Anjali was giggling and talking to Nani when Arnav came home that evening. Upon asking, Anjali said, “We were talking to Akash. He just called from US. It’s Akash and Payal’s first wedding anniversary tomorrow and Akash is planning to give a surprise to Payal. He wasn’t willing to reveal what his surprise is, to us too. So, we were wondering what it could be? In a way, it is your anniversary too, Chote. What are you planning to do?’,…
“the deal’s off, gentlemen! akash, let’s go.” the voice rang out sharp and precise, its decibel remained low. there was a tremor on the surface of the water in the glasses on the long conference room table, and as the three men sitting across watched nonplussed, the man who had just uttered those words got up smoothly from the leather upholstered chair and strode toward the exit. behind him shuffled a pleasant looking young man, with a slightly myopic air,…
Arnav dialed Khushi’s number for the umpteenth time and yet again Khushi disconnected after a few rings. “What the … ” exclaimed Arnav and threw the phone on his bed. He was getting more angry and restless every time Khushi cut his call. “What’s the matter, Nannav?”, the voice of NK accompanied by sound of crunching potato chips fuelled Arnav’s irritation further. NK walked into Arnav’s room munching chips, just as Arnav was throwing the phone on the bed. “Tum…
“no, aman, complete media ban… that’s it… what?!! main ne kaha na, nobody, no newspaper, magazine, channel.. no a no b, no z… no one. i want complete silence for a while. please make sure that happens.” he finished his call abruptly, picked up his jacket, shrugged it on smoothly, and turned to leave the room. “khushi!!!” he called out, obviously in a hurry, “khushi, where are you… i’m getting late!” “thahriye… ek minute, ek minute,” she rushed in from…
the night closed in around the white mercedes-benz suv as it shot through the empty after hours roads. there was a slight drizzle building up to something more falling lightly onto the asphalt, the large old trees, and the pretty landscaped circles of new delhi. dark windows sat behind high walls and rolling lawns, the rich part of town. he drove without seeing a thing, eyes fixed straight ahead, hands gripping the leather of the steering wheel, knuckles white, his…
About an hour ago, before Arnav reached the station: Sitting in the AC Chair car compartment of the train, Khushi was getting restless. It had been more than an hour since she last talked to Arnavji and she wasn’t getting any signal on the phone. She looked around the compartment. There were many known faces who would travel regularly to and fro Delhi and Lucknow. One of them was Mr.Sharma. Khushi and Payal had befriended his wife during one of…
It had been just about an hour since Khushi’s train left and Arnav was already missing her badly, even though Khushi had talked to him on the phone twice already. ‘Call every half an hour’, Arnav had instructed and Khushi had agreed to oblige happily. Her giggles still resounded in his ears. ‘I will go mad’, thought Arnav and decided to go to the living room area. Nani would have gotten up from her afternoon nap. Just as he had…
“Wha … t, Luck … Kh .. Khushi”, Arnav shouted. Khushi came running back as if pulled by a magnet. “What happened Arnavji?”, asked Khushi. “What do you mean ‘what happened’? Lucknow? You didn’t say anything about Lucknow, dammit. You are going to Lucknow,today?” Arnav blasted. Khushi was surprised and confused. “Haan. I thought you knew Preeto now stays in Lucknow. It was you who had transferred her husband to Lucknow on promotion as the Chief Manager of the Lucknow…
Arnav awoke with a jerk. ‘Khushiii’ … he let go a whisper of his beloved wife’s name. He looked on the other side of the bed that he was sleeping on. The beautiful woman he loved staring at wasn’t there. Just the crumpled bed sheet. He knew she had gotten up early. He knew she was downstairs with the other women in the house. Yet there was this restlessness. Why? And why that dream after all these years? Why now?…
“hume lagta hai, you need a hair cut, arnav ji!” khushi blurted out when asr suddenly looked up while fixing his tie and caught her staring at him. (i think… you need a hair cut, arnav ji!) it was seven in the morning, she was still half asleep in bed. she’d heard some noise and her eyes had opened for a moment. he’d walked into the room from the adjoining dressing room just then, in a charcoal waistcoat over a…