Wedlock - Part 34

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Chapter 34


San Francisco

“So, this is your company’s accommodation?” Shyam asks as Khushi and Shikha get inside the apartment with him. “It’s good” he adds.

Shyam had been to the Airport to pick the girls and get them settled in this house. It’s fully furnished and a typical American home.
“Yes, its beautiful” Khushi replies scanning the house.
“Indeed” Shikha agrees.
“Okay.. so you two rest, settle down here and don’t forget to eat the Sandwiches and Salad before taking a nap”




Their flight landed at evening. Shyam had packed the Dinner for the girls on way to ensure they don’t have to bother about cooking or ordering anything at least on their first day in this Country.

“Thank You Jeeju. It’s really kind of you to make all these arrangements” Khushi says.
“Don’t thank me. Anjali would have done it herself but you know she gets tired easily. She was even going to accompany me to the Airport to pick you but I told her to rest”
“Good you did that. I will meet Di the first thing in the morning”
“You better.. Tomorrow’s breakfast is on us.. Please allow me and Anjali the honor to serve you both”

Khushi chuckles.

“We couldn’t think of a better option” she replies.

Shyam then leaves the apartment.

“Your Jeeju is hot” Shikha mutters shamelessly.
“Yes.. he is” Khushi admits.
“But.. not as Hot as your husband”
Khushi feels her heart fluttering. That reminds her she has to inform him she reached safely. Has he read her letter she placed on their bed? Does it make him feel any better about their separation? She doesn’t know, but every word she mentioned in that letter was right from her heart. She didn’t give him any false hopes neither she over committed. She is aware that as time passes, they both will know what they really want from each other. It’s like a testing period for them. This distance will prove if he continues to feel the same for her and for Khushi.. this distance is going to allow her self-realize and slowly ease the fear of being in relationships, trusting people and allowing them to have a place in her heart.

“Again lost?” Shikha asks clicking her fingers. “Whenever I talk about Arnav Singh Raizada, you seem to run away in a different world.”
Khushi nods in denial.
“You miss him already, I know” Shikha continues.

Maybe. Khushi shrugs any further thoughts about him.
“Let’s check the apartment first and decide which rooms we are going to occupy”
“Sure” Shikha agrees and the two head inside. But whilst she continues her plans, she drops a quick message to Arnav Singh Raizada.

‘Reached.  Hope you have read my note’

She sends the message and to her surprise, there is a response almost instantly.
‘Read and already working on it. Hope to be in touch’

Yes. She hopes that too and very glad to know he is working on her advice. She doesn’t reply to that again neither he messages her back.

“Oh no” she suddenly sighs in disappointment.
“what happened?” Shikha becomes alert. “I had no roaming pack activated on my phone and I happened to send these international messages. My balance is almost over”

Shikha chuckles.

“That’s what Internet is for. Why wasting time in messaging? Just email or use your social account to chat”

Khushi nods. Yes, she should have thought about that before. Chatting with Arnav Singh Raizada will be very informal but she can opt for Email. It will be much similar to the letters they wrote to each other.

“Khushi… you are not even concentrating” Shikha shakes her, getting her out of that stance.
“Sorry.. Uhh… yes, I will go with this room then”

Shikha pouts.
“Or you take this. I will take the other one” she is still confused.
Shikha passes her a thankful smile.
“You are seriously missing your husband. Go call him”

Khushi has no answer to that. She doesn’t want to let Shikha know that something is wrong in her marriage. So, she just leaves to the other room letting Shikha be in her own imaginary world.

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

DAY 2

Shantivan

Arnav comes down for breakfast. He serves the cereals in his bowl and eats silently. Nani is sitting opposite to him.

“The house has become so silent after Anjali and Shyam left” Nani mutters.
“hmm”
“Wish they could have stayed more” she adds.
Arnav sighs.
“But I am happy that Khushi left too. I couldn’t stand here in this house”

Arnav slows down eating. He is not prepared to argue with anyone right now but looks like he is going to do that soon.

“Chotte… have you talked to her about the Divorce? I am sure she must have agreed”

Arnav stops eating and stares at the old woman.

“You didn’t talk to her?” she asks with a disappointment on her face. “Never mind. You can tell her on the phone and send the papers to her there”
“Nani” he interrupts strongly. “There is no divorce happening”

Nani is baffled to hear that confidence in his tone.
“What do you mean no Divorce is happening? Has she brainwashed you?”
“Nani, don’t tell me you didn’t see any change in her? In me?” he asks hopefully.
“What change? Only because she faked behaving like a good wife to you before Anjali doesn’t mean she has changed. Did you forget what she did with you? With us?”
“I didn’t forget what she did Nani” he wipes his lips and gets up. “As a matter of fact, I remembered what I missed doing for her”

He finishes only half of his breakfast and leaves for work. Nani is confused with Arnav’s change of mind. Is he serious for Khushi and about their marriage now?

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

DAY 3

AR Office

Shagufta Khanna barges in Arnav’s cabin. He had assumed she would be here after getting that devastating news. Arnav’s Secretary follows her in.

“Sorry Sir, she didn’t listen when we asked her to wait”
“No problem, you may leave”

The Secretary nods and shuts the door behind, leaving Shagufta Khanna with her Boss.

“You are withdrawing our Merger?” she scoffs.

Arnav and Shagufta had a merger company running which he just sold his shares to some willing candidate in the same business.

“Yes” he replies. “Have a seat”
“Why?” she growls.
“Why?” he snaps. “You should have seen that coming upon you Shagufta”

Shagufta clenches her teeth.

“Oh… so you are taking out your so-called wife’s frustration on me and our Business?”
“Wrong” he gets up from his seat. “I am fulfilling my wife’s wish which she made before going to San Francisco” he replies.

Shagufta is blank.
“You fed her ears” his tone gets rough as he reaches her. “You thought it will break our marriage?”

She is speechless.
“It did create an argument between us but I am glad Khushi took it maturely”
“Maturely?” she mocks “She left you Arnav. Can’t you see that?”
“She left me and I let her go because that’s how a relationship works. We need to care for our partner’s wishes and sometimes even compromise for the other’s happiness. None of us knew it before, but we are dealing with it now.”

Shagufta is unhappy to hear that. They are working on their marriage? Even after she played her final card of misguiding Khushi?

“I don’t believe it. You cannot wait for a woman to come back to you after such a long wait. Neither she looks so decent enough to me to make that happen. You know how nasty she can get when she is drunk? What if she finds another guy there? She won’t think twice before dumping you.”
“Mind your words Shagufta Khanna.. You are talking about my wife and I won’t tolerate anyone speaking ill about her” he roars.

Shagufta fears seeing his eyes. He has really lost himself to that woman.

“Arnav” she gently tries to touch him, to calm him down. “I am sorry if that hurts you but I don’t see why you withdrew your shares from our merger and sold it to someone else?”
“Because henceforth I don’t want to do any business with you. Neither I am interested in continuing being friends. I warned you back not to interfere in my personal life. But you didn’t understand it neither took seriously. This is your mistake Shagufta. You got to pay for this”

He walks back to his desk and takes the chair.

“Aman will get the withdrawal papers formulated and duly signed by me tomorrow. And your new Partner will get in touch with you to discuss how the merger of your company with his should continue further. Concentrate on that because as a well-wisher, I don’t want you to lose money”

Shagufta glares at him but he picks his intercom.

“When is my next meeting?” he asks his secretary, who updates him about the time. “Okay. Prepare the conference room, I am coming”

He gets up again and walks out of the cabin.
“Arnav… please listen” she tries to stop him but fails. Shagufta exits the office in a grumpy mood.

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

Khushi and Shikha are invited for Dinner by the Jha Couple. Shikha seems to be little hesitant at first but soon enough she starts getting comfortable. They all are eating at the Dinning table.

“I really feel like home now” Shikha exclaims.
“That’s their specialty” Khushi replies munching the Salad. “They can make even a Stranger totally feel like they belong to their family”
“That’s sweet” Anjali replies. “But I am so glad that you are here. Earlier it was just me and Shyam and we really missed having our own people around us here. You know how staying away from your country, your family feels like”
Khushi nods.

“Poor Saale Sahab. He must be all alone there with Nani.. and desperately missing us” Shyam interrupts.
“True” Anjali agrees.

Khushi feels sad but that’s how it is. She cannot change that for a while. They finish Dinner and Khushi helps Anjali to clear up the Table though the later insist on leaving it all for the maid to do.

“Di… The baby bump has started showing now”
“Yes” Anjali touches her stomach. “I really cannot wait for the next 3 months to finish”
“Neither me.” Khushi admits. “I am going to pamper him/her so much”
“That’s your right being Aunt” Anjali says touching Khushi’s cheek.

Khushi’s phone buzzes. It’s a message from Arnav Singh Raizada on her international number. She took a new sim and obviously shared that number with him.

‘Your Wish is fulfilled. Shagufta has got her lesson. She won’t be interfering in our lives anymore’

A smile lits on her face which Anjali notices.

“Chotte’s message?” she asks.
Khushi nods. Anjali notices the happiness on her face and decides to leave her alone to communicate with her husband. Khushi replies back.

‘Thank you for making it happen so soon. Can we communicate via emails? Messaging is costly for me’

He responds almost immediately.
‘Anything that comforts you. On contrary, I can charge your international number heavily or make it postpaid and post the bills in AR’s accounts’

She knew he would offer her that. She types back.

‘Thanks for the suggestion but that contradicts with my whole agenda of standing on my own feet and paying my own bills. Emails will work fine for me. COST SAVING is my choice’

Arnav is at work. It’s office hours for him whereas it’s night there in San Francisco. He had guessed she wouldn’t like to use his money.

‘Email it is then’

Khushi smiles reading his reply. He seems to be normal now not lost and grumpy. She likes it that way. At least he is focusing back where he is needed the most. And she will not be guilty for leaving behind a man who wanted her to stay back and sort their marriage.


To be Continued.



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