27. OS 18. Too Tempting to Resist (Part 27)

Part 27



Buaji banged on Sasi's bedroom door.

"Sasi babua, wake up," she called.

Sasi opened the door.

"Jiji, kaa hua? Shor kyon macha rahi ho? Did a thief enter our house?" he asked, confused. "Where is Khussi bitiya?"

"I am here, babuji," Khushi replied from her place behind buaji's stout form.

"Jiji? Kaa hua?" Garima asked, yawning. She joined her husband at the door, dragging her pallu to cover her head.

"Garima, Sasi babua, Arnav bitwaa aaye rahe," buaji began. "Hai Re Nandkisore, he almost gave me a heart attack."

"Arnav bitwaa? At this time?" Sasi asked, looking at the clock on the wall. "Why?"

"Is anything wrong, jiji? Payaliya? Akass bitwaa?" Garima asked fearfully.

"They are fine, Nandkisore. Arnav bitwaa marched into Khussi's bedroom, woke her up and told her that he wants to marry her," buaji blurted out.

Garima and Sasi stared at her in utter shock.

Sasi sat down. "Kya?" he asked.

"Arnav bitwaa wants to marry Khussi?" Garima asked, sure her ears weren't working.

"Maybe you heard him wrong, jiji," Sasi tried to find a logical explanation for the phenomenon.

"Naahi, Nandkisore!" buaji insisted. "There is nothing wrong with my ears. Ask Khussi. She heard him too."

Khushi nodded reluctantly.

Garima too sat down.

"He also asked me to fix the dates for the rituals and the shaadi when his family visits us today, Nandkisore," buaji informed her family.

"So he is serious," Sasi said thoughtfully.

"Arnav babua really wants to marry Khussi?" Garima murmured, sure she was still asleep and dreaming.

"Wahi to, Garima. I still can't believe it," buaji sighed.

There was a long moment of silence.

Then Garima said softly, "Payaliya's father, we have to make arrangements for their wedding."

Buaji nodded. "Use the list of guests we made for Payaliya's shaadi, Nandkisore."

Khushi bristled. "Before you invite everyone and serve them rabri, at least ask me if I want to marry your Arnav bitwaa. Amma, buaji, this is too much. Babuji, this is ghor anyaay!"

Sasi, buaji and Garima blinked.

Then Sasi said, with an indulgent smile, "You are right, Khussi. We should have asked you. We were too shocked to do the proper thing. Batao, what do you want to say?"

Khushi opened her mouth, but buaji beat her to it. "Do you want to wear my wedding joda, Khussi? You will look beautiful in it, Nandkisore."

"Yes, jiji," Garima said with a smile.

Khushi stared at her family, indignant. "I am not marrying your Arnav babua." she stated as bluntly as she could make it.

"Hai Re Nandkisore!" buaji exclaimed. "How can you not marry him? Think of Payaliya and her future. How can you refuse her jetji?"

Garima nodded.

Khushi glared at them, too furious to find words.

"Hum maanat he, it is foolish of Arnav bitwaa to want to marry you," buaji admitted.

Garima nodded in full agreement.

Khushi grit her teeth.

"But now that he has decided to throw in his lot with you and destroy his life, how can we refuse him? It will be an insult to the Raizadas. You jiji has to live with them," Garima added.

Buaji nodded. "So it is settled. Dress neatly and be ready to serve tea to the Raizadas when they come here today, Nandkisore."

"And make laddoos today," Garima instructed. "Jiji, we need to take the good tea set from the cabinet and wash it."

"I don't want to marry him!" Khushi screeched. "Babuji, help me, please."

Buaji and Garima opened their mouths to chide her, but Sasi stopped them with a glance.

"Khussi," he called gently. "Beta, why don't you want to marry him?"

"Babuji," Khushi informed him. "He is pagal. Bilkul pagal. Sanki. Fit for Agra Mental Hospital."

Buaji and Garima gasped.

"Yeh tum keh rahi ho, Nandkisore? You, Sanka devi!" buaji asked in wonder.

"He is mad? Then what are you, Khussi?" Garima asked, truly curious.

"Pagal?" Sasi asked curiously. "Why do you think so?"

"Why does your daughter think so?" buaji asked, incensed. "Because she is totally mad, Nandkisore. She is so sanki that everyone seems mad to her."

"Khussi?" Sasi asked.

"I can't explain, babuji, lekin there is so much about him that is strange, totally weird." Khushi sagged in a chair.

Sasi said slowly, "I never felt that he is mentally unbalanced."

"Of course he isn't," Garima butted in. "Can a mad man be such a successful businessman and win awards?"

"Babuji, he is khadoos, akhdoo," Khushi tried again. "If he smiles at milk, it will curdle."

"Hein?" Buaji asked. "Why should he smile at milk? Is he a milkman?"

"And what if he is not as friendly and hansmukh as you? Is he a young boy to play pranks with you?" Garima asked.

"Wahi to! He is too old, babuji," Khushi tried again, unable to put into words what scared her about that Laad Governor. He was too worldly-wise for her. She couldn't read many of the emotions that flashed through his molten chocolate eyes. They were beyond her experience. And his touch! It sent waves of heat through her that fried her brains and short-circuited her senses. No, no, it was better to stay away from him. He was a live wire and she didn't want to die of shock.

"He is 28. You are 21. Seven years is a big margin," Sasi said thoughtfully.

"Your daughter is 21 in body, but 15 in her head," buaji said bluntly. "You better get an older groom for her. A young one won't be so understanding, Nandkisore."

"And he is responsible, hard-working and devoted to his family. Where will you find such a sanskaari boy like that?" Garima asked.

"And Khussi and Payaliya will be in the same house. When she makes stupid mistakes, Payaliya can help her, Nandkisore," buaji added.

Being with jiji was a big temptation, but putting up with the Rakshas and his hot hands just to be with jiji was too big a price to pay. The sangeet dance...She shuddered at the very thought.

"No," Khushi proclaimed. She wanted to sleep in peace, not worry about where and how he was going to touch her! She breathed in deep to calm her crazy heart.

No, she wouldn't marry him, whatever happened. He was hazardous to her health and peace of mind. She nodded, her mind made up. If only she could run away to Lucknow and her Gomti Sadan.