family.’

‘Di, it would be better if you didn’t interfere in this matter.’ Arnav’s voice brooked no arguments. ‘I can’t believe you went behind my back like this. You too Manav.’ He added as Anjali strode off angrily toward her room.

Dr Manav said quietly, ‘That was a risk I had to take for your brother’s sake, Arnav. I will always think it was worth it, seeing how he has recovered. Akash is still very weak, he needs to rest.’

Arnav’s body was stiff as a bowstring. ‘Of course.’ He looked at Payal. ‘Mohan will drive you back to the guest house. You --- and your sister.’

‘No.’ Akash shook his head, his tone defiant. ‘I want to spend some more time with Payal.’

Arnav walked over to him and drew him into an embrace. For long moments they held each other in silence.

Khushi found herself choking back a sob. She watched Akash helped up on his crutches by Hariprakash and Dr Manav, Payal assisting, her face furrowed in concern, as the group wended its way slowly toward Akash’s room.

Leaving her all alone with Arnav.

‘Quite a conspiracy.’Histone was deceptively terse. The hooded eyes told her nothing. ‘Looks like everyone was hand in glove here.His mouth twisted cynically. ‘I am amazed at your skills Khushi. You have them eating out of your hands in such a short time.’

‘Arnavji, you are getting it all wrong.’ She touched her tongue to her dry lips. ‘I – I didn’t mean to deceive you, but there didn’t seem to be any other way to give Payal and Akash their chance.’

‘And I played right into you beguiling hands,’ he said softly, his mouth curling in contempt. ‘Please accept my hearty congratulations. Your effort at -- distracting me -- was most convincing – even going as far as making the ultimate sacrifice.’ He shook his head in cynical wonderment. ‘Can sisterly devotion ever get better than that?’

His voice cut her like a whiplash. She flinched and stepped back, her eyes filling with tears.

‘It wasn’t like that. You know that.’ She said anguished.

‘No?’ His brows lifted mockingly. ‘Then tell me how it was, my Desert Rose, with your saint’s eyes and sinner’s body.’

I loved you. I wanted to make up to you for all the pain – all the loneliness. And now I have brought it all down on myself instead, because I can’t tell you.

‘Well?’ he said too quietly. ‘I am waiting.’

Khushi looked at him with all the pain reflected clearly in her eyes,a tear drop trickling down her cheek, as she said in a strangled voice. ‘You talk as if I planned it somehow…’ She stopped abruptly, colour rushing into her face as she realized he was laughing soundlessly.

‘No, no Khushi. You are forgetting something,’ he turned away from her, fisting his palm. ‘That was what you accused me of doing,’ he said pointing his thumb toward himself. ‘Quite a master stroke -- all the injured, ruined innocence.Retributive justice, would you say?’ His voice deepened into a harsh mockery. ‘Never would I have guessed that I would have a second accomplished actress to add to my collection.

‘I wondered what you were hiding from me, right from the beginning,’ the relentless voice went on. ‘And now I know –corruption behind the mask of virtue.’

Khushi found it difficult to breathe, tears streaming down her face in full force. She saw Mohan had come in, waiting for Arnav’s orders. Orders that would take her back to the guest house and away from him for ever.

She said softly, ‘Believe what you want. I thought I was acting for the best. Please don’t punish Payal for my mistakes. Remember she was the one who brought your brother back ____’

He walked away from her, before she could finish, without looking back, leaving her all alone, in the middle of the grand living room, the curtains billowing around her due to the breeze.

**

Khushi folded the white chikankurti, the one that had come back neatly washed and ironed from KeshavRathore’s house along with her purse and cell phone and put it away inside her travel bag, not wanting to remember that fateful day. As if she could ever forget even a single second she had spent with him, she thought dismally.

It was three days since, but the things he had said, the way he had looked at her with such contempt, seemed to be seared across her consciousness.

Akash had bravely stood up to his brother that night. But, she hadn’t meant to cause a rift between the two brothers. Even Anjaliwas in trouble for helping them out. It had been almost a relief to hear from her that he had gone to Delhi the very next morning.

‘He still isn’t talking to me Khushiji,’ she had lamented, ‘I know he is pleased that Akash has recovered, but he is still upset that we went behind his back. I hope Ria is able to put him in a better mood.’ She added sourly, oblivious to the pain that flashed across Khushi’s face at the mention of the other woman’s name.

‘Well that is understandable, Anjaliji,’ Khushi said drily, biting her lip until she tasted blood as an image of Arnav, with the sultry Ria in his arms, flashed in her mind.

‘Don’t worry Khushiji,’ Anjali said taking Khushi in an embrace, to console her. ‘I am sure he will come round. Everything will be alright.’

How would Anjali know that there was less to no chances of that? Arnav wasangry being made a fool of, but would eventually understand that the end justified the means. What he would find impossible to forgive, however, was the belief that she had deceived him sexually. That she had used her body as bait as she got him to confide in her about his relationship with Lavanya.

He opened the door to me on his private nightmare about his parents as well, she thought desolately. She remembered how they had sat on the desert sands looking at the stars in the night sky. He will definitely hate me for that.

Yesterday, she’d seen a shadow in the green house and had thought for a few heart-stopping moments that he was in there working with his flowers, only to realize that it was just her imagination.

She looked at herself in the mirror, noting almost objectively hershadowed eyes and the hollows beneath her cheekbones.She thought of her glasses lying broken and discarded in some dusty road, just like her hair-stick. She knew in her heart that she would never go back to her old style of dressing – because he didn’t want her to.

Oh what a terrible mess you are in Khushi Kumari Gupta, she told herself.His mere presence caused her heart to pound wildly, his touch causing her resolve to melt away in a need that transcended common sense and logic.

Her life was in shambles, she acknowledged with a kind of desperate clarity. Somehow she had to drag it into shape again. Dismiss this pitiful creature at the mercy of her own physicality. Find again the cool, sensible persona she had once possessed.

If I can, she thought woefully. If that girl still exists. Or is she now, no more, no less, for better or worse, simply hiswoman?she thought, as the waiter, Guman’s words came back to haunt her.

The sudden knock on the door made her jump. It was probably Anjali. She opened the door and was surprized to find a stocky man of average height standing there staring at her, his eyes wide.

‘May I help you?’ asked Khushi.

‘Uh?’

The man seemed to be a little disoriented. She repeated her question, a slightest hint of irritation in her voice.

‘I am looking for Anjali,’ he said, still staring at her, intensely.‘My name is Shyam ManoharJha.’

‘Hey Devi Maiyya….you are Anjaliji’s husband!’ exclaimed Khushi, hitting her forehead with her palm. ‘I am sorry I didn’t recognize you.’

‘And you are?’ he asked her,his eyes sweeping her from head to toe.

‘I am Khushi Kumari Gupta,’ she answered warily, ‘I am sorry Shyamji….Anjaliji is not here.’

‘Khushiji, it is nice to meet you,’ he smiled at her, ‘I think we briefly spoke on the phone sometime ago.

‘Oh.’ She didn’t seem to remember.

‘I went to the Haveli and Hariprakash told me Anjali might be here.’ He explained.

‘Well… she usually comes here in the mornings,’ she said hesitatingly, ‘have you tried to call her?’

‘I did, but I am not able to get through. If it is not too much trouble, can I have a glass of water?’

‘Of course, please come in.’ Khushi invited him in, seating him in the living room as she brought him a glass of water. She thought it was only polite to offer some tea as well.Sheput the water to boil and was startled when she turned around and foundShyam in the kitchen.

‘Would you by any chance be from Lucknow, Khushiji?’ he asked her casually.

‘Yes… I grew up there,’ she replied.

‘I am also from Lucknow,’ he began. As the tea boiled,Khushi quietly listened to Shyam speaking in great detail about the city, its monuments, cuisine and the markets. As he rambled on and on Khushi tuned out, replaying the events of day she had spent with Arnav.

The clicking of heels brought her out of her reverie, as Anjali breezed in, with her usual exuberant fashion, dressed as elegant as ever in a green net saree.

‘Khushiji I have to tell you ___’ she stopped short looking at Shyam, her eyes going wide.

‘Surprize my dear Rani Sahiba!’ exclaimed Shyam smiling at her.

‘Oh my God!’ exclaimed Anjali, ‘why didn’t you call me and tell me you were coming?’

‘The plan was to surprize you,’ he said and then looked beyond her to Manav who had just walked in the door, ‘but it seems like it has backfired and I was surprized instead.’

Khushi was never more relieved to see Anjali as of this moment. She asked them both to join in quickly deciding to make some more tea.

‘What do you mean?’ asked Anjali, her brows creased in confusion as the trio moved toward the living are.

‘I mean I came looking for you and I instead I was surprized by Khushiji --- a pleasant surprize of course.’  He added affably. ‘And you walk in with doctor sahablooking very busy,’ he said looking from her to Manav.

‘A lot has happened here since you left for Bali and I didn’t want to disturb you with all this while you were away at work.’ Anjali said quietly.

As she began updating Shyam about the events of the past week, Khushi brought in the tea.

‘This morning, Manav took us to a clinic in Bikaner so Akash could begin his physiotherapy sessions for his leg,’ she concluded. ‘Payal is with him right now at the Haveli.’

Manav put down his tea cup on the table, ‘Anjali, I have to get back to the clinic, so I will make a move,’ he said getting up, ‘Nice to have you back Shyam. Bye Khushi.’ He left, closing the door behind him quietly.

‘Chotte is so upset that he hasn’t called us these past few days and I have no idea how to go forward from here,’ she said lines of worry creasing her forehead, ‘What do you think we should do? She asked looking at Shyam.

‘Hmm this is a lot to digest.’ He said looking serious. ‘Give me some time to sleep over this and how about we discuss this over breakfast tomorrow?’ He smiled at them reassuringly.

That night Shyam paced the terrace balcony of his bedroom, feeling restless. His thoughts were filled with Khushi. He remembered their first meeting this morning.

Hisheart had raced at breakneck speed, sweat dripping from temples, his palms clammy as he stood looking at this vision in front of him. Her beautiful doe like eyes, had looked at himcuriously, as her fair milky hands went up to straighten the hair at her forehead. And then he had looked down at those pink lips, her throat and her lissome body….

He closed his eyes, his body hardening as images Khushi, naked in his arms invaded his mind, body and soul. He couldn’t stop thinking about her.

She was exquisite.He wanted her.

But how? All these years he had managed to cloak his indiscretions from his wife and her family under the pretext of work. He had taken advantage of the fact that Anjali was extremely attached to her brother and the place she grew up in, subtly encouraging her, over the years to spend more and more time in Rajasthan, so he could indulge in his “habits” to his heart’s content.

 But it was not going to be so easy with Khushi. Her sister’s problem seemed to have created quite a chaos in the otherwise boring Raizada household. From what Anjali had told him, she didn’t seem to be in Arnav’sgood books right from the beginning. And now, by participating in the deception, allowing the lovebirds to meet behind his back, she had further earned his ire. That didn’t sound good. At all.

What he knew about his brother-in-law, that man neither forgot nor forgave that easily.

Since the time he knew him college, Arnav had always come across as an unemotional man who cared only about making money, not bothering to spare any time for personal relationships. Nothing ever really mattered to him that much – except his business and of course ---his dear sister. This characteristic was exactly what had played in his favour years ago……

Shyam smiledderisively as he remembered how hehad managed to manipulatethe family to allow Lavanya to come and stay here. He was a master of that game.

He had his job cut out. All he had to do was to get Akash married to Khushi’s sister. After that, Khushi would return to Delhi to resume her life there – free from this Godforsaken Haveli --- available exclusively for him. And he had no doubt she would be available, he sneered to himself, considering the shrewdness with which her sister had trapped Akash. In the meantime, he would insinuate himself into her life, as her well-wisher.

There was only one problem --- his dearest Rani Sahiba, who would be breathing down his neck constantly.He would have to find a way to get around her.

But, first things first.He had to take care of Akash and Payal.

Next morning,Khushi watched with a smile on her lips, as Payal fed a piece of paratha to Akashon the balcony terrace outside Akash’s room. She declined their invitation to join them and went downstairs to see Anjali and Shyam waiting for her at the breakfast table.

‘Please come, Khushiji,’ said Anjali motioning her to take a seat, ‘Shyam has something to tell us.’

‘After thinking about it last night, I realized there is only one solution to this problem,’ began Shyam, ‘I think,we should call naniji and mamiji back to Raisar. It is the elders in the house who should be making important decisions like this. I don’t think Arnav can be the final authority on who Akash should marry. His mother should have a say too, don’t you think?’

‘Well….you have a point….,’ said Anjali, her forehead creasedwith doubt, ‘but I wish I could talk to Chotte one more time.’

‘Look, Rani Sahiba,’ he began, ‘you did all that you could in this situation. Akash is your younger brother too,’ he pointed out.‘Whatever you are doing will be in his best interests, so don’t worry about it.’

He looked at Khushi and smiled reassuringly, ‘Don’t worry Khushiji, I am there.’

Khushireturned back a small smile, feeling uneasy inside.She didn’t have a good feeling about this.  It felt like they were going behind Arnav’s back once again. But what could she do? Anjali had said that he would come round. But even after three days he hadn’t called his sister or brother.

Shyam’sidea seemed appropriate. In any case, Akash’s mother and grandmother would have to be informed. So how would it matter? Surely, his mother would want to do what was best for her son. Maybe she would bring good tidings for Payal.

She had hoped that, Arnav would call or at the least send a message but she hadn’t heard anything from him.

Arnavji…Her heart called out in anguish.