Three days. It had been three days since that incident and Arnav still hadn't been able to talk with her about what happened that day. Whenever he tried calling, it would go to voice mail or she would pick up and tell him that he was busy. She had come over with Payal yesterday for the wedding preparations and had completely avoided him. At work she's immediately walk out after doing what he had asked her to, only talking with short responses. He had gone over to her house to talk the morning after his outburst at the hospital, but her dad had said that she had gone out early morning with a friend. And now he was driving to her house again, hoping to get a chance to speak with her.
He knocked on the door, and was led in by her mother. After inquiring about Khushi, she said that she was in her room and told him where it was. Arnav climbed up the stairs and knocked on her door lightly. He waited a few seconds and then knocked again. From inside he heard some shuffling and light footsteps approached the door. The door opened and Khushi looked at him, she backed a bit and was about to close the door, but he held it before it could close, "Khushi I need to talk with you," he said as she turned around and stood with her back to him facing the window in her room. He stepped in the room and stood behind her.
"Talk to me or yell at me again?" She asked in a sarcastic voice.
“I .. Kh.. Khushi I shouldn’t have … shouted at you like that, I was j..just mad and took the anger out on you,” he managed to say, “I’m sorry.”
“And you expect me to just accept your apology?” she questioned and turned to look back at him, for the first time properly since he had come. He was dressed in the olive green sweater and khaki pants, his hair was gelled back, with some strands across his forehead. And from the distance that they were standing at, she could smell his cologne filling her senses. His 5 o’clock stubble shadow visible, and shadows under his eyes darker. By the look of them it didn’t seem like he had slept properly in the past days. She hadn’t been able to find out what happened to Nani that they either, only had visited her and saw that was doing fine, but she didn’t have the courage to ask any of the family members what had happened.
Khushi had wanted to forgive him already, but it just hurt her that he wouldn’t open up to her and didn’t trust her. She had told him about her life, her parents and childhood, but he had caged in all his emotions, and anytime she would ask him about his past he would divert the topic.
“I’m really sorry Khushi,” he said moving forward and Khushi couldn’t help herself anymore as she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. After some time she felt his hand go around her waist as he reciprocated the hug. He ran this hand along the length of her back, she realized this was the first time they were properly talking ever since he had left for the business trip, when he had come back a few days ago they were in the car but didn’t have a proper conversation as they had rushed off to the hospital after getting the call, “I missed you,” he heard her whisper against his neck, “I missed you too,” he replied.
Arnav pulled back from the hug and looked at her, he moved away the strand of hair that was in her face. He scanned her from top to bottom and Khushi followed his eyes to her bear pajamas and he looked back up at her lifting his eyebrow.
Khushi squirmed under his gaze, “I didn’t know you were coming,” she retorted giving him a glare as he chuckled. She wanted to ask him about what happened the other night and what the deal with his Dadi was, but thought it’d be better if she waited and he opened up himself instead of her trying to pry answers from him; and she didn’t want a repeat of that day again now since they had made up.
***********
Sashi walked into the house after his day at work, Garima called from the kitchen, “You’re home?”
“Hmm,” he answered walking into the kitchen, “Who’s car is it outside?” he asked.
“Oh Arnav is over, he said he needed to speak with Khushi,” she replied, “She’s been very quiet these past few days.”
“It’s probably something going on between the two,” Sashi added sitting down.
“And how do you know that?” Garima asked stirring the daal.
“Kids these days Garima,” he replied chuckling, “And Arnav has come over to talk with her. Don’t you remember our days when we used to argue over the simplest things? Nothings changed since then.”
“Yes how can I forget those days,” Garima said smiling to herself and they heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
“Dad you’re home,” Khushi said walking in and went to hug him, “How was your day?”
“It was good,” he replied and looked over to Arnav.
“Hello Uncle,” he said.
“Hi Beta, how have you been?” he asked, “How is the business going?”
“It’s great, just got back in the country a few days back and we have another fashion show happening in some months, so going to start prepping for that,” he answered.
“Oh where is it?” Sashi asked.
“It’s here, as a matter of fact you guys should come to it,” he said.
“We will surely come if we are free then,” he replied.
“Arnav Beta why don’t you stay for dinner?” Garimav said, “It just got made.”
“No Aunty I should leave,” Arnav told her.
“It’s getting late, just call your house and tell them you’re going to be having dinner here,” Sashi added.
“Uncle I don’t want to be--,” Arnav said but was interrupted by Khushi, “Stay na,” she said and pouted so that only he could see.
“Uhm fine, I’ll go call Di and let her know,” he said and excused himself to the other room.
“Where’s Payal?” Khushi asked sitting down.
“She went to pick up Karan from the airport,” Garima said bringing over the food to the table and Khushi got up to help her.
“Oh totally forgot about that, what time is his flight supposed to land?” she asked.
“It should’ve landed, so they should be back in about half an hour,” she replied. setting the final bowls down on the table and sat down to eat. Arnav walked back in and took the seat across from Khushi. The dinner continued with a light talk amongst them. Sashi was asking Arnav about the economy these days and they were in a deep conversation while Khushi just looked at them back and forth with a bored face wondering how they could talk about such a boring topic with so much interest. After some time the door bell rang and Garima got up to answer it. The three sitting down heard voices from the hallway and they got louder as the entered the room.
Arnav saw Garima Aunty coming back in with Payal following her and someone else. It was a guy, who Arnav guessed to be in his mid 20’s, wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, his hair was ruffled and he walked over to Sashi Uncle and touched his feet, “Namaste Uncle.”
“How was your flight Karan?” he asked. Oh so his name was Karan, Arnav thought and then he heard him speak again, “It was great uncle, there wasn’t a delay so that was good.”
“Oh ho, looks who’s grown up so much since I last saw her,” Karan said going over to Khushi and Khushi got up and attacked him with a hug. Karan picked her up and spun her around, her laughter filling the room, “How have you been baby Gupta?”
“Better than ever,” Khushi said giggling and said back down, pulling out the seat next to hers motioning him to sit down.
Baby Gupta? Arnav thought. Did he really just call her that? Who was he?
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