Part 25 Another Move

Khushi was sitting on the bed, biting her nails nervously. What just happened? Did she accept Arnav's proposal? Did she ask his mother to come to her house to ask her hand for the wedding? Did she assure that she would accept their proposal if they came to their house? Adding to it, Arnav was on the conference call with them when she accepted the proposal. He heard her talk with his mother.

Was not the Collector a cunning man? How brilliantly he got his proposal accepted...! She pouted.

How would she face him from here on? She closed her face with her palms and shook hearing a phone ring. She took the phone and enlarged her eyes as the call was from none other than Arnav. She didn't know whether she should talk to him or not. At the same time, she could not ignore it as Arnav knew she didn't sleep. Making up herself, she attended the call.

"Hello..." she said in a delicate tone.

"You forgot to say something, Khushi"

"Whaaat Sir?"

"Welcome..."

"Welcome?"

"Yeah... didn't I say THANK YOU for accepting my proposal? So, you have to say welcome"

WELCOME? Should she welcome such activity that made her weak and helpless?

"Are you there, Khushi?"

"Jee..."

"Won't you welcome my smartness?"

Khushi sensed him smiling. No doubt he was indeed smart. Using his mother, he got her acceptance.

"Touch your heart and say, did you accept the proposal ONLY because my mother called you?" he asked.

Khushi was edgy. Did she accept the proposal only because Ratna called her? Not at all...! She accepted the proposal, it was because she liked Arnav.

"You accepted my proposal because you like me... will you say no?"

Khushi was perplexed.

"You were confused...! Or, maybe, scared...! I just thought of helping you to understand what you want. If you don't like me, you would not have accepted the proposal no matter who called you..."

He was not wrong. Just because his mother called her, would she have accepted the proposal?

"You respect me and my mother... that was why you could not lie to her. You don't have to be scared of anything... be relaxed and sleep peacefully... ok? Good night..."

"Sir..."

"Mmm?"

"Thank you..."

"For what? To make you realize yourself?"

"For making Akash's parent accept Payal, sir..."

"Did they accept?" he asked as if he was not sure about it.

"Because of you, they accepted her, Sir"

"I did that for you"

"For me?"

"Yeah, what if you reject me if I don't help your friends...? That's why I helped them" he chuckled.

Khushi was dumbfounded. She didn't know what he said was true or, if he was teasing her.

"Payal is a nice girl with social awareness... I can't lose the biggest participation of a loyal foundation work in the district. I hope Payal will continue her social work after her wedding too"

"She will, sir"

"Payal will continue... what about you? Will you continue doing social work after OUR marriage?" he asked teasingly but seriously.

Khushi again bit her nail.

"By the way, Khushi, why are you becoming silent if I talk about our relationship?"

Khushi became silent again.

"Ok... we will talk in person when you come to the collector's office tomorrow... good night" he disconnected the call.

Khushi looked at the phone all puzzled. Why did she go to the collector's office the next day? Why did he say that particularly? She didn't know.

The next day

Payal called Khushi. She attended the call.

"Congratulations, Payal..."

"For?"

"For your wedding, that's going to happen on the collector's headship"

"Thank you so much, Khushi. I didn't expect the collector sir would give us important to this extent. He went to Akash's house and talked to his parents, you know?"

"I know Payal..."

"I can't believe a collector can be so simple and easily accessible"

"Mmm..." Khushi remembered that he did that for HER.

"Payal, pack your things. You are going to come to my house..."

"That's ok, Khushi. I'm comfortable here"

"Did I ask your opinion? I said you are going to come... understand?"

"But, Khushi..."

"No IFs and BUTs... you are coming. That's final..."

That was when Khushi heard a BEEP of the second call. She saw Aman calling her. She was astonished. Why did Aman call her? Was he going to call her to the collector's office? Didn't Arnav say, he would talk to her in person when she came to the office the next day? She gulped down. However, she had to attend the call to know what the matter was.

"Payal, Aman Bhai is calling me. I will call you later after talking to him"

"Ok, carry on"

Disconnecting the call, she called Aman. He attended the call.

"Khushi come to the collector's office at 1 o'clock to meet the Collector, sir"

"To meet collector sir? But why?"

"He wants to talk to you about something, it seems"

"Don't you know what he wants to talk to me?"

"How do I know, Khushi? He is a collector. How do I ask him anything?"

Khushi was nervous. She was going to meet him after the confession. She didn't know how she was going to face him.

"Call your friends and ask them to come..."

"Whaaat?" Khushi frowned.

"Haan... Sir, wants to meet all of you"

Khushi sighed in relief. So, he didn't call her alone.

"Ok, bhai... we will come"

Khushi disconnected the call and conveyed the message to her friends.

Khushi got ready to go to the collector's office. She was a little relief as her friends coming with her. Yet, she was nervous.

Khushi went to the Collector's office. Her friends were waiting for her. They headed to the Collector's cabin. Khushi called Aman to convey their arrival.

Aman came out of Arnav's cabin and gestured for them to come in. They got in. Khushi was the one who entered last.

"Congratulations, guys..." Arnav wished them.

They looked at one another with confusion.

"Congratulations? For what, Sir?" Akash asked.

"Your foundation has been selected for the MOST ACTIVE SOCIAL ORGANISATION award this year," Aman said.

They were delighted, knowing that. They shook hands with one another. Payal hugged Khushi happily.

"You guys will get the award from the collector on Republic Day..." Aman smiled.

"Thank you so much, sir" Payal said.

"You deserve it," Arnav said smilingly and looked at Khushi.

"Thank you for standing for me, Sir," Payal said.

Arnav smiled.

"Did your parents ready to fix your wedding?" Arnav asked Akash.

"Yes, sir, they are in full swing but will fix the wedding according to YOUR DATE, sir"

"Fix the date. I will make myself free because the wedding date will be fixed according to your horoscope and all, right?"

"Yes, sir..."

"Make it soon as much as possible"

"Sure sir..." Akash smiled looking at Payal.

Arnav took his mobile and dialed Ratna, keeping it under the table. He disconnected the call just like how he did the other day when he called Arvind. As he expected, he got a call from Ratna. He attended the call.

"Hello, Mom..."

"Chotte, did you call me?"

Without answering her question,

"What so urgent to fix my wedding, Mom? We just proposed... let her decide"

Ratna frowned at first. Her eyes sparkled then.

"Is Khushi there?" she asked.

"You are right. I'm talking to NGO personalities"

"Did you bring her to your office?"

"Yes, it's the same NGO..."

"Does she become comfortable with you?"

"No way..." he smiled.

"Shall I talk to her?"

"Mmm... one minute..."

Arnav looked at Khushi who was looking down panicking.

"Khushiii..."

"Haan?" She jerked.

"Mom wants to talk to you" he extended the phone.

All four looked at them frowning. Why did Arnav's mother want to talk to Khushi? Khushi took the phone from his hand and spoke.

"Helloo..."

"How are you, BAHU?" Ratna asked and it was audible to Payal who was standing close to Khushi. She looked at Khushi shockingly.

Khushi closed her eyes.

"Very soon, you will become my Bahu. So, I started calling you now itself. My son is not a tough nut to crack. He is a nice man. If you get close to him, you will get to know that. Be cheerful. Ok?"

"Jee..."

"Give the phone to Chotte"

Khushi passed the phone to Arnav. He took it from her smilingly.

"I will talk to you tonight, Mom"

"Ok, Chotte... see you"

"Bye" he disconnected the call and looked at them who were looking at him.

"Is your marriage fixed, Sir?" Akash asked hesitatingly.

"Going to be... waiting for the FIRM approval of the BRIDE," he said looking at Khushi.

All of them looked at Khushi.

"I don't know why she is not accepting me..." he added.

All of them were confused. They could not conclude anything because they could not believe Arnav was talking about Khushi.

"Ok, guys, you may go now..." Arnav said.

They walked out. Aman gazed at Arnav.

"Sssiiirrr..."

"What you are thinking is right...! The girl is none other than Khushi"

Aman was shocked.

"There is nothing to be shocked. She is a nice girl and I liked her"

"Sir, why don't you talk to Guptaji? He will readily agree to your marriage..."

"He will agree and Khushi will accept the proposal just because her father wants it...let her decide..."

Aman frowned. He made his mother talk to Khushi but said he wanted Khushi to decide...! What the...!

On the other side, Khushi was surrounded by her friends.

"What's all this Khushi?" Payal asked.

"What?"

"Did the collector propose you?"

Khushi was silent.

"Why don't you accept him?"

"How do I accept him? He is a collector"

"But he likes you, it seems"

"I'm scared Payal... I don't know what to do"

"Simple... accept him"

Khushi sighed wearily.

"Why didn't you tell us about his proposal?" Akash asked.

"Can't you understand? She knew we would insist her to accept him" NK said.

"I don't think I deserve him..."

"When he doesn't care about it... when his parents are ready to accept you willingly, why are you bothering about it?" Payal said.

Khushi gulped down.

"Khushi, please don't think unnecessarily... he is a nice man. Please accept his proposal" NK said.

"Yes, Khushi... he is one in Thousand..." Payal said.

"Not one in a thousand but one in core..." Akash said.

"She will accept him..." Payal said firmly, making Khushi close her eyes.

Evening

Aman rushed to Arnav's cabin. Arnav raised his head and looked at him questioningly.

"What?" he asked. Aman's answer frustrated him to the core.

"Sir, Dev Sinha got a BAIL..."

To be continued...