chapter 3

Khushi was fast asleep, as usual she sat on the floor praying devi maya for arnav and she fell asleep in that same position, a figment of her imagination was running through her mind creating happy thoughts to cheer her up from the stress she was going through lately, in her little world she dreamed

The dream

The wind was blowing into the room which made the silky white curtains fly, he was sitting on the recliner and working in laptop, while she was in the kitchen making his black coffee.. she came up with a little tray which held the cup of coffee and placed it on the table she was about to leave when he pulled her down and she landed on his lap, khushi blushed looking into arnavs dark brown eyes, the wind was strong making her hair strands dance over her face, he smiled and with his one hand caressed her face moving her hair strands off, she looked at him amazed while his right hand slowly made way to her waist, he slowly curled around her soft waist and she laid her head down on his chest hiding herself, he took her in his tight embrace, thus creating a warm sensual tingly feeling from inside, oh his warmth, how much she craved for it, how much she wanted his strong muscles to wrap themselves around her soft fragile body, she slowly looked up at him and he gave her a smile and placed a light kiss on her fore head, he opened his mouth to talk to here, but instead of words an unusual sound made its way from his mouth....

It sounded like this trinnnggggg tringggggggggggggg trinnnnng it increased in volume, and suddenly her eyes opened wide to the sound breaking her dream shattering that sweet thought, bringing her back to reality, she looked around to see that the white alarm clock that displayed 7:00 am was ringing so she went to shut it, at last there was peace and quiet, khushi sighed, but not for long, she was quick to gauge that it was a dream, he wasn't around he was still gone she was still stuck in the same situation,

Khushi sighed she made her way to the cupboard she opened it and was removing her clothes to get changed when she saw arnav's day planner, it was the day planner which she was snooping through when she found her name written it it saying, Ar/k 32 with a cross on her name........ she held it and then brought it close to her heart remembering the sad moments when she stood on the roof of a tall building and he came to save her, a tear trickled down from her swollen eyes, remembering when he accused her of doing something so low,

Khushi: (sobbing) its not true, its not true, u have to believe me its not true (she cried)

She opened the day planner flipping through the pages seeing his small very messy hand writing written in English scripts, a tear drop made its way down to the page which smudged the ink, on a page, she was going through each page even though she couldn't understand a word of what was written until she reached the end of the book, she was about to close it when she saw a a small white square which stuck out on one of the pockets of the day planner she removed it very carefully trying not to disturb the other papers which were kept in his book, she turned it around and was amazed at what she saw, it was a young girl in a red saree staring back at her, and that girl was no one else but her, she was shocked to see her own picture, a memory flashed in her head, it was the same day of the calendar photo shoot, when she had worn that saree, she still remembered the glint in his eyes when he saw her the first time, a few more tears trickled down her eyes, and a small smile crept up her face, she suddenly could see a small light glowing giving her hope that there is still something between them,

Khushi: this means there is something yet between us, that's why he has kept this picture in his diary, there is hope that he.... He cares for me (she smiled, then she put the book down and made a decision)that's it khushi enough off all this crying and sobbing, I have to pull arnavji out off this mess and prove my innocence, arnav singh raizada is my husband and until I am his wife I will not let anyone fool him, and take advantage of this broken situation,

She put the day planner back in the cupboard and took out a fresh set of clothes and then went to have a bath, what she never knew was that while she was looking at the day planner there was someone watching her outside from the pool area, and that person was none other than parisha, when parisha saw her reaction to her photograph in arnavs day planner she was thrilled that finally things are going on track, her plan was successful, she picked up her phone and dialed a number and spoke on the phone

Pari: hello your work is done, I did exactly what u told me to do, when she was sleeping I placed ur day planner in te cupboard and she saw the photograph and she reacted exactly as u said she would, congrats phase one is on the verge of being complete,(she disconnected the call and walked out from the back door)

Meanwhile down stares everyone was gathered at the breakfast table, little bubbly sat in between akash and payal to mark the divider between them, nani took the head seat followed by manorma and mamaji on either side of her, anjili came down slowly, the family convinced her to take care of herself, because she couldn't forget she had a baby as well in her stomach, which could be affected if she didn't do the needful, shyam sat next to her to ensure she ate properly parisha walked down in a cute sea blue short dress, and sat next to payal, khushi also came down in the mean time, there was pin drop silence, everyone was just living for the heck of living, they were too depressed because of the news of arnav missing, in the ghostly town op came running and said

Op: naniji the police has come

Everyone looked up with a little hope on their face that they have good news

Nani: yes op call them in

Op escorted them into the dining room

Anjili: sir any news of my brother

Inspector: (frowned) I am afraid no man there is no news we tried very hard to look for him, but still we can't catch any lead

Everyone started frowning as well,

Nani: have hope he will come

Anjili again started crying payal ran to console her khushi looked like the floor was just pulled from underneath her feet

Akash: inspector there has to be another way to do this, u have to help us

Inspector: there is a way, I am tapping all the phones of this house, this way if any call comes which sounds mysterious then we can catch that person immediately

Nani: yes inspector, do whatever it takes but find my grandson,

The inspector nodded his head and left shantivan, everyone finished their meal and resided to their rooms, it was around 11:00 am, shyam went into the kitchen to see khushi who was busy doing some house chores

Shyam: khushji, what is this

Khushi (turned around to face him with no expression) what do u want

Shyam: ohho khushiji u know what I want, and u know if I don't get them what the consequences are

Khushi: I know I told u that at 2:00 clock u will reactive ur papers, its only 11:00 am there is still time have patients

Shyam: oh I have all the patients don't worry, its u who should be in a hurry

Khushi was about to open her mouth when all of a sudden pari walked in

Parisha: hi jijaji, hi khushi bhabhi, whats cooking (she said in a happy tone)

They both looked at her, shyam smiled and said

Shaym: oh Sali sahiba nothing, I just came to ask whats for lunch

Pari: oh ok so whats for lunch (she looked back at shyam)

Shyam: (hesitating) uh... uh

Khushi: pari today for lunch we are making aloo and puri

Pari: oh yum, wish arnav bhaya was here, that's his..

Khushi: favorite (on hearing arnav's name she remembered that arnav loves aloo puri and in her trance she said it out aloud, completing pari's sentence)

Pari : (smiled at her) oh bhabhi its good u know bhaya so well (she went to hug her)

Shyam wasn't interested and so he left the kitchen, his job of reminding khushi was done and so he moved out of the kitchen... meanwhile pari was talking to khushi

Pari: khushi bhabhi, let op make the food na, I want to talk to u

Khushi: (hesitant) uh, pari, I would love too, but have too much to do

Pari: (smiled) ohho bhabhi, I tell u what at least spend 15 minutes with me, (she dragged her out of the kitchen)

Khushi: ohk

They both went out of the kitchen and khushi took pari to her room, and they started talking

Pari: u know u turned out to be exactly who I thought u would be (she smiled)

Khushi: (confused) what do u mean

Pari: oh don't look so confused; when bhaya first told me about u I was jumping up and down with excitement,

Khushi: (shocked) arnavji, spoke to u about me

Pari: ya off corse, here's the funny part, every time he spoke to me, it always had something to do with u, (she laughed)

Khushi: (eyes wide open and jaws stretched down) what!!!

Pari: u have no idea do u (she smiled with a glint in her eye)

Khushi: about what pari

Pari: about how much he loves u

Khushi: (heart started beating fast and she held it tightly on hearing what pari just said) he.... He.. loves me

Pari: ya off corse he does, he is head over heels for u, (then she hesitated a bit and then said) I know about everything, I know how u and he got married and under what circumstances u got married, he told me how shyam hugged u on the terrace and how his heart broke

Khushi: (shocked) u know

Pari: ya I do, bhaya tells me everything, and that's not all I saw the video tape that nk made during akash bhaya's wedding, and at that time only I understood that u 2 are madly in love with each other, I couldn't stand that fact that u 2 were fighting over something and not talking it out like adults and so I came from austrailia to explain to bhaya and u to stop behaving like children and talk about it like mature adults, but unfortunately bhaya isn't here

Khushi: pari I did speak to arnavji, but he doesn't believe me (she looked sad) he thinks I am making it up, I swear I am not, if he loves me so much then how could he think like that

Pari: look I don't know anything all I no is that u two love each other and u should talk about it, I just hope he comes back soon, u no if u 2 are on one side then both of u all can gang up against shyam and expose him in front of di, bhabhi have fate in bhaya, he is hot tempered and ya but he also hopes that he is wrong, he told me this himself u know

Khushi: what did he tell u

Pari: that he hope that he is wrong and u are right, I was shocked when he told me this, arnav bhaya hoping he is wrong is like impossible but in ur case he wanted 2 be wrong, so that he can tell u how he feels, the thought of u in shyams arms killed him and crushed him, bhabhi bhaya really loves u and I feel that u are the only one who can bring him back

Khushi: (now feeling strong she put her hand on pari's face) I think so too pari, that I am the only who can bring him back, don't worry he will come back I promise

Pari smiled and hugged her tightly, and left the room khushi was going to buaji's house so that she can retrieve the papers back

Pari thought to herself: phase one complete (she smiled to herself)