16. OS 19. His Elusive Lover (Part 16)

Part 16

Khushi’s phone rang as they were working.

Buaji.

With a quick glance at Arnavji, she took the phone and sought the privacy of her bedroom.

“Sanka devi, ek khuss khabri he, Nandkisore,” buaji said.

“Kya hua, buaji?” Khushi asked anxiously. She had told her family not to call her. What if Arnavji’s business rivals caught scent of the existence of her family and harassed them?

“The boy’s family liked Payaliya,” buaji said, all smiles.

Khushi beamed. Who could resist her jiji?

“Jiji liked the boy?” Khushi asked.

“Of course. What is there not to like in him? He is a government employee and has no sisters, Nandkisore,” buaji replied.

“They want to hold the ssaadi at the earliest, Nandkisore,” buaji said. “Hum ladki wale hein. So we said, alright.”

Khushi’s face lost colour. From where would they raise the money for the wedding?

“Sasi babua is very happy, Titliyaa. It is a miracle to see a smile on his face after so many months of sorrow, Nandkisore,” buaji continued.

Khushi said nothing to this. What could she say? She just said, “Buaji, please don’t call me. My boss won’t like it. I will call you at night.”

Buaji snorted.

“I am very happy for jiji,” Khushi said. “I will call her at night. I have to go now, buaji.”

“Tanik thehro, toofan mail,” buaji said. “You needn’t be happy just for your jiji. You can be happy for yourself too, Nandkisore.”

“What?” Khushi asked, confused.

“The boy has a younger brother who is unmarried. The family saw your photo and want you to marry him, Nandkisore,” buaji dropped the bomb casually.

Khushi was too shocked to even clutch her heart.

“Hum ne kaha, theek he. Khaate peete log he. And your groom has a shop selling suit material in Lucknow. Nandkisore is great. Sasi babua will be free of both responsibilities with two ssaadis held in one mandap. Nandkisore is great,” buaji said in satisfaction.

“Nahiiiii...” Khushi succeeded in screeching like Kiron Kher.

“Naahi?” buaji asked with a frown. “What do you mean, naahi? Will you refuse the proposal and put your jiji’s rishta in danger, Nandkisore? What kind of ingratitude is this, Sanka devi?”

“Buaji,” Khushi tried to explain. “Humme shaadi nahi karni he. Aap...” How could she leave Arnavji and go away?

“Kaa bak rahi ho, Parmeswari! Ssaadi nahi karogi? Yahan padi rehne ka iraada he kaa? Do you think you can live with us till the end of time? Ladki ka asli ghar uska sasuraal hota he. You have to marry and go away anyway. To ab kyon naahi, Nandkisore?” Buaji was merciless in her need to get both weddings underway.

“Buaji, I will call you later,” Khushi said. “At night, if possible.” There was no way she was marrying the boy picked out for her.

“Call me at night, Nandkisore, to tell me you are ready for ssaadi. Otherwise call your jiji and tell her why her ssaadi is being cancelled,” stated the expert in emotional blackmail before cutting the call.

Khushi sagged and fell on her bed. Her head was spinning. “He Devi Maiyya,” she pleaded. “What is happening here? Raksha karna. Shaadi? That too with a stranger? And if I don’t, jiji’s wedding won’t happen?” She looked down at her phone. Once buaji informed the family that Khushi wasn’t willing to toe the line, her amma and jiji would call to persuade her. It was better to put the phone on silent mode and sit by Arnavji, feeling safe in his silent presence.

                                                          ***

Arnav looked up for the umpteenth time to study Khushi’s pale face as she ignored the phone calls. The phone was on mute, but he could see the phone ringing. And why was Khushi flinching each time the phone rang?

“Kya hua?” he asked finally.

The pen fell from Khushi’s hand. Wide eyes looked into direct, no-nonsense ones.

“My jiji is getting married,” she blurted out.

He waited.

“The groom has a younger brother and his family wants me to marry him,” Khushi spoke so fast that the words ran into each other.

Arnav stared at her as panic of the worst kind wreaked havoc in his heart.

Finally, he managed to ask, “Do you want to marry him?”

“No,” she cried. “I don’t. But if I refuse, jiji’s shaadi will be cancelled.”

Arnav drew a deep breath. Then he said, “Right now, you are working on a very important project for me. Inform your family that you can’t be spared. That will buy you some time. You can figure out the rest later.”

Khushi nodded, grateful for his practical wisdom.

His phone rang. It was the private investigator.

                                                                    ***

15. OS 19. His Elusive Lover (Part 15)

Part 15

ASR stood under a steady stream of cold water, hoping it would cool the raging fire in his body and head. He wanted to crush Khushi in his arms and kiss the living daylights out of her. He also wanted to strangle Shyam till he became breathless and dropped dead.

He rested his forehead against the wall.

‘What is happening to me?’ he asked himself. His self-control was the stuff books were written about and here he was, standing in the shower at midnight, trying to rein in his body and mind.

The image of Shyam looking at Khushi with lust in his eyes flashed through his mind.

He slammed his fist against the wall.

Something had to be done to end this game.

He cut the water and walked out without even waiting to grab a towel. He called his trusted PI while standing in his bedroom, all drenched. Water dripped off him and wet the floor, but he remained unaware of such unimportant things.

                                                         ***

Khushi lay curled up in bed under a mountain of blankets, her eyes shut as her brain tried to wrap itself around the feelings that had overpowered her when Arnavji had put his arm around her and touched her bare arm.

The skin his fingers had touched, burned.

She rubbed the spot to no avail. The sting persisted.

‘What is wrong with you, Khussi Kumari Gupta? Arnavji was trying to save you from that bad man. That’s all. And you are lying awake reliving the moment he touched you. You fool! Hey Devi Maiyya, raksha karna,” she prayed.

She lay looking at the thin line of light at the bottom of the connecting door and taking comfort from his presence on the other side of the door, she fell asleep.

                                                                       ***

“Aman has sent flowers,” Arnav said quietly to Khushi. “Go to the living room, get them from the delivery boy, bring them up here and arrange them in this room.”

Khushi nodded and stood up, relieved to stretch her body after hours of sitting.

 Breakfast had been a silent and awkward meal in Arnavji’s room. She had taken care not to look at him. The one weak moment her eyes had fallen on his hands cutting his food, she had almost melted into a puddle.

Arnav looked at the girl walking towards the door, her delicious body covered in a gorgeous designer saree designed and made by his firm. She looked demure and bridal, young and alluring at the same time.

Khushi walked down the steps. The whole family was gathered in the living room.

Nani called, “Khussi bitiya, zara idhar aayiye.”

Khushi walked up to her.

“You didn’t come down for breakfast,” nani complained.

“Chotey is treating you like a slave,” Anjali said with a pout.

“We had a lot of work to get through,” Khushi said with a tight smile, unhappy that Anjali was criticising a man who worked every hour that Devi Maiyya gave him. “I don’t mind the long hours.”

“It ijj good that you are bith hamre Arnav bitwaa,” mami said quickly. “Atleast he ijj not alonewaa.”

“Yes, yes,” nani seconded her. “Are you taking a break now, Khussi bitiya? Why don’t you sit with us for a few minutes?”

“Amanji has sent flowers. Arnavji wants me to get them and arrange them in his room,” Khushi explained.

The door bell rang on cue.

“The delivery boy must be here,” Khushi said. “Hum chalte hein,” she bid a quick farewell to the group before rushing to the door.

Arnav watched Khushi on camera as she left his family and strode to the door. He saw her receiving the flowers and shutting the door after the delivery boy.

She turned around to face the camera, her arms full of cream and pink rose buds. The smile on her face vanished as Shyam appeared before her.

Arnav quickly got up from his seat and ran along the corridor to reach her.

“Khushiji, so Arnav has decided to spare you for a few minutes?” Shyam asked, his oily smile sending waves of repulsion through Khushi. “Why don’t you favour us lesser mortals with your company for a few minutes?”

This was the rat who had knocked on her bedroom door last night. Khushi tried hard to keep her contempt for him from showing on her face. After all, he was the jamai raja and she, a mere employee. Poor Anjaliji, she thought. How terrible it must be to live with such an immoral louse!

“These flowers?” Shyam asked. “Who is the lucky man permitted to gift you flowers?”

Khushi wanted to hit him with her jooti. Resisting the temptation with superhuman effort, she stated, “Amanji sent them. They are to be arranged in Arnavji’s room.”

Shyam smiled. “For Saalesaheb, are they? Tab to theek he. Such pheeka colours will do for him.” He checked her out with his scary eyes. “Only red will suit you, Khushiji. You deserve to be given red roses, the colour of mohabbat, of red hot desire....”

Khushi’s eyes widened. She felt trapped, terrified at the glimpse of evil in the eyes of the man staring at her. She looked away from him for a way out and saw Arnavji standing at the foot of the stairs, facing her.

 As she watched, he blinked, the fall of his lashes reassuring her.

With the confidence that knowing Arnavji had her back gave her, she met Shyam’s eyes directly.

“Uff, yeh adaayein,” Shyam waxed eloquent. “Your beautiful eyes.” His gaze ran all over her. “You should be covered with red roses, Khushiji, and with little else,” he whispered.

Khushi’s eyes widened in shock. Her hands trembled and the roses shook in her hold.

Arnav walked to stand behind Shyam. He asked, “What is wrong, Khushi? You have been gone very long.”

Shyam jumped.

“Jijaji?” Arnav asked.

 Nani, mami and Anjali joined them.

“Kya hua, Chotey?” nani asked, her steely eyes on Shyam.

“That’s what I want to know,” Arnav said coolly. “Khushi, what was jijaji talking to you about?”

“Red roses,” Khushi blurted out.

“Red roses?” Anjali asked in confusion.

Shyam panted.

“Red roses?” Arnav asked, one brow lifted in interrogation.

“I was saying,” Shyam tried hard to escape being caught, “that Arnav should give Khushiji red roses.”

Anjali smiled. “You should, Chotey,” she said, beaming away.

“I hate red roses,” Arnav said bluntly.

Khushi nodded and said, "Arnavji hates red roses." No one knew this better than her.

“How well Khussi bitiya knows Chotey!” nani enthused.

Mami smiled and said, “Lagat he, Saasumma, working togethers hajj made them good, better, best phraands.”

Khushi stared at mami with an open mouth. Friends? With her boss?

“Khushi,” came the husky call.

“Ji?” she responded automatically.

“Go up to our room,” he instructed softly.

“Ji,” she replied, scurrying away with the roses.

Arnav turned to Shyam and said quietly, “Khushi is a lady and is not used to conversing with strange men. Kindly keep that in mind.”

Anjali frowned. Was Chotey scolding her husband for talking to Khushiji?

But before she could open her mouth, nani stepped in. “Khussi bitiya is very sanskaari, perfect for us,” she said with a tight smile.

“Yejj, yejj,” mami added. “Laagat he she is not ujjed to strange men phlattering her.”

Shyam smiled sickly and quickly left the scene. Arnav walked away after a meaningful glance at nani and mami.

“Your husband is too free with Khussi bitiya and she is not used to it,” nani said bluntly to Anjali.

Anjali gasped. “What do you mean, nani?” she asked, wounded. “Are you saying that Shyamji is flirting and that too with Khushiji, my own brother’s bride?”

“Yejj,” mami replied. “Your husbaand ijj behaving badly and Khussi ijj too bell-mannered to complain. Lekin hamre Arnav bitwaa hajj no manners, hello hi bye bye. He bill gib your husband bhat he deservejj.”

“Mami!” Anjali cried. “You are accusing my Shyamji of something he hasn’t even dreamed of.”

“I don’t know what your husband dreams of and I don’t want to know. Lekin ek baat ka dhyaan rakhiye. Keep an eye on your husband, Anjali bitiya,” nani advised. “If he is found loitering about Khussi bitiya, Chotey will throw him out of this house. Then you and your husband will have to make your home elsewhere.”

Anjali’s righteous indignation evaporated. To be thrown out of Raizada Mansion would be very uncomfortable and Anjali was a lady who liked her comforts. Now she would have to follow her husband around to see that he wasn’t in the wrong place at the wrong time.

14. OS 19. His Elusive Lover (Part 14)

Part 14

Arnav stared at the gorgeous girl standing in his bedroom, her unbound hair flying behind her, her sleeveless white suit outlining her delicious body in ways that sent his blood rushing south.

“A..Arnavji...” she gasped.

“Kya hua, Khushi?” he managed to croak, holding together his unbuttoned white shirt with one hand. He had just gotten out of the washroom after a quick shower before working a few more hours and she had surprised him.

“Woh...woh...” she pointed to her room, unable to verbalise the threat standing on the other side of her door.

Arnav looked at the faint shine of tears in her hazel eyes, the pulse pounding at her throat, the way she was hugging herself with her arms and her heaving chest. Something was definitely wrong.

“Come with me,” he instructed softly before marching to her room through the connecting door.

She followed him on unsteady legs. Once in the room, she pointed at the door knob with a shaking hand.

As Arnav watched, the knob moved. Someone was trying to open Khushi’s bedroom door from the corridor. His lips tightened and his eyes became flinty. It could only be Shyam.

“It is Shyam. I am going to open the door,” he warned Khushi in an undertone.

She looked at him with wide, terrified eyes.

He blinked for a second to calm her down without words, to reassure her that he would take care of the problem, that she would be always safe with him.

Khushi drew in deep, calming breaths.

“Shut the connecting door,” he murmured and Khushi rushed to do it.

Arnav set about opening the door to the corridor. He lowered the bar and unlocked and unlatched the door.

Then, with a warning glance at Khushi, pulled open the panels of the door to see a Shyam standing there, his nose literally twitching in excitement.

His eyes widened in shock when they fell on Arnav.

Arnav frowned. “Jijaji? Here? At this time of the night?” he asked, running a casual hand through his disarrayed hair as though settling the strands that Khushi’s eager fingers had disarranged.

Shyam gulped. He hadn’t expected Arnav in Khushi’s room at midnight.

“Saalesaheb...” Shyam bleated. “Aap...yahan?”

Arnav smiled slightly. “You know how it is,” he said in a man-to-man voice. He ran one hand over his bare chest, letting the two sides of his white shirt fall apart to reveal his muscled torso and washboard stomach. “Khushi and I...we get so little time together after work.” He shrugged, giving the impression that he and Khushi had been engaged in foreplay.

Shyam’s scrambled brain cells tried to find an excuse for being there at midnight.

“What are you doing here, jijaji?” Arnav asked.

“I..I..” Shyam struggled to find an answer.

“Where is di?” Arnav asked, leaning forward as if to check if Anjali too was present in the corridor.

“I..I wanted to talk to you, Saalesaheb. I..I..thought..thought this was your room,” Shyam managed to find an excuse.

Arnav frowned again.

“My room is the first one, jijaji. This is the second room,” he countered. “What did you want to see me about?”

Shyam floundered.

Arnav continued, “If it is about me depositing money in di’s account, that will take a week or more. And if it is about giving you money to buy a new house in Delhi, I am afraid that’s not possible.”

Shyam’s big eyes bulged in shock.

Arnav threw a loving look at Khushi standing behind him, a look that only Shyam was fortunate enough to see.

“I am entering a new phase of my life and need to look out for myself,” Arnav continued. “I am sure you will understand, jijaji.”

Shyam could only stare at Arnav. All the castles he had built in air came tumbling down to fall at his feet.

“You and di have been married for three years now, jijaji and I have been paying all your expenses. It is high time you took responsibility for yourself and for your wife,” Arnav said quietly, making it clear that the era of handouts had ended.

Rage filled Shyam. One, his sacrifice of taking on a partner like Anjali had gone waste if no more money was coming his way. Two, his plans for his future had been dashed to the ground by Arnav’s decision to marry Khushi. Three, Arnav was actively involved with Khushi and there was no space for him in her life. He took a deep breath. Revealing his ire to Arnav would end his game that very moment. He needed time to regroup.

“I..I am sorry, Saalesaheb, for disturbing you,” Shyam said, his lascivious eyes still trying to get a glimpse of Khushi who was hiding behind Arnav. He could see only the top of her head.

“I am sure you will excuse us now,” Arnav said, turning to put his arm around Khushi’s shoulders and tug her to stand by him.

Shyam took one more look at the couple, felled by fury he couldn’t express and then walked away.

“Wait till he leaves,” Arnav murmured.

Khushi said nothing.

Shyam vanished from their sight and Arnav looked down at Khushi.

She was shaking.

He looked at his arm.

It was around her back and his fingers were on her bare arm. Her soft body was pressed sideways against his bare chest.

His fingers moved slightly.

She trembled further.

He swallowed hard, his throat feeling like Thar desert.

Their hearts galloped, their breathing became choppy. They stood, caught in the firm grasp of passionate desire, the craving and hunger new to both of them.

13. OS 19. His Elusive Lover (Part 13)

Part 13

“Ask HP to serve lunch here in the room,” Arnav instructed Khushi quietly before settling down in his chair by the recliner to work.

Khushi called HP. “Hari Prakashji, can you please serve lunch for Arnavji and me in his room? We have a lot of work to finish,” she explained.

Arnav’s eyes were on the laptop monitor but his ears were filled with the music of her sweet voice. He secretly watched her smile at HP’s reply, cut the call and then sit in her place to type one of the many documents he had given her.

Why had he decided to have lunch in his room? He should have taken Khushi downstairs for lunch and placed her more and more in Shyam’s way so that he cracked sooner. He wanted the whole mess dealt with as soon as possible and Shyam out of di’s life at the earliest moment, but... Arnav drew air into his lungs. That moment in the kitchen when he had seen Shyam with Khushi... that moment had shaken him.

He looked at his hands.

They were steady now, but in the kitchen they had itched to wrap themselves around that...that slimebucket’s thick neck and squeeze the life out of him.

He shook his head to clear it.

He needed some time away from that lowlife to get back to a state of calm. An important part of that was knowing that Khushi was safe and there was no better way of knowing that she was safe than to have her sit across from him and struggle to type long English words without mistake.

A moment of peace. One moment. And then he would be fine, ready to take on that degenerate, that lecher he had to call jijaji. Just one moment to settle the panic within him. Take a deep breath, he told himself.

His eyes fell on the tray with a mug of coffee that he had placed on his table.

He grabbed it, letting the warmth seep into his cold fingers. With his gaze on the beautiful girl sitting and frowning at her laptop, he sipped from the mug, feeling comfort flow from his mouth to his insides, the warmth soothing him, the taste comforting him. His lashes fell to cover his eyes. Her coffee made him feel as though Khushi were running her hand over his hair.

His eyes flew open. What was happening to him?

He looked at her.

She was looking at the file, entirely focused on getting her work done right and without any flaws.

Suddenly she frowned and lifted her right hand to rub the smooth, creamy skin of her neck.

He quickly averted his eyes.

She turned her head to look at him. Why had she felt his gaze on her when he wasn’t even looking in her general direction? Pagal ho tum, Khussi Kumari Gupta, she chided herself.

                                                               ***

“Arnavji, shall we have lunch now?” she asked, one eye on the clock.

 It was one at noon.

“One minute,” he said, his eyes on the figures he was studying.

Khushi waited patiently for exactly one minute, her eyes on the hands of the clock.

“Arnavji, one minute is over,” she reminded him.

“Hmmm,” he said, taking his phone to call Aman. Talking to Aman, he got up and moved out into the garden.

Khushi sighed. Mice were running around in her stomach like children in the playground. After waiting for one more moment, she gave up.

She went to the trolley HP had pushed into the room and took out the plates and cutlery. She quickly served the food on two plates and then sat waiting for Arnavji.

Two minutes later, there was still no sign of him.

Khushi got up from her seat with an exaggerated sigh and peeped into the garden.

He was sitting on a black recliner, still talking to Aman. Or rather, he was giving orders in his office voice. Poor Amanji, she thought. No other man would stay with an Arnavji who shouted at employees and self-combusted every few minutes. 

Khushi frowned.

But he wasn’t like that at home. Here he was patient, soft-spoken, even kind to her. The frown cleared. Maybe he was scared of his nani, she thought. Maybe his nani expected him to be polite and courteous.

She clutched her tummy. Hunger was gnawing at her insides. ‘He Devi Maiyya,’ she complained, ‘what kind of employer have you given me? He lives on coffee and work and doesn’t need food! Aur hum he chatori, as buaji always says.’

This was too much.

She quickly turned around, collected his full plate and cutlery and marched out into the garden.

Arnav looked up to see a whirlwind stop before him. She placed his plate on the table by the recliner and stood by it, her hands on her hips.

“Aman, I will get back to you,” he murmured before cutting the call. “Khushi?” he asked.

“Aap khana kha leejiye,” she told him. “I am so hungry that I can gobble up your whole house, including your plants.” She looked at the pots of plants lined up near the pool.

He cleared his throat. “You should have eaten. Matlab, you don’t have to wait for me,” he instructed.

Khushi’s eyes grew wide. “Awww, eat before you do? Eat while you stay hungry and keep working? Nahi, Arnavji. You are my employer and I will take good care of you till my job is over. Aap please khaa leejiye so that I can eat too. Please.”

Arnav nodded slowly. He set the phone aside on the small table by his plate.

“I will get you a glass of water,” Khushi said, returning to the room.

Soon she came out with a glass of water. There was no space on the table to keep it.

He stood up and held out his hand.

Khushi handed over the glass.

The tips of his fingers touched the tips of hers.

The glass fell from their hands and shattered into pieces.

They stood staring at each other, discomfited, their fingers aflame, their brains scrambled, their hearts racing.

Khushi clutched the fabric of her sari, hoping that would cool the burning sensation. Her eyes fell on the shards of broken glass on the floor. She bent to gather them.

Arnav managed to croak, “No. I will get HP to clean it. You go inside and have your lunch.”

Khushi nodded and left on unsteady feet.

Arnav sat heavily on the recliner, feeling the red-hot flame of desire burn through him, sending his senses haywire.

Later, when HP removed the slivers of glass and loaded the trolley with used tableware, Arnav noticed that her plate was still full, just as his was.

He swallowed hard.

                                                                   ***

Arnav carried his laptop to the garden and spent the rest of the day working in its relative safety, away from Khushi. If his eyes rested on her form frequently, he assured himself that he was just checking on her work habits.

HP brought tea and Khushi served him quietly.

They then continued to work in silence.

It was almost time for dinner.

“We need to go down for dinner,” Arnav said, returning to his room.

“Ji,” she said softly without meeting his eyes.

At the dining table, Arnav pulled the chair next to his for her and seated Khushi. Then he took his seat.

The Raizada ladies smiled at them.

Akash and mamaji joined them.

Then Anjali and Shyam came down to take their seats.

“Chotey, why didn’t you come down all day?” Anjali asked with a pout.

“Work,” he replied quietly and briefly.

“You could have let Khushiji spend some time with us,” Anjali complained.

Arnav didn’t bother to reply.

“Yes, Saalesaheb, you could have sent Khushiji down to us. We didn’t get an opportunity to talk to her to our heart’s content. There is much we don't know about her,” Shyam said, his greedy eyes on Khushi’s glowing face and lissom body.

Nani looked away in anger and mami looked at him with disgust in her kajal-lined eyes.

Akash and mama grit their teeth to stop themselves from responding to the cheat.

“What do you want to know about her?” Arnav asked mildly.

“About her family,” Shyam persisted. “Khushiji, Rani Sahiba told me you are from Lucknow?”

“Ji,” Khushi replied.

“Where exactly in Lucknow?” he asked, his predatory eyes running all over her torso.

“I am not sure,” she replied, after a glance at Arnav. “I was young when my parents died. Then I lived with my uncle and aunt. We travelled all over Uttar Pradesh as my uncle’s job entailed travelling. Then they died, one after the other and I came to Delhi to find a job.” Her voice was even and her eyes were on her plate.

“We are glad you did, Khussi bitiya,” nani said, her voice filled with love.

“And Devi Maiyya brought you to hamre Arnav bitwaa’s ophice, hello hi bye bye,” mami concluded.

Khushi smiled at the two ladies.

Shyam chewed his food as though he were tasting Khushi’s skin. An orphan with no one to ask questions if he used and abandoned her! Khushi was perfect for his needs. But first he had to seduce her away from Arnav.

In his preoccupation with his plans, Shyam failed to notice Arnav’s sharp eyes on him.

                                                                 ***

Khushi showered and changed into a sleeveless white suit before crawling into bed.

She was exhausted. Her back hurt from sitting all day, hunched over her laptop.

She stretched her arms and legs and stopped short in mid action when she heard the washroom door being opened or shut in Arnavji’s room.

She looked at the line of light at the bottom of the connecting door. Reassured, she switched off the light in her room.

She lay back and thought of her family. Babuji was getting the medical care he needed. Buaji and amma were happy. A boy was coming to see jiji tomorrow. Would it work out? she wondered. If the boy and girl liked each other, how would buaji and amma make all the arrangements for a wedding? The money...

She heard a sound that chilled her blood.

She turned terrified eyes towards the door leading from her room to the corridor. 

Someone was trying to open it. She could see the knob move even in the dark.

Khushi leaped out of bed and ran helter-skelter to the connecting door. Too panicky and agitated to even knock, she pulled open the door and ran into Arnavji’s room.