Part 39 Demand

Khushi smiled at Lavanya and Sheetal pleasantly. That's when they saw the attendee of the office distributing sweet boxes to the staff. Khushi frowned as she didn't know what it was. Lavanya and Sheetal looked at her questioningly. Khushi shrugged her shoulders off like, I don't know. The attendee came to Khushi's cabin and gave the boxes to Lavanya and Sheetal also. They read the label on the box.

"From Mr. Arnav and Mrs. Khushi Arnav"

They smiled at Khushi who was dumbfounded. Arnav said nothing to her about it. Maybe, in her parents' tension, he would have forgotten to tell her. However, she liked his idea.

"All the best Khushi" Lavanya hugged her.

"Thank you"

Lavanya went to her cabin.

"You have made a good decision, Khushi," Sheetal said.

Khushi nodded with a smile. Sheetal also went to her cabin. Khushi headed to Arnav's cabin all smiling. She was about to knock on the door, but at the same time, Arnav opened the door and stepped out. He jerked, seeing Khushi, and jumped a step back.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I didn't see you coming..." he apologized which made her feel weird.

Khushi was baffled. Why did he apologize to her for the simple matter? She was gazing at him with an unnamed expression.

"That's...Ok..." she said thoughtfully.

"Do you want to say something?" Arnav asked.

"Oh... I... just..." she stammered.

"Come in..." Arnav again went in.

"No... I will come later" She turned to leave.

"Khushi..."

She looked at him.

"Come in..." this time, he said with a stern gaze that she could not disagree with.

She got in. Arnav sat on the table, pressing his right leg on the floor, and folding his hands.

"Tell me..."

"I saw the attendee distributing sweets..."

"Yeah, I'm rejoicing our wedding. We can't give a reception as we developed an interesting story about our wedding already. So, just thought to celebrate it with sweets" he smiled.

Khushi smiled while nodding her head.

"Actually, I thought to tell you about it on the way to the office but we met your parents and they messed up my mood. I'm sorry for not telling you that"

Khushi again nodded ok.

"I'm... going..."

"Won't you have a sweet?" he extended a box.

"I will have it with Abhi" she took the box from his hand.

Arnav folded his lip slightly and shook his head. Khushi left his cabin, taking the sweet box. Arnav saw a slight confusion on Khushi's face and he knew the reason. Though he felt bad he had no choice.

Khushi came to her cabin, thinking about Arnav. Why did he panic when they were about to bump into each other as if he was about to do something dishonest? Keeping the sweet box on the table, she began to do her work.

Lunch break

Khushi didn't notice the time as she drowned in the job that was assigned to her. She raised her head, hearing a coughing sound. Arnav was standing, leaning on her doorstep. He lifted his eyebrows smiling.

"When you were my PA, you never delayed my lunch. But after becoming my wife, you are doing the work not minding about feeding me. This is not fair, Khushi" he said with a hint of fake sadness.

Shutting down her computer, Khushi stood, taking the lunch bag. Arnav walked back to his cabin and Khushi followed him. she served him lunch, sitting in front of him. Taking a jalebi from a sweet box, Arnav kept it on her plate.

"I will ..."

Cutting her,

"You can have sweets with Abhi later. Now, have it with your husband" Arnav demanded.

Khushi became silent... she ate silently... and kept silent. Arnav was observing her.

"Khushi, are you alright?"

She nodded yes.

"But your face tells me something else..."

"What does it tell you?" she asked smilingly.

"In fact, it complains about you"

"Ohh... what's that?"

"Arnav, Arnav, why won't your wife smile? please ask your wife to smile. She is not looking cute without a smile..."

Khushi scratched her forehead with a slight blush, hearing CUTE from Arnav.

"Trust me, Khushi, you look CUTE while smiling" he pinched his Adam apple with his left hand, with a serious expression.

Khushi ate smilingly.

"You are welcome..." Arnav said and Khushi looked at him frowning.

"What did you say?"

"Your FACE thanked me for making you smile. That's why said, YOU ARE WELCOME to it"

"Are you talking with my face?" she chuckled.

"Of course, your face is the main character in my love story"

Khushi rolled her eyes smiling.

"Why did you cancel the meeting today?" Khushi asked.

"I didn't cancel it. Just postponed it to tomorrow"

"But, why?"

"This is not fair Khushi... won't you consider me as a NEWLY WEDDED MAN?"

Khushi got stuck. She didn't know whether he was talking seriously.

"Why are you looking at me like, I'm a ghost? Accept it or not... I'm a newly wedded man indeed"

Khushi smiled.

"Why are you smiling?"

Khushi nodded not controlling her smile.

"Tell me, Khushi"

"Nothing..."

"No... I know something is there in your mind. I won't allow you to leave my cabin if you don't say it. Am I not a newly wedded man?"

"You are the only man in the whole world who got married after having a six-year-old son," she said.

Arnav got stuck for a while and burst out laughing. Khushi joined him.

"Don't tease me, Khushi. I became a father indirectly with the help of technology but my son will become a father before his marriage DIRECTLY unlike me. Mark my words" he said laughingly.

That made Khushi awkward as he talked about the DIRECT things. She stood taking the boxes.

"I'm leaving..."

"Why? What happened to you all of a sudden?"

"I'm done"

"With what?"

"I mean I finished eating"

"So?"

"I'm going"

"Why so urgent?"

She looked at him, what I'm going to do, being here?

"We are husband and wife after all" he answered understanding the question her eyes threw on him.

"So?"

"You can consider our friendship at least..."

"Come to the conclusion whether we are friends or husband and wife" she alleged.

"Mmmm... I'm leaving the ball in your court. Choose what you want. I will go with you"

"Yeah... you will come with me when I go home" she teased.

Arnav rushed to her and blocked her way.

"You can't escape like this... tell me what's your choice"

"I don't have any choice. I used to go with the flow"

"Then, you definitely have to choose this time. I don't want you to be the same as before. I want you to feel the difference after Arnav's entry into your life"

"Why so?"

"Because I'm your husband"

"Then go with it..."

"Means?"

"Means, let's continue as husband and wife"

"Are you sure?"

"mmm"

"think again"

"Why?"

"I won't transform into a friend again"

"I don't think you have ever been a friend..."

Arnav bit his lip controlling his smile.

"By the way, why did you choose husband and wife instead of friendship?" he asked.

"Why? Do you have any problem with it?"

"No... not at all... I thought you would choose friendship"

"Why?"

"To keep me away from you"

Khushi looked at him thunderstruck. Taking a little time, she composed herself.

"We got married... I think we don't need a mask called friendship"

Arnav smiled, putting his hands in his pocket. Khushi took a step and stopped.

"Abhi will come from school at 4'o clock."

"I will drop you home"

"But why?"

"From today onwards, one among us will go home at 4'o clock for Abhi"

"But why?"

"I don't want us to leave Abhi at home alone"

"He used to it"

"It's because you had no choice. But now, we don't need to do that"

Khushi sighed.

"Wind up your work at 4'o clock. I will drop you home and will get back to work"

Khushi nodded ok.

Evening

As Arnav said, Arnav dropped her home.

"Bye, Khushi"

"Have coffee and go" She said.

"Okkkkk" he got down from the car.

At the same time, Abhi's school bus arrived. He looked upset. Arnav and Khushi spared a glance.

"Abhi, what happened? You look abnormal..."

"Dad, my classmate Nimesh's parents came to our school today"

"Ok..."

"Because they will not attend the teachers and parents meeting on Saturday"

"Why?"

"They are going outing"

"Do you want to go outing?"

"No... they brought Nimesh's little sister to our school."

"Oh..."

"She looked so cute..."

"Oh ho..."

"But, he didn't allow me to play with her. He said, she is his sister and I should not play with her"

"Mmm"

Abhi's next question made them dumbfounded.

"Why don't I have a sister, Dad?"

Arnav bit his inner lip and looked at Khushi who was looking embarrassed.

To be continued...