Wedlock - Part 35

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Chapter 35

“Emails?” Shikha asks. “Isn’t it very old fashioned? You can chat with him on WhatsApp. And I need not tell you how easier the Voice and video calls will be”

Khushi continues making her bed. She knows that already. She is in fact more technology friendly than Shikha or anyone else. But chats would be too informal. And she cannot type and send each sentence one by one. She wants their emotions to be conveyed lengthily in their words. Plus, she already knows her husband is not social media savvy. He is good at emails.. professional ones and strictly to the point. She wants to use that same strategy to communicate with him.




“Anyways, the choice is yours. I am off to sleep now. We have a big day tomorrow” Shikha reminds.
“Good night Shikha”
“Good night”

Shikha leaves to her adjacent room and Khushi drops herself on the bed. She checks her mailbox. There is an email already from him. And it has an attachment. Some pdf file. She downloads it and opens to read. It’s an agreement duly signed by Arnav Singh Raizada that he is returning Sheesh Mahal back to Khushi Gupta, proving he has no interest in that property anymore. She feels a lump in her throat, hard to swallow.. painful. He did what he meant. She just didn’t realize he will provide her the proof of it so soon. She types back a reply.

Arnav,

I believed you when you said you had no interest in this property anymore. Why the proof?

Khushi.

She puts an alarm for next morning and then shuts her eyes. She is disturbed by that agreement. She doesn’t know why.

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

Day 4

Khushi wakes up in the morning as per the alarm and the first thing she does is check her email. His reply has arrived.

Khushi,

I want things to be transparent between us this time. Hence the proof. As per your mother’s will, this property was supposed to be automatically entitled to your husband’s name. Your mother’s lawyer had contacted me a week after our marriage to take my approval signatures on the papers, which I denied to do that moment. I was already not happy with our marriage status as you chose to leave. So, this formality was pending all these months. The agreement copy that I emailed you yesterday confirms that I have declined holding any right on Sheesh Mahal and in turn you are the sole owner of that property now. You can sell it off or use it as per your convenience and I have no legal rights on that Palace.

I hope you have a great day at work. Don’t skip your breakfast if late.

Arnav.

Khushi sighs. She had no clue he never accepted that property. The door knocks and Shikha comes in.
“You woke up now? I hope we won’t be late on our first day to work. Should we skip breakfast?” she asks.

Khushi recollects Arnav has just warned her not to skip it at any cost.

“No.. We can manage it in whatever time left. Give me 15 minutes I will be ready”
“Okay”

Shikha leaves back to her room and Khushi rushes in the Shower.

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

Day 10

Khushi checks her mailbox again. There is no email from Arnav. Why? The last email from him was 5 days back. She rings the doorbell of Anjali’s house. It’s weekend and as promised earlier, she is going to spend it with Anjali and Shyam. So, she is. Shikha has other plans with their new office colleagues. Shyam opens the door.

“Welcome. .. Welcome home” he greets her.
“Thanks Jeeju.. Where is Di?”
“Rani Saheba is in the bedroom. Go, sit with her while I make some nice coffee for us”
“Should I make it?”
“No.. No formalities. Just go and give her some nice inputs”

Inputs? Khushi walks in Anjali’s bedroom and is surprised to see variety of colored wool balls on the bed.

“Di.. what is all this? So much of wool?”
“Thank God you came Khushi. Help me select the best color out of these”
“For?” Khushi sits on the bed, next to Anjali.
“For making woolen baby suit”

Khushi understands Anjali’s plan of knitting for her soon to be coming baby.

“Okay… Pink” she picks the pink woolen ball.
“Pink? But what if it’s a boy?”
“Then blue” Khushi replies almost instantly.
“That’s a great idea then. I will make both. Pink and Blue”

Khushi giggles.

“Di… Why taking so much of stress in making all this? We get it in stores. We can buy all colors.. Readymade ones”
Anjali pouts.
“No Khushi.. The warmth which a mother puts in knitting it for her baby, no readymade ones can provide it”
Khushi nods.
“Absolutely right. You know knitting Di? Will you teach me some day?”
“Why not? And then you can make a few for your babies too”

Khushi gets nervous. Babies? Her and Arnav’s babies? All of this seems so far and unsure. She recollects how they had argued on the baby’s topic while driving to work. It was so funny and memorable. Anjali asks her to pass the knitting kit which breaks her stance. She hands it to Anjali.

“Is Chotte back from South Africa? Did you talk to him?” Anjali asks her.

Khushi is confused. Arnav had been to South Africa? She didn’t know. She cannot even pretend that she was aware of it. Anjali would get suspicious if she says she had no clue where Arnav is. This is why Arnav didn’t email her from 5 days. He might have got busy.

“I didn’t talk to him today di” she lies. She has not talked to him, heard his voice from past 10 days, ever since she has stepped in San Francisco.
“Ohh. When you call, do take his inputs too regarding the wool color”

Khushi nods faking a smile.

“I know which color he will select” Khushi interrupts and picks the woolen ball. “Grey”
Anjali laughs in agreement and Khushi follows her laughter. Weekends have never been so good and relaxing for her.

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

Day 11

Arnav has just landed from his Jet and on the way to his car. He had been to handle some critical meetings related to the Joint Venture between the Raizada and Guptas. Shashi Gupta couldn’t make it there and when asked he was told that the man is sick. He didn’t bother to wait for Shashi Gupta to make it for the meeting, instead he himself handled it by flying to South Africa. But as curtesy, he plans to visit Gupta Mansion and pay a visit to his father-in-law.

He sits in the car to head back to Shantivan first and decides to check his personal email. He hadn’t expected Khushi’s email to be there already and it was sent to him the last night. He should have checked it before.

Arnav Singh Raizada,

In the last email you talked about transparency and then suddenly made things opaque between us. Why wasn’t I made aware about your South Africa trip? I got to know it from Di and guess what? I was blank. Such non communications can make her suspicious. Hope you show some improvements next time on such critical matters.

Now coming to a non-serious issue. Pick a color for baby’s woolen baby-suit. Di wants your suggestion.

Regards,
Khushi Gupta.

A smile props on his face as he types back to her.

Khushi is sleeping when this email beeps on her phone. She silences it without even noticing and continues to sleep.

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

Day 12

Khushi woke up too late today but its weekend and people enjoy their privacy, don’t they? She happened to sleep at Anjali’s home as they insisted her to. She has kept some clothes of hers at Anjali’s place along with her basic toiletries kit.

She brushes and comes out. Anjali is enjoying her coffee with husband who is pressing her feet.

“Wow… I want such a husband” Khushi blurts out grabbing their attention. She feels awkward too for breaking their moment.
“You have one already” Anjali points out.
Yes, she remembers that. She sits opposite to them.
“My feet were swollen last night. I asked Nani who told me to apply this oil. Shyam is applying the same on my feet”
“I see” Khushi nods.
“Khushi.. did you talk to Arnav?” Shyam asks

Khushi then recalls she has to check her mails.

“One minute” she hurries back to the guest room and checks her phone. She reads his email reply.

Khushi,

My sincere apologies for not keeping you informed about my schedules. This won’t be repeated again.

I know Grey won’t be acceptable by Di neither you so, Blue it is.

Your signature got me confused. Have you decided to put off our marriage, already?

Regards,

Arnav Singh Raizada
(Your Muddled & tormented husband)

Khushi feels her body reacting strangely to that email. She gave him wrong signals by her signature. Poor boy.. he thought she put her maternal last name on purpose to show she is not interested in their marriage. But what about his signature? Muddled is fine.. He is confused right now. But tormented? Is she torturing him on purpose? She has to ask him that. But she was so right about his first choice of wool color. GREY!! She hits the reply.

Arnav,

Sorry for the confusing signature. It wasn’t a typo mistake though. I am just used to this name so much that sometimes I forget.

So, you want Di to have a boy? That’s why you chose Blue I assume.

And what are you so tormented about? That I left? I think you should enjoy your freedom for some time. Until we decide what we have to do with our marriage. Such singlehood?  moments won’t come again in our lives. What do you think?

Regards,
Khushi
(Gupta/Raizada doesn’t matter for now)

Arnav takes a night shower and comes out to find his phone beeping. When he realizes it’s her email, he cannot hold his excitement to know what she has replied. He reads the email. She wants him to enjoy his Singlehood again? He lets out a chuckle and types.

Khushi is back in the living room with Shyam and Anjali, drinking coffee when her email notification flashes.

Khushi,

I don’t mind if you keep both your last names. Like Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada.

Boy or girl, I want the baby to be healthy.

I will think seriously about your idea on Singlehood. ??

p.s. I didn’t know your full name is Khushi KUMARI Gupta. Got this info from your mother’s will.

Arnav.

Khushi’s jaw drops. He sent her a winking smiling? That shows his mood is back. He is adjusting without her and she is glad about it. But his suggestion of keeping both the last names cracks her up. Yes, she was always uncomfortable with her middle name. But her mother wanted her to have it so she never changed. And the singlehood idea, looks like he is going to put it to some good use.

“Khushi” Anjali calls her. “Me and Shyam are going to show you the city today. Why don’t you see if Shikha wants to come?”

Khushi comes out of her stance and decides to email Arnav later. If they keep communicating at this rate, how are they supposed to concentrate on other priorities?

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

Day 15

Arnav finally gets time to meet Shashi Gupta and check on his health. He drives to Gupta Mansion in the evening hours.

“Good Evening Kyle” he greets Kyle Raizada who meets him at the living room. “I heard Mr. Gupta is not well”
“Yes” she sighs. “Please sit. What will you have? Tea or coffee?”
“Coffee will work”
“Okay”

She quickly instructs the maid to make Coffee for him and takes her seat on the couch.

“Shashi is unwell. Khushi really shouldn’t have blamed us” she speaks.

Arnav is clueless.
“Khushi spoke to him? When?”
“2 days before she flew to San Francisco”

That’s a surprise for him. Why didn’t Khushi tell him that she had met her father?

“Khushi wanted to see us before she flew but that meeting didn’t go well. She literally fought with us, blaming us for all her problems”
Arnav swallows hard. He knows what Khushi’s temper was before she left. She was shattered because of the disclosure of her mother’s will. And looks like her interaction with Shashi Gupta didn’t turn up well either.

“Shashi took it to his heart. He is unable to concentrate on the business too. I have tried to explain him in my ways but he thinks I am also responsible for Khushi’s bad childhood”

Arnav inhales deep.

“Where is Mr. Gupta? Can I see him?”
“He is in the bedroom. But these days he doesn’t like meeting people as well. His friends had come the other day, I had to lie them that he is not at home. He wants to be left alone. I am really worried how this is going to end up?”

Arnav gets up from the Couch.

“Let me see if I can put some kind words to ease his frustration”

Kyle nods and guides Arnav to their bedroom. Kyle doesn’t step inside. She wants to give Arnav and Shashi some time to speak without her interruptions.

As Arnav steps in, Shashi shouts without even turning behind to see who entered.

“Just go away Kyle, I told you I want to be alone. Please”
“Mr. Gupta”
Arnav’s voice makes Shashi jerk and look at him. He had not expected to see his son-in-law here. He gets up from the bed, keeping Khushi’s childhood photo down.
“Arnav.. Please come” Shashi welcomes him.
Arnav makes his way to the two-seater couch where they both sit.

“You okay Mr. Gupta?”
“I am.. what has happened to me? I am fine”
“You couldn’t attend the Meeting in Cape Town”
“Yes… I … I was not keeping well” Shashi accepts.
“I have sent all the updates to your team. They are working on it”
“Forget all that.. Did you talk to Khushi? How is she? Did she settle there?”

Arnav had never seen so much of concern in Shashi’s eyes and tone before for his daughter. Looks like Khushi has given him some real words to think about his mistakes, just like she vented out to her husband what their marriage lacks.

Arnav gives some basic details on Khushi’s life there and tells the man not to worry. Shashi doesn’t pour out his heart to him but yet conveys Arnav by his emotions that he has accepted how he failed to be a good father. When Arnav heads back to Shantivan, he drops a quick email to his wife again. She should be informed what is happening to her father.

Khushi, 

Met your father today. He is sick, not physically but emotionally. I don’t mean to interfere here, but I think you should speak to him once. I am glad you highlighted him his share of mistakes towards you. He seems to have acknowledged that. It is not going to bring back your childhood neither it will turn your relationship with Mr. Gupta golden again but I still feel you should talk to him. 

It’s up to you though. 

Arnav. 



To be Continued.

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