'Di...' Arnav groaned as the sunlight hit his face.
'Rise and shine Chotay...' Anjali sang as she pulled back the curtains and tied them on the side.
'Di how many times do I have to tell you not to draw back the curtains before I wake up...' He squinted at his phone to check the time, 'ugh its eight o'clock I slept through my alarm...' he moaned.
'Well that's what you get for working so late, you have over exerted yourself...and if I didn't wake you up by drawing back the curtains then I wouldn't fulfil a very important job description of mine Chotay.' Anjali chided as she brought over his bed tea.
'Which is?' he yawned.
'To annoy my little brother in every way possible.' She smiled as she caressed his hair. He made a face at her, then as he got up to brush his teeth went on to reply, 'well you fulfilled that mission by giving me the nasty surprise I got last night, which was what kept me up, not my work.'
'Nasty surprise? What nasty surprise Chotay?' Anjali asked as she began folding his duvet.
'The one in the pool house.' He called over the running tap. The pillow slipped from her finger. Oh no he had found out about Khushi. Ok keep calm, play innocent maybe he is talking about something else and you still have a chance to ease him into the truth.
'I'm not following Chotay.' She tried in the most innocent voice possible.
'Really? You're going to play that game Di? Well I'm in no mood. Why the hell did you decide to keep a PG? You have two factories under your name. It's not like you need the money and still even then if you needed it, what am I here for? For who have I constructed this entire business empire?' Arnav cried out in a muffled voice, that didn't hide his irritation, although did make it sound quite funny.
Time to drop the pretence, the cat was out of the bag and it was best she claimed it before it created a bigger mess, 'Oh Chotay I'm sorry we didn't tell you. It was Nani's idea, she wanted a PG as her friend, Sumitra Aunty recently built a flat to house people in, so Nani wanted to do something to one-up her hence she thought what better than to give someone a place in her own home. You know how their competition is...'
'Diii, if Nani wants to one up her, than I can get two flats built or if she wants, a whole feaking complex where people can live free of charge, why does she have to bring someone here, in our house!!' Arnav came out in annoyance his toothbrush in his mouth, paste and anger both dripping from his face.
'Chotay, let it be na...Nani wants it, so let it be...besides you met her didn't you, Khushi...she is a very nice girl, Nani loves her already, she recently moved to Delhi she used to live in Lucknow-
'And that is why Nani loves her. I bet the moment she said I am from Lucknow Nani said yes to her. I swear if it was up to Nani all of Lucknow would be living in our house!' Arnav shouted from the bathroom. Anjali laughed.
'Chotay don't be mean, she is a very nice person. Just give her a chance you will like her too.' Anjali said as she went back to fixing the bed.
'No thanks Di. I do not wish to know her at all...besides all of this is a moot point anyway, I have delt with her.' He said over the sound of the razor.
'Delt with her?' Anjali's head jerked up with that, 'What do you mean by that Chotay?' she pivoted and faced the pool-house across from Arnav's room. The door was wide open but she saw no sign of Khushi. Dread started creeping up inside of her. 'Where is Khushi Chotay? Did you say something to her?'
'She is not where you are looking,' came Arnav's voice from the bathroom, as he guessed she was looking towards the outhouse. 'I dropped her at your place last night. She can be your rentee over there, not here.' Arnav said in a firm voice.
'You what?!! Chotay how could you drop her there without even consulting me?!!' Anjali's voice rose in panic.
'Are you seriously asking me that question Di? Pot-kettle Di.' Arnav said, as annoyance surged inside him. How could Di be angry at him for not asking her, it was he who had the right to be angry right now.
'Ugh, get over it Chotay. Besides that is not the point, the point is you have to get in the car right now and bring her back!' She stated.
'I will do no such thing.' Said Arnav in calm voice as he put down the razor and picked up the mouth wash.
'Yes you will, otherwise she will die Chotay!' Anjali hollered, how he could remain so calm in a time like this?
'What?!! Di talk about over dramatic. I agree there is no food in that house as you have not inhabited it for the past seven months but that doesn't mean she will starve and die. There are plenty of food outlets around your house where she can have break-fast. And FYI even if she did miss one meal it wouldn't result in death Di!' he said as he measured out the liquid in the cap.
'Ugh Chotay, I'm not talking about her lack of food, I'm talking about the fact that the house is being demolated today!' Anjali shouted.
'Relax Di, the demolation is on Monday.' Said Arnav as he tossed back the liquid.
'Today is Monday Chotay!!' Anjali screamed.
'PLUUACKH!!!' Arnav choked on the mouth-wash 'WHAT?!!' he dropped the cap into the sink with a clatter and slammed open the bathroom door to come face-to-face with a white-faced Anjali.
'Yes. Chotay. The contractor said he would start rigging the house with explosives at seven, its eight-fifteen now. Chotay, they will be ready to explode the whole building now, go! May be they haven't done it yet. Go!' she said urgently.
He didn't need for her to tell him again. He swept passed her, picked up his keys and phone from the table and was out in his car in the next minute, honking as soon as he got in, to let Vikram know to open the door, he had no time to waste. He plugged his Bluetooth into his ear and dialed the contractors number. No answer. Damnit! He hated builders, they never came on time or answered their phone when one needed them too. Hopefully they were late today too. Khushi's life depended on it. Oh god what had he done? As always his anger had turned him blind, well this time not blind but rather had gifted him with amnesia causing him to forget about the demolition today. If only he had remembered he would have never left Khushi over there. He wanted her out of sight not out this world. Damnit! Damnit! Damnit! Move out of the way, you only have a job to get to!! Ugh stupid signal!! Come on! He tapped the steering wheel nervously. Just two more corners and he would be there.
EEERRRUUUK!!
The car skidded to a halt out side Khwab-Mahal. It was standing. Oh thank god! The builders had as usual kept true to their stereotype and come late hence the building was still standing. For the first time in his life he was ecstatic with a bunch of people for not respecting time. He jumped down from the jeep and made his way in. His heart calming down now, she was safe, he would get her out before-
'LOOK OUT!!'
BANG!!!
NOOO!! OH NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! Arnav peeked out from under his eyes to find half the house grounded. The house that had stood so magnificently moments before now had turned into a rundown shack. And Khushi was in that rubble. Sh*t!
'What the hell is wrong with you, can you not read the sig-...Mr Raizada?!' Mr Mehta stopped short as he saw the idiot who had nearly gotten himself killed was his employer.
'You need to stop the demolition!' Arnav said as he stood up and brushed the debris off his pants.
'Sir, what's wrong? We have rigged the whole place. It's ready to be blown-up.' Mr Mehta went on, trying to show how he was doing his job, so Arnav need not have anything to be angry about.
'And I'm telling you to stop!' Arnav growled. Urgh where was he going to look for Khushi. Please let her have left already. Half the house had fallen down if she was caught in that...his insides churned at the thought of the state he may find her in.
'But why sir?'
'Because I'm telling you to! There is a woman inside that building!' Arnav yelled at him. What was his problem, why did he care for reasons at this moment.
'No sir.'
'Did you check?' Hope sparked inside of him.
'Uh...no. No we didn't. But Anjali ji didn't say anything-
'No she wouldn't have because she didn't know.' Ugh he was wasting his time with this inane man. He marched across the gravel and began making his way through the rubble.
'Sir don't go in there you could injure yourself.' Mr Mehta jogged along behind him.
'As long as your people don't blow the next set of explosives I will be fine.' Arnav exhaled.
'No sir, the foundation will be weak now after the first explosion, the ceiling may fall. Don't go in.'
'And what? Let that girl die in there! Hell no! If you had done your work and checked then I would not have to go in. Now either you can come in or go back to the safety of your barracks and make sure your boys don't blow me up!' barked Arnav as he trudged into the building.
'KHUSHI!!' He bellowed. But there was no answer. 'KHUSHI!!' he yelled again.Please, please be ok. He reached the stairs and began climbing, but stopped half way as something yellow and shiny caught his eye from under the stairs. Khushi had been wearing yellow and red. He jumped down from the stairs and inspected the yellow fabric more closely. A dupatta. Khushi's dupatta. That meant she was here. She hadn't left. Sh*t! 'KHUSHI!!!' he shouted again, but still no answer. Panic started bubbling inside him. She was definitely here. Yet she was not answering. That was not good.
He glanced around him, the whole ground floor was filled with rubble. Where was she? If her dupatta was near the stairs then she must be here too. The room behind the staircase! There had been a room that was below the stairwell, the only bedroom on the ground floor, all the others were upstairs.
As quick as his heart had leapt up, at the thought of Khushi having spent the night there, it sunk down even faster as he saw the entrance to that room. The room no longer existed. One whole wall had fallen down init. Please don't be in their. Please don't.
He dodged the big boulders and entered the now ruined room as his insides dissolved completely. She was here. And she was covered in more red then he remembered on her clothes. 'KHUSHI!!' he screamed as he ran to her. Still no response. She was unconscious. He hoped to God that was all she was, for half her body was buried under one of the pillars that had held up the wall. 'Khushi?' he panted next to her face, she gave no response to his utterance he checked her breathing, it was there but was very shallow he had to get this pillar off of her. It was crushing her left leg and abdomen.
Quickly and carefully he heaved the log off from her. But the sight under it made his heart beat violently her whole leg was soaked in her blood. 'Khushi? Khushi. Please, please be ok. Don't die on me. Please don't die on me.' He whispered the prayer over and over as he picked her up in his arms and headed back out of the house.
'Oh my God Chotay she is covered in blood!' Anjali screeched as she caught sight of Khushi in his arms.
'Di! What are you doing here?' he shouted back as he made his way to his jeep.
'Well I couldn't just wait at home, I was going crazy with fear and rightly so. Chotay, she isn't...' Anjali couldn't even finish the sentence.
'No. She's still breathing and I will make sure she continues to! Help me with the door Di.' Anjali yanked open the door and got inside with Khushi.
'Chotay, what are you doing?!' Anjali asked in alarm, for he was ripping off the string that wrapped the sunshade instead of getting into the car and driving off to the hospital.
'Ssh Di.' He got into the seat with them and began winding the string ferociously around Khushi's leg to stop the bleeding or at least decrease it, until they got to the hospital. Once he had done that he jumped down and began dialing a number as he jogged around the car to his seat. When the person on the other side answered he asked them to connect him to the ER desk, where he informed them that he was bringing in a patient who required immediate attention, thus the best should be ready waiting for him; he informed them of Khushi's condition and then disconnected the line. Before he buckled himself in he bent over to the passenger side to fetch the water bottle from the glove compartment and threw it to Anjali. 'Splash her with it and try to wake her up.' With that he revved the car into ignition and stormed out of the drive.
'Rise and shine Chotay...' Anjali sang as she pulled back the curtains and tied them on the side.
'Di how many times do I have to tell you not to draw back the curtains before I wake up...' He squinted at his phone to check the time, 'ugh its eight o'clock I slept through my alarm...' he moaned.
'Well that's what you get for working so late, you have over exerted yourself...and if I didn't wake you up by drawing back the curtains then I wouldn't fulfil a very important job description of mine Chotay.' Anjali chided as she brought over his bed tea.
'Which is?' he yawned.
'To annoy my little brother in every way possible.' She smiled as she caressed his hair. He made a face at her, then as he got up to brush his teeth went on to reply, 'well you fulfilled that mission by giving me the nasty surprise I got last night, which was what kept me up, not my work.'
'Nasty surprise? What nasty surprise Chotay?' Anjali asked as she began folding his duvet.
'The one in the pool house.' He called over the running tap. The pillow slipped from her finger. Oh no he had found out about Khushi. Ok keep calm, play innocent maybe he is talking about something else and you still have a chance to ease him into the truth.
'I'm not following Chotay.' She tried in the most innocent voice possible.
'Really? You're going to play that game Di? Well I'm in no mood. Why the hell did you decide to keep a PG? You have two factories under your name. It's not like you need the money and still even then if you needed it, what am I here for? For who have I constructed this entire business empire?' Arnav cried out in a muffled voice, that didn't hide his irritation, although did make it sound quite funny.
Time to drop the pretence, the cat was out of the bag and it was best she claimed it before it created a bigger mess, 'Oh Chotay I'm sorry we didn't tell you. It was Nani's idea, she wanted a PG as her friend, Sumitra Aunty recently built a flat to house people in, so Nani wanted to do something to one-up her hence she thought what better than to give someone a place in her own home. You know how their competition is...'
'Diii, if Nani wants to one up her, than I can get two flats built or if she wants, a whole feaking complex where people can live free of charge, why does she have to bring someone here, in our house!!' Arnav came out in annoyance his toothbrush in his mouth, paste and anger both dripping from his face.
'Chotay, let it be na...Nani wants it, so let it be...besides you met her didn't you, Khushi...she is a very nice girl, Nani loves her already, she recently moved to Delhi she used to live in Lucknow-
'And that is why Nani loves her. I bet the moment she said I am from Lucknow Nani said yes to her. I swear if it was up to Nani all of Lucknow would be living in our house!' Arnav shouted from the bathroom. Anjali laughed.
'Chotay don't be mean, she is a very nice person. Just give her a chance you will like her too.' Anjali said as she went back to fixing the bed.
'No thanks Di. I do not wish to know her at all...besides all of this is a moot point anyway, I have delt with her.' He said over the sound of the razor.
'Delt with her?' Anjali's head jerked up with that, 'What do you mean by that Chotay?' she pivoted and faced the pool-house across from Arnav's room. The door was wide open but she saw no sign of Khushi. Dread started creeping up inside of her. 'Where is Khushi Chotay? Did you say something to her?'
'She is not where you are looking,' came Arnav's voice from the bathroom, as he guessed she was looking towards the outhouse. 'I dropped her at your place last night. She can be your rentee over there, not here.' Arnav said in a firm voice.
'You what?!! Chotay how could you drop her there without even consulting me?!!' Anjali's voice rose in panic.
'Are you seriously asking me that question Di? Pot-kettle Di.' Arnav said, as annoyance surged inside him. How could Di be angry at him for not asking her, it was he who had the right to be angry right now.
'Ugh, get over it Chotay. Besides that is not the point, the point is you have to get in the car right now and bring her back!' She stated.
'I will do no such thing.' Said Arnav in calm voice as he put down the razor and picked up the mouth wash.
'Yes you will, otherwise she will die Chotay!' Anjali hollered, how he could remain so calm in a time like this?
'What?!! Di talk about over dramatic. I agree there is no food in that house as you have not inhabited it for the past seven months but that doesn't mean she will starve and die. There are plenty of food outlets around your house where she can have break-fast. And FYI even if she did miss one meal it wouldn't result in death Di!' he said as he measured out the liquid in the cap.
'Ugh Chotay, I'm not talking about her lack of food, I'm talking about the fact that the house is being demolated today!' Anjali shouted.
'Relax Di, the demolation is on Monday.' Said Arnav as he tossed back the liquid.
'Today is Monday Chotay!!' Anjali screamed.
'PLUUACKH!!!' Arnav choked on the mouth-wash 'WHAT?!!' he dropped the cap into the sink with a clatter and slammed open the bathroom door to come face-to-face with a white-faced Anjali.
'Yes. Chotay. The contractor said he would start rigging the house with explosives at seven, its eight-fifteen now. Chotay, they will be ready to explode the whole building now, go! May be they haven't done it yet. Go!' she said urgently.
He didn't need for her to tell him again. He swept passed her, picked up his keys and phone from the table and was out in his car in the next minute, honking as soon as he got in, to let Vikram know to open the door, he had no time to waste. He plugged his Bluetooth into his ear and dialed the contractors number. No answer. Damnit! He hated builders, they never came on time or answered their phone when one needed them too. Hopefully they were late today too. Khushi's life depended on it. Oh god what had he done? As always his anger had turned him blind, well this time not blind but rather had gifted him with amnesia causing him to forget about the demolition today. If only he had remembered he would have never left Khushi over there. He wanted her out of sight not out this world. Damnit! Damnit! Damnit! Move out of the way, you only have a job to get to!! Ugh stupid signal!! Come on! He tapped the steering wheel nervously. Just two more corners and he would be there.
EEERRRUUUK!!
The car skidded to a halt out side Khwab-Mahal. It was standing. Oh thank god! The builders had as usual kept true to their stereotype and come late hence the building was still standing. For the first time in his life he was ecstatic with a bunch of people for not respecting time. He jumped down from the jeep and made his way in. His heart calming down now, she was safe, he would get her out before-
'LOOK OUT!!'
BANG!!!
NOOO!! OH NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! Arnav peeked out from under his eyes to find half the house grounded. The house that had stood so magnificently moments before now had turned into a rundown shack. And Khushi was in that rubble. Sh*t!
'What the hell is wrong with you, can you not read the sig-...Mr Raizada?!' Mr Mehta stopped short as he saw the idiot who had nearly gotten himself killed was his employer.
'You need to stop the demolition!' Arnav said as he stood up and brushed the debris off his pants.
'Sir, what's wrong? We have rigged the whole place. It's ready to be blown-up.' Mr Mehta went on, trying to show how he was doing his job, so Arnav need not have anything to be angry about.
'And I'm telling you to stop!' Arnav growled. Urgh where was he going to look for Khushi. Please let her have left already. Half the house had fallen down if she was caught in that...his insides churned at the thought of the state he may find her in.
'But why sir?'
'Because I'm telling you to! There is a woman inside that building!' Arnav yelled at him. What was his problem, why did he care for reasons at this moment.
'No sir.'
'Did you check?' Hope sparked inside of him.
'Uh...no. No we didn't. But Anjali ji didn't say anything-
'No she wouldn't have because she didn't know.' Ugh he was wasting his time with this inane man. He marched across the gravel and began making his way through the rubble.
'Sir don't go in there you could injure yourself.' Mr Mehta jogged along behind him.
'As long as your people don't blow the next set of explosives I will be fine.' Arnav exhaled.
'No sir, the foundation will be weak now after the first explosion, the ceiling may fall. Don't go in.'
'And what? Let that girl die in there! Hell no! If you had done your work and checked then I would not have to go in. Now either you can come in or go back to the safety of your barracks and make sure your boys don't blow me up!' barked Arnav as he trudged into the building.
'KHUSHI!!' He bellowed. But there was no answer. 'KHUSHI!!' he yelled again.Please, please be ok. He reached the stairs and began climbing, but stopped half way as something yellow and shiny caught his eye from under the stairs. Khushi had been wearing yellow and red. He jumped down from the stairs and inspected the yellow fabric more closely. A dupatta. Khushi's dupatta. That meant she was here. She hadn't left. Sh*t! 'KHUSHI!!!' he shouted again, but still no answer. Panic started bubbling inside him. She was definitely here. Yet she was not answering. That was not good.
He glanced around him, the whole ground floor was filled with rubble. Where was she? If her dupatta was near the stairs then she must be here too. The room behind the staircase! There had been a room that was below the stairwell, the only bedroom on the ground floor, all the others were upstairs.
As quick as his heart had leapt up, at the thought of Khushi having spent the night there, it sunk down even faster as he saw the entrance to that room. The room no longer existed. One whole wall had fallen down init. Please don't be in their. Please don't.
He dodged the big boulders and entered the now ruined room as his insides dissolved completely. She was here. And she was covered in more red then he remembered on her clothes. 'KHUSHI!!' he screamed as he ran to her. Still no response. She was unconscious. He hoped to God that was all she was, for half her body was buried under one of the pillars that had held up the wall. 'Khushi?' he panted next to her face, she gave no response to his utterance he checked her breathing, it was there but was very shallow he had to get this pillar off of her. It was crushing her left leg and abdomen.
Quickly and carefully he heaved the log off from her. But the sight under it made his heart beat violently her whole leg was soaked in her blood. 'Khushi? Khushi. Please, please be ok. Don't die on me. Please don't die on me.' He whispered the prayer over and over as he picked her up in his arms and headed back out of the house.
'Oh my God Chotay she is covered in blood!' Anjali screeched as she caught sight of Khushi in his arms.
'Di! What are you doing here?' he shouted back as he made his way to his jeep.
'Well I couldn't just wait at home, I was going crazy with fear and rightly so. Chotay, she isn't...' Anjali couldn't even finish the sentence.
'No. She's still breathing and I will make sure she continues to! Help me with the door Di.' Anjali yanked open the door and got inside with Khushi.
'Chotay, what are you doing?!' Anjali asked in alarm, for he was ripping off the string that wrapped the sunshade instead of getting into the car and driving off to the hospital.
'Ssh Di.' He got into the seat with them and began winding the string ferociously around Khushi's leg to stop the bleeding or at least decrease it, until they got to the hospital. Once he had done that he jumped down and began dialing a number as he jogged around the car to his seat. When the person on the other side answered he asked them to connect him to the ER desk, where he informed them that he was bringing in a patient who required immediate attention, thus the best should be ready waiting for him; he informed them of Khushi's condition and then disconnected the line. Before he buckled himself in he bent over to the passenger side to fetch the water bottle from the glove compartment and threw it to Anjali. 'Splash her with it and try to wake her up.' With that he revved the car into ignition and stormed out of the drive.
*****
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