Chapter 17

                                      As mad as a hatter..

            The newly rising sun did not break normalcy of Lakshmi Nagar in any way.The hustle bustle of performing morning chores kept people of Laxmi Nagar including Gupta clan busy. Shashi had immersed himself into news paper while Garima  was caught up with filling water from hand pump outside the home and Buaji was dusting the house while chanting 'NandKishor' with an uttermost devotion.

          

         Khushi being true to her nature had plastered  brightest  smile  on her face to hide her agony from family.  She had successfully  convinced her babuji that she was missing her jiji and so has had  cried a little when he got suspicious seeing her red and puffy eyes. And she had not lied, she was missing her sister so much unlike any other day. If she had been here, she must have provided much needed support  to Khushi. But then she might have not had shared last night's incidence with her. It will be only her secret which would be kept buried at some corner of her heart, Khushi decided.  She will do the same what she has been doing in  all of  her life' she will hide all her pain and sorrows behind a happy face. So she had veiled  her anguish being more chirpy today to avoid giving any chance to anyone from getting whiff of her inner turmoil . Everything seemed  more than perfect except the one small loophole. she had simply forgotten about the heaps of jalebis she had fried  yesterday  night  when the slumber had denied to overtake her hazel eyes. 

          "Hey Devi Maiyya , Buaji will kill me if she sees those jalebi" 

         She started biting her nails thinking over how to evaporate those jalebis instantly when a loud ring of  telephone broke her thoughtful trance. She threw an angry glance at it. She had attended two blank calls since morning. It must be same again. But who is making  these blank calls? Of course some loafer, who else?  she glared at that  phone through narrowed eyes.  Alas, the poor caller, unknown to the missile being loaded at his direction continued ringing the phone.  

  "You Mr. loafer,wait I make sure, you would never call and trouble any girl again" She picked the receiver and spat out an irritated 'Hello'.  Her nostrils flared with rage as she met with a dead silence  at other end. She could sense a soft breathing though. With that extremely familiar rhythm of breathing which had fanned her senses many time before ,she instantly knew who was at another side. But as anger drove her already crazy brain more wild, she chose to play along with mock ignorance.

    " Why are you calling if you don't want to talk?" she asked earnestly but her question could not get anything to her in return  other than silence again.

   "Aap bolanese Sharma rahe hai? Ya fir ghabara rahe hai? Jo bhi ho Dekhiye apake alasi ungaliyo ko kasarat ho rahi hogi phon karne se par hamara waqt barbaad ho raha hai yahaan. Aur koi kaam nahi hai kya aapke paas ladkiyonko chedane ke alaawa?  Aapko sharam nahi aati ye sab karate huye? Aapke ghar mein Ma-Bahen nahi hai kya?(Are you afraid of talking? Or then shying away?  Whatever it may be. See you might be getting an exercise for  your lazy fingers by making these calls but my time is being wasted. Don't you have any better work to do than teasing a girl? Don't you have any shame? Don't you have sister and mother at you home? )" She growled into the phone in single breath . 

     

                                      "Khushi'.." 

      

         Her heartbeats stopped momentarily. She might have missed that small inaudible whisper if it was someone's else

       'Arnavaji?'   Why is he sounding so low? Is he all right? It seems like ..He had been crying???..And a series of memories from last night flashed before her eyes. Suddenly her grip over receiver tightened and she clutched her dupatta steadfastly. She pushed all her suddenly sprung crazy soft emotions towards him back to the place from where they emerged. Why he is calling now? Of course to confirm if I have been affected by his words in a way he always wished or not.But Khushi Kumari Gupta is nothing if she breaks down so easily. She would not let him feel satisfied showing how she has been badly affected by him in any way. So  tuning  her voice to an extremely nonchalant pitch , she asked as if nothing has happened '..EVER'.

    "Aap? Aapne yaha kyo phon kiya?(You? Why have you called here?)"

     " Khu.."

   "Aur ye app kar kya rahe the? Apko pata bhi hai ese blank calls karake ek ladaki ko chedana kitana bada gunah hai?(And what were you doing? Are you not aware that teasing a girl by making blank calls is a crime?)"

  "Khushi..listen.."

   "Aur apako kya laga aap kuch bhi karenge our bach jayenge? Ye mat bhuliye ki gunehgar chahe kitana bhi bada ho par kanoon ke haat hamesha lambe hote hai'(What did you think that you won't ever get caught  by anyone? But do not forget'No matter how much affluent the criminal is but law always has its way to catch him.  )"

   "Khus.."

   "Arnav Singh Raizada yese kam kabase karane lage??? Kal tak to hume lagata tha ki aapko logo pe chillane or 'what the' ka jaap karnese fursat hi nahi hai...Our aj aap ko blank calls karke hamara our apaka dono ka barbaad karane ke liye waqt kese mil gaya? Apane ye kyo kiya.. Batayiye.. Ab aap chup kyu hai?? Ab Arnav Singh Raizada ke pass koi jawab nahi? Ab bolati kyu band ho gayi apaki??? Jawab dijiye.."

 "Letmme  speak damn it!" He burst out finally as his patience left his side '

  

  ".."

When an ire silence spread over the line, he controlled his impatient nerve and tried to speak in a normal tone.

 "Khushi,I want to meet you" He said uncertainly.

  "Dekhiye hame na aapse milana hai our nahi koi baat karani hai.Dubara yaha phone mat kijiyega, samajhe aap?(See neither I want to meet you nor talk to you. Don't call here again. Understood?)" saying that she loudly banged the receiver  and turned to  kitchen muttering to herself

   'Ye samjate kya hai apane aap ko? Ab our kyo milana chahate hai..shayad kal our kuch sunana baki rah gaya hoga. Shayad 'What the ' bolana bhul gaye honge ant mein...sadu kahike...!' she made faces at the  wall imagining him standing there.

        

       She already had decided last night while munching on some jalebis that she would forget whatever there had been between her and Arnavaji .It might have been named as 'LOVE' by her but he would never  reciprocate  those feelings in his life no matter how hard she tries, she was sure. So now it was better for both of them if they let go of their every fight, every bait, every fall, every catch, every Dhak Dhak ,every stare, every touch...Everything  and live their lives as if they never met each other .

         

         But has her stupid heart ever listened to her brain ? His one call and the every 'heart disaster management lecture'  she had been giving to herself since last night had failed brutally. His husky voice only calling her name'Khushi' and her heart had guessed how regretful he was for yesterday. Her dumb heart which was crying because of his throbbing words until now had suddenly started pumping extra blood to her cheeks making them more reddish like tomatoes with joy knowing he has called her. But now enough is enough. This time she would not walk on the path shown by her useless  heart. She ,like a good girl would listen to her brain only. It is proved that her brain was more sensible than her heart every time she had concerned both of them for any decision. But being such a foolish she had always listened to her heart and now because of that she has successfully landed herself into such a mess. Congratulations Khushi Kumari Gupta !!!!

   

     'And what if he asks for forgiveness. Would not you forgive him ?'  Her heart asked her knowing how easily she would forgive him soon even without him asking for it.

    'I won't forgive him ever.' She replied fiercely knowing how her heart was trying to trap her into its clutches again.  

    

       'And as if The Arnav Singh Raizada would ever come and say SORRY to               me' She said sarcastically throwing her arms in air.  

         As if on a cue the phone rang again. She rolled her eyes frantically.'What does he want? Do whatever you can but this time I would not give you any chance to hurt me again.' She warned to phone as if the poor object was her culprit. she inhaled sharply and went to receive the call.

    "Do you have any hearing problems? Ohh. You know Yoginathji Baba in Laxmi Nagar mandir always describe in their prawchans that how hot headed people create problems in working efficiency of their own body. I think you need to attend those some times. But for time being,  I repeat whatever I told you last time loudly. Now listen carefully, DO NOT EVER CALL HERE AGAIN." 

  "..."

 "Now you understand?" 

   "Khushiji? What happened? Why shouldn't I call you again? Have I done anything wrong?" she heard  a confused soft voice.

  "Anjaliji?" she bit her tongue. " aap? woh..I thought there is someone else'anyways forget it. Why have you called? Is 'EVERYONE' all right there?"   She asked stressing more on word 'Everyone'.

   "Of course Khushiji. 'EVERYONE' is all right here. I have just called to ask something to your amma- bauji.  Actully naniji is going to that old Pahadiwala Mandir. So she has asked if your amma-babuji and buaji would like to join her?"

  "Ohh okay..you just hold on. I go and ask buaji and tell you." She went  to buaji and came hurriedly within a minute  to convey her reply.

  "Anjaliji, all are very excited to join naniji." She said happily.

    "Okay then Khushiji. Tell them to get ready. A car will come to pick  them  up within half an hour."

******************** 

      

        Anjali  cut the call happily after chitchatting to her for few more minutes and looked at Arnav  satisfactorily,

"Lo Chote, Your work has been done. Now Khushiji will be all alone in the house for whole day."

                   

                         Arnav smirked gleefully.

  "Chote, be careful.Now  don't do anything this time that will worsen the matter" She said in a warning tone.

         Arnav looked at Anjali creasing his forehead and talked irritated "Stop it Di! You have already lectured me last night  enough for lifetime. Now don't start it all again. I won't hurt her now"

  Anjali smiled and ruffled  his well placed gelled hairs mischievously in response. Arnav growled some more when after leaving , she peeped in  through the door and said ,

 " By the way chote, You don't need to hide your grin from me anymore. I have already caught you flashing your otherwise hidden teeth many times in the morning. And I must say , that grin suits to your love-struck-idiot-face perfectly"

   "What The!!!!!!" 

  Though Arnav threw an annoyed glance at her, could not control the grin from reaching to his lips again after Anjali left the place.

        Khushi was more than happy being alone at home. It was better than putting up a faced and keep smiling all the day in front of her family. Her delicate brain veins were exhausted now  by thinking over and over on the same matter. The amount of thinking she has been doing from last night  was much more than what she has done all in her lifetime. Now for time being she much needed distraction from all the things. And who could help her in that more than her trusted Kamlesh Khabariji ? So she found herself  sitting on sofa with knees crossed after everyone left, boring her eyes into television set while  her hand and now silent mouth engrossed in munching chana.

  "Ghar mein baithi akeli aurato Sawdhan! Ho sakata hai aap apke ghar mein bhi surkshit na ho' apaki mout kabhihi apake ghar ki ghanti baja sakati hai (The ladies who are alone at home, be alert! It is possible that you are not safe even at your homes. Your death can ring your doorbell anytime) "Kamalesh Khabariji was trying to alert all his lady viewers  alone at home ,in his dramatic voice and with over-dramatic gestures .

               Just then a loud sound of  doorbell ring spread  across the room 

                             And Khushi jumped out of her skin horrified.

         'Who can be here at this time? He Devi Maiyya, esa kounsa paap kiya tha hamane jo ghanti bajanewali mout ko bhej diya apane hamare liye? (Hey devi maiyya, what was my sin for which you sent this doorbell ringing death to my way?)' she asked frighteningly looking at the ceiling.

  'Don't be afraid Khushi. You are brave.You are true fan of Salman Khanji.you can fight with whoever at the door just like him.' she assured herself while searching here and there for something which could serve her as a weapon if time comes.  Her eyes fell on the knife kept on dining table. She grabbed that knife immediately and went tiptoeing to the door.

   " Who is there?...I ask who is at door?" She asked trying to keep  her nervousness out of her voice. Her questions remained unanswered. She gulped hard ,joined her hands together holding the knife in them tightly, closed her eyes and prayed gathering all her strength  'Devi Maiyya rksha karana'

         She hid the knife behind her back with left hand ,opened the door slowly and ducked her head out. An unknown young guy greeted her with an awkward smile. She  felt a bit relaxed looking at him and opened the door wide.

  

   " Ho sakata hai Koi salesmen ya fir koi anjan adami apaki maut banakar apake darwaje pe khada ho (May be some salesman or an unknown person can come to your door as your death)" Came a loud  voice from  background.  

                                   

           Her eyes spread wide in horror hearing the warning.

           She looked back at television screen where Kamalesh Khabariji was standing pointing an index finger at her and again checked that man from head to toe terrifically. Ohh God,  has he come to kill me?  What shall I do now? Who will save me? Think Khushi think. You can't die so young..not before you make at least four babies'

  "Don't you dare to move or else I can prove myself  very harmful to you. I look so petite but have killed many before"

     She determinedly  brought  the knife to front and hold it pointing at his nose. The boy gulped hard and fished his right hand inside his trouser pocket  struggling to take something out.

   

  " shayad  uske paas koi bahot hi khatarnak shastr ho ..(He might be carrying some dangerous weapon with him)" echoed the voice in background

                

                       'Hey Devi Maiya, he must be taking out his gun'

       "Look you can't kill me. My security guards are hiding outside over there. If you try to take even a single step ahead ,you would be dead." She threatened him trying to seem brave and  mentally patted herself to come up with such a dangerous threat on time.

  "Ji?" He asked shocked and looked here and there. On seeing no one,  doubtfully  looked at her. Then he slowly  took up his handkerchief taken out from his pocket  and dabbed out sweat droplets gathered on his forehead.

     Khushi was taken by surprise by his gestures as she was more than sure that he was carrying a fully loaded gun. She already had a full plan ready on how to blow him down bravely by replaying few action scenes from movies 'Wanted' and 'Body Guard'  in mind. But all in vain. How this foolish boy did not give her any chance to prove herself as a true fan of SK. She sighed.

  " I'I .j.. just had come to deliver this bouquet to Ms. Khushi Kumari Gupta" He stammered looking at the knife  still rested on his nose point.

      Bouquet? She looked at that bouquet in his left hand surprised. How she had missed it earlier. She immediately brought the knife down and suspiciously examined the bouquet through narrowed eyes. It was a beautiful  arrangement of flowers made from fresh red roses .This would be the best bouquet she had ever received till date, she decided  flashing 1000 watts of smile at the boy who now was more than confident that  the lady is totally crazy.

      She excitedly forwarded her hand to take it 'But wait,she had never received any bouquet in her life before'then who can send it now? She scratched her head remembering if this was any special day so that someone has sent the bouquet to wish her? Of course not . It was neither  her birthday nor even anniversary'.and as it is there was no one who would send flowers to her on such occasions'

   So she asked the boy very unsure ,"Are you sure that this is sent to me? I mean to Khushi Kumari Gupta?"

  "Yes mam, I was told that so"

   "Who told you that?"

   "I don't know. I got a call for this delivery. Please have it mam. I am getting late for other deliveries"

        He thrust the bouquet in her hands and left hurriedly swearing that he would never ever cross this road again..not even by mistake. Poor fellow, little he knew that it was just matter of time when he would be left cursing himself for looking his own face very first  in the morning.

  Confused and unaware of a Tornado of its own kind was going to hit at her doorstep soon , Khushi just shrugged at retreating back of the boy and closed the door thinking over who could send her that bouquet. She searched to see if any card has been attached to that bouquet but there was nothing.

      

       But soon she found beating her own brains out enormously boring than    learning 

              '10 effective ways to knock out your killer at door' 

                                    from Kamlesh Khabariji.

Chapter 16

                               Onwards and Upwards!

      Anjali was pondering over seemingly an important thought  near  pool side ..the place where all the happenings in  Raizada family were accustomed of  taking place , when huffing NK entered hurriedly and stumbled at something. Anjali turned to look at the direction of noise and  he came running and stood behind her. But his tall frame peeped over her head so then he dismissed that idea and started looking for another good place..behind a pot..behind a chair..

  

       Confused  Anajli asked NK , "NK bhai , what are you trying to do?"

   

   NK replied horrified,"Di, Nannav will murder me. I don't want to die before even getting married." His terrified eyes were busy in search of something which could veil him completely.

    

  Anjali smiled naughtily at his terrorized words,"NK bhai, you don't worry. Nothing will happen to you. I ensure you."

      

   Before she could complete her assurance, Arnav entered there banging every door loudly in his way. His eyes shot blood red seeing NK. He grabbed his collar and bellowed, “How dare you, NK? How dare you to come near my Di? Now you want to apart my Di from me like you did it with my Khushi? Don't even think of it" His eyes were throwing daggers at him.

    

   NK closed his eyes tightly unable to withstand that incisive volley and started chanting Khushiji's deity name.If looks could kill; NK could have been deliciously looking dead meat till now.

   

  As if his prayers were answered favorably,Anjali interrupted.  "Leave him chote"

   "No Di, you don't know what has happened. And this is all because of him. I won't spare him today to be alive" Arnav spluttered unable to control his rage for long and Nk recollected who should he handover his favorite laptop and I-phone before taking leave from this world.

   "I know" Anjali replied with gleeful eyes.

  

   "Di?" His grip loosened as he stared at Anjali surprised.

  

 "Trust me chote. Listen to him once" She signaled NK to speak.

  "Nanav ,mere bhai, tume  galat-adayi ho gayi hai...(Nannav, my brother,You have been erroneously paid)"

 Arnav looked incredulously at him ,still lava of temper burning inside him.

 'Trust NK bhai to turn any situation into a humorous one'  Anjali sniggered.  

"What the..? What rubbish are you talking NK?" Arnav asked making his grip firm again.

   NK, startled by his hazardous action and his questioning eyes dipped in boiling anger ; threw a helpless glance at Anjali hoping her to help him with his words ," Misunderstanding  ..you know??"

  "ohh..galat-adayi nahi  NK bhai..Galatfaimi .." Anjali corrected his word stifling her chuckle with difficulty.

"Yes Yes..that is...I mean tum galat soch rahe ho(you are misunderstanding)..I didn't propose Khushiji."

   

      Arnav inhaled and exhaled sharply on hearing Khushi’s name.

   

"Don't even think of talking lies, NK! I have seen everything." He spoke through gritted teeth, holding index finger in front of him dangerously as a warning.

  "Listen to me..Yes, I proposed Khushiji but only considering her as my girlfriend in Australia" He clarified immediately. 

  "But she said yes to you, doesn't she? To you?"  Arnav asked unable to mask his surprise.

   "No..Khushiji  ne muze 'Ha' nahi bola.. ummm..ha bola muze Khushiji ne but no..not (No, Khushiji didn't say 'yes' to me. Yes, she said 'yes' to me but..)"

  

     Anjali so wished to sit in a relaxing chair enjoying popcorn with diet cola and witness this melodrama scripted and directed by her being staged with such outstanding performances.

  

    The lead, Arnav, unaware of being portrayed a character of the drama planned by Anjali was in short of patience now. He roared before NK could try to add some sense into his incoherent explanation, "NK stop beating around the bush and make it clear what you want to say at once, damn it!"

   NK gulped hard with another round of furious prayers and narrated him the whole story.

  "Nannav, I want to propose my girlfriend. But I was not sure what to say to her so I requested Khushiji to help me with that matter. You know how Khushiji is always more than eager to help anyone? We were practicing the scene on terrace as I being myself and Khushiji being my girlfriend. She said yes to me but only acting as my girlfriend." finally he released his breathe held for so long.

                            

                                      The reality dawned on Arnav.

            

     Arnav scrunched his eyes as penitence started replacing his anger. Khushi's resentful face flashed before his closed eyes. His hands curled into anguished fists bruising his own palms due to dug nails. His whole existence drowned in a pit of contrition ‘What mistake have I done?' he muttered. 

  

               'I didn't trust Khushi. My Khushi...? How can I do this to her?'

    

         He heard NK saying before leaving "How can she say yes to anyone else other than you, Nannav?  She loves you...only you.." And that made his agony even worst.

    

     Anjali was busy patting herself as her plan has worked..Indeed she was the best matchmaker. Now it won't be too long when she can see her Chote happily living ever after with Khushiji ... She clasped her hands together dreamily as she saw a prospect of a fairy-tale love story for her brother.

       

      Only before glancing at his eyes..A look at his eyes and her heart pricked. His eyes were concentrated at some unknown hollow place.deprived of any emotion..not even anger  which was a lawful inhabitant of those eyes at any other given time ,was  evident there . He  looked so lost ..lifeless ..as if his soul has vacated his body.. It was the same look..she had seen the same look in his very eyes on that day when they had  lost their parent...they were made orphan..they were thrown out of their home ...No...What did I do..A cold fear ran down  her spine. In attempts  of making him realize about his own feelings, has she sent him in a such dark place from which  he would not ever  able to return?  With that deadening thought she stepped back and sank  in chair as guilt started creeping in her heart.

   

   

          

       Before she could think of doing something to bring him out of his misery, Arnav came running to her and buried his head into her lap kneeling on ground. His grief could not be barricaded from effusing this time as his heart just failed to take it anymore and few droplets collected their strength to cross their brink of those chocolaty orbs. First time in these many years, Warm Tears rolled down making his ivory skin wet along their way.

    "What did I do ,Di? How could I do this to her..to my Khushi? I don't deserve living this life. I am a monster.I don't deserve Khushi..I don't."  He  spoke in stammering voice shattered by the pain.

  

  Anajali started soothing his back cursing self for doing this to her dearest brother."No..no chote..do not say that. You are not a monster. You deserve this life..happiness..You deserve Khushi, chote.  You deserve her."

   

  "No Di, I hurt her again. I hurt her when I had promised myself of vanishing every pain from her life.  How can I do this to her if I am not a monster? How, Di?"

     "I know you have done wrong to her but after all we are human beings, Chote! Mistakes happen. Every person is bound to do mistakes in a way or other in his life, either in our foolishness or in anger. This costs many heartbreaks and inevitable losses as a corollary. But then nothing can be done once the arrow is left from the bow..The only thing we can do then is to attempt  to amend those mistakes. And you can't ameliorate your mistakes by cursing yourself.. You have to act to correct them. I know my chote is not coward to run away from his mistakes. So think about making it right whatever has went wrong rather than weeping over it.."  

   

   "Is it even possible to amend this awful sin , Di? That too, when I don't even know where and how I went wrong?" He muttered still unable to accept that he could be this cruel with his Khushi.

  

 "I tell you where you went wrong, chote! You advanced in your way under wrong guidance.  You followed your brain where you should have chosen your heart for help. Now there is only one solution for this ..you have to  listen to your heart. Do whatever it suggests to correct your deeds"

 "Di?" He looked at her with surprise. "Is it you of all people, saying me this? You are telling me to follow my heart? Did you forget that whatever happened to us is only because you all chose to listen to your hearts?..No Di, never. I don't trust that damn bloody organ of mine anymore. You all followed your hearts which finally led us to that devastation while mine just did not help me to stop or overcome it. It betrayed me when I needed its help to clear the mess that took place in our lives." His surprise instantly replaced by an unfathomable vengeance.

  

  

 Anjali shook her head in negative dreading that her voice would betray her in delivering exact words she wanted to say if she speaks now as remembrance of their pasts at this point left her overwhelmed.

          

           

      But unaware of that, Arnav was speaking in a trance as if he were that teenage boy again standing under a tree in a stormy rainy night trying to cover his sleeping sister. ”You know Di, When I stood there, under pouring sky ,trying to shed your heart-broken, dejected sleeping form after  we  had just  returned from our parents' funeral and thrown out on roads , I did not know what to do anymore. How to collect broken pieces of our lives..I then asked my heart for help in every way Di, every way..Requesting, pleading, threatening..But it didn't say a word. Not a single damn word! It just kept throbbing with such a thunderous pain which left me helpless. Why didn't it help me when I was begging for help? Where was it gone then? Why was it quite when I was struggling to live?

       

       

           It was my brain who helped me at that time. It supported me then. It took every right decision to recollect our lives. It worked very hard to make you all happy. And I was successful in making you all happy. Didn't I?" He asked Anjali doubtfully like an innocent child looking at his mother for confirmation.

     

   Anjali gave him one of her warmest smiles and said cupping that handsome face of her little brother”Of course, Chote!  You made us all very happy and proud too."

  "If it did work for you then why doesn't it work for her, Di? Why can't I make her happy?"  He asked her distressed remembering how he could not be Khushi's reason to smile ever.. Not even once rather he was the one who made her eyes teary every single time they met.

     

    Now Anjali did not know in which words she should make him realize that the principle on which he had lived his life for 14 long years might have proved useful for that particular period of time but it can't be the permanent way of living life happily.

  

      

        'Only if Ma was alive today'....   Anjali thought...She looked at the sky.'Ma, help me to do this’, she prayed taking a silent pause before speaking with all her gathered strength,

   

    "Kuch chize esi hoti he chote, jo dimag se nahi bas Dil se hi payi  ja sakati        hai (Some things can be only gained  by heart, not by brain, chote!)"

       

    Anjali patted at an empty chair indicating him to sit beside her. He slowly raised and sat beside her chair not leaving her hands once.

    "I tell you why you couldn't make her happy. Because everything you did to make her happy, you did using your brain, Chote! And your brain can only imagine happiness but can't feel it like your heart does. . It's our heart who feels these all emotions happiness, excitement, contentment..Not brain.  And you can't live your whole life imagining things, chote! You have to experience every moment by your heart to feel them."

  

         He opened his mouth to cross out her words powerfully but she just shook her head pleading him through her eyes to let her continue without any interruption.

 He sighed and swallowed the words back bobbing his head to let her continue further.

   

   ”Let me tell you even before you ask the reason again, why your heart could not help you at that time when you had lost everything. Because it was shattered..Shattered into pieces by all the pain, insult, betrayal you received. It was not in the state of helping you then. But your mind could help you because it didn't feel the pain like your heart.

       

      It is not anyone's heart at fault to lead us to those dreadful things in our lives. It was clearly inability of our father to accept and correct his own mistakes and breach of trust by uncle which left us in that abominable situation.  I am not even sure if they ever listened to their hearts in their lives. Had they done so at least once, we had not had to go through all this? And you too can't blame your heart for betrayal chote!  I would rather say it has worked more than your brain at that time but in another way.

Do you want to know what has it done to say me so?"She asked him with a questioning look.

        

     

    Arnav nodded desperately. A small smile crept on her lips looking those glimpses of her old innocent kid brother again that she had lost somewhere in the hard rush of life .She answered, "It has been storing all your pain in itself from 14 long years. It offered all its energy to your brain to work hard for you. It did not let your brain dwell upon the misfortunes we faced then. But for that it had to lock itself in a dark, solitary place so that your brain could work without any hiatus.  The days have passed now, Chote!  The time has come. Now make your heart free from its 14 years long duty. Rescue it from all the pain it had been storing inside. Let it work on something good, on some happier reason for you this time. Trust it."

        

  Arnav looked at her with contemplative eyes trying to reciprocate her every word. Once in these many years, he was agree that his brain has strayed him far away where he has lost only hope of his life..His Khushi..! He had tried with every possible way he has been using to win his business deals over years for wining Khushi's heart but failed terribly. If that did not work then that way must be wrong.

                     

        Di might be correct. He should listen to his heart now. He should give it another chance if that is the only option left to get his life back... to get His Khushi back...But is it still possible? It's too late now..

    "But now it's too late, Di. Khushi has said NO to me. She has rejected me" How hard it was for him to even think of her rejection.

      

    "She didn't reject You, Chote! She said No to your brain which was bargaining her heart with profit and loss. Your brain has failed to win her heart. Now let your heart win her. She will say 'Yes' ..Definitely!" Anjali nodded with confidence and continued,

  

   "You want to make her happy na chote? Then you have to be happy first. Because her happiness resides in your happiness. And you can be happy only when you would open your heart for receiving new emotions, new feelings  other than pain and anger.

                

         Forget your past, chote. Let bygones be bygones. You can't alter anything happened in the past but for that sake you don’t ruin your future. You can make it beautiful. Just once , only once admit that you love her. Accept that you want to spend your whole life with her not because of some meaningless profits but for something more valuable..For happiness..Happiness of you both. Confess it to her and then you will see her happy..You would see the brightest smile of her you have never witnessed adoring her beautiful face. Once listen to your heart, Chote" She squeezed his hands and looked at him expectantly.

      

       Arnav's eyes shined with something, most probably with new hope.

      

     "Sach, Di. Will it happen?"  He found his agitated nerves calming down after detecting a light shining in darkness.

             

                    Anajali blinked her smiling eyes in agreement.

  

    "And when you fix the date of your marriage, Saale sahab; just let me know so that I can draft all your clauses for the marriage" Shyam entered trying to lighten the mood.

  

     Arnav could not control from engulfing himself into shyam's warm embrace.

      

        Anjali wiped her moist eyes looking at the sky 'Ma, Apake Chote ab sach me bade ho gaye he. Ab apko unaki chinta karane ki koi  jarurat nahi. (Ma, your Chote has really grown up now. You don't need to worry for him anymore)'

       

      

                      Now the sky was clear of all the dark clouds 

                      And those bright stars were shining into glory.

**********************************************************

           

           

         Khushi was standing near the window,looking at the sky. The cool breeze was trying to calm her tired nerves. She shivered slightly at that chilling wind and pulled her shawl uncomfortably tight over her. This small movement of her broke that lonely silence with a soft tinkling sound of her bangles.

   

   

      She stared at those three brightly shining stars. Two were of course her Amma-Babuji and third one..Third?...

     

    

      It's Arnavaji's mother. She reminisced, that day she had met her with Arnvaji.  Why is she shining so brightly? She glanced at her bangles.. And she again looked at that star. Is she happy? Does she like me for Arnavaji?

         ' Yes,she likes you for her son'  Her Amma answered her question.

     

        Khushi's dingy eyes gleamed with happiness..But only for a moment..They returned to being ashen again as another thought crossed her mind.

       

     'Ma, will you talk to Arnavaji? Will you let him know what is happening to him?  He is so confused.. He is unable to name his feelings.

Even I was not sure about his feelings until he bought these bangles for me. But then I saw some hope. I tried to help him. Tried to make him understand his own feelings but failed...I just failed Ma!'  A batch of fresh tears replaced old remnant drops on her cheeks.

   

     

          

      'Today, he hurt me immensely. . His words pain so much and I am angry on him for that but at the same time I know it was all unintentional and he did it because he was flummoxed by many strange emotions. How can I be so selfish to think about only my own pain when he must be battling hard with this unfamiliar twinge there? Will he be able to tackle that, Ma?

        

         He is afraid of those feelings, afraid of experiencing them. I can't blame him for that. After all he has never believed in things which are not seen and can only be experienced. I want to make him realize that life's most beautiful things can only be felt by heart. I wish him to feel every moment of life. I want him to believe in this beautiful life again. But don't know how to do that now. Will you show me the path, Ma? Will you make this happen?' She prayed to the star. New tears slid down on her already tears strained cheeks. Wiping them slowly she went to bed. 

                               If only she had stayed another second more, 

         she would have known that the star had answered to her prayer 

                                      by glowing more brightly than ever.