P4

THE PURSUIT-4

(THE MIRAGE-II)

Pic Credit: SS NAIR

Khushi looked at Arnav and Arnav at her! She then narrowed her eyes at him and he smirked and moved his hands a little on her waist reminding her that he was the master of the moment!!!

Khushi panicked!!She wanted Buaji to leave as she was in a very odd situation and she thought it was about tea and breakfast, and said,"... nahi Buaji... hum haina hum khud hi dekhlengey!"

( I am there! I shall take care of it myself).

Arnav who opened his mouth to say something stopped and smiled amused at the converstaion!

"Per Damaadji boley rahey ki..." Buaji hesitated!

"Kya Buaji! Woh tho kuch bhi bolthey hain! Merey rehthey hue unko aur kast karney ki zaroorath nahi!" Khushi was talking and did not realise what meaning it conveyed to Buaji, who was now looking at them wide eyed thinking that her neice was so forward.

Buaji rolled her eyes up! She looked at Arnav and asked,"Babua eeka atyaachar sey tang aakey tho tumney naahi bhejdiyaa naa hiya? sach bolo!"

( Tell me honestly! Did you not send her back exasperated with her atrocities on you?)

Arnav looked at her and fluttered his eye lashes innocently while Khushi was getting tensed and yelled at Buaji,"Buaji jayiyena! Humney kahaa na aapsey? Agar aap yuhi yahaan khadi rahengi tho hum thayyari karney sey rahey!"

Buaji shook her head in exasperation and moved forward checking her forehead for temperature and said."abhaaye hain bukhaar!"( You still have fever!) And she realised Arnav still had both his hands round Khushi's waist and her hands were wrapped in her dupatta! She again looked odly at Arnav and said to Khushi," zyaada sathaana math! Ka hai ki ee key waisey acchhey ladkey naahi milenegey dobaarah!".

( don't trouble him too much! Guys like him are far and few!)

"Aap jaayiye... hum poora khayaal rakhengey aur shikaayath tho woh karne sey rahey humaari khaatirdaari key baad!" Khushi said smugly!

( you please leave! I shall take care of him! He wouldn't have a chance to complain after I do the needful.)

Buaji was scandalized and she left and Arnav could not control himself this time and he laughed out loud!

Khushi just stared at him! It looked so beautiful when he did that! It was a sight to behold as his eyes shone and his lips broadened into a wonderful smile and his laughter? It was music to her ears and she doubted one could count the number of times the world might have listened to that!!!

She quickly realised he was laughing at her and immediately asked," whats so funny?"

Arnav looked at her and asked ,"You don't know?" And he supplied the answer! "Yeah you don't!!" and said," Khushi what do you think Buaji was talking about?"

"your breakfast!" Khushi said matter of factly!

"No!!! Just look at us!" he said! Khushi looked up and down at him and her and ...

"She was thinking that..." he did not finish ....

Khushi closed her eyes in embarassment!!!

'Devi Mayya!!! How can I be so dense' she thought and with that came anger she shirked off her dupatta with difficulty and pushed him away with her left hand saying "sab aapki galthi hai!"

( This is all your fault)

Arnav did not move as he was holding her lehenga in place still! He just made a face and asked,"Oh yeah? How? May I ask you Ma'am!"

"Aapney humey fansaaya aur Buaji yeh sab... "she couldn't finish the rest!

( You trapped me and ... all this...)

"Tum bolee hi jaa raheethi Khushi! Meri taraf dekhthee tho my samjhaatha! Per thum tho thum ho!" Arnav laughed!

( You were just talking non stop!Had you looked at me, I would have made you realise! But you are you!)

Khushi was enraged with embarassment! "Aap jabhi humaarey paas hothey ho ... tho"

( When ever you are with me then, ...)

...he jerked her forward and asked" tho?..." ( Then?)

"Tho..." Khushi could not say anything...( Then)

"tho kya Rani saa" ( Then what Rani saa?) he prompted slowly...

Khushi mentally shook herself... 'nai khushi you need to be strong! Don't again fall for this Raizada charm only to be written off as a responsibility later!!'

"Tho humaara dimaag kharaab hotha hai!" She said sharply!

( Then... I loose my sanity)

Arnav noticed the sudden change in her and he knew immediately that Khushi was trying once again to distance him! He had to do something fast! He lost her trust and he would need time to build it! But first he needed to drill it into her mind that their relationship was permanent, not something which she can get rid off at every turn!!! His hands inadvertantly tightened round her!

Khushi got tensed in earnest now! Her lehenga was in place literally coz Arnav was holding it in place!She looked pleadingly at Arnav who looked very distant suddenly!

She extricated her hands slowly and caught her lehenga at her waist and said," Ab theek hain Arnavji!Shukriya!"

She started tying the lehenga's tie-ons but her right hand was a problem! Arnav stared at her for sometime and then went round her, put his arms round her and started tying them!

Khushi closed her eyes... and could feel her own heart thudding somewhere in her throat away from its usual place!

Arnav very throatily said in her ears," If you can't, you can always ask me! Anything!!!

"Nai hum.... "Khushi tried to say something but words failed and he cut her by saying!" I know you cannot ask for help! But its ok! I am your husband! Its your right to ask me! I am responsible for you!Do you get me!

"ji! Hum apki zimmedaari hai " (Yeah! That I am your responsibility)she said sadly!

Arnav was taken aback! He did not mean to remind her of the scene at Maan's place! But well!!! she seemed to have got that etched on to her heart!

He closed his hands on her belly and nuzzled her neck and said," aisa nai hai Rani saa..."

( Its not like that your majesty).

"Arnavji hum aapsey kuch maangein?" Khushi asked him

( CAn I ask you something?)

"Ask away!" Arnav said.

"Humey Rani saa math bulayiye!"

( Don't call me Rani saa)

That hurt! God! Since when is he getting affected by others! He affected them not the other way round! But why should he get affected?

Its only an endearement he used for her!!! ENDEAREMENT!!! She has got to him!!! He called her that truly as she was reigned over his thoughts and actions these days! When he was with her or away she occupied all of his mind! The three weeks he spent abroad and the one week he was at mumbai he realised one ting clearly! HE COULD NOT STAY AWAY FROM HER! NEITHER NOW NOR EVER!!!  He closed his eyes with the realisation!

Khushi saw Arnav close his eyes in hurt!...

The whole world called her Rani Saa but why did it feel that he alone had a different meaning to it?

"Kyun?"( why) He asked again.

"Bus!"( Just like that) she replied.

"Sure jis din aap humaarey dil pe raaj karna bandh kardeingi,usdin aisa hi karengey RANI SAA!" he said very seriously!

( I shall -when you stop reigning over my heart!)

"Arnavji aapko yeh sab bolney ki zaroorath nahi hain! Humney usdin sab sunliya hain!" She said simply!

( You don't need to say all this to [entertain me] I heard everything on that day!)

"S@#$! I am not saying it to make you.... "he could not finish...

"Jai Devi Mayya Rani saa... "A male voice shouted from the passage!

Khushi froze! She quickly recovered and said "Ram Singh? Jai Devi Mayya ki! Boliye"

"Malathi Jiji aayien hain Raja saa sey milne... Buaaji ney kehelwaya hai!" came the voice!

( MALATHI JIJI has come to meet Raja Saa... Buaji has asked me to inform you!)

"Unsehey office mey bithana ... my aarahaa hun!" Arnav said before Khushi could say anything!

( Let her wait in the office! Ia m there soon)

"Malathi Jiji aapsey milney?" ( Malathi Jiji to meet you?)

 Khushi looked at Arnav in the mirror on the wall before them and asked?

[A short update sorry... That which I could whip up ... SHRU9ti and Thanmay this is for you guys...-GODEN HAZE]