Opposite Poles..Part 65

Part 65

“Lavanya ji… who…. Gunshot…. Tha… na? “ She waved a teddy excitedly to show Lavanya what she won in busting the balloons game…!  She had played with the little Lad.  Lavanya hid behind ASR and Khushi froze looking at his face.  “Gunshot!” triggered his rage.

“KAHAN  GAYI  THI  TUM? Where had you been?”  Came a question.  Khushi gaped at him confused straightening herself up.  He was waiting for her answer.

“ASR! I told you, excursion….!” Lavanya had no courage to speak further looking at his stone like expressions.  Khushi gaped from Lavanya to ASR.  He had not moved an inch.  

“KISE   POONCH   KAR   GAYI   THI? With whose permission?”  Second stupid question according to Khushi..! She gaped at him with a question on her face.. “Has he exchanged his brain with mine?” She wondered.

“Answer me!” his voice raised by a tone.  

“ASR! I told you… !” Lavanya again tried weakly.  He still had not moved and was staring at Khushi.

“YEAH   AISE  KYUN   GHOOR   RAHA  HAIN? Why is he staring like that?”  she thought gaping with open mouth.  She looked at Lavanya for the answer.  She looked scared… !  Khushi brought her gape from her to him. 

“Lavanya… go to your room!” he ordered her in a deep deadly voice.  Lavanya lingered for a second to defend Khushi.. but then losing her courage, backed away.  

Khushi looked at her dress… nothing red she wore..! His left foot had gone back. 

 “YEH   SAAND  ABHI   HAMAIN   JAMINDOST  KARANE   AAYEGAA…! This bull will  attach  anytime…!  “ she thought taking her left foot back.  Khushi got warned…!

“WOH… I went on the excursion trip!” she said at once trying to stop him..

“KISAKE   SAATH? With whom?”  he asked still not moving.  She felt little relieved.  She tried to gauge his level of rage and smiled at him. 

“MAINE  POONCHA,   KISAKE  SAATH  ?” he came on to her like a bison.  She ducked in fright.  He caught her.

“Why are you so angry…?  Lavanya ji and y..you…!” she couldn’t complete.  He gripped her in rage and shook her vigorously, sending all the shopping bags in the air.  She swayed like a doll. 

“To Hell with your Ji and Sir!” he pushed her back.  She gaped, unable to understand the cause of his rage.

“I…I just wanted you two to….!”  She started of weakly to justify.

“You wanted…. You wanted ? Who are you, Khushi Kumari Gupta? “ he asked under the breath.  She tried to free herself.  

“CHODIYE    HAMAIN…!” She tried with all her might…. 

“I …. I just wanted to give you some moments with Lavanya ji!” she said in one breath and looked at him expectantly.  She knew after hearing this, his rage will subside.  His grip on her shoulder became bone crushing.

“You wanted us? Or you wanted to take this opportunity…?” he left his sentence incomplete spitting rage.  She didn’t understand.  Her shoulder hurt badly.  She winced in pain.

“What are you saying…?” she was blank. 

“Tell me..! Who was with you?” he asked her. 

“KYA?  Many people…!” she said looking at him. 

“Yesterday, you were bugged up with his stalking… and today you seemed to be enjoying his company?” he accused.  She wrenched herself free. 

“I don’t understand! What are you talking about?” she said with tears.  He gripped her…

“Or is it that you have taken fancy for white skin? Foreigner? Your down market choice…!” she pushed him back with rage.

“What?” she was trembling with anger.

“Yesterday you had no money for recharge… And what is all this?” he pointed at the shopping scattered everywhere.  She came a step back looking at him thoroughly hurt.  He had gone beyond noticing. 

“Who were you with, Khushi? Who gave you the money?” he asked disdainfully, completing his kill.  

She paced backwards.  Arnav froze with his own statement.  She stood there clenching her fists and then blew her head off like erupting volcano.  She pushed the cane chair with all her might, which slid on the floor and hit the other end, crashing the things on the way.  

“Stop it!” she yelled and darted to her room. 

“Khushi…!” he raised his hand.

*********   *********

Khushi banged open the door.  Lavanya was pacing nervously.  “Khushi…!” she blurted.  Khushi didn’t look at her and sat on the cough panting with uneven breath.  Lavanya came and sat next to her without a word.   She had not seen this side of ASR..She was scared to the core…! She felt for Khushi… She knew what Khushi went through.   She felt a surge of pain reflecting Khushi’s plight.  

She held Khushi’s hand and sat there for a long time.  Khushi was lost. Even her tears had left her, leaving her eyes burning.  She gazed blankly with a stone face.  The wicked magician had turned her into stone, snatching away her soul from her body.  

She did not understand what was more hurtful… his whipping words or the presence of Lavanya when he was taking out all his anger on her.  Lavanya sat with Khushi on the couch not knowing how to console her.  She jest held Khushi’s hand and gazed unfocused.  

*********   *********  ****

ASR had turned himself into Stone standing like a statue with the shopping bags scattered all around.  He turned his back and went to his suite.  He sat on the couch with a thud and banged his head back.

“What have I said..?” he didn’t understand his own feelings.  “What was more tormenting?  She going on excursion with other people, or she going without his permission leaving him alone with Lavanya!  He had done the damage.  He had hurt her beyond repair.  He gazed unfocused in the darkness without switching the lights on.   He closed his eyes, with the darkness filling his heart.  

**********  *******

Khushi pushed back her hair from her forehead, gathered the waist length silky wavy hair and tied in a hair band.  Lavanya gaped at her.  She got up and came out.  Walking down the verandah, she came to the spot.  She started collecting the shopping bags putting the things neatly into the bags.  Lavanya came to her help.  She brought in everything, except the basket of plants,  took out a huge cotton bag from the luggage.  She took out a key chain and held it out to Lavanya.  The wooden charismas tree shape with letters ASR carved on it.  Lavanya took it and smiled.  “That carver was doing it for everyone.  I bought this for you..! its inexpensive..!” Khushi spoke for the first time after an hour.

“This is beautiful, Khushi!” Lavanya took it in both her hands… then said brightly..

“Chamakili, show me your shopping!!” Khushi’s eyes brightened up.

“Come on, let us open your Pandora’s box..!” Lavanya was excited…! She pulled all her shopping bags closer….!

******   **********

ASR opened his eyes with a start and looked at the time.  He ordered for black coffee and came out, a cane basket with two earthen pots with etched and sculpted faces on its surface… one male with long mustache and the other female face with big eyes.  Two beautiful plants loomed out of these pots. He picked up the basket and brought it in.  He gazed at the plants closely, keeping the basket on the table.  

One was a Clivia plant with yellow flowers blooming as a bundled yellow ball. “ Clivia….I do not have this in my collection!”  He looked at the tag.  The other one was a cluster of three sensitive plants. (Touch me not!) with pink and red tiny flowers peeping out.  His eyes twinkled.  He touched the leaf and it shrunk… shutting close its leaves tightly together.  His heart ached.  “No!” he tried to hold the plant with his palms and all the leaves shut tightly like a shockwave… “No, Khushi…!” he tried to open the leaves forcibly in anguish.. They remained tightly shut.

“No..!” he turned back. Left his coffee on the table with the plants and went inside to get ready.

He came out ready to leave and glanced at the plants.  The leaves were back to normal plopping merrily with the breeze.  His lips curled up in a lopsided smile brightening up his face.  He bent down..

“ MAIN   TUMHAIN  MANAA    LUNGAA,   KHUSHI  !  I will… I will bring back your smile…!” he mumbled and tickled the leaf fondly.  It shrunk and shut closed, shying away.  It looked more like a girl shying away, than a plant.  He picked up the basket and kept it with his luggage.  

“Lavanya.. we are leaving in ten minutes..! he picked up his cold coffee mug and opened the newspaper, waiting to leave for Delhi.  “Driver and Maid…!” he smirked…!