Part 14 Mother of Abhi

"I'm married" said Khushi.

Arnav's facial expression changed. He let out an unbelievable chuckle, nodding no.

"Stop kidding Khushi..."

He stopped seeing Khushi's constant stare. She nodded like

"I'm not kidding" with a slight smile.

Arnav swallowed down hard. Khushi bewildered at his expression. It was visible that he got affected by the truth. But why? Maybe, he would not have expected it. He would have thought her unmarried.

"I usually don't talk about my personal matters with anyone. That's why you would not have known about it"

"What... What is... your husband?" He stammered.

"I told you I don't share anyone about my personal life"

"I just am asking about your husband nothing more than that..."

"There is nothing to share about my husband, sir. Excuse me..."

She walked out.

"Wait..." Arnav said.

Khushi stood holding the door knob.

"Can't you just say his name too?"

Khushi got stuck for sure. Her husband's name? Damn... Of course, that Barbarian is her husband. No matter she accepts it or not. She gulped down. Making herself, she said,

"Aditya" and left.

Arnav sat on the seat with a thud. Khushi is married...! Is Khushi married...? He liked a girl for the first time. She is the only one who made him courageous to love. He thought she will be the dawn of his life. Khushi is married... she is someone's wife... what the heck...! He shrugged the files down from the table. He leaned on the seat with reddened eyes. This is why he never desires anything... never expects anything from anyone. Expectation always kills. He left the office not wanting to stay there.

In this, neither Khushi nor Arnav observed someone was noticing them. The person is none other than Sheetal. She frowned, seeing Arnav's reaction on this matter. So, Arnav is not related to Khushi but he has feelings for Khushi. And Khushi broke the egg as usual. Sheetal became thoughtful. She left the place silently.

........

Arnav came home and stopped the car in the sit out. He got down form the car and about to go inside, he halted looking at the basketball. Throwing his coat down, he took the ball and started playing. He could not put the ball in the basket no matter how closely he standing to the basket.

Khushi's *I'M MARRIED* was echoing in his ears continuously. He can't get her... the mere thought killed him. He himself didn't know from when he became so fond of her. It was obvious to feel helpless if we LOSE something. That's what happening to him. He could not take it easily. Arnav wanted to see her husband... the one who is so lucky according to him. Is she happy with him? Is he keeping her happy? Where is her house? How does she come to the office? Is going to job her passion? Or does she have some other reason? Why doesn't she like to talk about her personal life? Don't usually girls always talk about their personal life...? Of course, they do if they are happy. Is not Khushi happy in her personal life? There are many thoughts that getting in his mind basket. Even though she has problem how could he interfere into her personal life? She became rigid when he asked about her husband. It seems she doesn't like anyone interfering in her matter. What should he do now? Should he forget her? should he remove her from his heart? Won't there be any chance for him to get her? No... she is someone's wife. He threw the ball on the floor forcefully and ran his fingers in his hair. How bloody unlucky he is to love someone's wife...! He sat on the ground, closing his face with his palms.

Neither Arnav had dinner nor did he get sleep that day.

In the meanwhile,

Khushi reached home all the way thinking about Arnav. Neither she felt good nor did she feel wrong about him. She could not understand what her stand is. This is the first time she felt neutral. She wondered about the cat on the wall stand. She jerked, when Abhi said,

"Hi, Mom..."

She smiled at him.

"Did you have milk?" She asked.

"Yeah... I had"

"What do you want to eat for dinner?"

"Anything..."

Khushi didn't see his uniform in the hanger.

"where is your uniform?"

"I have put it in the washing machine"

"but, usually you wear a set of uniform for two days... you wore it today only, right?"

"Yeah... it became dirty"

"Dirty? How?"

"I slipped down"

"Whaaat? Did you get hurt?" she asked panicking.

"No, Mom... I'm alright"

Khushi sighed.

"I'm sorry, baby... I'm unable to be with you"

"I know mom..."

"What do you know?"

"I have no father. So, you work to feed me. If you don't go for work, we will have to starve... So, you can't be with me all the time"

Khushi was looking at him adoringly. These are the reasons Khushi gave Abhi when he asked her to be with him.

She went to the kitchen smiling. Abhi followed her. Khushi opened the kitchen window door and started cooking. Her neighbour Vimla saw them through the window.

"Abhi, where were you? I didn't see you home..."

Khushi looked at Abhi with confusion. Abhi became horrified. Is not Khushi chided him not to meet Arnav? What if she gets to know he was with Arnav today? She will put more restrictions not to meet him. He panicked.

"Is not your school holiday today? I came to check if you need anything but your house was locked" Vimla said.

"Abhi, is your school holiday today?" Khushi asked.

He nodded yes.

"Why?"

"A teacher passed away, Mom"

"Where were you today?"

"I was playing with my friend, mom"

"Oh... that's why your uniform became dirty?" she asked nodding her head.

He nodded yes feeling relieved.

"Oh... did you fall down while playing?"

He again nodded yes.

"Why didn't you tell me about it?"

"I was about to tell you mom... before that, Vimla aunty told you" he grinned.

"What did you play with your friend?"

Abhi got stuck. He will get caught if he says Basketball because there was no Basketball court in their area. At the same time, he could not lie to Khushi though.

"Ball, Mom..."

"Ball?"

"Mmm"

"Oh... did you practice catches?"

"Kind of..."

Khushi started making dough for roti.

"Mom... what do you think about Orphan?" Abhi asked.

Khushi's hand stopped needing the dough. She gulped down as someone's face flashed in her mind.

"Are not they poor?" he said.

"Why are you asking about them all of a sudden?" she asked in a feeble tone not looking at him.

"I saw someone on the road... he is an orphan. I felt bad for him as he looked like me"

Khushi continued her work. She thought he is talking about some boy.

"What do they feel having no one for themselves?"

Khushi gulped down.

"My teacher said, if we don't have anyone to share our happiness, grief, and sadness, the person's heart will get affected"

Khushi looked at him shockingly.

"She asked us to be helpful for those who has no one..."

Undoubtedly, Abhi was preluding for Arnav and Khushi could not resist herself from thinking about Arnav.

"Why does God make people as Orphan, Mom?"

Khushi didn't know what to reply. What could she reply when she herself doesn't have an answer?

"Will God give them someone to make them happy?"

Khushi was stunned by his back to back questions. He is thinking more than his age boys do.

"Beta, there is a reason for everything. If God does anything, there must be a reason..."

"What reason could an orphan have, mom? Won't you say, God is great? If he is great, why does he partial with people?"

"Abhi, you are too small to even understand such things... we will talk about it when you became a big boy. Ok?"

"Ok..." he said making face.

Khushi caressed his hair smilingly. But whatever Abhi asked, and said were ringing in her head. Obviously, those made her think someone.

The next day

Arnav wake up late as he slept late. He opened his eyes slowly. He remembered the yesterday's shocking happenstance. he didn't feel to go to the office. So, he laid by his stomach hugging a pillow. Suddenly, he jerked, remembering Abhi. His school bus will cross his house in a few minutes. He rushed to the washroom and washed his face. He came to the garden and waited for the school bus. He saw Abhi who waved his hand at Arnav excitedly. He looked unusually excited that made Arnav smile brightly forgetting his grief. Abhi wiped the grief that was created by his mother in Arnav's heart temporarily...

To be continued...