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…
“helena ji, nobody’s looking, come quickly, have another jalebi!” khushi thrust a crisp orange jalebi at helena and stood in front of the elephant, holding up her pale pink dupatta so a passerby wouldn’t notice what helena was up to. it didn’t occur to khushi even for a moment that her slight frame and translucent dupatta might not quite accomplish the task of “hiding” helena. helena finished her jalebi and nudged khushi with a playful trunk. “no more! nahiiin, not…
it was soft and cool against his fingers. he stroked the fabric feeling its smoothness, its supple texture. the yarn had a natural golden sheen, a deep innate gold that didn’t need to flaunt itself or glitter too obviously. it was rich and comfortable with its beauty. asr held a fistful of mooga and then slowly let it go… watching it fall. “can you make it as light as chiffon, weave a fine transparency in? what do you think, salman?”…