Chapter Thirty Four

Ever since the thought first entered her mind, Khushi could not stop thinking about it.

Could that be the reason why Dai Ma was bashing Ma? Because she loves Papa, she wondered.

"Khushi?"

Khushi snapped out of thought. "Huh?"

Khushi saw Aryan looking at her confusedly.

"Are you okay," he asked. "You seem to be lost in thought."

Khushi shook her head. "No, it's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

Khushi caught Divya looking at her with concern from the corner of her eyes, but she didn't look at her.

"I'm fine," she smiled softly.

"Now Khushi, don't lie to me. I've noticed that you haven't been eating properly these past two days."

Khushi shook her head and was going to explain, but Aryan continued.

"Divya also told me you got sick earlier."

Khushi looked at Divya and then at Aryan. "It's nothing-"

"Khushi," Aryan warned.

Khushi pursed her lips. "I'm sorry," she said in a low voice.

Aryan sighed and reached out, and held her hand. "You're thinking about Chote, aren't you?"

Khushi looked up at Aryan.

Aryan smiled softly. "I understand that it's hard. It would've been one thing if he was in the city, but now he's away in a different country. But don't worry, he'll be home in just a few days. He'll be just fine, however, you won't be if you keep up this childishness."

Khushi nodded and Aryan smiled.

The family resumed to their dinner, but Khushi was still pondering. She looked at Divya, who was focused on her food, as well as on Aryan, asking if he needed anything.

Dai Ma has no relation to the family, whatsoever, besides being Ma's best- supposed best friend, Khushi thought. Yet she's been in this house since...  since... since when?

"Have you taken your medication," Divya asked Aryan.

Aryan paused. "Oh, I completely forgot."

Divya shook her head. "When do you ever remember? If it weren't for me, you would've totally forgotten about them." She called a worker and told them to bring Aryan's medication. "Honestly, where would you be without me?"

The way she said that... and the way she's looking at him.

Aryan sighed. "I'd probably be with Shalini."

Khushi looked at him with sad eyes and reached out to hold his hand. Aryan gave her a soft smile and Khushi lightly squeezed his hand.

"Don't say such things," Divya said.

Khuhi looked at her. Even though she says such stuff and looks at him in that way, Papa only thinks of Ma. Even after all of these years.

"I'm only joking," Aryan tried to laugh off. "Besides, even if you weren't around, I'd still have my Khushi to take care of me," he smiled at her.

Khushi smiled back, though she could feel daggers being thrown at her from Divya, even as slyly as she did it.

Khushi straightened her spine. If that were the case, I would be taking good care of him, better than you.

After dinner, Khushi went to check on Aryan and as she had expected, she found him looking at old photos of Shalini in his study.

"Papa?"

Aryan looked up and saw Khushi standing at the door. "Come in."

Khushi entered and went beside Aryan's side. "You're thinking of Ma again," she stated, rather than questioning.

Aryan scoffed lightly. "I can't help it. These days whenever I think of her, I just have to look at these photos of her. As if looking at them would bring her back...."

Khushi smiled softly and laid her head on his shoulder. "You love her. You'd do anything to bring her back. Even the impossible."

"I would. Though there are moments where it seems like she's still here."

Khushi looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know what it is but.... Shalini and I had this... connection, so to say. When we were near each other, our hearts knew immediately."

Khushi's eyebrows shot up. Just like me and Arnav.

"It was a different feeling, nothing like I'd ever experienced in my life. It would only feel that way whenever she was around. But over the years, after she was gone, I felt it. A couple of times, but I felt it."

Khushi tilted her head.

Aryan shook his head and tried to laugh it off. "I think it's just the thought of her that triggers it now, I don't know. In the beginning it gave me hope but now... I'd do anything to have her back."

Khushi pursed her lips to stop her tears from shedding. She placed her head back on her father's shoulder and held his hand.

"She's always here," she said softly. "She's always watching over us, watching over you."

Aryan smiled. "That she is, but still...." Aryan looked down at Khushi. "She would've been so happy to meet you. All she ever thought about was Chote's wife. I remember Chote getting upset over it, not to mention disgusted," he chuckled, "but Shalini was excited. Hence the reason why she bought all the jewelry," he chuckled.

"Would she really have liked me?"

"Like you? She'd have loved you. You're exactly what Shalini wanted in her bahu. ...unfortunately she never got to see for herself."

Khushi smiled sadly.

Aryan looked down at the pictures and so did Khushi. On the page was that very same photo, the one of Shalini and Divya.

"You said that Dai Ma is Ma's best friend?"

Aryan nodded. "The two were close, always together. That's why she was sometimes around when Shalini and I bumped into each other."

"Oh."

"Although one time, I accidentally bumped into her instead."

"You did?"

"Yup, by total accident though. I was rushing to class, bumped into her and nearly knocked her over, but I caught her. I quickly put her on her feet, apologized, and dashed to class."

Khushi blinked and looked down at the picture. Oh boy....

"Truth be told I never noticed her, no offense. I didn't really much after until I realized she was always around Shalini."

Huh.... "Was she around you guys even after you two were together?"

"Now and then, yes. We always saw each other on campus and she'd arrive with Divya and their other friends while I did with mine. Unless I decided to pick her up a block away from her home."

Khushi grinned. "You really did that?"

Aryan winked and Khushi giggled. Khushi looked back down at the photo and saw one of Aryan, Shalini, and Divya, Aryan and Shalini looking very, very happy.

"When was this?"

"Ah, this was the day I proposed to her," he smiled proudly.

Khushi gasped. "Really?"

"Yup. I got down on one knee in front of the entire student body and asked her to marry me."

"Wow, talk about pressure," Khushi teased.

Aryan chuckled. "Well, not exactly. We had been talking about the future for a while and we just knew we were meant for each other, even if we didn't know each other for long."

"And she said yes in front of everyone?"

"She did, and that was one of the best days of our lives."

The clock struck 12 and the two looked up at it.

"Well, it's getting late. You should head to bed," Aryan said.

"I will, I'll just clean the room up-"

"Leave it, you can do it tomorrow."

"No, it's okay Papa. You go ahead, I'll be done soon."

Aryan sighed and placed his hand on Khushi's head. "What did I do to deserve a daughter like you," and he kissed her on the top of her head before leaving.

When Aryan was out of view, Khushi looked down at the album book, at the picture of the three. Even though Divya was smiling, Khushi knew their was a gleam of anger in her eyes, as old as the picture were.

Dai Ma must have fallen for Papa when he caught her for bumping into her. Her fascination for him must have started then, otherwise.... But then again, Papa said he never really noticed her. Chances are she was around when Papa and Ma met for the first time.... I wonder if Ma ever knew about this.

"Almost forgot!"

Khushi looked up and saw Aryan come back in. He picked up his phone off the desk and smiled.

"Papa, if you don't mind me asking, why does Dai ma stay here with us? Doesn't she have a family of her own?"

"Divya was always the closest to Shalini. After Shalini was gone, Divya was the closest to a mother figure, not to mention the closest to Shalini."

"So she was only here to be as a mother figure?"

"To be somewhat of an essence of Shalini, being her best friend and all. I honestly don't think I could've done it on my own."

"But what about her own family?"

"Unfortunately, that never happened for her. There was someone once, but that all fell apart when her husband passed away."

"Passed away?"

"Yeah, only it was in the cruelest of ways - murder."

Khushi gasped. "Oh my!"

Aryan nodded. "The feeling of loosing the one you love... Shalini felt really bad, so she asked her to stay here. Then Shalini... basically she's been here ever since. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Khushi played off.

Aryan nodded. "Well that's enough curiosity for one night. Time to go to bed."

Khushi chuckled. "Yes Papa, I'm going."

"Good. I don't want Chote yelling at me, saying I didn't take good care of the woman he loves."

Khushi blushed and Aryan chuckled as he left.

Khushi placed the album down, keeping it open on the same page.

Something just doesn't feel right. If Dai Ma loves Papa then why would she marry someone else? Unless she was forced? Maybe her parents? Something, that's for sure. However if you think aobut it, things worked out for her, gruesome as it is for her late husband. In a way, Ma gave her the ticket for her to live with the one she really loves.... 

Over these years, who knows what Dai Ma's done. I'm pretty darn sure she's tried to put some moves on Papa. But Papa loves Ma way too much to even think of another woman, forget love another.

It all comes back to Ma though. I mean that was her best friend, so surely she'd have known if Dai Ma loved... maybe Dai Ma moved on from Papa and married, but then the old feelings came back when she moved in here? But the photo... this is all too confusing!

"Khushi bhabi," a worker called out.

Khushi left the room to tend to the worker, shutting the door behind her. However, the second she turned at the corner, a figure crept out from the shadows. Carefully opening the doors, they carefully shut the door behind them and stepped into the room. They glanced around when they caught sight of the album book. Going over to it, they saw the four pictures on the page: two of Shalini and Aryan, one of Shalini and Divya, and the other of the three of them together. They flipped through the pages, looking at each of the photos.

Meanwhile, Khushi helped the worker create tomorrow's menu. Remembering that she had forgotten to tidy up Aryan's office, she went back upstairs. Khushi was walking down the hall, close to Aryan's study, when Divya called out to her.

"Khushi?"

Khushi turned around and saw her, the woman dressed up in a scarlet sari, covering her head with her pallu. "Yes?"

"Have you seen your father in-law?"

Oh? "Papa has already gone to bed."

"Oh. Well did he-"

"I left his medication by his bedside table."

"Oh, good. That's all," and she walked away.

'Father in-law'? Really? And what a lovely scarlet sari she's got on - for a widow. It's as if she's still married....

Khushi shook these thoughts out of her head and went to Aryan's study. The second she stepped in, she felt something unsteady. It was as if there was a presence in the room, but the room seemed untouched.

Quit spooking yourself Khushi, you've only been in this room so many times!

Khushi went to the desk to put the album book away. However when she got to it, she gasped. The album book was now on another page: there was a picture of Shalini with a little Arnav, a picture of Aryan with a little Arnav, all three of them together as well as Divya, and the last picture slot was empty.

By looking at the page, Khushi could tell that there was photo, only someone had removed it - just removed it. Khushi picked up the book and looked around the room, expecting to find someone trying to hide behind the furniture.

Only there was no one else there at all.