Chapter 35

Arnav was extremely restless. He had tried to keep himself occupied but nothing seemed to be working. He was now sitting by the poolside, trying to put the final touches on a presentation. "Wonder what Khushi is doing right now" he thought. He made up his mind to accompany Khushi on all of her dinners now back in Laxmi Nagar. That way he would be able to ensure her return. He glanced at the clock and saw it was around midnight. She would probably still be awake. Maybe he should go and visit her. He rummaged through his briefcase for anything that he could use an excuse. He finally found some contract papers. These would suffice as a reasonable reason to see Khushi. He would merely tell everyone that he absolutely needed her signature on these papers immediately as they needed to be sent over in the morning. He grabbed his keys and the papers and ran downstairs to see NK sitting and watching TV.  "Nannav ' mera bhai. Where are you going so late at night?" "Just heading out for a drive" while Arnav gave him an annoyed look.  "Nannav you are going to see Khushiji aren't you?" he replied naughtily.
"My whereabouts are not your concern. What are you doing up so late at night anyways?"
"I felt like watching a movie so I am watching Joru Ka Ghulam. Want to watch with me?" he asked fully well knowing that he would decline.
"I can't believe you're watching that movie!" as disbelief was replaced with rage. This was preposterous! "Enough is enough!"
"Relax Nannav I was just messing with you. I was just curious to see what this movie about that's all. We're cool right?"
"Yeah whatever NK" he mumbled as he unenthusiastically headed back upstairs. He plopped himself down on the empty bed and attempted to fall asleep. Yet sleep eluded him as his restlessness only increased with each passing minute. It was apparent that sleep was not in the near future; therefore he decided to sit outside for a little bit. The poolside always had a calming effect on him. He remembered the many memories that they had shared. After quite some time he decided to try to get some sleep. He went to the cupboard, grabbed one of her dupattas, and held it in his arms. Finally he was able to drift off to sleep.
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The next morning Khushi and Payal had gotten up early and were already on their way back. Arnav awoke and quickly freshened up. He then took his keys and phone and headed out to pick Khushi up. As he was coming downstairs he saw Payal and Khushi enter, along with the Raizada family sitting in the living room. His eyes indulged in the sight of her.
Nani nodded at them both as they went to greet her. "Welcome back Khushi bitiya and Payal bitiya. How was your stay there?" Payal smiled and replied, "It was good Naniji. Babuji (Father) is doing much better now and is making significant progress. His movement is also increasing steadily." Khushi had been elated at seeing the improvement that her father had accomplished. Soon he would be starting intensive speech therapy and the doctors were hopeful that his speech should be able to resume to normal as well. Just then Payal broke out into a huge yawn. The family looked at her amusingly. "Payalji , looks like you all stayed up late at night having fun. You are yawning and you seem very tired" Di stated. "No Di  it's nothing like that. Actually this pagli here , Khushi, did not let me get any sleep. She was so agitated and was tossing and turning the whole night. It is a huge mystery how Arnavji is able to get a wink of sleep with her" she said. The family burst out into peals of laughter, while Khushi ran towards the stairs thoroughly embarrassed. Arnav found her in the room mumbling angrily to herself. She sensed his presence and ran into his arms.

"Arnavji this is all your fault" she complained.
"What is my fault Khushi?"
"I could not get sleep at all last night, I have gotten so accustomed to your presence at night."
Arnav was a little relieved to discover that Khushi had difficultly without him last night.  "I missed you too Khushi. Next time I'll come and pick you up, no matter how late it is."
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Khushi had finished breakfast and was now waiting for Priya to come. She apparently was coming with some pieces and workers, ready to start work today once she and Arnav gave their final stamp of approval. She was surprisingly eager to see what changes would be made. She heard the doorbell chime and made her way to the door to greet her.
It had been one hour and she had finally given the green light on some changes. Priya's first suggestion had been to paint the white walls to a soft yellow. It was actually a blend of yellow and beige, toning out the room well. It had brightened up the room and she had said this color was a great reflection of Khushi's cheerful personality. The green wall would remain. A collage of their pictures was already ready to be hung.

Her design included a maroon border along the wall, which would match the new curtains that she had envisioned in the room. Khushi was hesitant about so many changes at once however the designer dismissed them. "The maroon curtains will look lovely and contrast the new walls perfectly. Mr. Raizada is very fond of red, so I took careful consideration of his preferences and chose maroon. After all, I have been hired to spruce up the room." With that reassurance Khushi nodded and gave her the go ahead.
Arnav looked over the new design and he was impressed with the new layout for the room. She then began to take out some more drawings. Khushi stared at them trying to figure out what they were.
" Mr. Raizada here is where will lie the new walk in closet. We will be decreasing the size of the guest room as you suggested and use that extra space to extend your room. Here are the initial sketches for the walk in closet which will have ample space. Also I have designed a his and her bathroom style for your new bathroom. The walk in closet will be connected to the bathroom as well as the bedroom. Please take a look and let me know what you think."
"Let me have a minute to discuss this with Khushi. The room changes are fine and you can begin your work on that."
"So what do you think?" he asked her eagerly.
"Everything is nice but a walk in closet and a new bathroom? It seems a bit too much."
"A walk in closet will be really convenient. The space that we use now is not spacious enough for two people. The bathroom design is outdated so I want a more modern feel."
" Alright if that's what you want. Can I ask you something? What is a his and her bathroom?" Khushi looked on at him innocently.
Arnav raised one eyebrow as a naughty look crept up in his face. He leaned over to her and whispered slowly. " A his and her bathroom is specially designed for couples. There will be two sinks so we can brush our teeth together. Or I can watch you take a shower while I shave." He winked at her and burst out into laughter as he saw her turn tomato red. He got up and left to  approve the additional renovations.
Khushi was wide eyed and still embarrassed. What kind of ideas was this decorator suggesting? Why would anyone want to brush their teeth together? Arnav's comment about the shower must have been a joke. Or was it? 
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They were now entering AR. Priya and her team would be working during the days on the room renovation project. Khushi had a busy day with the models arriving for practice. The fashion show was less than two weeks away and there was a lot of work to be done. She reached in her bag to grab her notes and realized she had left them in Arnav's office. She turned around and headed towards his cabin only to find him a visitor in his cabin.

"Khushi come in. Mr. Oberoi meet my wife Khushi Raizada."
Mr Oberoi smiled and extended his hand for a handshake. Her first inclination was to raise her hands and say Namaste, but that would seem rude seeing his outstretched hand. So she smiled back and shook his hand.
"It is so nice to finally meet you. ASR here keeps you hidden. Well now that we have met I have the pleasure of personally inviting you to my party tonight as well. It would be an honor if you would join us in celebrating the launch of my new company. I look forward to seeing you both. I'll take my leave now. Bye ASR."
"Goodbye Mr. Oberoi and I'll see you tonight."
"Sorry to interrupt Arnav but I left my notes in here." she glanced around the room to find the notes on his desk. "What kind of party is it?
"It's similar to the cocktail party that I had for Payal and Akash. It's up to you if you want to come." he explained to her.
She thought of that boring cocktail party and it didn't seem to appeal to her. "I don't think so."
"No worries Khushi. I'll check with you again before you leaving but you don't have to go if you don't want to.

Chapter 34

Khushi was the first to wake up in the morning. Due to their late night, she had shut the alarm off and gone back to sleep. She never intended to sleep in so late though. It was already 7:30. She shot up out of bed but an arm pulled her back to bed. "Go back to sleep Khushi" Arnav mumbled as he pulled her towards him. "Leave me. It is already late and we have to get ready."

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Mrs. Raizada – you have become too bossy. First you insist to take you out on a date. Then you seduce me and then you don't let me sleep." "Haww! Mr. Raizada – I did not seduce you. I did not ask you to accompany me, as I could not have gone with Di and Jiji. You are the one who doesn't want me going anywhere without you." "Excuse me Khushi! As your husband it is my responsibility to escort you to places. I am merely trying to be a good husband." "Great! Then be a good husband and pick me up at 10pm from Buaji's as Jiji and I are going there tonight to dinner." She giggled and ran into the washroom.

Arnav – What the!
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NK was reminiscing about the previous night with Maya. The backdrop at Sevilla had been almost magical and that had helped maintain the mood. Not that they actually needed the help. Conversing with her was extremely easy and it felt like they have known each other for ages. They shared a wonderful rapport with each other. They laughed and joked throughout their meal. Maya was the perfect girl in many ways. She was modern yet traditional. Ultimately, he had solely been attracted to her but after discovering her many unique qualities his fondness was only growing. The only thing that bothered him was when mentioned him having another girlfriend who was sending him those chocolates. Who could have sent them? 

Khushi had been studying NK who was completely lost in his thoughts.
Khushi – Nanheji  how was your date last night?
NK – It was very nice Khushiji!
Khushi – Glad to hear it was well. I was quite disturbed when I received your text that your date was going horribly.
NK – What? I never send you a text saying that my date was horrible.
Khushi then proceeded to show her phone and the text message that he had sent.
NK – See Khushiji this says my date is Bohot Kharaab, meaning it's going very well.
Khushi looked at him baffled for a minute and then burst out laughing. "Nanheji this means very bad. What you meant to say was Bohot Khoob!"
NK – My bad Khushiji!
Khushi – So how were the chocolates that I sent over to the table? They were one of Maya's favorites.
NK gasped as realization dawned upon him that she had sent it. But wait, how could that be. "Khushiji how did you send me those chocolates all the way from Shantivan?"
She looked down nervously and she began talking. "Umm I was actually at the same restaurant with Arnavji. When you texted me I got nervous and sent the chocolates to Maya."

NK – What?? Do you know Khushiji that the waiter delivered them to me, and said it was from a pretty girl. Maya thought it was one of my girlfriends.
Khushi – Hey Devi Maiyya! What have I done? I will call Maya right now and tell her what happened. She left there hastily before NK could get a word in edgewise.

NK was upset. It was obvious that Khushiji had purposely gone there to keep an eye on him and Maya. He knew her sweet nature though and she never meant any harm. However, there was one person who should have been the voice of reason and should have convinced her otherwise. "NANNAV!" He trekked up the stairs, two steps at a time, headed towards his dear cousin's room. "Nannav I cannot believe you have become such a Joru Ka Gulaab!"

Arnav had a confused look on his face as he processed the phrase "Joru Ka Ghulaab." He smirked as he realized what NK meant to say. I think you mean "Joru Ka Ghulaam. (Wife's slave). Gulaab means rose".

NK looked at him sheepishly and then remembered the reason for him to be here. "Well the point is that you are one."

"Excuse me?" asked a confused Arnav.
"Nannav how could you take Khushiji to the same restaurant as Maya and I, on the same day? Don't you have any say Nannav or do you just do as she says?"

"NK listen to me. Khushi was absolutely determined to go with or without me. I accompanied her but I made sure that she stayed at of your way. I even made sure our tables were not nearby. You know how Khushi gets when she sets her mind on something."
"Well you know Nannav! She almost ruined my date by sending a box of chocolates to our table. The waiter said they were from a pretty girl and Maya got the impression that I am a flirt."
"Hmm but how could that be possible? NK I was with her the entire time. Oh wait! I stepped away just for a couple of minutes to greet a sponsor. That must be when it happened. Crazy girl!"
"Well, I never imagined that you would be so scared of your wife. You – the mighty Arnav Singh Raizada! You have become a Joru Ka Ghulaam!"

"What the hell NK! I am in no ways a Joru Ka Ghulaam ok. She didn't even tell me about your date, I found out about that after I had agreed. Also, you met Maya because of Khushi. So she has some weird sense of responsibility towards you both. But stop calling me Joru ka Ghulaaam!"

NK was not an angry person by nature. His anger was slowly dissipating as he watched Nannav get annoyed with that phrase. He really couldn't explain why Nannav's annoyance was a personal satisfaction for him. "Just make sure that Khushiji doesn't crash any more of my dates, Joru! " Revenge would be sweet, he thought!
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Due to meetings, Arnav had to stay back at the office later than usual. He came home around 9 and then instinctively called out, "Khushi – please get me a cup of coffee!" HP approached Arnav and informed him that he would prepare the coffee as Bhabhi was out. In record time, a hot steaming cup of coffee was delivered to his room. Arnav took one sip and spat out the coffee. "Dammit! Can't anyone else besides Khushi make a decent cup of coffee?" He figured it was best to just to and have his dinner. He joined Di, NK, Aarav, and Akash at the table. He was in a foul mood and silently filled his plate.

NK noticed Nannav's mood and presumed it was due to Khushiji's absence. "Di – before Nannav and Akash got married did they watch a lot of Hindi films?"
Anjali looked puzzled. "I don't think so NK bhai."
Akash was also curious as to this line of questioning. "Why do you ask?"

Well NK began, "I was reading an article about how some people's attitude can be influenced by movies. After observing Nannav I thought maybe he had watched Joru Ka Ghulaam", and then he casually resumed his meal.
Di and Akash squeezed their eyes shut as they braced for Arnav's anger. "What the hell NK! Give it up already."
Di decided to intervene. "NK bhai – why you are unnecessarily teasing Chotte."

"Di – I am merely stating the facts. I bet that Nannav cannot last one night without Khushiji. Remember how he used to make excuses to visit her house prior to their marriage."
Right on cue the phone rang. Arnav needed an excuse to escape this conversation and answered immediately.

"Arnav, it's me Khushi. Um I wanted to ask you something. It's already late and Buaji wanted to know if it was alright for me to stay the night tonight. Jiji already has permission and I was wondering if I could too" she said softly as her voice trailed off.

Arnav shut his eyes exasperated! "Of course it was not alright! He hated it when she was away from him even for one night. But unfortunately for him, he knew NK would never let him hear the end of it if he didn't allow Khushi to stay. He would obviously inquire as to why she was returning back alone with Payal. Damn that NK! Wasn't it time for him to return back to Australia?" "Do you need me to pick you up? It's not a problem for me." He hoped she would understand his sentiments that he wanted her to return. 

Anjali was listening in and piped in. "Chotte it is late and Payalji is staying the night. Let Khushiji stay there as well, they will have a fun time."
Arnav grudgingly agreed as he had no choice. He finished the rest of the meal quietly and fled to his room.

Back at Laxmi Nagar, Khushi half-heartedly informed Buaji that she would be staying. She had tried to resist but Buaji and Jiji had teased her so much about her hesitating to spend one night away. She had initially hoped that Arnav would insist on picking her up but he did no such thing. Instead she put on a fake smile and settled on the sofa next to Buaji and Jiji, ready to watch a Hindi movie.

Chapter 33

Khushi was getting ready for her night out tonight. The day had dragged on today, probably due to her escalating excitement for the night. Her eyes instantly were drawn to the center of the room where Arnav had left a gift wrapped box on the bed. The card read "Wear this to match with the theme for the night." The long sleeved red top and long black skirt, were not revealing, so she did not mind wearing it at all. She got ready in minimal time and was ready to go.

She did not want to bump into Nanheji on her way out so she took the poolside exit. Arnav was waiting by the car for her. She admired him in his entirety. He was the epitome of handsomeness', with his chiseled features and masculine form. "Focus Khushi! Don't forget tonight's purpose is to help Nanheji and Maya." She buckled in her seat, catching a wayward glance at her irresistible husband. "Hey Devi Maiyya  Raksha Karna."

Khushi was fascinated as they pulled into Sevilla. The ambience of the restaurant was tranquil and romantic. The manager headed towards Arnav and he told Khushi to wait for one second. He took two steps forward and met with the manager who welcomed him to the restaurant. "Welcome to the restaurant Mr. Raizada. We are honored to have you dine with us tonight." Arnav replied back softly, "We are looking forward to a wonderful evening as well. Did you remember my instructions as per our seating arrangements? I wanted a secluded table that was located quite a distance away from NK's table." "Yes sir. We have followed your instructions and Mr. NK's table is not even in view from yours. Please follow me and I will show you to your table." He motioned for Khushi to join him, grasped her hand, and followed the manager who led them to their table. He held the chair out for Khushi to sit down and then sat down himself.

One of the main attractions of Sevilla was their outdoor cabanas. They prided on creating a magical miniature replica of the Spanish Riviera. The candle lights glittered amongst the white curtains, creating the perfect atmosphere for romance. The sounds of flowing water only enhanced the magnificence of the place. Khushi peered over Arnav's head and realized that it was almost impossible to see NK and Maya. Each cabana was rather spacious and the canopies only inhibited her view further. She decided to get up to see if she could get a glimpse of where he was sitting. "Arnav I am just going to walk over a bit and see if I can see a closeup of the waterfall."

She rose absentmindedly, straining her neck to look around. She did not realize that her chair was in her way. She took two steps and her foot got caught on the leg of the chair. She tripped and immediately fell into Arnav's lap. (Rabba Ve background music) He instinctively wrapped his arms around her as she balanced herself on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up, only to see those beautiful caramel eyes of his watching her. His hand went to her face to tuck a wayward tendril behind her ear that was hindering his view of her exquisite face.

She looked amazingly stunning with her beautiful curls framing her face, rosy lips, and oh how he loved the slight blush that was creeping on her face. Her beauty never ceased to amaze him, and he was purely mesmerized by her. Her innocence glowed over her pearly white skin. He gazed into the windows of her soul, her gorgeous eyes that melted his heart.

He was suddenly conscious of someone nearby. He turned his head to see the matre d standing there with a notepad. "Please bring us some sodas to drink and we still need a few minutes to finalize our selection for the evening." Khushi shot up out of his lap and went back to her seat, embarrassed of the fact that the waiter had caught her sitting in his lap. Arnav squeezed her hand reassuringly, and decided it was time to order.

"Khushi  what would you like to eat?" Khushi scanned through the menu, but most of the items were unfamiliar to her. "I'm not sure what I would like. Can you order for me?" The matre d returned and Arnav ordered a small variety of tapas, vegetarian paella, and pasta. "Khushi  excuse me for just a minute. I have spotted one of our sponsors and it would be rude of me not to say hi. I will be right back."

Khushi was actually relieved that Arnav had briefly left. This would give her the opportunity to check on NK. She took out her phone to text him. "Nanheji how is your date going?"
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Maya had just excused herself to powder her nose, when he heard his phone beep. He saw a message from Khushiji inquiring about his date. His date was going rather well. He decided to text her back and let her know.
"Bahot Kharab !" (Very bad!) What he meant to say was Bahot Khoob! (Very good!) There he thought, she will be happy to hear that my date is going very well.

Khushi heard her phone beep and she saw NK's message. Hey Devi Maiyya! His date was not going well. She had to do something. Just then the matre d returned with their refreshments and appetizers. Maybe he could she thought.
Khushi: Bhaiyyaji  can you help me?
Waiter : The waiter looked around and realized that she was talking to him. He did not understand Hindi, but he didn't want to admit that so he smiled and nodded.

Khushi pulled out a small gift wrapped present from her purse. She handed it to the waiter. "Yeh tohfa aap rakhiya aur jo ladki NandKishore ke saath hain, unhe dedijaye." (Keep this gift and give it to the girl who is with NandKishore). The waiter nodded and left with the gift to NK's table. He had heard her mention NandKishore so he assumed that he was to present the gift to him. He approached NK's table as Maya was returning.
Waiter: Sir a pretty lady has gifted this to you.
NK accepted the gift, clearly baffled as to who had sent it to him. Maya was quite annoyed that pretty girls were sending gifts to him and that he was happily accepting. "NK is another one of your girlfriends here tonight?" NK gasped and silently cursed the female who had sent it. Just when things had been going well, the arrival of this gift had to ruin everything. "I honestly do not know who sent this. I do not know many people in India, besides my family. Maybe they have me confused with someone else. Let me open it and see who it is."

He opened the gift and it was a small box of imported chocolates, the kind that Maya loved! NK immediately decided to do some damage control and presented her with the chocolates. "For you Maya  to one of the sweetest girls I know." He winked at her and said, do you get what I mean, chocolate is sweet and so are you." Maya laughed at his corny joke and all was well. They spent the evening conversing cheerfully and having a wonderful time. Maya was also impressed at his selection of the restaurant and was pleased that he brought her to this particular place.  She realized they had many similarities and found his craziness and playfulness quite cute!
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Arnav and Khushi were enjoying their dinner. Khushi had been pleasantly surprised with the food and was thoroughly enjoying herself. She was doing most of the talking, while Arnav listened. He had ordered a plate of their infamous Belgian Chocolate Ramekin, which was basically hot chocolate mousse with Vanilla gelato. The dessert looked extremely rich, although she really didn't have a fondness for cakes. Arnav picked up the fork and secured a small piece of cake. He dipped it in the extra mousse and lifted it to Khushi's lips, for her to taste. (Rabba Ve) She opened her mouth hesitantly and instantly savored the smooth and creamy dessert. Her senses overloaded as paradise invaded the corners of her mouth and she let out a moan. Arnav continued to feed her while she was relished in the exquisite sensations that continued to wreak havoc on her taste buds. Arnav was completely captivated observing her in a state of bliss, his own senses flooded with lust as he continued to feed her. She was oblivious to the hunger and desire that was so evident in his eyes. She finished the last bite, and he rubbed the excess chocolate off her mouth with his thumb. He proceeded to sensually lick the chocolate with his thumb. "Pretty good.", he exclaimed!

Khushi: Arnav that had sugar in it! You shouldn't have eaten it!
Arnav: It was just a lick. Don't worry. I wanted to taste this dessert that you enjoyed so much.
Are we ready to head home?
Khushi said yes, momentarily forgetting about NK and Maya. She watched Arnav pay the bill and then they left the restaurant.
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When they returned to RM, everyone was already asleep. Arnav was relieved that they didn't have to sit and chit chat with the family. Once they entered the room, Arnav lifted her in his arms and kicked the door shut with his foot. She automatically grabbed on to his collar as he led her towards the bed. He gently lay her on the bed, leaned over to switch the light off, and let his mouth slowly descend onto hers. Sleep was a distant thought, as he continued to kiss her, love her and cherish her well into the night.

Chapter 32

Khushi had been back in her office for a couple of hours and was still trying to forget her joke of a driving lesson. She had merely learned about the gears, different functions of the car, and driven around the parking lot. The driver had been slightly scared when Khushi made a sharp right turn, despite his disapproval. Good thing the tree had been a distance away! She giggled as she recalled his terrified face when she had briefly lost control the car. It was all his fault hmmph! He had gotten her so worked up that she had not been able to concentrate properly. Her next lesson was in a couple of days. She wrapped up her work as Arnav had mysteriously told her that they were leaving a little early today due to a meeting which he had scheduled at home. She had inquired as to why he had scheduled a meeting at home, instead of AR, since this was not the norm. They had been interrupted by Aman and he had brushed the question off.
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They were now entering RM and due to traffic it had taken them longer to reach home. As they entered, Di was sitting and talking to a pretty lady dressed in a professional suit with a short skirt. Khushi wondered who she was as Arnav walked ahead towards her.
Anjali:  Chotte, this lady says she is here to meet you?
Arnav:  Yes Di ! I have called her here. I can take it from here.
Anjali:  Well it was nice talking to you. I won't keep you from your meeting.
Arnav:  Let's go upstairs where we will conduct the meeting.
Khushi stood frozen as she watched Arnav and the lady heading upstairs. Curiosity was now getting the better of her, and she was slightly peeved.
Arnav:  C'mon Khushi. What are you waiting for?
Arnav led them to their room where she noticed that a small table and two chairs had been set up. Arnav sat on the green lounger and motioned for the ladies to sit at the table.
Arnav:  Khushi this is Priya. She is an interior designer whom I have hired to renovate our room, according to our tastes. She has done impeccable work for me in the past and I'm confident that she will be able to help.
Priya smiled at Khushi and extended her hand for a handshake. Khushi smiled back as they shook hands.
Priya:  It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Raizada. I have brought some designs and have some questions for both of you so I can effectively design the room per your liking.
Arnav: Khushi will answer whatever questions you have. You already know my preferred styles. Also, I have had our picture enlarged and would like it placed in our room.
Khushi looked at the picture and fondly remembered the wonderful memory that was associated with it. It had been blown and framed with a beautiful mahogany border.
Priya: I will put this up. I will also need some additional pictures. Now I will take some measurements around the room and then I can take some notes.
She went to inspect the room and Khushi sat down quietly next to Arnav and started whispering in his ear.
Khushi:  Why did you call her here?
Arnav: Well I thought you would decorate yourself but you had no ideas so I had to go out and hire somebody.
Khushi: Di, Jiji, and I we'll manage by ourselves. Just tell her that we won't need her services.
Arnav: Khushi I have already committed to the consultation. Just answer her questions and see her ideas. We can decide then. Also, don't be afraid to tell her your opinions. Wait what am I saying? You are definitely not afraid to tell anyone your opinions!
Khushi made her signature O face as Arnav walked over to the poolside to get some work done.
Khushi & Priya spent the next hour going over styles, colors, and concepts. Priya had many ideas and Khushi was more intent on subtle changes. After an hour Priya was satisfied that she had enough information.
Priya:  Mr. Raizada ' We have finished up here. I will have some preliminary sketches ready by the end of the week.
Arnav:  Not end of the week, have them ready in a couple of days. I need them urgently.
Priya nervously left, probably to get a head start on the sketches. He smiled as he saw Khushi staring at the new picture that now adorned their room.

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Dinner had just been completed and everyone was heading up to their rooms. Khushi saw NK reading intently on the laptop with a serious look on his face. She wondered what was wrong.
Khushi:  Nanheji! Is everything ok? Why are you so serious?
NK:  I'm fine Khushiji! I am taking Maya out on a date tomorrow and I was just looking at restaurants.
Khushi:  What? A date? With Maya!! This is so exciting!
She sat next to him to try and see what restaurants he was considering. NK, on the other hand, had his hand on his forehead and was silently wishing he hadn't let that slip in front of Khushiji.
NK:  It's just a casual date Khushiji!
Khushi:  I know the perfect place where you could take Maya for your date ' Purple Orchid! They have wonderful Italian food and it is a very nice restaurant.
NK:  Thanks for the suggestion but I have already finalized a place. I am taking Maya to Sevilla  which is a very nice restaurant too. Have you been Khushiji?
Khushi had not even heard of the place and she nodded her head no.
NK:  Well tell Nannav to take you there sometime! I'm going to sleep. Don't want to be tired for my date tomorrow.
Khushi was deep in thought as she was walking upstairs. Maya and Nanheji would be perfect for each other. But what if he messed up? First impressions were always so important. If only she could be there to ensure that everything went perfectly. Then it hit her! She would go there secretly and keep an eye on them. If Nanheji needed assistance then she would be at their service. Yes this would be the perfect plan!
Khushi:  Arnav can u please tell me where Sevilla is? It's a restaurant.
Arnav raised an eyebrow at Khushi's mention of this upscale restaurant. Of course he knew of it, hell he had been there on more than one occasion. But he was inquisitive as to how Khushi had discovered this place. He answered her back in a nonchalant manner. "Yes I do know about it. Why do you ask?"
Khushi:  I'm planning to go there tomorrow. Could you please give me the location?
Arnav:  What the! 

Khushi : Yes I feel like having dinner there!
Arnav: Are you meeting someone there? Is there any particular reason?
Khushi: Um no I was planning to go by myself. I just have heard about this restaurant and wish to dine there.
Arnav:  You do know that they serve Spanish cuisine right? There are no gol gappas and jalebis.
Khushi:  I am well aware of their culinary specialties.
How dare he insinuate that she was only capable of enjoying desi cuisine! 
Arnav watched her face and realized that she was getting angry. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a livid Khushi.
Arnav: Khushi I was just kidding with you! I'll take you, we'll have dinner there tomorrow. But tell me how did you find out about this restaurant?
Khushi: Oh Nanheji was mentioning that that's where he's going on his date tomorrow with Maya.
Arnav: What!! We'll go some other day then if NK is going there tomorrow for his date.
Khushi:  No! We must go tomorrow. I need to go and make sure that everything goes right for them.
Arnav: You want to spy on them?
Khushi:  Spy is not the appropriate word! More like be their fairy godmother. I'll keep a watchful eye and fix if anything goes wrong. I have a good track record you know.
Arnav:  Really? You have a good track record with what?
Khushi:  I am very good at matchmaking. Look at Jiji and Akash Jiju. I got them together and now look  they are happily married!
Arnav: You did that all by yourself eh? What about me?
Khushi: You helped by listening to my ideas! It was my brilliant idea that brought Jiji and Jiju together. But you can't tell Nanheji or else everything will be ruined.
Arnav rolled his eyes as Khushi headed to change for the night! Pagal! Poor NK! If only he knew what Khushi was planning. As tempted as he was to carry on with Khushi's crazy idea, there was a bigger part of him that wanted to spend some quality time with his wife. Sevilla was also the perfect restaurant for a romantic date! NK would definitely owe him big time, as he called the manager to make reservations and outline his instructions for tomorrow night.

Chapter 31

As he entered the room he glanced around the room. The gray walls, the photos, the bedspread, and the decorations they all simply screamed Arnav! There was not a single thing in this room that was Khushi's. Well there were trivial things, such as her personal makeup and accessories on the dresser but he was astonished that he had looked over the fact that there was nothing of hers in their room. During the contract marriage phase, she had decorated the room with Salman Khan's poster, the wind chime, and the stars. She had eventually taken them down since he didn't like them. He speculated why she never put back any of her stuff. Even in her room at the Gupta House, she had stars and trinkets all over that depicted signature Khushi. Had his earlier words hurt her to the effect that she felt uncomfortable having her things in their bedroom? His favorite part of staying at the Gupta House was always her absurd tae kwon do poses, which she was completely devoid of here. He had recognized how differently she slept in Gupta House, versus Shantivan. He remembered that she had even slept quite comfortably at the farmhouse, with her infamous sleeping poses. But even now, she rarely had those tae kwon do poses at Shantivan. This could not just be a rare coincidence, they had to be interlinked somehow.

*************************************************************************************
Khushi came up a little while later to find Arnav absorbed on the laptop. He heard Khushi enter and quickly beckoned for her to join him on the recliner. Khushi joined him and was astonished to see him looking at decoration pieces.
Arnav: Khushi which decoration piece do you like?
She scrunched her eyebrows and looked over at the screen. They were a variety of pieces, lovely but all overpriced.
Khushi: They are all nice. Either of them will look good in any setting.
Arnav: But which one do you like?
Khushi: I don't know. I have not really had much experience in picking out decoration pieces so your choice would probably be better.
Arnav: Ok how about painting the room? What color would you like to paint the room?
Khushi: Why do you want to paint the room? It was just repainted during Diwali. There's no need to repaint it'
Arnav: Ok how about some new bedroom furniture? Let's pick something out together. Check out this website that has some great furniture!
Khushi: Arnav,  we just got a brand new bed recently.

She slightly blushed as she recollected how the entire family had brewed their own ideas about how the bed had been broken. Why in the world did Arnav want a new bedroom set? Theirs was in great condition! She came out of her thoughts to find Arnav annoyed and running his fingers through his hair.

Arnav: It doesn't matter if we recently bought a bed. We can still purchase a new bedroom set. Come and take a look at the online catalogue.
Khushi: Why are you so determined to spend unnecessarily? There is no need.
Arnav: NO NEED! NO NEED! THERE IS A NEED! You obviously don't consider this as your room so how can you say there is no need?
Khushi: What are you talking about? Your room?
Arnav: I heard you refer to this as my room when you were conversing with Rohan.
Khushi: So??
Arnav: So why didn't you say our room?

Khushi: Is that what has you so worked up! This is such a trivial matter. It was never meant that way. You are blowing it way out of proportion. You were getting ready so I merely said that you were getting ready in your room. There was no deep thought put into this. I did not mean to hurt your feelings at all, it was a mere slip of tongue. Now it's getting late, we better get to sleep. She lied down on the bed and closed her eyes.

She could tell Arnav was still wound up, but she felt it was best to leave it alone. Somewhere deep down she knew that there was a slight degree of truth to what he was saying. She had not meant to say his room at all that had come out by mistake. But of course her husband was too smart and was able to decipher any statement. Truth be told, she did feel slightly uncomfortable keeping her modest things in the bedroom. She knew Arnav's taste and he was rigid in his ways. When she had tried to change his wardrobe he had become furious with her. Then she had slowly come to realize that he didn't like the way she had changed the room by putting up the wind chimes or the poster.  She was fine with the decor of the room, and did not want Arnav to stay upset like this. She wanted Arnav to be comfortable in the room. His happiness meant everything to her. She would try harder to convince him. For now, it was important to lie down with her eyes closed, as he always said that her eyes always gave her away.

Arnav saw Khushi lying down but he knew that she wasn't asleep. She was so stubborn dammit! Why couldn't she simply buy something new? Most girls would jump at the chance of spending of spending money. But not Khushi, she was a unique piece for sure! Then he had an idea. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist this. "Khushi I have one last suggestion. I bet you're going to love this."

Khushi:  What is it?
Arnav: Let's put some stars above the bed. Just like how you have in your room at Gupta House.
She sighed as she looked at him. She recalled on how she had put the stars up earlier and he had dictated her to put it up only on her side of the bed. They had come a long way in their relationship. One of the things she prided on was that he never forced her to change and she wanted to do the same for him.

Khushi: I don't need the stars anymore. First there's a lovely poolside with this room, which has a beautiful view of the stars. Whenever I feel like talking to my parents I go outside. I no longer feel alone since I have you with me, so there is no need for stars over the bed. Now let's go to sleep. She snuggled up against him as she hoped that he was satisfied with her answer. The lights went off as he reluctantly went to sleep.
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The next morning was a busy day at AR. Arnav was busy with meetings and Khushi was immersed in her week with the fashion show not too far away. She glanced at the clock and realized that it was time to meet her driver. Today was her first driving lesson. Things had been so hectic that she had not been able to make time for driving. With the recent rape case, Arnav was now even more adamant that she never use public transportation again. They had drivers but he stressed it would be best for her to get a license, in case the driver was not available. She headed down to meet with the driver for her lesson.

Sure enough the driver was on time and waiting out front, with the door held open for her. She got in the car and he headed over to the AR parking lot. Khushi noticed how a section of the parking lot was empty, with cones surrounding the perimeter.

Driver - "Memsaab (Ma'm), today we are going to practice in the parking lot. Sir has had all the cars moved so you can practice here.
Khushi: What?? Practice here! I practically know driving, I just need a few brush up skills. This is ridiculous. This is for a little kid learning to ride a bike.

Driver: Ma'am these are my instructions from Sir.
Khushi: Well I will call him right now!
She dialed his number and he picked up quickly. "Haan Khushi?"
Khushi - Are u crazy? What is the meaning of this? I thought you wanted me to learn driving? This driver wants me to practice in the parking lot? Don't you remember how well I drove the car when I saved Aarav from those kidnappers? I just need a refresher so tell the driver that I will not drive here in the parking lot!

Arnav smirked as he heard her venting and talking a mile a minute. He had figured that she would be upset but her safety was his utmost priority. "Khushi  I am aware that you are not a complete beginner. But if you're learning I want you to learn properly from the beginning. This is just the first lesson. Let the driver do his job."
Khushi : Forget it! I will get my lessons from Happyji. Hmmphh!
Arnav : Just do it this for a couple of lessons. If you don't like it then I'll get another instructor. If I can dance like Salman Khan, can't you do this for me?
Khushi : Fine! Be ready Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada! Very soon I will be taking you out for a drive and you will sit in the passenger's seat.
Arnav : I look forward to it Khushi!

The nerve of him to emotionally blackmail her! Khushi could just picture the smile on Laad Governor's face as she had hung up. She would show him! She marched back to get her lesson over with so she could return to work.

Chapter 30

Rohan: Anjaliji I think you are mistaken. I did not mean to imply that I was interested. I was merely passing the picture with the intent to tease NK.
Anjali's face fell for a brief second. She glanced over at Chotte who gave her a reassuring smile. "I see. Well why don't you take a quick look at the other pictures."
Anjali looked at him encouragingly while Mamiji had other ideas. She picked up a rather large envelope and handed it to Rohan. "Don't mind Sasuma and Anjali bitiya. They love to play matchmaker."

Rohan felt a little relieved that finally he didn't have to look at any more pictures of single girls and now he could move on to the wedding pictures. He slowly opened the envelope. The contents came out and he was quite shocked to see that every single picture was of Mamiji's. It looked as if there were about 50 solo pictures of Mamiji in different poses. His face turned pale as he perused through the pictures. A look of horror plastered on his face as he realized the purpose of these photos. "Mamiji was giving him her pictures because she secretly wanted to marry him!" His eyes wandered around the room and he confirmed that there was definitely no male there old enough to be Akash's father. He knew Mamiji had been acting quite strange but he couldn't put his finger on the reason. Fearfully he looked over at her and saw she was smiling at him. He hadn't noticed before but she was quite dressed up as well, with a heavy saree and lots of jewelry. Had she done all this to impress him? This was simply too much for him to handle and he had to get out of there now! He took out his phone and pretended to check a text message. He wasn't quick enough and Mamiji was already heading his way again. She leaned over and began speaking quietly in his ear. He cringed as he heard her say. "How do you like my bootiful pictures?" He had to eliminate whatever creepy ideas Mamiji had immediately!

Rohan: Mamiji they are nice. You know you remind me of my mom! You must be her age also.
Mamiji: How sweet! But you keep these photos and puhlease make good use of them.
Arnav spotted the two of them having a silent conversation. He was so damn curious so he decided to join in the conversation. He saw Rohan holding a stack of Mamiji's photos.

Arnav: Mamiji  these are your photos?
Mamiji ' Yes Arnav bitwa. These are for autographs.
Rohan was quite confused. Did she just say autographs?
Mamiji ' I know that you know celebrities and models. When you meet them please give them my picture and have them sign it. This way I will get lots of autographs!
Arnav somehow managed to suppress his laughter. Mamiji was something else! Didn't she know that celebrities are supposed to sign their name on their own pictures. He knew it was quite hopeless to argue with Mamiji. He was surprised that Rohan had a relieved look on his face.

Rohan told Mamiji that he would keep the pictures and get autographs for her. At this point, it was confirmed that this family was one of a kind. No wonder Khushi had been desperate to get out of the house and work. Anyone would probably go mad being around these people all day long. He made a mental note to ask Payal if she needed an excuse to stay out of the house as well. While he was definitely closer to Khushi, he still cared for Payal's mental sanity.

*************************************************************************************
Arnav was in a jovial mood. The evening was going even better than he had envisioned. He sat back down on the loveseat. Khushi was quite engrossed in a conversation with NK and Maya. She looked adorable and he moved his hand and placed it over hers, so that they were holding hands. He then listened intently. He frowned slightly as she shrugged off his hand, and gave him a look that said "The family is around."

Khushi was talking with Maya and NK when she felt Arnav shift over closer to her. He then positioned his arm around her shoulders. He leaned into her slightly as he joined in on the conversation. Dhak Dhak Dhak Dhak..went her heart. While she relished his touch, she was extremely conscious of the family members surrounding them. Arnav's actions made it seem as if this was the most normal thing to do. She felt a blush creeping up on her face. Arnav leaned into her, brushing his lips against her earlobes, and whispered "Khushi ' thum theek ho? (Are you ok?) Your nose is red." "Arnav what are you doing? The family is watching! What will they say? , she said to him ever so softly.
"Khushi Mujhe Koi Faraq Nahi Padhta! (It doesn't matter to me!). Then he said in a hushed tone, "It's not as if we are kissing Khushi. I'm just resting my arm that's all. Just relax."
"Hmmphh Laad Governor always does what he wants!" She felt her body tense as his thumb teased her cheek, before he rested it back on her shoulder. She scanned around and thankfully no one was paying any particular attention to them. No one would say anything to Arnavji, however there would be a fair amount of teasing that she knew she would have to endure. If he thought she was just going to sit back silently then Arnav was terribly wrong. She turned her head and leaned forward to say something. Right at that moment Arnav was also slanting forward to say something in her ear, and his lips accidentally landed on her cheek. Her eyes widened with surprise while Arnav reveled in the softness of her cheeks, as he let his lips casually linger on her cheek. They were interrupted by a clearing of the throat.
Mamiji: Arnav bitwa & Phatti Saree still honeymooning? When will honeymoon be over?
Khushi turned a bright shade of red and made a feeble exuse about putting empty tea cups back in the kitchen. The Raizada family chuckled, as did Maya and NK. Akash hid his smile as he knew his Bhai had modern views. Payal gave her a naughty look. Rohan was amused, but also pleased as it seemed ASR was quite smitten over her.

*************************************************************************************
NK was lost in thought. There was Nannav romancing his wife and he had only done some simple flirting this evening. He needed to up his efforts a notch, or else he would be also be saying Hello Hi Bye Bye to Maya.
NK: Maya  would you like to go watch a movie this weekend? I watch both desi and English movies!
Maya : Sure NK. That sounds like fun! I must ask though ' do you actually understand desi movies?
NK ' Of course! I get my words mixed up sometimes but soon Khushiji will have me speaking shudh (proper) Hindi. Just you wait and watch!
With dessert and tea over Rohan saw this as the perfect time to leave. It was a little nostalgic for him to see Khushi and Payal married! It seemed like their childhood had whizzed by them. He walked over and thanked the family individually. Anjali made him promise to visit again real. He crossed his fingers behind his back, lying through his teeth, as he nodded yes. He waved a quick goodbye to Mamiji and darted towards the door, where ASR and Khushi were waiting.
Rohan: Well I've had an unforgettable evening.
Khushi: Well you must stop by again soon, as Di said!
Rohan: I will try but no promises Khushi as work is getting real busy. But I'm sure we'll bump into each other for work related reasons. It was much safer to meet with Khushi outside of the house, he thought! He didn't know if he could handle another evening such as this one.
Arnav smiled as he left. Khushi headed to the kitchen to assist with the cleanup while he headed upstairs to their room! He wondered what had triggered her earlier words.

Chapter 29

Khushi and Arnav were getting ready upstairs. He smiled as she went into the washroom to change her clothes. They had been married for months away, but she still insisted in changing in the washroom. He chuckled. She came out and looked absolutely ravishing in her red anarkali suit. He was about to head towards her, just when he heard a knock on the door.
Payal: Khushi ' Rohan & Maya are here. Please come quickly.
Khushi rushed out and told Arnav to finish getting ready as she sprinted out the door. Arnav walked downstairs unnoticed. He began approaching Khushi, Payal, Akash and Rohan as he heard Rohan ask about him.
Khushi replied. "Arnav is getting ready in his room. He should be down shortly."
Arnav grimaced slightly listening to her response. He did not miss her choice of words. The fact that she referred to their room as his irritated him, especially in front of Rohan. Rohan happened to spot Arnav.

Rohan: ASR! Nice to see you! Thanks for inviting me over!
Arnav: Khushi & I are glad you could join us in our home for dinner.
He glanced over at Khushi who didn't seem to catch on to his innuendo. Khushi and Payal excused themselves to assist with serving of dinner. He glanced over at NK, who was engrossed in a conversation with Maya. NK was crazy he thought! He developed a crush on every girl he saw. Yet it was Arnav who had a reputation as a Casanova! Unbelievable!
*************************************************************************************

Khushi and Payal had warmed up the food and dinner had officially begun. NK was sitting next to Maya. Rohan was next to Maya and directly across Khushi and Arnav.
Rohan: Wow that is quite a spread! A bachelor like me is not used to eating so much for dinner. Khushi & Payal you shouldn't have gone through all this trouble.
Khushi:  Well I didn't do much honestly. We had a meeting at work so Jiji and Di managed everything.
Rohan: Well the food is delicious.
Maya:  It is very scrumptious and I am thoroughly enjoying myself.
Anjali:  Rohan ' you just mentioned you were a bachelor. It sounds like it is about time you should have someone to take care of you.
Rohan choked on his food. Khushi had a surprised look while Arnav smirked at Rohan's reaction.
Rohan: Um yes Anjaliji. I guess you are right.
Anjali:  It must be difficult living in a city with no family, right?
Rohan:  Well it's ok. I miss my family but I manage just fine.
Anjali:  Quite adjusting fellow you are. Such a good trait to have for a husband!
Rohan: Thank you. I think I need some more time to get settled maybe.
Nani- That's the problem with today's younger generation. They always need more time for this or more time for that. Our Chotte didn't want to get married either but look how happy he is now.
Rohan: I never said I don't want to get married but'
Nani: Now that's what I want to hear! Khushi's bitiya's family friend, is like our family friend. So whenever you need anything do let us know.
He fidgeted nervously in his chair and focused his eyes to the food on the plate. He guzzled down some cold water. Rohan decided to divert the topic off of him and his marriage which was making him quite uncomfortable. He was certainly not planning to get married anytime soon.
Rohan: So NK you're from Australia right?
NK: Yes I am.
Rohan : How do you like India vs. Australia?
NK : Well I love it here, mostly because of the people. I really like the people and atmosphere here.
How many times would NK stress people, thought Arnav! He glanced around the table and it was obvious that the entire family was trying to hide their smiles or stifle their laughs. Maya had the slightest blush on her face and was deeply concentrating her food. He was thoroughly enjoying Rohan's discomfort at the marriage talk. While Rohan had successfully evaded the subject for now, he was sure Di would bring it up again soon.
Akash: So Rohan - you have seen Payal when she was younger. Please tell me something I don't know.
Rohan: Payal was the same as she is now, sweet and sensible! Khushi on the other hand was another story..
Arnav muttered under his breath "Why am I not surprised!"
Khushi: What? Me? What do you mean by that? I was such a sweet child.
Rohan: You were quite mischievous. Khushi was obsessed with having fun and she always used to entertain us with her stories about her future Raj Kumar (Prince Charming). She was quite a character!
Arnav raised his eyebrow, quite interested with the last statement of Rohan's.  Khushi had not spoken much about her dreams or childhood fantasies. He would love to hear some childhood stories of Khushi. But before he could inquire further Mamiji began speaking.
Mamiji: Rohan beta. Have more food! All of you are simply asking him question and no one is letting him eat! She added quite a few more heapings of food to his food.
Rohan looked at his despairingly and wondered he was going to eat so much food. He saw Mamiji giving him a smile, flashing those pearly whites. She walked back to her chair rather stiffly, then turned and poised like a model, and then proceeded to sit down. She could be a good candidate for toothpaste advertisements, he thought. He glanced up and saw that she gave him a goofy grin. His eyes wandered over to the clock, and it was still quite early. It was going to be a long evening!
*************************************************************************************
Dinner was now over and they had assembled in the living room for tea and dessert. Arnav and Khushi were sitting on the loveseat together, with the rest of the family scattered around.
Anjali: Rohan - would you like to see Khushi and Payal's wedding albums?
Rohan: Sure I would love to!
She gave him the albums and an envelope of pictures fell from inside the album. He decided to go through these pictures first. These weren't pictures of Khushi or Payal. They seemed to be pictures of different females in single poses. "Um whose pictures are these?", he asked.
Anjali dramatically slapped her hand to her forehead. "Hai Bhagwaan! My mistake! I totally forgot that I put those in there."
Nani : Actually the Panditji came by recently and gave us these pictures as possible marriage proposals. These are all nice girls.
Rohan: Oh I get it. These must be for NK right?
NK spun his head around in sheer shock! "WHAT!! Di ! Naniji! Marriage proposals for me??

Anjali: Relax NK Bhai. These are not for you. We are well aware of your condition that you will only fall in love. These are not for you. Unless of course you have changed your mind'.
Rohan laughed. NK had a confused look on his face. It sounded as if this guy mirrored the same mindset that he did. Rohan most certainly enjoyed dating and his bachelor life, and would only get married if he was hopelessly in love. If he ever fell in love that is! 
Rohan: Yes NK. Check out this girl! I think you will like her, she looks very pretty.
He went to pass the picture to NK, but Anjali literally snatched the picture out of his hands. Nani also got up and smiled as she came to see the picture.
Nani: This is Sonia. She is such a sweet and loving girl, and her family and background are excellent.
Anjali: I think that Sonia and Rohanji would make a great couple! Hai na Nani!
Unfortunately, Rohan had chosen that moment to take a sip of his tea. When he heard Anjali's statement he swallowed too fast and started choking. Mamiji came over and started patting his back to try and alleviate his discomfort. She then handed him some water to drink, which he gulped down. Mamiji stared at him continuously until his coughing fit had subsided. He brought his hand up to adjust his collar slightly, feeling quite suffocated. This was a peculiar family! 

Chapter 28

The next morning Khushi was up bright and early. She got ready quickly and went down to discuss tonight's menu with Jiji. Arnav was already up but he had gone for a quick jog. She headed downstairs to find the entire family at the breakfast table.
NK: Good morning Khushiji. I hear that your friend is coming over to dinner tonight.
Khushi: Yes Nanheji. Rohan is a family friend and Jiji and I know their family well.
NK: So um are you inviting any other friends tonight?
Khushi: No I haven't invited anyone else. What other friend were you thinking of?
NK: I was thinking, just a suggestion, that you maybe you could invite Maya over for dinner as well.
Khushi broke out into a smile, ready to tease NK. But she should have a little fun with him right?
Khushi: That is a great idea Nanheji! Maybe I can tell Rohan to bring her, almost like date. What do you think of Rohan and Maya?
NK's face fell and he tried to think of the Hindi word to describe his heartbreak. Haramzada! I'll be haramzada!

Khushi: Not  haramzada but Ghumshuda. So you want me to help you with Maya? I think you and Maya are perfect! Leave it to me Nanheji and I'll handle everything.
NK: Ok Khushiji. But remember don't tell anyone in the family.
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Arnav came down to breakfast to see Khushi, Di, and Payal engrossed in conversation. He put some butter on his toast while listening in.
Payal: Ok Khushi so you will come early today right? Since Rohan loves your cooking , you should make a couple of dishes. Di and I will handle the rest! And you're making jalebis right?
Arnav listened to the ladies halfheartedly. His mind was focusing on the fact that Khushi was planning to come home early so she could cook for Rohan. His wife cooking for another man just irked him to the core.  This would simply not do. HP and OP were perfectly capable of cooking a decent meal. Khushi was a great cook and after enjoying her food he would only crave to come over more and more. His family was no better who welcomed additional company with open arms. He would have to intervene and change the plans slightly.
Arnav: Khushi are you ready? Shall we leave?
Khushi: Yes I am ready let's go. Oh and I am coming home early today so I'll have the driver come up and pick me up.
Arnav grumbled to himself. Great – just exactly why I hired a personal driver for you. So he could bring you home early to cook for another man!
Khushi – Huh? Did you say something?
Arnav – Nothing at all! Let's go.
Khushi could have sworn he had said something under his breath, but she let it go as they headed out to work.
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Arnav sipped his black coffee while leaning back in his chair. So let's make their dinner guest feel welcome, he smirked. He called up Di.
Anjali: Hello! Chotte – everything ok.
Arnav – Everything is fine Di. I wanted to talk to you about something important.
Anjali – Sure, go ahead.
Arnav – You know Rohan is a really nice guy and he has always helped Khushi's family in Lucknow. He is completely alone here. Last time we met he confided in me that he was interested in getting married. But his family is busy planning his sister's wedding in Lucknow and he has no family here in Delhi..
Anjali – That's sad Chotte.
Arnav – Well you and Nani know so many people in Delhi. I was thinking why don't you both have some pictures and proposals ready for him.
Anjali – Really Chotte?  We know so many good girls! This will be so much fun Chotte!!
Arnav – Just don't mention it to Rohan that I said anything. I don't want him to feel that I betrayed his confidence. You know he might even be kind of shy about the subject, but just be persistent. It's for his good afterall.
Anjali – Don't you worry about a thing! Your Di will take care of everything!
Mission accomplished! He was actually looking forward to this dinner now. Now on to the more important task, Khushi. He had to find a way to keep her busy so that she wouldn't have time to cook. The servants could easily manage. He couldn't exactly go around seducing her everyday at work, although the thought was quite appealing. Another idea popped into his head and he called Aman up to his cabin.
Arnav – Aman what's my schedule for today?
Aman – ASR you have an important meeting at 11 and then a conference call in the afternoon.
Arnav – Who is the morning meeting with?
Aman – It's an important meeting with the Chopras..
Arnav – Hmm move the meeting to 4 o'clock. Also go and tell Khushi that she needs to sit in the meeting this afternoon. But, don't let her know that I changed the meeting time. Ok that's all for now.
Now that this was taken care of it was time to get some work done! 
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It was now lunchtime and Arnav had been relatively busy all morning. He hadn't heard much from Khushi. He decided to call and see if she wanted to join him for lunch. She hadn't eaten so she said she would head over.
Arnav: You must have been busy this morning?
Khushi: Well not extremely busy. Why do you say?
Arnav: I thought you couldn't wait so long until lunch, you do get hungry very quickly.
Khushi slapped him playfully and smiled as she started to assemble plates of food for them. Arnav was happy to see her smile. He had been quite worried after yesterday's conversation. He couldn't bear to see Khushi unhappy.

Arnav: Are you ready for the meeting Khushi? It's an important one you know!
Khushi: Yes I am. I can't believe that they postponed it though, today of all the days. I wish I could have skipped it.
Arnav: Mrs. Raizada isn't allowed to skip meeting, unless of course you can't handle being the co-boss.
Khushi: Nonsense Mr. Raizada. I am perfectly capable. I handled the models better than would have.
Arnav: Oh really? Better than me eh?
Khushi: They probably would just spend the day drooling after Arnav Singh Raizada!
Arnav: I have had very successful fashion shows with those models. We'll see how yours is.
They continued to tease each other for the duration of the lunch. Truth be told, he loved this feisty Khushi! She was such a breath of fresh air and never afraid to speak her mind. Lunch had been fun today. He would make it a point to do it more often.
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Finally the meeting was over, as Khushi let out a sigh of relief. She had been upset that this meeting time had been changed and supposedly it has been important that she attend as well. Since she had made a commitment to the company to take her role seriously, she had reluctantly called up Jiji and asked them to take care of dinner preparations. It was close to 6 and at least she would have time to make some jalebis before Rohan and Maya arrived.
When they arrived home Khushi went up to get ready. Arnav had gotten stuck on a phone call, so he was outside in the car for a couple of minutes. As he headed back inside he ran into Mamiji.
Mamiji – Arnav bitwa – Hello Hi Bye Bye! What iz the hurry? Tell me about this Rohan
Arnav – Mamiji, Rohan is a nice guy. You know he is in the publicity business. He often deals with very famous models and even movie stars!
Mamiji – Hai! Movie Shtars? No one told me!
Arnav – Yes Mamiji. He could easily introduce to lots of famous celebrities. But you must keep this is a secret. He can't exactly take the whole family now can he?
Mamiji – Are's secrets..

Arnav winked at her and left her dreaming about meeting movie stars! Ahh this day was just getting better and better. He was actually eager to see Rohan getting special treatment from his family.

Chapter 27

Khushi made her way to the sofa, blushing furiously, as she recalled what had just happened at the office. Hey Devi Maiyya! They were in the office, what in the world had possessed them?
Arnav: Khushi thum theek ho? (Are you ok?)
Khushi: Yes.
Arnav: Ok I was just asking because your face is all red.
He embraced her and held her in his arms, while the warmth of their bodies soothed each other.  She buried her face in the crook of his neck, still slightly embarrassed of what had taken place. His hands rubbed her back gently. She realized how very much she loved being in his arms!
Khushi: I, um, what if someone had walked in on us? We are at the office?
Arnav: I had locked the door. No one would have. You don't have to be uncomfortable of what just happened. Sometimes we have desires that are difficult to control.
Khushi: But if you had a meeting or someone needed to find you.
Arnav: I'm the boss. If they can't find me they will wait for me. When I saw you dancing you looked so sexy Khushi I just couldn't keep my hands off of you. Maybe you should refrain from dancing in the office.
Arnav had a smirk on his face as Khushi released herself from the hug.
Khushi: Haww! I was just trying to loosen up the models so that they give it their best. They were too nervous around me.
Arnav: So I saw that you won the models over'
Khushi: You think so? Actually, I was getting nervous since they were uptight.
Arnav: I must admit that I was surprised, but very proud of you. I was apprehensive about how they would act with you, but you won them over with your charm.
Khushi: Thank you Arnav! That means a lot coming from you. I better get back before they wonder where I am.
*************************************************************************************
Khushi changed back into her suit and went over to approach the models. They immediately began talking to her.

Model 1 (Sonia) : You are such a fabulous dancer Ma'm! You must teach me some moves!
Model 2 (Anita) : Yes please me too! We promise to stay a little late after rehearsals if you will teach us KSR!
Khushi smiled at them earnestly, elated that they were actually impressed by her. "Of course ladies! I would be happy to teach you. But please call me Khushi ok! Shall we do the final round of today's practice?"
She watched them as they walked one by one. Each one of them had a confident stride, poise, and attitude. It was just what she had wanted! "That was wonderful! I think that's a wrap for today. Let's meet next week!"
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Khushi had spent most of the afternoon in high spirits, with her accomplishments for the day. Of course she had still fondly recalled their encounter earlier in her office. She decided to go see what Arnav was up to. She began twisting the doorknob but heard that he was talking on the phone. She paused hesitantly and then decided to come back another time. Then he called out. "Is someone there? Come on in." She slowly creeped in and he gestured her to enter with his hand.

Arnav: No that's fine Lavanya, it was just Khushi. It was great talking to you! Glad to hear you are well. He paused and then said, "Yes I will definitely give your best to everyone at home. Take care of yourself."
Khushi's ears perked up when she heard him mention Lavanya's name. It had been so long since she had spoken with Lavanyaji. She couldn't wait to catch up with her. She patiently waited for Arnav to give her the phone as she was sure that Lavanya would want to speak with her as well. However, she was extremely disappointed when she realized that he had hung up the phone.
Arnav noticed Khushi's crestfallen face and instantly became worried. "What happened Khushi?"
Khushi felt a tad humiliated. But she realized that Lavanyaji and Arnav had been friends for a long time. They were much more than friends. She gulped fretfully, not wanting her mind to wander off and think about their past romantic relationship. "It's nothing Arnav. I'm fine." she exclaimed absentmindedly.
Arnav frowned at Khushi's refusal. He could tell something was bothering her. "Khushi ' c'mon just tell me what's wrong." His heart almost melted when he saw Khushi look up at him, her doe eyes filled with pain.
Khushi: How is Lavanyaji?
Arnav: She's great Khushi. But tell me, why are you upset.
Khushi:  Is Lavanyaji upset with me? Does she hate me?
Arnav: What the! Why would you think she is upset with you? She does not hate you at all.
Khushi:  I just wonder sometimes because she never talks to me. She must feel a tad bit of resentment towards me, because I just realized that she calls you frequently.
Arnav:  You don't have to be jealous Khushi. You know I never felt anything for her.
Khushi:  I'm not jealous. I'm just a little sad because we had become really good friends. I miss her and I can't help but feel that there's a reason she doesn't want to talk to me.
Arnav:  Khushi I think you are overreacting. Lavanya does not harbor any ill feelings towards you.
Khushi: It's ok. I know it's not your fault. I just hope that Lavanyaji can find it in her heart to forgive me. She must think that if I had never come into your lives, that she would be happily married.
Arnav:  Please listen to me carefully. I don't want you to feel guilty at all. Lavanya and I were never meant to be and she was a friend to me. That's all.
Khushi:  She was a friend to you. But you were much more to her Arnav. I know that as I spent time with her. The fact remains that she did love you. I never realized that she left because of me. I thought you both had some problems. We had a rather cryptic conversation the night she left, where she asked me to care of you. Now I realize what she meant. If I ever speak to her I would definitely apologize to her for snatching her happiness.
Arnav: Trust me Khushi. I'm sure that Lavanya still cares for you dearly. I think she's been busy and hasn't had time to call you. She calls me as she is still in the modeling field and I often assist her leads and references, or simply advice.
He gave her a reassuring look, although he couldn't help wonder if there was a grain of truth in what Khushi was saying. Whatever  the case may be, he vowed to clear the air with Lavanya soon. He didn't want Khushi carrying on this kind of guilt when she was innocent.
She gave him a smile and decided not to bring it up. She didn't want Arnav worrying about her unnecessarily. "I'm fine Arnav. I'm going to get back to work so we can leave on time tonight!" He replied back saucily, "Good idea Khushi I feel a little drained today as well!" Her mouth formed a perfect O and she scurried out before her husband could get any naughtier!
*************************************************************************************

It was dinner time at the Raizada household. Khushi was rather silent while the entire family conversed. Her silence did not go unnoticed. They all were wondering why the usually talkative Khushi was eerily quiet tonight. Arnav was also keeping to himself as his mind was trying to figure out how to convince Khushi that her thoughts were preposterous. He knew what a good heart Khushi had, and that she was never capable of hurting anyone. What could he do to convince her?
Nani observed both Arnav and Khushi and came to the conclusion that they must have had a fight and it was time for her to intervene.
Nani: Khushi bitiya  weren't you saying something about your friend coming over for dinner? I am looking forward to meeting him as I heard he's from Lucknow.
Khushi: Friend?
Upon seeing her confused look Nani went on further.
Nani : Yes the one you were working for?
Payal: Yes Khushi! Let's invite Rohan over tomorrow for dinner! You have been promising to invite him, but have not. We should have had him over for dinner a long time ago.
Arnav groaned inwardly. Of all the things why did Nani have to bring up Rohan. As far as he was concerned Rohan there was no need for Rohan to come to Shantivan!
Khushi: Well ok I will send a SMS to Rohan to see if he is available for dinner tomorrow night.
She got a reply back instantly that he was free and was looking forward to dinner tomorrow. The whole family started planning about the dinner arrangements. Arnav looked on at his family. Unbelievable! , he thought. What was the need to get so excited about one person coming over for dinner. Tomorrow would be an interesting day indeed!

Chapter 26

Khushi was slightly nervous as she walking down. She was supposed to act as Mrs. Laad Governor.. She was usually never nervous about meeting people but she didn't have much experience around models. In the beginning even Lavanyaji had not liked her. Well she decided she would follow her husband's advice. After all, he was the successful business tycoon and his tactics were probably the most effective. She headed towards the meeting room to find all the models talking. They were dressed very skimpy and looked like they hadn't had a decent meal for weeks. She cleared her throat.

Khushi: Hello Ladies! I am Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada ' you all can call me KSR! I have been appointed to assist you all in the fashion show. Please stand up and let me know your names. After that I will go over the outline for the night and we can begin practice.

The models stood up one by one and gave their introduction. Each of them eyed Khushi, secretly a tad jealous that she had managed to wed the great Arnav Singh Raizada. She was definitely pretty and her curves were quite evident, even in her pantsuit. While she was a pleasure to look at they didn't know about her personality. So they were quite confused on how to react with KSR. Frankly, they preferred dealing with ASR who was quite good looking and the perfectionist. As the models introduced themselves, they noticed Khushi would simply give them a piercing gaze and kept a straight face. Not even a hint of a smile present on her face. They wondered if ASR had confided in her that all of them had at some time or another flirted with him. Of course he would have, they realized. She was his wife. No wonder she already hated them.

Khushi listened to their introductions. Their body language seemed stiff. When a model would stop talking there was an evident piercing silence in the air. Judging from their faces, she was doing a pretty good job at being Mrs. ASR.

Khushi: Ok ladies. Now I am going to put some music on and lets catwalk for a bit. I have been told you all are pros so this should be a piece of cake for you. After this you will have some final fittings done for the outfits.

She watched them one by one. They were definitely experienced models but still she felt something was missing. There was not an amazing wow factor. It seemed rather boring and monotonous to her. Was this how it was supposed to be?

Khushi: Ladies I have an idea. I am going to change the music a little bit and let's do it again.

Yet again she was disappointed. She tried to analyze the situation and she realized that maybe the models were a little uncomfortable around her. She wanted to bring out the best in them but how could she do that?

Model: How was that?

Khushi: Still not exactly what I was looking for but better..

Model: No offense but this is exactly what we have done for ASR in his previous shows and he has always been satisfied.

Khushi did not like that last statement! Were they trying to mock her? Suddenly her nervousness heightened and she decided to take a minute to clear her thoughts. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass herself in front of these models! She took a deep breath, straightened her back, and regained her composure.

Khushi: I'm going to have the seamstresses come in and start the fittings. Honestly I am not very satisfied, but I have an idea to fix that. I'll be back in a little bit.

Once she left the models immediately began conversing. "Do you think she was upset with us? What if she complains to ASR?" One model shuddered to think what the outcome would be if ASR was upset with her. Every model knew that ASR had the power to ruin their career with a single snap of his fingers.

On the other side, Khushi entered her office and slumped down in her chair. She felt overwhelmed and uncomfortable. Was she making it obvious that she was inexperienced? Were the models questioning her capabilities? The last thing she wanted to do was to go to Arnav, as he had entrusted her with this responsibility. She couldn't let him down! Maybe her approach had been wrong. She was not real good at being Mrs. ASR but maybe she would give them a taste of Khushi Kumari Gupta! Yes that just might work as she clapped her hands together gleefully!

************************************************************************************

She returned back to the room. The models were still busy with the seamstresses. She went back to the clothes closet and found the perfect outfit. She quickly changed and got ready. "You can do this Khushi!" she reassured herself. She reentered the room and the models gave her a rather inquisitive look.

Khushi: Ladies! I have an idea! I'm going to put some music on and I want you all to free dance, catwalk, and move your body to how your heart desires. I will even join you as this is one of my favorite songs, she winked at them!

Thoughts were whirling around in her head. She hoped her approach would work. Music always loosened people up right! Her goal was to get them to enjoy, dance, and maybe she could check out their individual talents. In the process she hoped that they would unwind a bit. She smiled as the song started.

Song: Jalebi Bai from Double Dhamaal

Cha cha cha chikne

Chikne mujhse phisal gaye

Ka ka ka kitne

Haye kitno ke dum nikal gaye

Hai tauba kya hoga, jo hoga so hoga

Sab mujhse poochte hain, tu kaun des se aayi (naam)

Naam jalebi bai (aha)

Jalebi bai (aha)

Jalebi bai, jalebi bai

Sure enough the ladies started moving. Of course Khushi could not control herself and began dancing to the song and even did the signature Jalebi Bai move! The ladies were quite impressed at Khushi's dancing skills and instantly circled her and encouraged her to dance more. Her tension flowed away and she started dancing more and her hips and body rocked to the music!

*************************************************************************************

Arnav couldn't help it and decided that he needed to go and check on Khushi. While he had full faith in her abilities, there was a small part of him that was still worried. He was still the head of the company, and it was his job to casually greet all guests. With that thought he convinced himself to move towards where Khushi and the models were. He approached the door and he was rooted to the place! He couldn't believe the scene unfolding in front of him. His Khushi was dancing along with the models, like they have friends for ages.

Lyrics

Deewano ne hai dekh li, dekhi meri kaari-ghari

Haan deewano ne hai dekh li, dekhi meri kaari-ghari

Zulfon se raat mainki, chehre se chandni kari

Koi aagey koi peechay, koi upar koi neechay

Sab mujhse poochte hain, tu kaun des se aayi (naam)

Naam jalebi bai

Jalebi bai, jalebi bai, jalebi bai ..

Everybody in the house come on listen

You know that she is hot, now that she is pumpin on

She'll blow your mind away and shake it like a storm

So do what you like that will turn her on

Only his Khushi was capable of this, he thought! She had the complete opposite of what he had instructed. Yet it seemed she was successful in her task. He had to admit he was extremely impressed. Befriending models was no easy task, that too on the first day. She definitely had immense potential as a business woman! He watched her shake her hips in soft and sexy twists. No doubt she was an excellent dancer! He couldn't help but stare at her sensual moves.

ASR: Hi everyone.

Khushi froze, as the song ended, and turned back to look at Arnav. How long had he been standing there? The models smiled coyly at ASR, glad to have a glimpse of him. "Khushi can I speak with you for a minute please? I'll wait for you in your office."

******************************************************************************************Khushi entered her office to notice all the windows were completely covered. She usually kept them open. Arnav quickly locked the door behind her and he walked towards. She walked backwards until she hit the wall, her heart beating hard and fast, worried that he was upset with her. His close proximity always made her heart go wild. He moved within inches of her, his forehead resting on hers. She closed her eyes, bracing for his words. But no words came. Instead Arnav urgently pressed his lips to hers and captured them in a sensual kiss. He deepened the kiss as she allowed it willingly, sensing his urgency and desire. He had craved Khushi the minute he had seen her dancing. She was so sexy, so beautiful, and completely irresistible. Her skilled hip movements and the slight bounce in her breasts and he was a goner. He had scurried out before anyone could notice his obvious state of arousal.

A shiver ran down her spine as his hands travelled to stroke her breast, softly teasing the nipple. She gasped as her nipples became erect and he continued to caress them over her clothes. In a swift motion he unzipped her and divulged her of the pantsuit, leaving her in only her lingerie. His lips nibbled her neck and he unclasped her bra. His warm tongue enveloped one nipple and he started sucking while still nuzzling and teasing the other breast. After a few minutes he then sucked the other nipple while massaging her other breast. Khushi sighed! How she loved the attention he gave her. He was so tender and the pleasure flowed through her. Slowly his hand started to move downwards and slithered inside her panty. He felt her pool of wetness and fondled her core. Leisurely he slid a finger inside of her, while his thumb caressed her clit. His finger went in deeper and he moved his thumb in circles on her swollen clit. He continued his ministrations watching Khushi thrash her head from side to side in ecstasy. The sensations were creating havoc on her body and she felt as if she was going to explode. She moaned and felt her knees slightly shake, grateful that Arnav was supporting her body weight. “Oh Arnav” She started to feel herself spiral out of control as she dug her fingers in his shoulder. She let out a half scream as her body was flooded with pleasure and sensation. Arnav lingered on with his actions until Khushi’s breathing returned to normal. He guided her hands to his coat buttons and she started removing them. He placed feather like kisses on her neck while divesting himself of his pants. In no time his clothes were off and Khushi became aroused again feeling his hardness. She didn’t even know when he had removed her underwear. His both hands cupped her butt. “Khushi wrap your legs around my waist.” She did as she was told and kept her back against the wall. His mouth again seeking solace in hers, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. His hands were on her bottom and his erect manhood teasing her entrance. He slid into her. His heart was pounding, sweat beads adorning his body, and his desire were rapidly escalating. The ecstasy that he experienced with Khushi was simply indescribable.
Her body was once again bombarded with pleasure as he continued to thrust in and out of her. She felt the pressure building again and could hear Arnav groan indicating he was close to the brink as well. They came simultaneously as at that moment, it was all about Arnav and Khushi.
******************************************************************************************

Arnav glanced over at Khushi who still had her eyes closed. He simply loved the way she looked at this very moment. Her face was still flushed and he was proud that he was privy to see her in this state. She opened her eyes, and became conscious of the state that she was in. She began to wear her clothes and Arnav did the same. Arnav then went and sat on the couch and motioned for her to join him. "I want to talk to you about how you've handled the models.."