Part 61 Birthday

The next morning

Khushi opened her eyes, stretched her hands, and felt a different sensation in her body. She opened her eyes and saw Arnav reading her face. She smiled instantly.

"Feeling pain?"

She nodded no.

"I know you are lying"

"No pain, no gain"

Arnav was taken aback.

"What did you gain by getting pain?"

"I gained you..."

"How did you kn ow you gained me?" Arnav smiled.

"Not only me, everyone says that and I know you don't mind about it"

"Why should I mind? Is it a crime or what?"

She nodded no and took his hand away from her waist.

"Is it necessary to go earlier?"

"It is... You too come soon" She got off the bed smilingly and went to the washroom.

After a while, Arnav came to dining pretending to talk on the phone.

"Haan Aman ..."

"....."

"Is it?" He stood a few steps away from the dining.

"......"

"Are you sure? Did you see Shyam in Chennai?"

Raizadas stopped eating and looked at him.

"......."

"Ok, I will ask the inspector to do it"

"......"

"If you see him next time, follow him and get to know his whereabouts"

"....."

"Done" Disconnecting the call, Arnav came to the dining and sat.

"Shyam is in Chennai. Aman saw him there it seems" he said while dialing one of HIS men and pretending like talking with an inspector.

The call was attended.

"Yes sir..."

"Inspector sir, My manager Aman is in Chennai. He saw Shyam there"

"....."

"Is it?"

"...."

"Ok, sir. Please do it"

He disconnected the call.

"The police found Shyam's name in the passenger list of the Chennai flight," he said looking at Anjali.

"Ask the commissioner to catch him. He should not roam freely. He should rot in jail. Or else, he will ruin many lives" Anjali said wrathfully.

"Relax Di. I will take care of it"

Anjali calmed down.

After that, there were no issues in RM. Everything went smoothly.

After a few days

Arnav wondered seeing his wife being normal. She didn't do any antics but looked calm which surprised Arnav. He expected a few SPECIAL gestures from her because it was his BIRTHDAY the next day. His family members should have told her about his disinterest in celebrating his birthday. That was why she was quiet, he supposed.

At the same time, he also thought, how Khushi be quiet? Even though his family members told her about his disinterest, she was not a girl who would get compromised. She was not Khushi if she didn't do anything against him. She would do something and make him accept it. That was what Khushi was! He slept assuming.

The next morning

Arnav woke up and smiled at Khushi expecting her to wish him. She smiled pleasantly like always.

"Good morning," she said instead of wishing him on his birthday.

"Good morning"

"Go and get ready, Arnavji. You will be late to the office" She left the place.

Arnav looked at her retreating figure disappointedly. Was not she going to wish him? He came to the washroom and got stuck, seeing a NEW suit being kept there. That was it. Here, it came...! He rolled his eyes and took a bath. He came downstairs wearing the new suit as he didn't want to disappoint Khushi.

Raizadas smiled seeing him in a new suit. It was not his usual grey related THREE PIECE suit but an Aqua blue suit and tie with a dark blue shirt.

"Wow, Nannav... you look ravishing in this suit," NK said smiling.

Arnav looked at Khushi who nodded yes.

"Nice color," Said Akash.

"Khushi bought it for me"

"Is it, Khushiji?"

"I bought it long ago... just remembered last evening. So, kept it in the washroom for him to wear if he likes it" she said as if it was not a big deal.

Arnav looked at her shrinking his eyes. His eyes widened when Khushi served him his favorite breakfast, Pancakes with Almond Halwa and Orange juice.

"Wow... Pancakes...?"

"I made this WOWs for you"

"Do you know how to cook Pancakes?"

"I didn't... Chef. Google taught me"

Arnav ate it smilingly. He knew she cooked it as his birthday special. If she bought a new suit, and cooked his favorite food, why didn't she wish him? He didn't know.

Finishing breakfast, he stood up, smiling at Khushi.

"I'm leaving"

Khushi nodded ok. Arnav left RM with an awkward smile. Though she bought a suit, she cooked his food, he didn't feel complete without her wish. He wondered as no one from his family wished him. Anjali would wish him no matter what. She would not mind his annoyance but today, she too didn't wish him. Were all of them forgotten his birthday? Did Khushi buy the suit long ago as she said? He left RM with confusion.

AR

Arnav was thinking about Khushi without getting to work. He knew how much she loved him. She was not a girl who would get compromised with any of her ideas. Then how would she be silent without celebrating his birthday? That too, was his first birthday after their wedding. His mind didn't get into the work. What the...

Arnav's face lit up seeing Khushi coming with his lunch. He smiled. Didn't he know her? How could she be quiet?

"Hi..."

"Arnavji, you missed your lunch bag at home. That's why I brought it"

Arnav nodded plainly as her gesture was so simple and normal.

"Come on, Arnavji... I have a lot of work. While going home, I have to go to the market to buy vegetables"

Arnav came to her and sat on the couch. Before serving, she removed a paper containing a few pinches of vermillion. She kept it on his forehead.

"What's this?"

"I went to the temple..."

"Temple? What's special today?" he intentionally asked even after knowing she would have gone to the temple to pray for his betterment on his birthday.

Khushi's hand stopped for a few seconds and continued.

"Special? Should not I go to the temple without having anything special? I went to the temple every day when we were in Lucknow"

Arnav threw a meaningful gaze at her. She handed him the plate in which there was a minimum of ten dishes.

"Oiii..." He was taken aback.

"What?"

"What's this?"

"Felt bored... so, cooked variety of dishes. Taste it"

Arnav sighed inwardly. He said his birthday was not an important day but a normal day. It didn't mean she should behave so normal.

Arnav tasted them and they were so tasty. It was not hard for him to understand she did her best to prepare it.

"Khushi, did you cook these dishes just for to pass time?"

"Mmm..." she shrugged her shoulders, chewing the food.

After he finished eating, she left the office casually, making him drop his jaw.

Evening

Arnav came home soon and saw everyone eating Pasta.

"Pasta...?" Arnav murmured.

"White Sauce Pasta, made by Khushiji..." Anjali raised the fork smilingly.

"Very tasty..." Manorama said.

"I don't know it will be so good," Nani said.

"I too tasted it. It's good" Dadi said.

"Where is Khushi?"

"She just went to your room"

Arnav walked to his room.

"Get fresh and come fast, Chotte. Pasta is so good" Anjali said.

Arnav came to his room and didn't find Khushi in the room. He looked for her in the poolside and saw her planting a rose plant. Won't her surprises come to an end?

"Khushiiiii"

"Arnavji... did you come? Go and get fresh. I cooked pasta for EVERYONE, I get it heating up" She said, removing the gloves. She was supposed to go downstairs, but he pulled her towards him.

"What are you trying to do Khushi?"

"What?"

"Stop your drama... I know you"

"What do you know me?"

"New suit, variety of dishes for lunch, Going to the temple, Pasta as evening tiffin, planting a ROSE plant... what's all this?"

"What?"

Arnav folded his hands and looked at her, shrinking his eyes.

"Don't you do all this for my BIRTHDAY?"

"Birthday? When?"

Arnav raised his left brow. She looked at the calendar.

"Oh, is it your birthday today? I don't know it's your birthday"

"Khushi, why shouldn't you apply for an OSCAR award?"

"Oscar? How could I get it?"

"Stop..."

Khushi was about to say something,

"I said, stop..."

Khushi kept her index finger on her lips.

"I know you are doing all these special things for my birthday"

"Arnavji, how would I celebrate your birthday? Don't I know you don't want your birthday to be celebrated?"

"That's why you are celebrating it as if you don't celebrate it...?"

"Arnavji, what's your problem? You don't want to celebrate your birthday. So, I don't celebrate it. You don't want to be treated special. So, I don't treat you specially. Still, you are ready to fight with me..." She made an angry pout.

"So, is this all for my birthday?"

"Then what? Do you want me to be emotionless like you?"

"Am I emotionless?"

"Then what?" she moved towards him, making him move backwards.

"This is a special day that comes in a year. I'm your wife. Won't I feel to make it special to make you feel special? Who would be like you not like to be celebrated?" She stopped panting hard.

"I just don't want to trouble you..."

"If it is so, why did you gift me a bag worth rupees two lakhs?"

"I just..."

Cutting him,

"I'm not a multimillionaire like you to gift you like you did..."

"Don't talk like that... I and you are not different. You have all the rights in everything"

Khushi was stuck.

"I didn't mean it"

"Then what did you mean?"

"I... I just did what I could do..."

"No... you didn't"

"Didn't I?"

He nodded no. She bit her nail.

"You have not wished me yet"

Khushi smiled brightly and hugged him, making him smile.

To be continued...