At RM

It was morning and Khushi stretched herself hearing the morning aarti. She immediately sat up on the bed fearing as it was her first day here; she got up late and that too in Arnav's room. But soon she realized she is in the guestroom and Kiran was nowhere to be seen. She was about to get up when she saw a note on the side table. It read,

Good morning my lazy girl

As usual, you were in a tight sleep, and I didn't have the mind to disturb you. So even before anybody got up I got you there. I am going for a jog with Nikhil and Kiddu. And now since you got up like my good wifey go and fresh up, but only go down to the den with me or Lavi. See you soon.

P.S: Already missing you

Yours
Arnav

She smiled reading it and headed for the bathroom not before nicely placing the note in her diary.

DR finished the Morning Prayer and Sheetal was offering the Prasad to everyone. Chachi and Anjali, as usual, was blaming Lavanya and praising Sheetal.

Anjali: Chachi, I told you, this Lavanya has forgotten all the good mannerisms staying abroad. Look at Sheetal, even though she is younger than Lavanya got up early and doing everything appropriately. When will this girl start to learn something from Sheetal?

Chachi: You please talk to her once Anju, she is about to get married, she can't be like this all her life

Anjali: I will Chachi and don't worry then she will be apt bahu for Kaki

Chachi: And I think these all are the problems of the gang she is in. You see her friends too are like her ... I mean nobody is present for the Morning Prayer

Anjali: Yeah Chachi, Nikhil is a boy at least, but Khushi and Kiran are girls. How can they be like this? They have to go to their in law's house one day or other. Especially Khushi, she is the elder one, so she has to guide her little sister. But instead she herself is not up yet. How can these girls be like this? No culture at all...

Anjali was going on and on without the awareness of the surroundings. But all were startled hearing a roar 'ENOUGH' from the door. All looked back to see the fire-breathing ASR along with not so pleasant Nikhil and an angry Kiran, all in their sweaty jogging attire. 

(The trio's attire) 

Arnav marched towards Anjali and stood in front of her in the total ASR avatar.

Arnav: Anjali, how dare you? And who gave you permission to talk ill about them?

Anjali: Why are you shouting? I haven't said anything wrong. You are behaving like I am not telling the truth. Only Kiran and Nikhil are with you, where is Khushi? Not up yet, right? So now you only tell me is this a time to wake up? She is old enough to understand all this ... and she is a girl, so she has to behave like one. So now tell me what wrong did I say? And look at her (Pointing at Sheetal) she woke up early morning, helped in the kitchen, then completed the puja ... see that's why I said she is perfect to be a Raizada Bahu and

Arnav, even when he was in full rage was controlling himself to not to blast upon her before everyone in the morning itself. The anger bubbling inside was increasing slowly and when Anjali said Sheetal is better than Khushi, all the control vanished in thin air and he leaned towards Anjali and said in a threatening voice.

Arnav: ANJALI ... don't ... not a word more. How dare you? How dare you to comment on Kiya's character even without knowing anything about her? What do you know about being an elder sister that you are bad mouthing her? And most of all how dare you to compare Kiya with this girl? This stupid behenji? Who is living now too with some old century believes? (Here for Arnav the marriage should happen between people with same wavelength and culture, that's all. No offense please)

Chachi: Hello hi bye bye Arnav. Why are you shouting? What Anju said is true, being the elder one, Khushi has to teach her sister good manners and most importantly when they are orphans. I think her parents hadn't taught her all these

Kiran was very angry when Anjali said Khushi is a bad sister, but when Chachi mentioned them as orphans, she welled up instantly and a sob escaped her lips. Arnav was already on the verge of self-control blasted to Anjali and Chachi once he saw his ever-strong Kiddu crying

Arnav: ENOUGH CHACHI. It is better if you stop it now, or else I may say something that you will not be able to take it. And Anjali, it is better you think before talk; otherwise, it will not be good

Chachi: Arnav! Is this a way to talk to your elders? Why are you overreacting for these small things?

Akash: And Arnav how can you say Anjali is not a good sister?

Arnav, who always bottled his pain of not having a family who loves him as he is, now lost all the self-control and opened up,

Arnav: Oh really? (Sarcastically) you are right; Anjali is the best sister, but only for you Akash and what you said Chachi? I am overreacting! Like seriously! You will tell everything you feel like and it is a problem if I react to it too ... nice, very nice

Kiran was about to run upstairs as she couldn't take those words anymore, but Arnav was even faster than her, so he caught hold of her hands before she could escape and brought her down with him. He side hugged her over shoulders and rubbed her arms relaxing her. 

Arnav: I am telling this for once and all and I will not like to repeat all these. First of all, never and ever say that Kiya and Kiddu are orphans, they have Lavi, Nikhil, Dad and most importantly me. And Anjali, listen to me carefully, Kiya is my best friend ... no much more than that (Sighing) and for me Lavi and Kiddu are equal. You all very well know I will not tolerate anything against my family and which include them. And they both are well aware of the good and bad manners, and for all your information it is not written in the Indian constitution that everybody should rise before sunrise, it is about their comfort and health. Kiddu like to jog with me and is an early riser, but it should not mean Kiya too should be like her because every person is different. And she is a doctor and thus well aware of her health conditions. We cannot call it bad manners at all just because we are not like that. And yeah one more thing even if they have any bad manners then understand it ... it is only due to my influence on them and also you cannot blame her without knowing anything about her

Arnav: And secondly, dare you to call Kiya as a bad sister when you don't know anything about them, I have been seeing their bond from years. And Anjali maybe you are right, Kiya is not looking after her as her sister but as her baby from her birth since Mamma was bedridden from Kiddu's birth. She knows every single detail about her little one unlike you, who is acting as if she is the younger one. And do not even think about bad-mouthing Mamma-Papa. They were Mom-Dad's friends and after Mom gone other than Lavi and Dad I found a family with them. I again found the warmth of a mother in Mamma after Mom, and Papa was equal to Dad for me, so think thousand times before saying anything about Arnav Singh Raizada's Mamma-Papa.

Everybody was hell shocked hearing his outburst and speechless as they were like slapped hearing him saying they are not treating him as a family member. They had so many doubts in their minds starting from him calling Kabir- Gayathri as Papa-Mamma and he treating Khushi & Kiran as if they are his family but did not have the guts to speak in front of the angry ASR.

In all this Dadi was standing silently and was observing Arnav carefully and after today's outburst, she was sure about one thing ... that for him Khushi and her family mean a lot and he may even go against anybody, including his family for them.

But hearing all that Anjali was hell angry especially as he called Khushi as a better sister than her and it hurt her ego.

Anjali: ARNAV ... how can you say I am not a good sister and how can you say that Khushi is a better sister than me

Arnav: Why shouldn't I? (Sighing) okay ... just answer some of my questions and you will get your answer yourself

Anjali: What questions

Arnav: Simple questions your highness, just tell me which is my favorite color, food, place, brands of dress and toiletries, favorite actor, actress, movie, book, author anything? Oh no ... no don't even try to guess, I know you don't know all these answers but you know what? If you ask Kiya she can tell you which food Kiddu want to eat, which movie she wants to see, the book she wants to read ... according to her mood! ... unbelievable! Isn't it?

Anjali: Voh...

Arnav: What happened? Princess Anjali's mooh band gayi? (Stopped talking) ... and one more thing Anjali, you all have never ever bothered to make a special cup of coffee for me other than Hari and Lavi and sometimes Dad. Nobody here had ever asked me what I want to eat particularly other than to impress me sometimes. But you know what? Kiya even in her busy schedule makes every meal for Kiddu with her own hands! How ironic isn't it? (Sighing sadly) you know sometimes I had felt jealous of Kiddu to have an elder sister like Kiya but ... (Composing himself) so think before saying something which you don't know

Chachi: But Arnav

He had enough of their rubbish and showed her his hand indicating to stop.

Arnav: I am no more interested in any nonsense now Chachi, (Turning to Kiran) And Kiddu, why are you crying over her silly words? Bacha you and I both know how good your sister is, so don't waste your tears on them, okay? Now come, fresh up and get ready fast. Don't you remember we have planned an outing? So come ... Nikhil

Nikhil nodded at him understanding his unspoken words and they were about to climb the stairs. 

Sheetal was a silent spectator all this while but she can't allow her Arnav Ji to go without having Prashad right? So she went towards them. 

Nikhil received it as it was an offering, Kiran just said a 'No thanks' which made all of them frown as if they are seeing ASR's female version but chose to not to comment on it. Sheetal then called Arnav from the back as he still hadn't turned around 

Sheetal: Arnav Ji Prashad

Arnav gritted his teeth and blasted upon her

Arnav: (To Sheetal) Look, Ms. Jha ... I don't know why the hell you are behind me for wasting your life but take this directly to your head I am not interested in you. And do you know why?... You may be the perfect sanskari bahu for any family and even for my family ... but you can never be my better half. You see the name itself telling the relation the two people are sharing- 'better half' and thus my partner should be equal for me, not like my slave or something. And you see I am in the fashion industry and also born and brought up in foreign countries ... and I have a high concern that my wife should be able to cope up with my surroundings as well as my culture (To DR) also this is I am saying for all your information, you all know, I don't like to be attached to God much other than if it is necessary. So don't take IT as a tool for Ms.Jha to come close to me. And yeah she may be traditional and apt for this family, but I don't need a traditional idiot wife who treats me as some God which is more than enough according to you but I want a partner who can understand me, guide me and simply love me and care for me. (Sighing) I know you all know nothing about my likes and dislikes, but at least try to find out it by the things I do, and the people I like to be with. In simple, before going towards the opinion of society at least try to understand the members of own family.

Anjali was about to say something but Arnav gestured her to stop

Arnav: I am no more interested in this rubbish anymore and getting very late, so please excuse us.

Saying this Arnav, Kiran and Nikhil went upstairs with an upset and angry family and a tearful Sheetal behind.