The Contrivance-7/1

7/1

Spread infront of her was, the splash of her pictures across the front page- from about eight years back. Her early days at her career at the Delhi Post, then her pics with Shobith Hegde, fortunately his face was not seen clearly, plus those at the lounge with Arnav and finally her pics at the award function. Just below was a pic of Arnav’s granny Devyani Loha who gave her blessings to the new woman in her grandson’s life. It read, ‘Granny gives blessings for a Grand wedding! She says it’s a perfect fit! ‘

“NO!” Khushi mouthed.

“Just say that to my gran. Please go ahead” he said.

“I…I…shall! What’s this. You and your family members can’t arm twist anyone the way they want to you know?” Khushi hissed at him and when he glared at her cowered moving back and caught a pillow and put it between them saying,” Just stay away from me!”

“Listen! You stay away ok?” Arnav said this time irritated at her.

“It’s you who started all this and I…just happen to…be…aaarrrrgggh…” he picked the pillow and threw it away when Varsha came rushing in saying, “Granny… err…Khushi is coming to meet you.”

“What?” Both Arnav and Khushi asked her.

“Err…I mean… Granny is coming to meet you Khushi.” Varsha blurted.

“What? I don’t have any!” Khushi said seriously.

“But he has one.” Varsha said looking at Arnav who was already frowning.

“Stop her!” Khushi hissed at Arnav, rising on her knees. This was getting ridiculous.

“What the!” He exclaimed and caught her by her upper arms as she turned hysteric saying, “Ask her to just get lost. I am not in your employ or…whatever for you all to barge in on my privacy.”

“Listen…” he tried to reason…

“Just who asked her…to…come here?... and what she has to do is to put sense into you…and…”Khushi was going on…

“Khushi…”he gave a warning…

“Khushi she is coming up…why don’t you guys decide what to do now that she is here?” Varsha’s voice faded in Khushi’s stern retort,” We? There IS no we. I am not going to take this rubbish from him or any of his family members” she said looming over Arnav still on her knees.

“Don’t you dare say a word about my gran!” Arnav growled and Varsha caught her head and said,” Whoa! Guys you sure look a couple and tell you what let me stall her a minute while you guys decide. This is the least I can do” She scurried out readjusting her wrap as Khushi said,” Ask her to get out”

“How dare you? Arnav growled narrowing his eyes at her.

“I dare…ccc…cca….coz I pay the rent here and not everyone can barge in” She said breaking into sweat. He was scary!

“HA! We don’t have any itch here to see your idiotic nightwear!” Arnav said in spite and Khushi just got so wild that she wanted to push him but lost her balance.

Arnav caught her by her upper arms and hissed,” Listen! Don’t get ideas into your head just because I am constrained and…” He stopped suddenly realizing what he was about to reveal, and Khushi took the moment to pry her arms from his hold and again lost balance and fell forward taking him with her and as she lay on top of him saw his eyes smoldering red and was petrified and started trembling violently. It was a man she was on and yuk.

Arnav was incensed. How dared she! He saw that she was shaking in rage… “What?” He asked in anger.

“Jai Bajrang bali!” Came the feeble reply.

Arnav did not comprehend in the beginning and asked her, “What???” and then realized that she said her prayers aloud. His chest rumbled at the odd woman who was pinning him to the bed but was petrified herself.

She is scared of men dude! His inner voice supplied the information and he felt the whole situation to be funny.

Khushi saw his lips twitch, and his chest rumbled with suppressed laughter and she felt like murdering him.

He was making fun of her!

She chanted again and again silently Jai Bajrang bali.

“OK. If you got over your fear of men, shall we get up?” He asked her with laughing eyes.

Khushi was lost in them as she said,” Afraid? I am not! Of whom?  Of you?” She said and as she said crashed further on to him and squealed trying not to put her palms on his chest but landed on her elbows instead and screamed when he exclaimed in pain, saying,” I didn’t do anything!” lifting her hands up that made her crash further on to him.

“Woman! You are really something!” Arnav said now laughing out loud. For once the ASR is laughing.” He said in self-mockery and this time laughed out as Khushi got enraged and closed his mouth with her palm saying “Shut up! SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!!!”

…and when he didn’t heed yelled loudly, “SHUT !!!!!UUUUPPP!!!!!!”

And that’s how Devyani Arnav’s granny saw both of them as Varsha could not stall her anymore at the door.

As she entered, both Arnav and Khushi stared at her disoriented and Khushi saw a 60+ woman dressed elegantly in white sari, with a white clutch in hand look at them with a shocked expression, and then hand over the clutch to a young woman who followed her, and clap her hands saying,” That’s my girl! C’mon!”

Khushi looked at Arnav, then at her and then again at him and her and then suddenly sprang apart but the duvet that was now tangled made it impossible for her to move and she crashed back into Arnav who howled in pain in reflex and she out of habit showed her finger at him and hissed “Not one sound! No! I shouldn’t be hearing any!”

Devyani was ecstatic now as she said, “ Will you give me two minutes my dear. After that you can put him to order.”

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Sorry! Short update...please do comment as it tells me what you think of my work.