"Unfortunately no," Arnav sighed.
It was early in the evening when Arnav had called Khushi and they had been talking for hours.
"I miss you," Khushi sighed.
"I miss you too, babe. I really miss you."
Khushi could tell by the sound of his voice that Arnav must have had another situation, only causing her to laugh.
Arnav frowned. "Khushi it's not funny."
Khushi couldn't help herself. "I'm sorry, I can't help it," she laughed.
"Khushi...."
Khushi calmed herself. "Okay, okay, I'm not going to laugh, I'll stop. But what happened this time?"
"I had to sit down the rest of a meeting because during my presentation, I was thinking of you and I got hard!"
Khushi bit on her lower lip hard to stop herself from laughing.
"Before you make those luscious lips bleed, laugh," Arnav frowned.
Khushi couldn't contain herself any longer and broke into a fit of laughter. The entire time Arnav frowned and stabbed at the keys of his laptop.
"Okay, okay, stop abusing your poor laptop," Khushi said, calming down. "It didn't do anything."
"No it didn't. However the one who did is far away from me."
"Oh? Whatever did I do?"
"Be sexy."
Khushi blushed. "Arnav...."
Arnav groaned and leaned back in the recliner he was sitting on. "Khushi don't do that, it only makes me hard and I can't even have you," he whined.
"But you do in your mind," Khushi nearly whispered.
"I most certainly do. It can't be helped - because you aren't here with me, I constantly think about being with you. But because I can't, I think of you even more, which is why while I was giving a presentation on future plans of the company, my mind was thinking burying my face between your thighs."
Khushi gasped and clenched her legs. "Arnav," she blushed.
"Help me Khushi, I'm dying out here, but these morons are driving me fucking insane!!!"
Khushi bit her lip.
Arnav sighed. "I can't stop thinking about that now. I need you, I need to see you. I want to feel you."
Khushi blushed harder. "Then come home."
"Trust me baby, I want to, I really truly want to."
Khushi smiled sadly. I really want you home too Arnav, she thought. I need you right now, more than ever.
"I love you Khushi."
"I love you too-"
Khushi paused. The door to their room was open and Khushi had seen a figure dash down the hall, dashing past their door.
"Khushi? What's wrong?"
Khushi turned her attention back to the phone. "Nothing, I thought... I thought I saw something."
"Ah, the Raizada Mansion Ghost: Return of the Ghost," he teased.
Khushi scoffed. "Oh yeah? Well how about this: Arnav Singh Raizada: The Return of His Wife's Phone Being Shut Off?!"
And with that, Khushi disconnected the call and turned off her phone. She tossed it back on the bed and got up to the door.
I saw something, and I know my eyes weren't deceiving me, and I'm going to find out just what it is!
Khushi exited the room and went in the direction she saw the shadow go. She got to the end of the hall and paused. There were three different paths and Khushi had absolutely no idea where the shadow had gone.
"Lurking around again, I see."
Khushi straightened and scowled at sound of Divya's voice. She turned to face her, her scowl not going anywhere. "Can I help you?"
"No."
"Great," and Khushi turned away.
"You're being rather brave," Divya noted.
She's right, I am, Khushi thought. "So?"
"Hmm.... Carry on," and she turned away.
Khushi scoffed and faced her. "Like I need your permission."
Divya stopped and laughed, facing back to her. "Of course you do girl-"
"No I don't. You're a nobody in this family."
"Really? Is that so?" Divya walked back and stood before Khushi. "I'd think otherwise."
"Oh?"
"Indeed. I've been here for many years girl, so don't push it. One word to Aryan, or even Arnav, and that's it," she said, snapping her fingers.
"I doubt that."
"Do you now? We'll just have to see, won't we."
Khushi squinted her eyes. "Arnav loves me and will forever be by my side. Papa loves me too, and no offense- or actually, take full offense, he'd be on my side instead of yours."
"That's quite a daring statement you made. But don't worry girl, I'll prove you wrong."
"Doubt it."
Divya broke into a cackle and Khushi scowled.
"Oh you are so foolish girl. I've been playing the cards with Aryan for years. It takes time and patience for this, so don't make a comment on that, because you wouldn't know how to play it."
"I would never need to because the man I love actually loves me back," Khushi smiled very sweetly.
Divya's widened. "Why you little bitch," she sneered.
"Oh, does the truth hurt Divya," she asked innocently.
Divya looked at her for a moment before pulling back. "All men, as I say, can be adjusted. You just have to know how," and she walked away.
Khushi watched as Divya walked away and disappeared at the corner.
Adjusted? How dare she?!
Khushi turned back forward and looked at her three options. After a quick fail of eenie-meenie-minie-moe, she spun with her eyes closed to choose a hall, and Khushi finally went right. This mansion was quite big and even though she had been here for more than a year, Khushi still didn't know this place as well. She came across a few doors and when she looked inside, she saw that they were spare bedrooms, all the furniture covered up in sheets. Khushi came to another fork, unsure of which of the three paths to take. However, for some unknown reason, Khushi felt urged to go forward. The hallway ahead was short and contained a simple door at the end of it. Curious, she went towards it.
When she turned the doorknob, she found it unlocked and opened the door. The room was dark and dust floated in the air. Khushi quickly flicked the light switch on and the bulb came to life, though it was quite dim. She shut the door behind her and looked around. There were old furniture in here, several items covered up in sheets. She pulled one of them off to reveal a wardrobe. Opening it, she found numerous saris inside.
What the?
Khushi looked at them, all of them very beautiful.
But whose are these?
Khushi pulled out a red one and the second she looked at it, familiarity struck her immediately. It was the very sari Shalini was wearing in the old family portrait on the staircase-landing.
These are all of Ma's stuff?
Khushi looked in the drawers and found boxes of jewelry, make up boxes, and more clothes.
But why are they all-?
Before Khushi could finish the question, she knew the answer. Of course they'd be put away. Looking at these only brought pain, especially for Arnav. It made sense to put it away somewhere he'd never see them. However by the looks of things, it was obvious people came in here now and then as it wasn't too dusty in here.
My guess is Papa and Arnav come in here now and then for closure, Khushi smiled sadly.
Khushi looked around a bit more and found several photo albums. Beside them she found a plain cardboard box. Curious, she opened it up and found articles from many years ago.
What the? Why are there so many... oh my gosh... Ma was in an accident?!
All of the headlines of the articles related to something among the lines of Shalini passing away in a car accident. As Khushi read through the article, she discovered that Shalini was alone in the car, besides the driver. It is assumed that the driver made a sharp curve when driving along the hillside near the big temple, and when he tried to straighten the car, it went off the cliff. The dead body of the driver was found, however Shalini's was never recovered.
Khushi had tears streaming down her cheeks. It's no wonder Papa or Arnav can't talk about it. It's absolutely horrible!
Khushi wiped her tears away and quickly put the articles back in the box. She noticed the edge of a portrait peeking out from the sheet covering it, and she pulled it off. It was a portrait of Shalini alone, dressed in her bridal wear.
"Oh my... god, you look so beautiful," Khushi said, and she bit her quivering lip.
She couldn't help herself and released a sob. She went down to her knees and sobbed, running her hand over the golden frame.
"Ammu," she whispered, the pain taking over heart.
Suddenly Khushi froze. A shadow had crept over her, blocking the little light that shone, making everything in front of her dark.
There was someone else in the room.
At first Khushi was scared, but then she thought better.
"Divya," Khushi sneered.
Instantly, Khushi stood up to give the woman a piece of her mind, when she froze, her eyes widening immediately.
"Oh... my... god."
*~*
Khushi went back to her room and shut the door behind her. She quickly walked to the middle of the room and ran her hand through her hair.
This must be done, she thought.
Khushi noticed her phone and turned it back on. She waited for it to start up and the second it did, Arnav called.
"Khushi-"
"Are you coming back Saturday for sure?"
"Khushi-"
"Are you or are you not?"
"Khushi-"
"Answer the damn question!"
Arnav didn't say anything. He was in complete shock.
"Well," Khushi pushed on, tapping her foot.
"...I am but-"
"You better," and she hung up.
Without another thought, Khushi walked out of the room and headed downstairs. She found Divya in the dining room, helping the workers to set up dinner. Aryan came walking in then and took his seat.
Aryan looked at Khushi curiously. "Is everything okay, Khushi?"
Khushi glanced at Divya who simply smirked at her cunningly.
She looked back at Aryan. "Just a little tensed because Arnav is coming back on Saturday and I want to do something for him."
"Oh? What did you have in mind?"
"A party. We'll invite Akash and NK and the rest of the family."
"That sounds like a great idea! After all it is a big success for Chote, not to mention the company."
"Indeed," Khushi said, looking at Divya. "It'll be a day to remember."
Divya cocked her eyebrow at her.
"A day to forever remember, indeed."
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