Chapter 2

Khushi squatted in front of the washing machine and put the last piece of cloth from the laundry bag inside. Washing clothes was the least tiring job in Arnav's house.

When Arnav told her that he lives alone in the house and doesn't entertain any guests, Khushi thought her work load in the house will be minimum compared to the other three houses she worked before. However, Arnav only made her sweat. He drank fifteen coffees a day and every time in a new coffee mug. Imagine her surprise when she finds he has thirty coffee mugs. Each one, he swears, is a gift. "What do I say? I don't have creative friends or colleagues." So, he honors everyone by using every single one. Khushi, everyday, spends half an hour coffee mug hunting for he has the habit of leaving them where he finishes the coffee and doesn't bother to place them in the sink. He leaves newspaper unfolded, clothes scattered, doesn't clean steamed bathroom mirror, let's wash basin clog with hair and even throws trash only around the bin never inside it. No wonder that no woman lives in the house. One could get a migraine just looking at the sight of house every morning.

Khushi didn't bother asking Arnav about his marital status or relationship. He often only cribs about his mother and even makes call to her when Khushi asks anything regarding house decisions. "What do you use, Surf or Rin?" she asked him to which he looked at her cryptically and questioned, "Do I use them?" So, Khushi found out that he is a totally dependent mumma's boy and there was no other woman in the picture. Though she often wondered if she should bring it in casual conversation during occasional coffee they have together, just out of curiosity, she couldn't bring herself to be nosy. She loathes when someone questions about her relationship status, so she isn't going to put someone else in that position.

As much as her job with Arnav was not as easy as she expected, the way was way too generous than anyone she has ever met was willing to offer. With the lady, her previous employer, Khushi has to fight and beg before she agrees to give even quarter of what Arnav pays. He even made a small scene of signing employee employer agreement, neatly printed A4 sized paper with terms and conditions.

Best of all, he gave her his wife password on the very first day and told her that she can use it without limitation as his company pays the bill. There is nothing more Khushi wants than free wifi. It helped her in more ways than not and her expense has been cut to half as now she gets to do all her work with his free internet. He also isn't threatened by any of her suggestions to make the house better or bothered by her when she uses her laptop.

Albeit he was a bit messy, he was generous, considerate, if Khushi can be honest with herself, very cute, Khushi was going to stick to doing what an employee has to do.

***

Arnav liked his new house help. She was non-judgmental, non-preachy, kept to herself and most importantly respected his privacy. Some things that women in his life, including his previous house help and especially his own mother, had hard time understanding.

Khushi was even efficient. She did the job for which she was hired even if it included putting up with his disorganized way of living. Unlike Selvi amma, who wanted him to 'keep the house neat before I come', she knew her work well.

As reward for her efficiency, Arnav has been liberal in letting her use his wifi and sometimes even turning blind eyes to her finishing his Sunday crosswords in newspaper, something he looks forward whole week since he was ten. If not anything, at least her quick crosswords solving skills has only made him more interested about her life outside being his house help. For God's sake, she knew the word Impignorate for which even he has to use a dictionary.

He was not ignorant to the way she conducted herself with such poise and professionalism as if she was not a house help but his associate in a corporate setting. She spoke fluent English. He knew this because he heard her communicate with such fluency when she had to place complain regarding problem with the oven. He saw her with a Murakami book and not to forget the extra hours she spends, after all her work is done, perched on the living room with her laptop and doing God knows what with intensity that can only reserved for serious business and not random surfing.

Who was she?

If it was few months ago, Arnav would have shared the eccentricities of his of house help with certain someone with whom he shared everything. And that certain someone would have borrowed logic from Korean dramas they were obsessed with and convinced him that his house help was a secret spy. Then they both would have laughed about the absurdity of idea while sharing peri peri potato rings and mint lemonade, just the way they like.

This was now and Arnav was not ready to go back to 'what ifs' no matter how tempting it sounded. He hasn't come a long way from what happened. He has only just started the journey of infamous moving on. It is no time to think about the past.

No matter how inquisitive his house help made him, with her polished demeanour and unbefitting looks and talks for a house help, he was going be the perfect gentleman and stay away from invading her personal space and questioning her about things like one of those nosy persons who make his blood boil.

Albeit she was a bit mysterious, he was efficient, brilliant, if Arnav can be honest with himself, very easy on the eyes, Arnav was going to stick to doing what an employer has to do.

***

"This was delivered for you yesterday." Khushi said handling a packet to Arnav."You were in the shower. I kept it beside the TV and forgot to give you."

Arnav took the packet from her casually, but on seeing the transparent polythene cover of the packet reveal new month edition of Playboy magazine, his eyes widened. He looked at Khushi and lifted his shoulder rather discomfited. "This isn't mine."

Khushi lifted her head from dusting throw pillows. Her eyes danced with mockery as she smiled at him sneakily.

"Hey! You don't have to feel shy." She shrugged. "I don't judge you."

"No, no, Khushi. It is definitely not mine." He waved the packet. "Why would I order something like this?" Arnav laughed like Khushi is suggesting something absolutely absurd. "I am not a horny teenager, you know. I have some class."

Khushi nodded her head in acceptance. "Of course, some class." She then slyly added. "You only go to p*rnhub .com."

"How did you find out?" left Arnav's mouth even before his mind began to form words to deny the accusation. He closed his eyes cursing his bad timing even as Khushi threw her head back and laughed.

It was an unfortunate one time incident when Khushi was mopping Arnav's room and saw his laptop opened to a porn website. The first thing Khushi felt was annoyance. She had placed Arnav in high regards and was disappointed that he would stoop to low levels of other men Khushi have witnessed who put a woman in uncomfortable, perverted situation as poor act of seduction. However, soon she realized that it was a genuine mistake from his part and he didn't even realize that she could have seen the screen. That only made the whole situation hilarious in Khushi's mind. Of course, she was not going to judge a man for watching porn. As far as he keeps his business to himself, who cares.

Khushi didn't mean to bring it up ever. But, his awkward deer caught in the light look only encouraged her to crack a joke or two at his expense.

Khushi fisted her palm and touched her heart. "No judgement, I swear."

Arnav bit his lower lip and looked uncomfortable switching on his heels trying to figure out what to say.

"I am sorry." He ended up apologizing, another bad awkward answer that made Khushi chuckle.

Khushi bit the insides of her cheek to stop laughing and nodded her head. "It's your life. Don't be sorry." As Khushi began to continue dusting the pillows, she casually said something that she regretted even before the sentence was over.

"You need to find a girlfriend, though."

Khushi immediately bit her lips and lifted her head to look at Arnav apologetically.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to be presumptuous." she said. "It was just a bad jibe. I have no rights to comment on your personal life."

Arnav was understanding. He was too eager to end this tongue-tied interaction with her that he was forgive any insolence from her part.

"That's very disrespectful of me." Khushi shook her head. "I don't even know if you already have a girlfriend or not."

"I don't."

"I am sorry. I mean not about not having girlfriend, of course, but for..." Khushi didn't even remember anymore why she was actually apologizing.

"I was married." Not that either of them wanted to have that conversation, but it was good to get things out of the way. "Now I am not in any relationship."

It seemed to Khushi like Arnav has said something that he was keen on not addressing and that has opened can of worms that he was not ready to endure. His face lost the blush that his embarrassment caused and instead became so pale that someone could say that he had seen a ghost. She wondered what had caused such grief, not that Khushi was going to try and find out. She was just concerned.

As Arnav turned on his heels to go to his room, Khushi called him. "You having no relationship has not altered the fact that I am not judging you for having certain tastes in... you know...what you watch." As an effort at good humour, she added, "If it makes you feel any better than I google Hrithik Roshan's shirtless pictures sometimes. "

Arnav chuckled and looked behind at Khushi. "That does make me feel better." He agreed with a smile. "But still Khushi, the magazine isn't mine. It must be a prank by a friend or something."

"Sure." She didn't want to add anything, so only nodded.

***

All the interesting parts will start from the next chapter.

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