Part 24 Friends...

Arnav turned around and found his college friend Karan standing. Arnav had very few friends. Karan was one among them. Though they were in touch they hardly spoke with each other as both were busy in foreign countries. They were in touch only through Emails. Arnav was delighted, seeing his friend in front of him, after a long time.

There was a girl standing with Karan with a bewildered expression, seeing Arnav. She was none other than Preeto and we already knew that. She was the one who was with Khushi, at the time of the test-tube baby process. We knew she had seen Arnav when he came to meet Sushma at the fertility clinic. It was obvious if Preeto was bewildered seeing Arnav because she knew the person who was the mother of HIS SON who was her friend now.

"Hey, how... are... you... man? " Arnav shouted in happiness.

After he came from Canada, Karan was the first friend he met. Karan hugged Arnav delightedly.

"I'm super fine and super happy meeting you..." Karan said.

"You here? When did you come from Singapore? "Arnav asked.

"Yup... just a week ago I came from Singapore."

"Didn't you feel calling me after coming to India?" Arnav asked rightfully. That surprised Preeto.

"My marriage got fixed. So, I'm here to get married. I wanted to meet you in person that's why I didn't call you but I didn't expect this surprise meet" Karan said.

"Wow... That's great... Congratulations..." Arnav shook hands with Karan.

"Thank you yaar..."

Karan looked behind.

"Preeto... come here..." he beckoned Preeto.

Preeto came close to him, all the way looking at Arnav surprisingly. She recognized who he was... Father of Abhimanyu... her friend Khushi's son.

"He is my friend... Arnav..." Karan introduced him to Preeto.

"Hi..." Arnav said.

Preeto nodded her head slightly.

"We are college mates," Karan said.

"Oh..."

"You are very lucky to have Karan as your husband. He is a nice guy..." Arnav said.

Preeto smiled awkwardly.

"By the way, when are you going to get married? " Karan asked Arnav.

Arnav got stuck for a few seconds. Preeto was observing his expression keenly.

"As of now, I have no idea about my marriage..." Arnav said.

"Why? " Preeto asked before Karan asked anything.

Arnav and Karan looked at her perplexed.

"I mean... your friend Karan is settling down in his life... why not you?" She asked pointing at Karan.

"I don't know what to say... by the way, visit my home before going back to Singapore..." Arnav said.

"I'm not going to go to Singapore..." Karan said.

"Oh... really? "

"Yup... "

"But why? "

"Preeto is a doctor... she is working in a good hospital... my and her parents don't want us to be separated after the marriage," Karan said.

"They are right..." Arnav said.

"You are invited to our marriage..." Karan said.

Arnav was about to say something,

"I and Preeto will come to your home to invite you... this is just a formal invitation..." Karan said.

"That's it..."

"Note down my India mobile number"

"Oh... did you get the new one?"

"Just today morning"

"Yeah, tell me" Arnav noted it down on his phone.

"I will call you when I'm free"

"Please..."

'Ok, Arnav... bye..."

"Bye..."

Arnav went inside the mall to buy a gift for Abhi.

Karan and Preeto left the place. Karan started the car. Preeto was silent.

"What happened, Preeto? Are you alright?" Karan asked.

"Were you and Arnav best friends?"

"Of course, we are still best friends... we were in the same class. At first, we teased him a lot"

"Teased? But why?"

"He always studied in class. How could college students tolerate a good boy? So, we started teasing him." he laughed.

"Then?"

"At one point, Arnav got angry and fought with us. A few of us bleed. After that, we became friends" Karan laughed.

"Oh..."

"Don't underestimate him, Preeto. he looks very simple doesn't mean he is a simple person. He runs a software company all alone you know?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, he recently bought a company and established it... do you know UNIQUE software?"

"Unique software?" Preeto's eyes widened.

"Yeah, he is the owner of the company"

"Is he the founder of the company?"

"No... he bought an old company and modified it"

"What was the old name?"

"Old name..." he thought.

"Macro Software?"

"Exactly..." Karan smiled.

Preeto was dumbfounded. What does that mean?

*Is Arnav the one who proposed to Khushi? Is he the one who is in love with her? That means, he loves none other than the mother of his son. What could she name this?*

"Arnav was in Canada...right? " Preeto asked.

"Yes... how do you..."

Cutting him,

"He brought up in Rama Krishna Mission Home... he was an athlete... Gold medalist in University... " Preeto said.

"Exactly... how do you know, Preeto? Do you know him? But Arnav didn't react seeing you...! "Karan asked frowning.

"Not only that... I know something more than that about him" Preeto said.

"What's that? "

"He is in love with my friend Khushi"

"Your friend Khushi?"

"Yes"

"the one you want to go to her house to invite her for our marriage?"

"Yes..."

"Ohh..."

"Actually, we should not tell anyone about it... As Arnav is your friend, I think I should not hide it from you because knowing about his SON is important for him now"

"Son...? What the hell are you talking about, Preeto? He is not married... didn't he say? " Karan almost shouted in shock.

"Marriage is not necessary to become a father..." Preeto said the truth calmly.

"What do you mean? Did Arnav do something to..."

Cutting him,

"No... this is different..."

Karan stopped the car at the side of the road and sat turning towards Preeto.

"What's the matter Preeto? Tell me clearly"

Preeto told him everything about Arnav. Karan was shocked to the core hearing Arnav's story.

"What are you saying Preeto? is that true?"

"Yes, Karan.... my friend Khushi is none other than the mother of Arnav's son with whom Arnav is in love"

"Damn it.... How fate is playing its cards...!" he said unbelievably.

"Yes... I too can't believe this. And more to our surprise, Arnav and Abhi are friends..."

"Whaaaa? Friends? But how?"

"I too don't know. Abhi likes Arnav very much and vice versa. They meet often without Khushi's knowledge it seems"

"How do you know?"

"Khushi told me"

"Is Khushi fine with Arnav's proposal?

"No... she is not. She wanted to stop Abhi from talking with Arnav. I stopped her giving some valuable reasons"

"What are you going to do now?" Karan asked.

"Khushi is a stubborn girl. Being a mother of a six years old boy, she won't accept him easily"

"But Arnav loves Khushi and Arnav is none other than the father of her son. Then what's the problem?"

"Society..."

"Bullshit..."

"Yes... she is scared of society."

"Arnav is a nice guy. He has no one. He will treat her like anything. Khushi will never get such a guy"

"Let me talk to her"

"Try to get her into the track"

"Completely"

"When will you meet her?"

"Today itself"

"I hope she will accept Arnav"

"Hopefully"

Karan started the car.

........

The landline phone rang. Khushi attended the call.

"Who is this?"

"Arnav"

Khushi got stuck.

"How are you Khushi?"

"Fine sir"

"Really?"

"Mmm"

"I can't believe your words you know. If you say you are not fine, you do house chores... if you say you are fine, maybe you are not"

Khushi was silent. She knew what he was hitting. He had seen her cleaning the house taking an off, giving the excuse fever.

"Why did you lie, Khushi?"

"No... I just..."

"Are you scared to face me?"

"Why... why would I?" she stammered.

"I thought you got fever in the memories of our swimming pool encounter"

"No... why would I have memories of the swimming pool and why did I get dreams...?"

Cutting her,

"Did you get a dream?"

Khushi got stuck. She closed her eyes sighing.

"Khushi, are you there? Did you see me in your dream? What I did that you took off from the office?"

"I think you are crossing your limits."

"Could you tell me, what's my limit?"

"Learn, how to talk to a woman whom you have no relationship with..."

"I'm talking to a woman with whom I want to get a relationship, Khushi"

"Sir, try to understand me... my son is thinking his father is in a Gulf country. I can't show someone and tell him he is your father. What will he think about me? he is a small kid. He can't understand anything. I don't want to be a wrong mother in my son's eyes."

"You are becoming a wrong mother snatching your son's happiness, Khushi. Abhi will not think of you wrong because I will be with you to make him understand. The much I know, Abhi is wiser than you. Try to understand that... bye"

Arnav disconnected the call. Khushi put the receiver with annoyance.

To be continued...