Part 16 As per the plan

"Arnav met with an accident", Akash said, making Khushi horrified.

Khushi rushed to him and held his shoulders.

"What did you say? What did you say?"

"Haan, Khushi, it's a call from Abroad. It seems Arnav gave me my phone number as an alternative number. When he was examining their new chemical plant, part of the plant collapsed and fell on him but his life is not in danger."

Khushi sighed with tears.

"The company is sending him to Mumbai for treatment."

"Mumbai?"

"Yeah, it seems his company is collaborating with the hospital. Khushi, you just got your eyes operated on. You should not cry. Arnav wanted you to get your vision back. If you cry, your eyes will spoil. Don't make his effort go in vain..."

Khushi bit her lip and tried but she could not.

"I want to see him."

"Don't worry. we will go to Mumbai, ok?"

She nodded ok and wiped her cheek.

"Amma, we don't know how many days we must stay in Mumbai. However, I will have to shift to Mumbai in a month or two. I will find a broker online and ask him to find a house..."

"We need money to settle down in Mumbai. What will you do?"

"I will try to get a loan from my friends."

"No need. We have a lot of expenses there. Transportation and advance for the new house, and we don't know Arnav's condition. We don't know how long he will be in the hospital. After all, he is our son-in-law... we should support him. Calculate everything..."

"It seems we need a few lakhs there," Akash said sadly.

"Do one thing... try to get money by mortgaging our house."

Khushi looked at her shockingly.

"It seems we have no choice..." Akash said.

"But, Amma... it's the only property you have"

"So what, Khushi? Akash got a job in Mumbai. He will settle down soon. Stand for Arnav is a must now. Who does he have other than us? Nothing more than Arnav. If he is fine, you will be happy." Garima asked.

Khushi was surprised. She knew Garima was not so generous. But now she amazed her by her behaviour. It seemed she liked Arnav very much. That was why she was ready to do anything for him. More than that, she would not be in Goa if Akash had joined the job in Mumbai. She must have thought about it. However, they understood how good Arnav was. That made her glad.

"Mom, I will go to the bank regarding the mortgage. You start packing our things. I will book our tickets."

"Ok..."

Khushi didn't know that they already sold their house to their neighbour, Mr. John Paul, who wanted extra land to build a colossal bungalow in Goa that was his NATIVE. Though he didn't ask for Gupta's land directly Guptas knew that. Both of them used the chance in their favour. John Paul settled half of the hot payment before the registration and settled the remaining payment right after the registration. It happened when Khushi was in the hospital.

Garima and Akash requested that Mr John Paul not tell Khushi about it. John Paul accepted their request and allowed them to stay in the house until they left Goa.

They sold out the house urgently because they had no idea to come back to Goa again for any reason. So, they sold the house. Garima deposited the amount in her name. They were going to Mumbai, breaking all the ties with people related to Goa. Akash broke his old SIM card as he didn't want anyone to contact him.

The next day

Khushi packed her things with a heavy heart. How many dreams did she have about her first meeting with Arnav? She didn't expect to see him in the hospital bed as a patient. It was all fate. She prayed Devi Maiya would be with her Arnav to safeguard him.

Akash came home and searched for Garima. He saw Khushi lying in her room, looking at the ceiling blankly.

"Khushi, don't be stressed. Go and meet your friends... you will feel relaxed" he intentionally asked her to meet her friends because he didn't want her to suspect them, and he knew Khushi would not like to meet anyone in her gloomy mood.

Khushi sat on the bed and nodded no, as Akash guessed.

"Why Khushi?"

"I don't want to meet anyone but Arnav. Until I see him, I can't be relaxed," She choked.

"Ok... we are leaving tonight."

"Really? Do we get our tickets?"

"Yeah, I got it through an agent because Arnav was brought to Mumbai this morning."

"How is he?"

"It seems a big iron pipe fell on his throat."

"Whaaat?"

"Yeah... it seems the condition is a little critical."

Khushi closed her eyes and cried.

"Khushi, please stop crying. If Arnav sees you crying like this, he will lose confidence."

Khushi wiped her cheek.

"It seems my bad luck chased him abroad. That's why he is facing a worse phase of his life."

"He will be alright. Your LOVE will give him strength."

Khushi cried, hugging Akash. Garima smiled at him.

"Go, Khushi, wash your face and get ready. We have no time."

Khushi nodded ok and stopped.

"Akash, why didn't Payal come to meet me? Doesn't she know about my operation?"

"She came after your operation. You were unconscious at that time. After that, she became busy working under Target."

"Shall I talk to her?"

"Just now, I called her, but she didn't answer my call. I think she is busy. You can talk to her when she calls me back."

Khushi nodded, "OK." Akash was well prepared to answer Khushi without getting stuck because he knew what she would ask him.

Khushi thought something and looked at Akash. He raised his brows.

"Where is your old college album?"

Akash smiled.

"Whaaat?"

"Arnav is brilliant."

"why?"

"He understood you well. That was why he took all the albums to his house" he laughed.

Khushi dropped her jaw and pouted.

"He knew you would try to see him. He wants to see your face when you meet him for the first time. But..." he sighed.

"I'm still in the same excitement... of course, Arnav, too. You don't know him. He won't show his pain but only happiness. That's what my Arnav is," Khushi said, controlling her sob.

Akash scratched his forehead. It seemed he should not talk about Arnav.

Guptas left Goa that night and boarded the train. Khushi sat on the window seat, thinking about Arnav. She was indeed sad about Arnav's present condition, but at the same time, she was excited to meet him. However, it would be an unforgettable moment in her life. She smiled... and lonely tears slipped from her eye.

.......

It was just two days since Arnav didn't talk to Khushi. He became mad. Why didn't Khushi call him? So what if she missed her phone? Couldn't she make a call through Akash's phone? Or, couldn't she call him from her friend's phone? What the hell was wrong with the girl? Here, how excited he was about her... why wasn't she the same as him?

Arnav called Payal. She attended it.

"Hi, Arnav... how are you?"

"Fine... did you meet Khushi?"

"No Arnav... I'm working on target. I will meet her this weekend."

"Didn't you meet her after her operation?"

"Operation? What operation are you talking about?"

"Eye operation. Didn't you know about it? She got her vision back..."

"Whaaaat? When?"

"Yesterday, her Band-Aid was removed..."

"Arnav, I don't know what to say. Why Akash didn't say anything to me?"

Arnav didn't know what to say. He thought Payal would give him an answer but raising an unanswerable question, she made him more confused.

"Payal, could you please meet Khushi tomorrow?"

"Yeah, not for you... I want to meet Akash and ask him why he didn't tell me about Khushi's operation. I will definitely slap him hard," she said angrily.

Arnav was also in the same state as Payal but could not do anything.

To be continued...