Once More
As NK was nearing Arnav’s room, he heard typing sounds from the laptop and thought that it must be Arnav.But, he was surprised. In front of him was Khushi, with a Bluetooth in her ear and busy typing. ‘Khushi jeee?!!’ exclaimed NK. Khushi looked up to see a surprised NK with his mouth half open.
‘Nanheji, when did you come? I thought you were coming next month?’
‘Yes, I was. But, I thought of giving you all a surprise and here I am. But, instead you’ve given me a surprise! What is with you, the laptop and Bluetooth? And where are Nannav and Aarav?’
Hearing that Khushi laughed and said,’Aarav has gone on a school trip. You know that Arnavji has made me incharge of the Indian wear section. Well, all this is related to that. Arnavji left very early today morning. I’ve been trying to call him, but his phone is switched off. Anyway, I am leaving for office in some time. I will meet him and tell him that you’ve come. By the way, how was your journey?And did you meet the others?’
‘Yes Khushiji, I came up after meeting everyone. The journey was fine. But, at the airport I had a tiff with this girl.
She thought I purposely bumped into her and started accusing me for no fault of mine. I had a hard time coming out of that situation.’
‘Really Nanheji, you are sure you weren’t flirting with her?’ winked Khushi
‘No Khushiji’, pleaded NK.
Meanwhile, they heard some sounds from the hall. Khushi immediately concluded, ‘Oh, she must be here.’
‘Who?’ asked NK and followed Khushi to the living room. They saw Nani, Mami and Anjali welcoming a young girl who had arrived with her bags to spend some days at RM. As her back was towards them, NK couldn’t see her face.
But when Khushi called her out ‘Ananya” she turned around and NK immediately recognised her.
Ananya knew the voice and turning around said, ‘Khushiji’.’ and when she saw NK, she shouted, ‘You!? How dare you follow me up to here. Do you know, Khushiji, this guy has been chasing me from the airport’ she complained.
Hearing this, everybody except NK, broke into a laughter. Mami explained, ‘Ananya, this is my nephew, NK.
‘Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know’ said Ananya, but a look towards NK implied that she was far from sorry and still believed that he was a flirt.
NK came near Anjali and whispered, ‘Di, who is she? Is she also one of Nannav’s ex-girlfriends?’ NK had to get his doubt cleared as he realised that he seemed to be having a special liking for all of Arnav’s girlfriends.
Anjali laughed at his doubts and explained, ‘No, but she is his ex-girlfriend, Lavanya’s cousin, Ananya. You know about Lavanya , right? We met Ananya at Lavanya’s marriage in London and invited her to spend some time here.
Later Khushi bid goodbye to all and left for office. At the office, she asked for Arnav but was told that he had left for a meeting outside. Khushi wondered why Arnav was behaving so from morning. She hadn’t talked to him all day and he was clearly avoiding her. She went into his cabin and was fiddling with his things, lost in his thoughts, when a hand suddenly covered her beautiful eyes. Khushi immediately knew whose it was. ‘Arnavji, stop it. I’m angry with you. You haven’t talked to me since morning and now you are doing this?’
‘Why not? I love it when your nose becomes red in anger.’ laughed Arnav.
‘Arnavji, I am not in a mood for jokes now. Please tell me what is going on?’
‘No Khushi. I won’t tell you. But, I’ll show you. Come.’
Arnav took Khushi to a posh restaurant. Arnav had booked a table at an exclusive corner from where they could not be visible to the rest. Khushi kept asking him the reason for this special date. Arnav asked her to be patient and gave the order for food.
‘Arnavji, now I can’t wait anymore. Please tell me the reason’ requested Khushi.
Arnav smiled at his innocent wife, took out a gift parcel hidden under the table and gave it to her. ‘Here, this is for you.’ he said. Khushi looked at it wide eyed with her ‘O’ mouth. ‘Where did this come from? That’s why you left early today, to plan for all this?’ asked Khushi. Arnav nodded and asked her to open it. Khushi gleamed with excitement and opened the packet. Inside was a beautiful red colour saree decorated with pearls of various sizes.
‘Khushi, remember the first time we met? I was very rude to you that day. I still feel very bad about it.’
‘Arnavji, I know. But, why are you saying all this today?’
‘Because it has been exactly two years since I met you. Happy 2nd Anniversary Khushi’ smiled Arnav.
Khushi was in tears now. She couldn’t believe that Arnav had remembered the date of their first meeting too.
‘Of course, Khushi. Didn’t I tell you? I remember each and everything about the moments I spent with you.’
Khushi smiled and hugged Arnav.
After some time, they returned home from their date. When they went inside they saw Ananya and NK quarrelling again and Anjali trying to calm them down. When Anjali saw Arnav and Khushi, she asked them to talk to these two and went inside. Arnav was about to say something, when Ananya tripped over Aarav’s tennis ball and was about to fall. But, NK was right there to catch her. Ananya was saved but both their eyes met and they fell for each other.
One look at them and Arnav smiled and whispered to Khushi, ‘Looks like next year one more couple is going to celebrate their anniversary.’ Needless to say, Arnav’s prediction came true. After many fights, quarrels and patch-ups NK and Ananya celebrated their first meet anniversary next year.
