Part 3 Arjun

Garima and Shashi didn't leave Khushi alone. They could not conclude anything about the strange situation. They didn't know what Khushi would do. They were horrified by the sudden turn of events. They could not conclude in what state Khushi was and, whether she was Khushi or Indhu. Khushi responded to them when they called her Khushi. She called them Amma and Babuji. She spoke in Hindi and sometimes Telugu. They were confused. Who was she, Khushi, or Indhu?

Mehtas got ready to go to Delhi the next day as per the plan. Doctor Avinash also was ready with his stuff. He saw Shashi standing at his room's doorstep, seeking his permission to enter.

"Please come in, Mr. Gupta"

"Sorry to disturb you, Doctor"

"No no, nothing is like that. Your daughter has become my patient, you can meet me anytime. I ought to answer you"

"We are confused, Doctor. Who is my daughter now? My daughter is dead. She resurrected and said she was Indhu. She doesn't deny we are her parents. She didn't behave like a stranger to us. We can say she is continuing as Khushi. Yet, she talks Telugu with herself. Sings Telugu song. What's her real condition Doctor? Who is she?" Shashi asked worriedly.

"She is Khushi... she got her previous birth memory in which her name is Indhu. So, both are the same. Indhu took birth as your daughter Khushi and remembered her previous birth husband. Her ONLY aim of this birth will be finding Arjun because she searched for him after waking up from death."

"Is finding him even possible?"

"I can't say anything as of now. We thought she was dead... but she came alive. If it was possible, finding Arjun would also be possible"

"From where will she find him?"

"I have no answer, Mr. Gupta. She may find Arjun... or, may not find..."

"What would she do if she can't find him?"

"She will keep on looking for him"

"Can't we change her mind?"

"Ninety-nine percent, No. I'm going to counsel her with the ONE PERCENT of hope"

Shashi closed his face with his palms.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Gupta. I can understand your state but, you should understand the truth. I would like to tell you the same that I told Anirudh. Don't expect anything from your daughter. She is alive. Feel happy about it. Live with her. Go with the flow"

Shashi nodded yes.

"You are a bank manager, right?"

"Yes, Sir"

"You said you would try for your transfer. Will you get it?"

"I will get it. It's already been two years since I've been serving in the branch office. However, I will get a transfer in a month or two. I will request for Delhi branch this time"

"That's nice... I will help Akash to find a flat in Delhi"

"Thank you, sir"

Taking his bag, Avinash walked out with Shashi. At the same time, Mehtas also came with their luggage. Anirudh searched for Khushi.

"Where is Khushi?" he asked

"She is in Garima's room," Said Shashi.

Anirudh walked to Garima's room to meet Khushi before leaving Allahabad. He saw her sitting on the broad window panel, looking outside, mumbling something. Anirudh came close to her and got irritated as she was singing a Telugu song.

*Ye Rojaithe Chusano Ninnu Aaroje Nuvvaipoyaa Nenu...* (Did you see me on that day? Or did you just happen to look away?)

"Khushi..." he called her.

Khushi looked at him plainly.

"We are leaving"

She nodded ok.

"I will be waiting for you"

She stared at him for a few seconds and said,

"Arjun will also be waiting for me"

Anirudh was about to say something, they heard,

"Anirudh beta, Mehtaji is calling you. you are getting late," Shashi said.

Anirudh gulped down with disappointment. He knew Shashi didn't want him to speak anything about Arjun to Khushi. He left the place.

Akash touched his parents' feet before leaving Allahabad. Shashi and Garima sent them off and came inside.

"Are you going to the office today?" Garima asked.

"No... I will be at home until you and Khushi go to Delhi"

"How can we say when will Akash get a house?"

"Let it be anything, I can't leave you and Khushi alone"

Garima sighed.

"Go and be with Khushi," Shashi said.

Garima nodded ok. She came to her room. Khushi was still sitting on the window panel. Garima came to her and caressed her hair. She saw something had been written with chalk on the wall in some other language. Garima guessed it must be Telugu.

"What have to write, beta?"

"Arjun," she said smiling at the name.

Garima sighed.

"We are going to go to Delhi to stay with Akash. Shashiji will also come to Delhi on transfer" Garima said. She wanted to make Khushi ready to go to Delhi.

Khushi was silent.

"Do you remember we went to Delhi once?"

Khushi nodded yes.

"You bought a sweater there. It was red in color"

"Pink," Khushi made a correction.

Garima huffed in relief. Khushi didn't forget anything that happened during this birth. So, there was no confusion. She was their child only.

.......

Within a week, Akash found a flat in Delhi. No need to say, Anirudh arranged it. Garima and Khushi got ready to move to Delhi. After sending all the things through packers and movers to Delhi, Shashi brought Garima and Khushi to Delhi. He was not ready to send them alone even though Akash was there.

Dropping them in Delhi, Shashi returned back to Allahabad. Khushi and Garima settled down in Delhi with Akash. Khushi didn't react to anything. According to her, there was no difference between Allahabad and Delhi. Both were the same until she met Arjun in her life.

Garima and Akash were dumbfounded whenever she talked in Telugu. She talked in Telugu whenever she was angry or fed up. She sang Telugu songs forgetting herself, not only NINETIES songs but also the latest songs because she started watching them on YouTube. But she repeated the same song again and again that she sang when she woke up from DEATH.

Akash and Garima took her to Avinash's *Mind Space* Clinic for counseling every week. Doctor Avinash dealt with her with an extreme level of patience. He didn't stop her from talking about Arjun. Khushi became enthusiastic whenever he asked about Arjun because he was the only person who TRUSTED her words. Though the treatment was for her to forget Arjun she remembered him more than before. It increased in every session.

That week, Akash took her to counseling as Garima had a heavy headache.

"What was Arjun doing?" Avinash asked a random question.

"He was a sugar merchant..."

"Oh... how did your meet happen?"

"Through my friend Farida... her brother Aadhil and Arjun are friends. He comes to their house and shop often. I met him at their shop for the first time"

Avinash noticed one thing. Whenever Khushi talked about Arjun, she talked in PRESENT TENSE.

"What shop?"

"Bangle shop... their shop is so popular in the Charminar area. Beautiful and new design bangles are available at their shop. Tourists who visit Charminar buy bangles from their shop"

"Don't you feel like going there?"

"No... Pradeep will be there. He will kill me again. Then how could I marry Arjun?" She talked clearly.

"What if Arjun is there?"

"I think no"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not there. Likewise, Arjun would also not be there"

"You and Arjun are dead in the previous birth. Now, you are here. Where is Arjun?" he pretended like thinking.

"He will come...soon"

"What if he doesn't?"

"Have you gone mad uncle? He is my Arjun. If I'm here, he will also come here"

"What if he doesn't remember you?"

"He will also remember me... if he doesn't, I will make him remember me"

"Ok, he will come. But, why are you wasting your time? You can find a job and pass your time usefully"

"I don't think thinking about Arjun is a waste of time"

"OK, but if you go for a job, you will get many opportunities to find him. You can't do it if you sit at home. Right?"

Khushi nodded yes thoughtfully.

"You may be right..."

Avinash smiled with hope for the first time. He thought Khushi would get diverted if she found a job. Avinash smiled at Akash who nodded with satisfaction. After finishing the counseling, she came out with Akash.

"I will bring the car," Akash said.

"I will be waiting outside," she said.

Akash nodded ok and went to the parking whereas Khushi came out. She jerked when she heard a car horn sound. she jumped behind and banged on someone. To balance herself, she gripped something tight and saw it was a TIE. She looked at the owner of the tie and her eyes widened. Her eyes tear up swiftly.

"ARJUN..." she murmured.

The man tried to pull his tie from her clutch.

"Arjun you came... I found you..." She said with happy tears.

"Excuse me, miss... I'm not Arjun but ARNAV" the man said.

To be continued...