Part 31 Who is he?

Aman entered Arnav's cabin. Arnav looked at him.

"Yeah, Aman..."

"Why did you lie to Khushi?" Aman came to the point of not beating around the bush.

"When did I lie?" Arnav became alert.

"Didn't you tell her there is no vacancy in our branches? There are three vacancies in different branches, ASR. Why don't you want to send her on transfer?"

"Look, she is distraught. No decision will be good if it is made under pressure"

"From when did you start making decisions about Khushi's life? Who are you to decide what's good for her, ASR? Are you a decision-maker?" Aman asked sarcastically.

Arnav had no answer. Who was he?

"Aman, she has no one to stand for her..." Arnav said typing something.

"You should do that only if she is fine with that. She doesn't like to be with her mother. Why are you troubling her?"

"She will be all right in some days"

"Oh really?"

"She needs some time. She will have to think chilling her mind"

"What if the condition worsens? Will you take her responsibility?"

"If she doesn't feel better, I will send her on transfer... ok?"

Aman glared at him.

"Why are you glaring at me?" Arnav asked with a calm face.

"Neither you won't accept her nor will you let her go... right?"

"I did that for her betterment"

Aman chuckled ironically.

"Betterment? She will be better if she is away from you. That's what she is trying to do"

"She wants to go from her mother"

"It's not true...and you too know that"

Arnav was silent.

"She stayed with her mother when she tortured her like

hell. Now, after we solved the problem with the help of the AC, why does she want to go? It's because she understood that she could not forget you being with you.

That's why she is running from you"

Arnav gulped down. Didn't he know that?

"You are wrong, ASR... absolutely wrong" Aman walked out.

Arnav closed his face with his palms. He was angry with

no one but with himself. Why could not he let her go? Khushi, Aman, kids, Dadi, Nani, no one was happy...! Of course, he was also not happy... because of him...! He knew that.

Evening

Khushi came to Arnav's cabin and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Arnav said.

He smiled at Khushi.

"I want to tell you something, sir"

"Tell me, Khushi"

Khushi was about to say something, but, she stopped as the landline rang. Arnav saw the number and it was from RM.

"One minute" he attended the call, turning on the

speaker.

"Hello..."

"Dad, I'm Shali"

"Hi, Shalu when did you come from the school?" Arnav asked smilingly. His eyes were on Khushi whose face brightened hearing Shali's voice and changed immediately.

"Just now..."

"Good, tell me, why did you call me?"

"Dad, how is Khushi Didi?"

Arnav looked at Khushi and said,

"Khushi didi is fine"

"I want to talk to her. Could you please call her?" she pleaded lovingly.

"Don't you guys have her phone number?"

"We have and called her too but she didn't respond"

"Why do you want to talk to her?"

"I want to ask if she is fine"

"She is in my cabin only."

"Is it?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh... That's why she didn't attend our call..."

"Mmm... Talk to her"

Arnav gestured for Khushi. She nodded and spoke.

"Hi, Shali"

"Hi, Didi, how are you feeling now?"

"I'm so good"

"Will you come to our home this Sunday?"

Khushi looked at Arnav who was looking at her, listening to them.

"Sunday? Is anything special?"

"It will be special if you come to our house"

Khushi was delighted, yet, she stayed not smiling. Of course, after putting in a lot of effort.

"Will you come?" She pleaded.

"Actually, I have some important work on Sunday," She said feeling sad.

"Oh..." Her voice drained.

"Mmm"

"Shall we come to AR to meet you tomorrow?" Shali asked excitedly.

"I will not come to the office tomorrow"

"Why?"

"I'm going to attend my friend's birthday function"

"Shall we come to your friend's birthday function?"

Khushi was stuck. She didn't know what to say.

"Oh... I..." She stammered.

Arnav was looking at her sharply. He knew she was lying.

It was clear, she was avoiding meeting his kids.

"Shalu, I will talk to you later," Arnav said and disconnected the call.

He looked at Khushi.

"Is it your leave application?" Arnav asked looking at a cover that was in her hand.

Khushi nodded no and extended the cover to him, saying nothing. Arnav looked at the cover and then at Khushi questioningly. He opened the cover and took the paper out of it. He read it and was shocked. He looked at Khushi thunderstruck.

"What's this Khushi?"

"My resignation letter, sir," She said calmly.

"But why?"

"I got a job in Mumbai. My friend arranged it for me. I'm going to go there"

Arnav gulped his anger.

"You have to work three months after submitting the resignation letter..."

"Will you come to Mumbai searching for me if I go there without completing three months?" She asked without

fear.

Arnav stared at her for a whole minute. That was when his phone rang. Without breaking eye contact with her, he attended the call.

"Haan, Jeff... How are you?"

"I'm super fine, ASR. Our Ad is ready to telecast. It's marvellous... Extraordinary. You are looking dashing in the ad. Should mention, that Khushi's expression is worth watching! You guys are awesome. All the credits go to Khushi. She got a good idea and made you a model. It's awesome. I bet everyone will like it"

"Thanks, Jeff. Telecast it..."

"Don't you want to see its preview?"

"Yeah, send me..."

"I will send it to you and Khushi"

"No need. I will send it to her" Arnav said.

"Ok, ASR..."

Jeff disconnected the call. Arnav looked at Khushi.

"Jeff said, our Ad finished and it's awesome"

"That's nice to hear, Sir"

"Thank you for your idea"

"My pleasure, sir"

"It's going to be telecasted tomorrow"

Khushi nodded.

"Please, accept my resignation, sir"

"Khushi, listen... Wait for a week. Then we will decide..."

"But sir..."

Cutting her,

"Don't you trust me?"

Arnav and Khushi both were stuck. Arnav didn't know why he said so. Taking the resignation letter from his table, Khushi walked. She stopped at the doorstep and asked, looking at him,

"Do you want me to TRUST you, sir?"

Arnav gulped down hard. He blinked his eyes slowly. She left his cabin not waiting there because she knew she would not get an answer. Arnav punched his thigh wearily. Why the hell he was behaving wired?

That was when he again got a call from home. He rolled his eyes and attended it.

"Dad, have you forgotten me? Didn't you say you would

call me later?"

"Yes, baby, I got another call..."

"Ok, give the phone to Khushi Didi"

"She is not here. She went to her cabin"

"Ok... I will talk to her"

"Listen... We will go to Theme Park this Sunday. Laxmi Didi will come with us."

"Daddy, shall we take Khushi didi with us?"

"She is busy beta. Don't you know, she will come with us if she is not busy"

"Mmm..."

"Don't feel bad. We will go to the theme park. Ok?"

"Mmm..."

Arnav disconnected the call. He was restless. He understood Khushi's stand. He understood that she didn't want to entertain his kids. He knew why. She would like to keep her distance from him and the kids. Seeing her adamant, it seemed she would not be convinced of getting transferred. If she hadn't gotten a transfer, she would resign from the job. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know, why he was getting tensed about her resignation.

On the other hand, the kids were also restless.

"Khushi Didi is not coming to RM on Sunday and Dad said,

we will take Laxmi Didi to Theme Park," Shali said sadly.

"Haan, it's always Laxmi Didi who accompanies us," Shamli said.

"Haan, Khushi Didi came with us last time because Laxmi Didi was injured."

Aarav became thoughtful.

"What are you thinking, Bhai?" Shali asked.

"We took Khushi Didi with us last time, because Laxmi Didi is injured, right?"

Shali and Shamli nodded yes.

"So, Khushi Didi will come with us if Laxmi Didi is injured"

"Yes, but she is fit and fine," Shamli said.

Aarav said nothing.

After a while, Laxmi came to the kids' room to give them a chocolate shake. Her scream echoed in the whole RM. Dadi rushed to the living room and saw Laxmi lying down on the floor, clutching her hip, hissing in pain.

To be continued...