Opposite Poles..Part 74

Part 74

“Why are you so late? Where were you?” He asked her angrily.   She looked at him blankly and then said,

“I had to change two busses to reach..!” he didn’t know the simple thing.

“Why didn’t you take the car?” he was angrier. 

“Why didn’t you send one?” she spat back in rage.

“I didn’t go anywhere else, Sir!” She knew his next question.  He gaped at her.  She took out a small container from her bag and said “Nani ji has asked me to give you this..! Sugar free!” He took it blankly.

“Can I start my work, Sir?” she asked him.  He was standing at the entrance of the office looking lost.  She moved away and entered the security cabin. 

“No!” he barged in.  “You… you get inside..!” he didn’t know what to say.

“No sir! I have to finish some pending work in the inward/outward registry!” She said opening the register and putting her head down. 

“Khushi..!” he came forward …

“Good afternoon sir!” the security officer walked in.  He was surprised to see Mr. Raizada in his cabin.  He looked at Khushi questioningly to know what was wrong.

“Sir, do I have to pull the entries for consolidation? “She asked the security officer ignoring ASR completely.

“Khushi!” his voice rising he came a step forward and gripped her wrist.

“You are coming with me!” he said looking at her angrily.

“Sir, I have to check gate pass entries ..!” she was scared looking at his face.

“Someone will do it! Chalo!” he ordered looking at the confused security officer. 

“Yes Sir!  Ms Gupta, you go!” he permitted her and then only Khushi got up from her seat.  After all she was doing her duty honestly.

ASR held her hand and walked out of the security cabin with her.  She looked around.  He entered the office holding her hand.  Everyone was shocked.  She got dragged behind him.  He brought her to her cubical and pushed her on her chair.

“Sit here and start working on the files.  Understand?” he asked her with gritted teeth.  She nodded putting her head down.  He could see a line of smile on her face.  She had made sure he restored her position in front of everyone!  He clenched his fists. 

“I will be watching you! One single mistake and you will be punished like never before!” he whispered in a deadly voice giving her shivers of fright.  She shuddered and took the file with shaky hands.  He strode back to his cabin.

She saw Regi walking towards his cabin.  She smiled at him but he was not looking at her.  He went to ASR’s cabin and they had a long talk.  ASR walked with Regi out of the office.  Khushi was puzzled.  She was dying to ask Rekha Madam. 

“What happened? Why was Regi Sir so serious?” She asked Rekha in the restroom.

“I don’t know! But Regi has some problem at home!” Rekha concluded.

“So? Why was he talking to ASR Sir?” Khushi was confused.

“Khushi, I told you! ASR will sort out the things!” said Rekha. 

“He won’t sort out, Rekha Madam, he will create more problems!” Khushi was sure.  Rekha smiled. 

“Khushi, it’s between Regi and ASR! Why are you so worried?” Rekha was puzzled. 

She didn’t know, Khushi was trying to analyse who ASR was after all.

“ ASR the ruthless, heartless,  business tycoon, terror, merciless OR  Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada, the proud autocratic, self centered, atheist, hotheaded person OR Arnav ji, who loved his sister more than his life, who assumed the responsibility of his family  and who is chote to his Nani?” 

“Or the one who humiliated. Manhandled her roughly, who insulted her in front of everyone,  who took her home after saving her, who blew his head off in rage when she went on excursion, who grabbed her shoulders every now and then hurting her more, who smirked at her stupidity, who teased her with a lopsided smile for her clumsiness!”

She was flabbergasted.  She had seen one more facet of his personality.

 “ A friend! Regi’s friend, who sorts out Regi’s problems, who was at the hospital when  Regi’s wife delivered a baby! And now had gone out to sort out Regi’s personal family problems”

Khushi clutched her spinning head thoroughly confused.  “Who are you?” she asked looking lost.

******  ********  *********

She came back to her cubical.  Aakash was waiting for her.

“Khushi ji! Have you finished with the file?” he pointed at a file randomly.  She nodded and took out the file from the pile to hand it over to him.  He sat on the chair next to her.  She was surprised

“Khushi ji.. Where did you go for dinner?” he wanted to dig out all the information.  She startled.

“Why is he asking me? Did sir not tell him? What should I do now? Tell him everything?” she gaped at Aakash. 

“Oh! Just asked casually!” he played his game.  She nodded. 

“Sir took me for dinner!” she was vague enough.

“Where?” Aakash was curious.  He had heard “Parat…” from Arnav. He wanted to confirm.  He had a deal with his Di to find out the details and Khushi was the only person to provide the information. 

“Umm I don’t remember the name!” she again tried to avoid giving details.

“What all did you have?” he asked her.  Khushi prayed her Devi mayya to save her from these questions.  She remembered the menu list.  Smile appeared on her face remembering the taste of the items and ASR’s disgusted face.

“Umm…!” she pretended to be recollecting.

“Golgappe?” Aakash asked excitedly.  She was surprised.  “How do you know?”

“Just a guess!” he said with a straight face.  “And..?” he asked her.

“Umm  imarati…!”  Aakash was surprised.  His bhai hated imarati, that sweet cousin of jilebee.  She was very slow in recollecting. 

“Aakash,  What the hell are you doing here?” came an angry, rude question and Aakash got up from the chair with a jerk.  Khushi took a sigh of relief.

“No Bhai, Khushi ji was telling me about yesterday’s dinner!” Aakash changed his color.  Khushi’s mouth fell open in shock.

“No!” she could only say.  ASR looked at her sternly and spat  “Carry on with your work, Khushi! And Aakash, come to my cabin!” he ordered and climbed up to his cabin. “Yes, Bhai!”  Aakash said and turning to Khushi said, “Sorry Khushi ji..!”  And followed his bhai.  Khushi again sat there clutching her head.

*********    *********   ********

“Aakash, she came in a bus today!” he was lost in thoughts.

“What? Bhai, this is dangerous! She should be careful!” Aakash too was worried.

“We should be careful Aakash! She doesn’t know anything..!” Arnav looked at his younger brother.

“She didn’t even recognize the sound of a gunshot!” he was serious. 

“Bhai, I think we should tell her to be careful and there is a danger to her life!” Aakash looked down at her cubical.  She was engrossed in her work sticking out the tip of her tongue, innocently.  He felt sorry for her.

“No! We will be more careful! I will talk to the Commissioner ” his bhai dismissed his suggestion.  Aakash nodded in acceptance.

“But bhai, at home…!” he left his sentence incomplete looking at his Bhai’s serious face.  Both of them had no answer.

 Khushi oblivious to all these, was thinking  “Why was Aakash sir asking me all those things? It’s between me and ASR Sir, why should I tell anyone about it? I won’t!”  She was determined not to let out any details for their dinner.

*********   **********   *********

“Why Saale Saab? You look worried today!” Sham looked at Arnav at the dinner table.

“Nothing!” Arnav said looking lost in his own thoughts. 

“Jijaji,  you know! It’s about the enquiry.” Aakash told Sham.  Sham looked serious.

“Hmm I can understand.  If someone is looting you, and you don’t even know who it is..!” he had pinpointed the problem.  Arnav clenched his fists. 

“I must know, who is doing all this.  I will find out!” he gritted his teeth forgetting his dinner.  Sham gaped at his furious face.

“Tell me, if I can be of any help..!” Sham said looking at his Saale Saab.  A faint smirk appeared on his face.

“Aree, why are you people discussing about business here?” Anjali tried to change the subject.

“AUR   NAHI   TO   KAA! Hello hi bye bye! “ Mami twisted her nose.  Sham smiled. 

“Lavanya, what did you learn today?” he asked smiling sweetly.

“Oh.. I made suji Halwa!” She said excitedly.  Arnav gaped at her bright face.

“Everyone liked it!” she said looking at Nani for approval and to Arnav’s surprise, Nani nodded. 

“Chote, did Khushi bitiya gave you….?” Before Nani could complete her question, Arnav said,

“Yeah!”  Nani looked satisfied. 

“You know what? Tomorrow I am going to learn to wear saree and make laddus! For tomorrow’s Raksha Bandhan..!” she said excitedly, encouraged by others.

“Two things in a day? I think you should take it slowly!” Nani said calmly and Anjali nodded.

“You two are not going to the office tomorrow!” Anjali ordered her brothers.  Aakash nodded happily but Arnav frowned.

********   ********   ********

“Wish, I had a brother!” Khushi was gazing in the clouded sky dreamily. 

“I would have made Rakhi for him… Prepared laddus… sweets… and then he would have given me some gifts… and then…!” Khushi went on smiling dreamily.

“Stop, Stop! Come back, Khushi!” Payal pulled her on earth. 

“Let me at least dream, jiji!” she said sulkily.  Payal smiled.  “Khushi, stop dreaming.. We don’t have a brother… and we are not making Rakhis…!” she was practical.  Khushi’s expression changed… Her eyes widened and a broad smile appeared on her face.

“Jiji, Sham ji Hain na! We will tie him Rakhi! Everything will be sorted out!...This is great!.. I will tie him Rakhi… he hehe.! This will solve all my problems…!” She looked at Payal for approval.  Payal was serious.

“Khushi,  Hope this happens…!” she said seriously.

“Why not Jiji? This will happen…! We will tie him Rakhi…!” Khushi screamed in excitement and ran inside.

“Aree, Sanaka Devi..What are you searching..?” Buwaji was bewildered looking at the way Khushi was pulling out the things from her box.

“Material Buwaji… Your NandKishore has ordered me to make a beautiful Rakhi!” she said taking out the required material.

“What? Rakhi? For whom?” Buwaji yelled.  “Sanaka Devi Sanak gayi hain!” she muttered.