Part 8 Program Cancelled

Arnav and Khushi came to GH. Shashi saw them coming together on Khushi's bike. It was Arnav who rode the bike. He frowned. Making himself up, he headed to the living room.

Arnav stopped the bike in front of GH.

"come in," Khushi called him in.

Arnav didn't deny it. He came inside with Khushi. Garima welcomed him with a smile.

"How are you, Arnav beta?"

"Fine"

"Have you adjusted yourself to India?" Garima raised the question, making Arnav taken aback.

"What question is this, Aunty? India is my country..."

But, it's been a long since you left India. That's why I asked"

"I will be an Indian. No matter what"

"That's nice to hear"

They saw Shashi descending the stairs.

"Hello, uncle" Arnav smiled.

"Take your seat Arnav" Shashi said and sat.

Arnav took a seat in front of him.

"Uncle, I want to talk to you," Arnav said.

Khushi looked at him perplexed. What was he going to talk? Shashi and Garima glanced at each other.

"Tell me, Arnav"

"I like Khushi. I would like to marry her. I came to India only to take the proposal forward... "

Khushi who was looking at him, switched her gaze to Shashi.

"Do you know this?" Shashi questioned.

Khushi nodded yes and said,

"He told me"

"When?"

"Yesterday... in the Alumni function. According to me, it's too late"

"Means?"

"I have been waiting for him to propose to me, Dad"

"what do you mean, Khushi?" Garima asked.

"I too loved him, Amma. I liked him when we were in college but he kept his distance from me. As he went to Scotland, I thought he had no interest in me but now, he came and proposed to me..." She stopped and looked at Arnav.

"I would like to marry him, Dad"

Shashi looked at Garima.

"But, he is in Scotland..." Garima said.

"He is ready to settle down in India with me... for me..." Khushi took Arnav's side.

"Do you have anyone for yourself?"

"I have no one except my Nani. She is in an Ashram. I will bring her if you want to meet her"

"We will go to Ashram to meet her," Khushi said excitedly.

Arnav looked at Shashi and Garima.

"I mean... all of us..." Khushi said with an awkward smile.

"So, you want us to accept his proposal..." Shashi asked.

"I will be happy if you accept it, Dad"

"What if I won't accept?"

Khushi was embarrassed.

"I love Arnav, Dad"

Shashi looked at Garima and said,

"What should we do, Garima? Do you understand why your daughter didn't like anyone before?"

Garima nodded yes.

"Actually, Dad... It's because..."

"You love Arnav"

Khushi was silent.

"What do you want us to do, Garima?"

"This is her life. We should go with her I suppose"

"You are right. If we don't agree to their wedding, we will find her only in Scotland, I suppose" Shashi said and Garima smiled.

"Dad..."

"Will you be here if we don't agree?"

Khushi bit her lip awkwardly. Arnav looked at her smilingly.

"We will go to your Nani's Ashram to meet her," Shashi said.

Arnav nodded ok.

"You can shift here if your friend's place is not comfortable for you," Shashi said.

"No, uncle. I'm involved in his case. He needs me. So, I should have to be with him"

"Oh... if you get into the case, will you have time for your wedding?"

"Yeah..." Arnav smiled.

"OK, fix a day to meet your Nani"

"Sure uncle" Arnav stood up.

"I'm leaving. I have to go to Okhla tomorrow morning for an investigation"

"Ok... if you need any help, please don't hesitate"

"Sure, uncle. Bye"

"Bye..."

Arnav looked at Khushi who nodded smiling. He left GH.

Shashi waited for him to leave.

"So, this is why you denied marrying anyone?" Shashi asked.

Khushi was silent.

"If you love him, you could have told me. I would have spoken to him..."

"No, Dad... I was not sure if he loved me"

"If you were not sure, how did you deny marrying anyone?"

"I denied marrying anyone not because I loved Arnav. It's because they were not like Arnav"

Shashi raised his brows.

"Do you think he will suit you?"

"Definitely, Dad... I thought he too loved me because his gestures told me so. As I expected, he loves me"

"If he had feelings for you, why didn't he confess it to you?" Garima asked.

"He concentrated on his career to make himself firm"

Garima looked at Shashi and asked.

"Without thinking anything, you agreed to meet his Nani... why?"

"I like his approach. That's why"

"What approach?"

"He proposed to Khushi yesterday and got to know her interest. Then, came to our house to take it further. Neither I didn't drag it unnecessarily nor did he think of roaming around Delhi with Khushi. He looks mature enough. That's why I agreed"

"After all, he is a professor"

"Yeah, more than that, when Khushi is equally interested in him, what was there to think? They were not kids. They knew what's right and wrong... let's do it"

"Thank you, Dad"

"Arnav will be in India for a month, right?"

"Yes, Dad..."

"Mmm... we will send him back to Scotland as a married man, what say Garima?"

She chuckled looking at Khushi who smiled with a blush.

......

Arnav came to Aman's place. Aman was watching the news.

"Why are you late?"

"I spoke to Khushi's father"

"About?"

"About marrying Khushi"

"Whaaat? Have you finished?"

"Yeah, he agreed"

"Really...? Unbelievable..."

"Why?"

"You just came to India yesterday, confessed your love to Khushi, met her in a restaurant today, went to her house, asked her hand for marriage, and finalized... Mmmm... after all, you are a foreign Groom..."

Arnav chuckled.

"Aman, you know what, you are using your brain a lot in unwanted analyses. If you used it in your case, you would have completed it a long ago"

"what to do, this case is too tough to even think about. It confused my poor brain. Did you notice one thing?"

"What?"

"Its features are only impossibilities. The killer traveled in a way WE could not guess..."

"Not WE... YOU..."

"Not only me, ASR. The officer who handled the case before me also didn't get anything"

"Oh... are not you the first person?"

"No... I got the case only after the fifth murder"

"And, you traveled in the same way the previous officer traveled. Right?"

"No, I just took highlighted points and moved them in my style"

Arnav nodded. If Aman was the second officer, he must be a talented officer because the department would hand the critical case to the talented officer only.

"We will have to go to Okhla tomorrow morning... right?" Arnav asked.

"Why doubt ASR? Do you have any program?"

"No... you are a police officer. How do we know when will your higher officials need you?"

"Even though they want me, I'm not ready to go"

"Why?"

"I know what should be concentrated on. I want to do something about this case..."

"Mmm"

"You know, the commissioner wanted to bring a secret agent to this case"

"Is it?"

"Yes, I won't blame him. The situation was like that"

"If you want to contact a secret agent, I can help you"

"Yeah, why not? You are a professor... your students might have become secret agents..."

Arnav nodded.

"No need, ASR. Help me until I get the EDGE of the thread. After that, I can manage."

"Are you sure?"

Aman nodded yes.

"Let's go to sleep. We will have to leave early in the morning"

"Yup"

They went to their respective rooms.

The next morning

Khushi started from GH and headed Aman's residency. So that, she could leave her two-wheeler in his house and go with them in the car.

When she was halfway to Aman's place, she got a call. She turned the blue tooth on to answer.

"Khushi, the program canceled..." Arnav said.

"But why? Did Aman get any emergency work?"

"No... I'm not feeling well"

"whattt? What happened?"

"Food poison I suppose"

"But, we all ate in the same restaurant..."

"But ate different dishes..."

"Mmm"

"We will go tomorrow"

"Mmm... shall I come to Aman's place?"

"Why? Are you going to serve me?"

"Should not I do it?"

"No need... I can manage... will talk to you later" he disconnected the call.

Khushi looked at the phone frowning. She stood for a few seconds. She wanted to go to Aman's place to meet Arnav but she didn't know if she could go there as it was just 7 o'clock. Taking a U-turn, she headed to GH. She stopped the bike in a signal. The left side signal changed. The vehicles crossed her. When a particular car crossed, she was shocked to see the person in the car. It was Arnav. He was wearing a cap and goggles. More to her shock, a girl sitting next to him. She was leaning on the seat, closing her eyes, and wearing a mask.

To be continued...