Part 47 The call

I wanted to know whether Khushi would tell me about the phone call. If she didn't, the matter was serious. I kept my phone back in the same place. I saw Khushi coming out of the washroom. I smiled at her and she too did but artificially.

"Khushi, let's have dinner first. I want to tell you about something important"

"What's that?"

"I will tell you after dinner,"

"About what?"

"About our schedule... didn't I say, I scheduled our programs for the upcoming three months?"

She smiled, of course artificially.

"Let's go..."

Clutching her hand, I walked downstairs.

There were a lot of choices on the table. I noticed Khushi had dinner with some deep thought. Her concentration was not on food. I leaned towards her and said,

"Khushi, have slightly... if you eat heavy, you will not be comfortable tonight,"

I again got the same artificial smile from her. I too was not interested in eating. How could I eat when my wife was out of the mood?

We came back to our room. Khushi went to bed and lay which surprised me more. I touched her forehead. She looked at me jerking.

"What happened to you?" I asked with concern.

"No...thing..."

I nodded no.

"I'm alright Arnav"

"Khushi, you are talking to ARNAV... don't forget that"

She sat on the bed and gulped down hard. Taking the TV remote, I switched the TV ON and Alan appeared on the screen. It was Khushi's favorite program and she forgot it. I looked at her calmly.

"I... just..." she stammered.

"Who called me, Khushi?" I asked, raising my phone.

Khushi was stuck. She looked at my phone and then at me.

"You attended it, right?"

She gulped down.

"Who's call is this?"

"Don't you know..."

I shrank my eyes and nodded NO.

"You could dial the number and get to know whose call it was" she said.

"I did... the phone was switched off and the name was not displaying in the TRUE CALLER too"

"Why did you give heed to this number?" She asked me.

"Because I saw a sudden change in my wife's expression when I was out of the washroom. In between the short time, my wife attended a call that came to me... How could I take it easy?"

Khushi looked at me wondering.

"Don't look at me like that Khushi. I can read you. There is nothing to be wondered. Tell me what changed your mood all of a sudden?"

Khushi was silent.

I lifted her chin,

"I asked you something, Khushi..."

"It was a wrong call"

"WRONG for whom?"

Khushi didn't reply.

"Khushi, understand our situation. We are in a critical position. We could be attacked from any direction and any way...! Don't become weak and give a chance to those who are waiting to HIT us in our WEAKNESS"

"What's our weakness, Arnav?"

More than her question, the way Khushi asked me shocked me. Her face was stony. I could not understand what condition she was in. Something was terribly wrong. I understood someone played with her emotions brutally. If she was not even ready to share whose call was that, the caller must have broken the trust she had in me.

I lay on my side and closed my eyes not talking further. I didn't want to provoke Khushi's temper. I could see the difference. She might utter something in anger that I could not tolerate.

I looked at her turning my face and found her facing opposite to me. What would have happened? Who called me? What the person told Khushi that broke her to this extent?

Mithra's smirking face flashed in my mind. Was she the one who playing with Khushi? Maybe... who else other than she wanted Khushi's heartbreak? If it was she, she must be appreciated for doing that in a single call.

I knew Khushi had not slept yet. I touched her upper hand.

"Khushiii..." I called her slowly.

In no time, Khushi turned towards me and hugged me tight. She burst out crying making me devastated.

"Khu...shi... what happened? Khushi..."

She pushed me hard and got down from the bed. She rushed to her private room and closed the door, leaving me horrified. I had no idea when she opened it. I could not bring my state in words. I was that angry with whoever the ****** was.

Taking my phone, I called my friend Harikesh. He didn't attend the call. I was annoyed understanding that he would be drunk. I sat on the bed with seething blood. I closed my eyes. I should not lose my temper. That was the time I had to be balanced. My single move could complicate things. I wanted to think, calming my mind. But how could I calm my mind when it was whirling in the sandstorm like a problem?

But, I swore, whoever it was, I would teach that B**** a lesson.

Taking my phone, I looked at the phone number again. I thought something and changed my call setting into AUTO recording. I wanted to know what was spoken. Without knowing that, I could do nothing. I didn't even know whether the person would call me again. Yet, I did that. I could not miss any simple chance to find out the problem. Of course, I could force Khushi but I didn't want to do it because I didn't know the severity of the problem. I didn't sleep the whole night. It was the longest night of my life.

The next morning

Khushi didn't come out of the room. I got ready and left the Mini Palace. I was driving the car. That was when I got a call from Harikesh. I attended it.

"Sorry for not attending your call last night, Dude. You know me..."

"Yeah... that's ok..."

"Tell me why did you call me?"

"Someone is playing with my wife"

"Who?"

"Don't know... I don't know what he/she told my wife. She is upset with me"

"Didn't you ask her anything?"

"Do you think I would not have?"

"Mmm"

"I don't know what the person told her that she was upset to this extent"

"Send me the number"

"Already done"

"Oh, I will check it"

"Find out the person"

"Yeah..."

I disconnected the call.

The whole day went with annoyance. Though I didn't show it to others I felt nothing good. The girl who wanted to spend the next three months with me cheerfully was not talking to me well. She cried damn it...! What the hell was wrong with her? I felt like breaking everything around me.

Something sparked in my mind. I dialed Preeto. She attended the call.

"Hello, Bhai, how are you?"

"I'm doing good. Did you call Khushi recently?"

"Yeah, today also I called Khushi"

"Oh... what did madam say?" I asked not showing my anxiety to her.

"She was busy when I called her..."

"Busy?"

"Yeah, she was in the kitchen"

I felt it odd. I knew she talked to Akash when she was in the kitchen the other day. it was me who passed her phone to her. So, she avoided talking to Preeto by giving an excuse.

"Oh, yeah, she avoids distractions while cooking..." I managed.

"But, I'm highly disappointed with you, Bhai. Khushi is not coming to our house these days. You said she would not come to my house to cook but only to meet me. but she doesn't even remember me these days. It's because of you..."

"Why don't you visit Mini Palace?"

"It's because it's a PALACE... I always feel uncomfortable entering Palace"

"But your friend is there, right? She will make you comfortable"

"Maybe... but I have not thought of visiting it"

"Oh... I thought to know about Khushi's mind condition about going to London through you"

"What's there to know, Bhai? She must be flying in the sky" Preeto chuckled.

I didn't know what to say.

"Thanks for making her dreams come true... you are a gentleman. Take care of her, Bhai"

"Yup," I disconnected the call.

Preeto said I was a gentleman which pricked me because I was not sure Khushi would still be in the same thought.

I leaned on the car seat, closing my eyes. That was when I got a call from Harikesh. I attended it hurriedly.

"Yeah, Harikesh..."

"ASR, the number was OLD one"

"Means?" I frowned.

"The SIM was oldest. It must have been purchased before Aadhaar cards came into vogue"

"But, after Aadhaar came into vogue, every number was linked with it, right?"

"But, only one number is linked with one Aadhaar... if you have two or three numbers, you don't have to link all of them with the Aadhaar card, right?"

I was speechless.

"I tried to trace the number but I could not"

"Why?"

"It must be a satellite phone but don't worry. I will try to trace it out"

"Thank you"

I was back to square one but I was clear about ONE thing. Mithra must be behind this because no one would hit me so deeply and severely. Though it was just a guess I was so strong about it.

I reached home finishing my WORK an hour earlier than usual. I galloped to our room and saw the door was not closed. I slowly peeped in and saw Khushi lying on the bed, looking at the roof blankly. Her saddened face irked me. I pushed the door and entered. Khushi sat on the bed. I went to her and was supposed to touch her shoulder, but she moved away hurriedly.

"Khushi, what's your problem?" I asked.

She stood quietly, facing her back to me.

"How could I solve the problem if you don't tell me anything?"

She stood, not looking at me. I turned her towards me and made her look at me.

"Khushi I don't know what's disturbing you. Whatever it is... I will soon sort it out. It's my promise"

I went to the washroom and pretended to lock the door. If my guess was right, my phone would ring now. As I expected, my phone rang. Khushi attended the call. After hearing the other side, Khushi asked,

"Who are you?"

She looked at the phone screen as the call was disconnected. I came out of the washroom hurriedly. Khushi looked at me. I snatched the phone from her hand and ran the audio.

*Arnie baby, before going home, just drop me a message. Then, I won't call you. See, Khushi attended my call yesterday* A woman's voice said. The call was disconnected when Khushi asked, *Who are you?*

To be continued...