Part 26 Rigid behavior

Arnav and Khushi were ready to go to Lucknow. NK sent them off taking all the responsibilities of the Mumbai zone on his shoulder.

Arnav boarded into the fight with Khushi. They buckled their seatbelts. Arnav clutched Khushi's hand when the fight took off. Khushi tried to take her hand from his clutch with a glare.

"I'm afraid of take-off... That's why... Please let me hold your hand" Arnav asked making a face.

"I have never seen such a pretender like you"

"Don't you trust me?" He asked feeling sad.

"Not only me... Even a newborn kid trusts you..." She sat straight.

"Look at his face... Does he think I trust his pretext?" She murmured.

"Khushi, you are talking enough louder and making me listen"

"So what if you listen? I don't afraid of you. Understand?"

"Yeah... Why would a wife be afraid of her husband? No need" he said leaning on her shoulder.

Khushi pushed him.

"Behave yourself"

"Arrey... I don't get time for a nap you know... Let me sleep"

Circling her hand, he leaned on her shoulder again.

Khushi sighed.

"Khushiiii..."

"Mmm?" She said looking outside through the window.

"Caress my hair..."

"Whaaaaat?"

"Help me to sleep quickly... Please"

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"I will surely do it for you after our marriage. Trust me"

"Will you please stop blabbering?"

"Will you please caress my hair?" Taking her hand, he kept it in his head.

Khushi clutched his hair tight intentionally.

"Aah haa... How pleasant your clutch is...! I thought I will get this chance only after our marriage..." Arnav said smiling dizzily.

"I'm sleepy," Khushi said.

"Do you want to lay on my lap?" He asked, raising his head.

She glared at him and closed her eyes, leaning on the seat. After a while, she dozed off. Arnav sat straight smilingly. He made her lean on his shoulder. He smiled, seeing her sleeping peacefully. She would be silent only when she sleeping. He chuckled.

Arnav didn't know why he was troubling her that he never did with anyone. He liked to trouble her. He didn't know why. He knew what he was doing. He was a gangster. A knife was hanging above his head to taste his life. That was why he never thought about, marriage, family, etc., etc., but, now, after meeting Khushi, he could not hold himself. Not that he didn't like it. He did. He liked this phase of life very much. That was a surprise to him also. He liked to play with Khushi... He liked to pull her leg... He liked to be with her. She was not wrong; no one would like to marry a rowdy. If someone instead than Khushi would have told that, he didn't take it seriously. Now, it made sense. He should think about it. Because he sensed interest in her. Though she fought with him there was no hatred in it. Didn't he see how she kicked Nishan when he tried to throw acid on a girl? He kissed her hair.

They reached Lucknow. Arnav tapped Khushi's cheek.

"Baby, we reached..."

Khushi opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings.

"We are in flight..." Arnav reminded her.

Khushi sat straight, neatening her dress. Taking their luggage, they came out. Hiring a cab, they headed to Gupta's house.

GH

Arnav got out of the cab in front of an old model house. Though it was old in the model it looked new. It should have been renovated a few years ago.

Khushi knocked on the door. A woman in her late fifties opened the door. She got stuck for a few seconds as she didn't expect Khushi there.

"Khushi bitiyaaaa..." The woman was delighted.

"How are you, Vimla maasi?"

"I'm fine, why didn't you inform your arrival to me in advance?"

"Just to surprise you"

"How is Payal?"

Khushi was about to say something, and Arnav interrupted her.

"Can I have some water?"

Vimla looked at him and then at Khushi. That look meant, who is he?

"He is my friend... He is here for some research"

"Friend? Really?" Arnav smirked, making Khushi's eyes widened.

Vimla raised her brows contently.

"I'm Arnav... Khushi's..." He was about to say, would-be husband,

"I already told her who you are... Let's go"

"Vimla massi, make him comfortable in the guest room"

Vimla nodded ok. She called someone.

"Dev..."

A boy in his early teens came.

"Hi, Dev..."

"Hi, Khushi didi"

"He is Khushi bitiya's friend. Take him to the guest room" Vimla said.

"Ok, ma... Come on sir" Dev walked, pulling Arnav's trolley bag.

Khushi was about to follow Vimla, Arnav stopped her, clutching her hand.

"Won't you take me to your room baby?"

"Shut up... This is Lucknow and this is Gupta house... Don't forget it"

"You are talking as if, we stayed together in Mumbai?"

"These guys are not as forward as you. Be careful"

Shrugging his hand off, she walked to her room.

Arnav went to the guest room as he noticed Dev entering a particular room.

"Hi, Dev..."

"Hi..."

"Are you working here?"

"No sir... I came here to help my mother after my college hours"

"Oh... That's nice"

"You can ask me anything you want, sir"

"Thank you..."

Dev walked out.

"Dev..." Arnav called him.

"Yes, sir...?"

"Sir sounds very formal... Call me something..."

"Like?"

"Jeeja?"

Dev raised his brows and smiled.

"Ok ok..." He walked.

Arnav smiled contently and got ready to face the cyclone called Khushi.

"Dev..." Vimla called him.

"Jee, Amma?"

"Take this water jug to his room"

"Jee... I will give it to Jeejaji"

"Jeejaji? Why do you say so?"

"Just feel to..."

Vimla frowned.

"Is not he looking handsome? Khushi didi looks so good with him"

"Shut your mouth. What will people think if you call him so?"

"I won't call him like that in front of anyone"

Dev left the place with the water jug. Khushi saw him going to the guest room. Dev smiled at her.

"I'm talking this for JEEJAJI," he said purposely.

"Whaaaat? Jeejaji? Why did you call him so?" She clutched his ear.

"He is the one who asked me to call so, didi"

Khushi left his ear. Somewhat she expected it. Snatching the water jug from his hand, she walked to the guest room. Coming to the room, she kept the jug on the table with a thud, making Arnav jerk.

"What did you tell to Dev?"

"What did I say?"

"Why did you ask him to call you Jeejaji?"

"I didn't ask him to call me Jeejaji..."

Cutting him,

"Don't lie..."

"I won't lie... I just asked him to call me Jeeja... Not Jeejaji... I'm not a respect seeker, you know"

Khushi gritted her teeth.

"However he is going to call me Jeejaji in some days..."

"What do you think of me? Haaannn?"

"Ok... Come to the point... Don't you like me?"

"Noooo..." She turned opposite to him and folded her hand.

"Are you sure?"

"Haannn sure"

"Ok..." He sighed.

Taking the water jug, he drank water. Keeping the jug on the table,

"Do you have any idea about the documents?" He asked seriously, changing his attitude suddenly.

"I have to check it"

"Do it..."

Khushi nodded ok.

"Right now..." He said sternly.

Khushi walked to her father's room and Arnav followed her.

The room looked spacious. He saw Shashi and Garima's photo being kept in the room. Arnav stood looking at them. Khushi saw him and said,

"My parents"

Arnav nodded yes. Khushi sensed it was not good. His sudden rigid behavior disturbed her.

Khushi went to the table where there was a Krishna statue being kept. She lifted the statue and took a key from under it. Khushi opened the old wooden closet with the key. There was nothing other than clothes and a few silver things in the closet. Khushi searched in it well but found nothing.

"What happened?"

"No documents here"

"Where else it could be? Bank locker or something...?"

"If there is a bank locker, the bank book should be here... But nope" Khushi said wearily.

"Take your time and search for it" Arnav walked out.

More than the documents, Arnav's behavior worried Khushi. She sat on the bed pouting. She searched under the bed and behind the photos but no use.

That was when Dev came to Khushi.

"Khushi didi, Arnav SIR calls you."

Khushi got stuck, hearing SIR. She walked out and saw Arnav standing with somebody. Khushi widened her eyes recognizing who were they. They were Rishi Gupta and his family.

"Khushi, they are asking for you," Arnav said.

"Namaste..." Khushi said.

"I heard you are here... That's why we came to meet you"

That made sense. Khushi just came to Lucknow. How did they get to know about arrival so quickly? Were they spying on her?

"He is my chacha, Rishi Gupta," Khushi said.

What made her wonder was, Arnav stayed balanced, and didn't react to it. he looked so normal.

To be continued...