Opposite Poles..Part 131

Part 131

“Jiji, Suno  Naa! Woh  Aakash  Sir  Hain  Naa..!” Khushi had started off.

“Khushi... concentrate on the road and traffic.  We can talk later!” Payal brought her back on track. 

“Yeah.. I am doing that... but listen..!” Khushi went ahead.  Payal didn’t want to hear anything about Aakash right now.  She was annoyed with the entire Raizada family for Khushi’s humiliation.  She had not picked up Aakash’s phone also.  She wanted a time out to rethink.

“Jiji.. tell me... why didn’t you pickup his phone? He called me up!” Khushi was annoyed too.

“No Khushi.. I won’t talk to him..!” Payal said gravely.  “And now stop talking about him.  We have to deliver...!” Payal said stopping the conversation.

A white SUV overtook them and Khushi’s heart ached.  “Why can’t I stop thinking about him?” she had no answer.  She stopped at the shop to deliver and Payal went in the shop with the container. 

“Two more to go!” Khushi thought and suddenly remembering waiting Sham, frowned.  

“I won’t ask you any favour, devi mayya! You take me out of one trouble and put me in greater one! I don’t want favour, and I won’t give you Laddus!” she said sulkily.

“I will find out the solution myself..!” she said throwing her nose in the air and jerking her head back.  Her devi mayya was smiling at her.  “I know! I can’t do anything without you! But you too are not doing any good! This is all because of you...! Now you bring me out of this, and without Laddus..! “Khushi muttered sitting on her scooter waiting for her Jiji.

“Aray.. Jaiye yahansay! Don’t park here... Go..!” Police came whistling and Khushi frowned so did few others who also were sitting on the scooters waiting for someone.

“Haan Ja Rahay hain! Going!” Khushi yelled back angrily. Another white SUV passed and Khushi’s heart jumped out aching.   “Nahi.. I don’t want to think about it..!” She kicked her scooter hard and forgetting that her Jiji was with her raced jerkily...

Crash...! Next moment she fell down with the scooter as another one collided with her equally jerkily. 

“Awaaa!” she groaned in pain.  Everyone looked at and people came running.  Khushi was flat on the road with her heavy scooter lying over her.  Crowd gathered...! 

“Dekh Kar Nahi Chala Sakatay? Can’t you see?” she yelled at the youth.  Naturally the sympathy was with her as she had fallen down.  Someone helped her get up.  She winced in pain.  

“Police... where is police now! Call the police...!” She yelled looking at the youth angrily.

“Awaaa! My ankle...!” she sat down again.  The boy was frightened to the core.  He offered her to take her to the doctor.  Payal came running... and as usual first thing she did was started crying.  Khushi looked away hopelessly.

“Jiji... !” stop crying...! she held her hand and Payal looked at the crowd in fright.

“Chalo Khushi, let us go!” she said supporting Khushi to walk.  “I will take you to the doctor..!” Payal pulled her shouting younger sister away from the crowd.  The boy followed them.

“Didi..I am sorry! I will take you to the doctor.  Please don’t take this to the police.. I don’t have licence...!” he pleaded earnestly.

“Haan... Chalo.. Doctor Kay Paas Lay Chalo!” Khushi ordered and Payal gaped at Khushi.  But Khushi had a different plan.

*********   ******  ********

“Hey bhagawan.. Jiji! Nothing much has happened.  Can’t you see? Nothing is broken... I saved the scooter...!” Khushi was consoling her Jiji lying on the bed with her leg in stretch bandage and her left hand  bandaged for wound.

“You know Jiji... nothing much has happened..! I am just playing the old trick!” Khushi pulled her jiji closer and whispered in her ear.  Payal looked at her surprised.  She winked. Payal gaped at her.

“But this time, not to avoid the duty.. but to avoid this Sham the dirty!” she giggled.  Payal slapped her fondly.

“Aray... you are injured, hurt so much and laughing? Hi Ray NandKishore!  Yeh Ladki to bhoot hain!” Buwaji sat on her bed touching her bandaged foot.

“HaaWaa! Buwaji, it pains...!” Khushi’s acting was mind blowing.  Payal shook her head. Buwaji got up with a jerk... “Aray... !” she felt guilty for hurting Khushi.  Sham was sitting outside frustrated.    He was not to give up.  His eyes flashed.   “Not tonight... may be some other night...!” he said under his breath.  He went out hurriedly.  

***********    ************     **********

His room door pushed open and he turned “Khu...” He saw Lavanya at the door.  He saw her blankly.  She came in.  “ASR!” she said in a soft voice looking at his serious face.  He looked away. 

“Come, let us go out!” she said cupping his face and he took a step back.  “What happened?” she asked gently.  He looked away, saying “Nothing!”  

“ASR, let’s go for shopping..!” whenever upset, she used to shop and feel better...! She applied same to ASR.

“Oh! Stop it Lavanya! Don’t you have anything in here?” he pointed at her head.  She gaped.  “Leave me alone Lavanya!” he said turning his back on her.  “ASR, why are you so upset?” she asked another stupid question, oblivious to his tormented state of mind. 

“I am not upset, Lavanya,  leave me alone.. I have some work to do!” he said with calm voice trying to control his anger.  She understood and went out leaving him alone in his vault.

“Why is he so upset?  I know, he won’t tell!” she thought to herself.  “Khushi..? Khushi will know what to do!” Her eyes brightened.  “Yeah... I should ask her... Chamakili!” she tried her number in vain.  Khushi didn’t pick up. “Humm... must be out somewhere.. I will call her later!” she thought descending the stairs and going to her room.

“No! I can’t be affected! She means nothing... I must carry on..! I am not going to think about her!” he pulled his laptop gazing at it unfocused. Not even twenty four hours had passed and he already was floundering.  He tried his level best to concentrate for a long time but it became unbearable to sit in that room, where he had lost himself in her and had tried to kiss her.  He got up finally and came down.  His feet stopped outside Nani’s room.  Latika Anuty had already left and the door was closed.  He came down.  His Di was sitting at the table looking lost in her own thoughts.

“Di!” he sat beside her.  She looked at him startled.  “When are you leaving?” he asked in hoarse voice.  She was blank.  “I mean.. your holiday trip!” he clarified.  

“Oh! That..! I forgot.  I will ask him today! He has the tickets..!” she said looking at his face seriously.  He gave a nod and got up.

“Chote!” she held his hand and he sat on the chair again.  “Will you take me to Mandir?” she asked still holding his hand. She knew, only her prayers would take her out of this crisis...!

“Mandir? Now?” he looked at the time.  “Yes!” she said.  “I want to pray!” he had no wish to argue that she could pray at home also.  He nodded and said “I will get the car keys .. you be ready!”

“Aray Lavanya?” Anjali saw Lavanya coming.  “Di..!” Lavanya sat on the chair equally seriously.  Anjali understood.  “Chote is taking me to Mandir.. would you like to join us?” she asked.  Lavanya thought for a while and said ok.

They drove off to the Mandir, all of them hoping to meet Khushi there.  They were in the Mandir.  Anjali went in with Lavanya and Arnav waited outside looking around. Even the faintest flutter of dupatta made him turn in that direction hopefully to see Khushi.  He closed his eyes, frustrated with himself.  Anjali and Lavanya were still inside.  He grew restless.  What if they met her inside?  He couldn’t stop himself and started ascending the stairs of the Mandir.  “Chote?” Anjali was at the top surprised to see him.  

“Um.. no.. I mean, you took unusually long time..!” he said in a worried tone.  “Don’t worry, Chote, we won’t run away..!” she tried to lighten the situation in vain.  He became more serious.

“Let’s go!” he turned giving up hope that he would meet Khushi in the Mandir. “This is not the only Mandir she visits!” he knew.  Lavanya gazed at his figure getting serious.  She missed Khushi.  “Had she been here, she would have found out the reason..!” Lavanya thought gravely.

“How am i going to manage alone?” she shuddered.  She dialled Khushi’s number lingering behind.  This time someone picked up.

“Hello, Chamakili..!” She called out in a hushed voice.  

“No.. this is Payal!” came a voice.  “Where is Khushi? Can I talk to her?” Lavanya asked squinting at Anjali and ASR walking ahead.  She desperately wanted to talk to Khushi. 

“Umm.. “ There was a silence for some time testing Lavanya’s patience...!

“Umm... Actually she had a minor accident ...!” Payal spoke and Lavanya shrieked.  Both Arnav and Anjali turned. 

“What? Accident? Is she ok?” asked Lavanya clutching her mobile nervously.  She stopped.

“Yes.. she is alright now.. Sprained her leg and bruises on hand..!” Payal said in a whisper. 

“Is she in the hospital? Which?” Anjali came near looking at Lavanya’s shocked face.  “What?” Anjali asked raising her eyebrows.  Lavanya shook her head. 

“No! She is at home!” replied payal to Lavanya’s relief.  “Wait!” said Payal handing over to Khushi.

“Lavanya ji..!” Khushi’s voice was a great relief to Lavanya.. !

“Chamakili... Kya karati Rahati Ho? Why can’t you take care, Chamakili?” Lavanya was concerned. 

“Khushi? Khushi ko kya hua?” Arnav came to Lavanya, so did Anjali.  

“Take care, haan, Khushi! I will come and meet you!” Lavanya disconnected to find ASR standing before her looking furious.

“Kya hua? What happened?” he asked and she winced in fright.  She remembered Nani’s declaration!

“No... Nothing!” she said looking down in a frightful voice.

“Khushi ko kya hua?” he asked her taking a step ahead aggressively.  Anjali looked at both of them.

“Woh... Khushi met with an accident!” Lavanya spoke the truth in fright and Arnav froze.

“Again?” he couldn’t stop himself. 

“Kya? How is she? Where is she? When did it happen?” Anjali was panic.  She too remembered Nani.  She looked at her brother’s back.  He already had started walking ahead.

“Sure.. she was on that damn scooter..! Why does she have to ride that damn thing?” he couldn’t stop himself from worrying about her.  “What if something had happened?” he winced with the thought.

“Damn! This girl is driving me mad..!” he clenched his fists.  Anjali was not able to decide what to do.  She desperately wanted to meet Khushi, so was Lavanya.  They both looked at each other and decided to keep quiet.  Arnav banged his car door and raced away.  

“Nahi.. No injection please.... No! I am scared!” Khushi was screaming silently burying her face on his chest...!

“Damn it!” he took a U turn abruptly.  Lavanya looked at his worried face and glanced back at Anjali.  She refrained from reacting.  They waited at Laxmi Nagar signal with ASR clutching the wheel impatiently for green signal...!