Part 40 Friend

Suman read the document and shouted cheerfully. In no time, he pulled Arnav from Khushi and hugged him. Khushi raised her brows not understanding anything. Suman passed the document to her. Khushi flinched and read it. She looked at Arnav with disbelief.

"I'm free..." he smiled.

"What a great moment...!" Suman cheered them up.

"I didn't expect this..." Arnav said.

"It seems Mr. Kapoor is a foxy man. How cleverly he tied you up with his daughter..." Suman said.

Arnav nodded yes.

"But, his foxiness didn't work on his arrogant daughter..." Khushi said.

"Yeah... he miserably failed in his mission" Suman chuckled.

"Junior Roy will finish the divorce case soon," Arnav said confidently.

"What about Sheetal?"

"Roy said, she will get at least ten years sentence as she got caught red-handed"

"Thank God, all our problem is over"

Arnav nodded yes with a smile looking at Khushi.

That was when they heard a knock on the door. They looked at the entrance. In no time, Khushi and Suman's expressions changed excitedly upon seeing the person whereas Arnav didn't know who he was.

Suman rushed to him and hugged him tight. Khushi smiled at them brightly. They were always like this. Breaking the hug,

"What a surprise...! What brought you here?" Suman shouted happily.

"Felt to meet you..." he said looking at Khushi.

"How are you, Nanne...?"

"Good..." NK said.

"But, why do I think the charm that always resides on your face is missing?"

"I didn't sleep the whole night in the excitement of meeting you guys," NK said.

"NK, he is Arnav, Khushi's college friend... they are so close, just like us..." Suman smiled.

Suman didn't tell him the REAL story. He wanted to do that at the right time because NK knew nothing about Suman's REAL condition. He might get shocked if he got to know who really Arnav was. He wanted some time to make him understand the truth. So, he didn't hurry. Arnav and Khushi also understood that.

"Nice to meet you, sir" NK extended his hand for a shake.

"Arnav... just call me Arnav"

"Ok, Arnav... what are you doing?"

"He is a principal of a school," Suman said taking the lead.

"Is it...? that's great"

"He is my college friend... he is the only guy who is in touch with me," Suman said.

"Oh..." Arnav smiled.

"How did you find our house?" Khushi asked.

"With the help of Google," NK replied.

"Oh... I would have come to the Terminus to pick you up if you had told me about your arrival" Suman said.

"I thought to surprise you..."

"But, Nanne, usually, you take off on weekends... what made you change your rule?"

"Actually, I'm going to Canada"

"Whaaaat? When?"

"In a month, maybe. Before that, I would like to meet you guys"

"Oh... that's great news... we need a treat"

"Sure... then why am I here?" NK smiled.

"How long will you be there in Canada?"

"Life long... if I want"

"Then, we should celebrate it," Khushi said.

"We will go for dinner tonight. Arnav, you are also invited" NK said.

"Sure..."

"Bring Baby Khushi too," Suman said.

"Baby Khushi?" NK asked.

"Yes, his daughter's name is also Khushi"

"Oh..."

"He wanted KHUSHI to be in every moment of his life," Suman said smiling.

"Oh... are you guys that close?"

"Unimaginably close..." Suman said.

Arnav and Khushi looked at each other. This time, Khushi smiled at him.

"I'm getting late to school. Will meet you on dinner date" Arnav said.

"Ok... bye" Arnav left.

"Are you going to the office today?" Khushi asked.

"No way... how could I go to the office when NK is here? I will take off" Suman said.

"Ok... I'm leaving... have a nice day" Khushi left.

Rishab School

The school staff gossiped about Sheetal's arrest. A few of them asked Khushi about it directly. A few of them gossiped about her marriage with Arnav. Khushi didn't give heed to them and concentrated on her work.

Lunch break

Khushi went to the office room to meet the school's new staff, Preethi. Lavanya rushed to Khushi.

"Khushi, I didn't expect Sheetal would be a druggist"

"I too didn't..."

"How could she be so gut full?"

"Mmm... she is"

"I was shocked, seeing her getting arrested. A woman like her should be punished this way only"

"Mmm"

"By the way, where are you going?"

"To meet Preethi"

"Oh..."

They saw Preethi's seat empty. She saw her having lunch, sitting in the corner of the room all alone.

"Preethi, why are you sitting here? You can go to the staff room" Khushi said.

"It's ok, Madam... I'm comfortable here"

"Take your tiffin box and come with me," Khushi said.

Preethi hesitated.

"I said, come"

Taking her tiffin boxes, Preethi arranged them in her lunch bag. She came to Khushi.

"Let's go"

"No, teacher... I don't want to embarrass people" Preethi said in a low tone.

"But, I won't be embarrassed... come"

She took Preethi to her classroom.

"Sit... we will eat together"

Preethi nodded ok with a smile and sat with Khushi. They saw Lavanya coming with her lunch bag.

"May I join you?"

"Sure"

She sat with them. Preethi looked so uncomfortable.

"Feel free," Khushi said.

"Thank you for accepting me... moreover, thank you for understanding my condition," Preethi said emotionally.

Khushi and Lavanya spared a glance.

"Usually, people look at us like we are ghosts... I agree some of our people doing some illegal work for their livelihood. But, trust me, they have no choice. They will not even think of doing them if they get a respectful job. I'm glad, I got one. I feel blessed to be here" she choked.

"Shhh... relax... do your job perfectly and show the world you can also stand on your own"

Preethi nodded yes. Khushi and Lavanya smiled with the satisfaction of giving courage to an innocent soul.

Night

Arnav came to the Hotel Blue Mountain with Baby Khushi. Suman, Khushi, and NK were already present there. NK ordered FIVE MEALS course food for all of them. Even though Khushi shared her meals with Baby Khushi she suffocated to finish the meal as she felt it over doze whereas Arnav and Suman enjoyed it.

Khushi sensed a lack of glee in NK. She didn't find him cheerful. He was full of life. He won't be like this. He won't stop countering. The place would be so lively if NK had presented there. She could not hold herself from asking him that.

"Are you all right, NK?"

NK stopped eating and looked at her. He smiled at her and nodded yes. That surprised Khushi more. If she had asked him the same question a few months ago, his way of answering would have been different. He would have teased Khushi like hell.

What happened to him? Khushi tried to figure it out.

"How is Neya?" Khushi asked.

"She is fine"

"You might have brought her here. Then this dinner date would have been more lively"

NK smiled plainly not saying anything.

Khushi was sure now. Something was surely disturbing NK. He was not the kind of Husband who avoided her wife and her talks. That was the first time, he gave a single-line answer about her wife. He would talk non-stop about his wife.

"I too asked him, Khushi. But he said nothing" Suman said.

"Nothing is there to share, Yaar... won't I tell you if there is anything?" NK said.

Arnav was listening to them silently not interrupting as he didn't know about NK completely. But, he wondered as NK showed a sudden change. He started countering and laughed like hell. Suman and Khushi became cheerful, seeing him back to the form.

"How long will you be in Lucknow?" Khushi asked.

"I'm going to my relative's place tonight..."

Cutting him,

"Relative? Which relative? You didn't tell us about it before" Suman asked.

"In fact, I too didn't know about them. He is my mother's cousin... after fifteen years, he contacted me through our distant relative"

"Oh..." Suman became thoughtful.

"Where is his house?"

"Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Nagar"

"It's five kilometers far from this place"

"No problem. I will take a cab"

"Can't you go there tomorrow?"

"He won't be available tomorrow it seems"

"Oh... will you come tomorrow itself right?"

"Yup"

"Ok, then... call us before starting from there," Suman said.

"Ok..."

After dinner, all of them took leave from one another. NK went to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Nagar. Suman and Khushi got back to their place and Arnav started with Baby Khushi.

Baby Khushi saw a park on the way. She wanted to play there for a while. So, Arnav let her play there and waited. After a few minutes of play, they started.

Arnav sighed as the level crossing gate was closed. It was a single-level crossing. As it was a lonely road, there was no vehicle waiting with him. Baby Khushi was already asleep. Suddenly, the gateman shouted at someone.

"Hey, man... a train is going to come... go away from the track..." he was panicked.

Arnav looked in that direction shrinking his eyes. His eyes broadened as the man who was walking on the track looked like NK. He got down from the car and rushed to the man. As the distance reduced, Arnav got to know he was indeed NK.

To be continued...