To Love or Not To Love

Chapter 18

Khushi was busy enjoying her tryst with the delicious halwa poori her buaji had made for breakfast, conveniently zoning out the compulsive chatter that accompanied it.  Khushi licked the potato gravy off her fingers and helped herself to another serving. Her buaji was a great cook. If only she was as interesting to listen to. Khushi shook those thoughts out of her head. Her only aim right now was to savor the last morsel of the kesar ka halwa with pooris fried in home-made ghee until her stomach complained of excess baggage.

Buaji's non-stop chatter continued: "I wish Rishi babua was here to see his little angel doing so well in life..."

Khushi stilled. Her Baba would not have been proud of her. In fact, she was sure, he would be devastated by her decision. Khushi didn't remember much about him but the little that she did, and the anecdotes she had heard from Shashi, she knew he was a man of honor. Khushi was certain he would have preferred death than a deal with the devil. 

"Please understand," whispered Khushi, looking up at the ceiling. "I know you won't agree but please be there to guide my path."

She had no way of knowing whether her Baba had heard her. She could only hope he had.

*****

Buaji going out to shop for her weekly groceries had given Khushi some time to pack. The older woman, otherwise, occupied every moment of Khushi's time with her constant chatter. With age catching up, all the old lady craved was companionship. Packing in silence was comforting. Khushi needed to get used to it.

Just as she was about to shut her suitcase, the shrill ring of the doorbell shattered her peace. Behind the creaky wooden door that guarded the entryway to her buaji's house, stood Ashok Yadav, clad in his pristine white driver's uniform.

"Hello, Ashokji. How are you doing?" asked Khushi, gesturing to come in and take a seat.

When he refused, Khushi stilled, wondering if ASR had sent him here yet again.

"Nahi bitiya. No one knows I have come to meet you," Ashok responded accurately guessing her thoughts. "Actually I'm here to give you some unsolicited advice."

When Khushi continued to move him towards the living area, he reluctantly made his way in. "Bitiya can I get a glass of water?" He was parched and for the first time he was looking out for someone other than his saab.

Having gulped the entire contents down in one go, Ashok placed his glass on the makeshift coffee table and tentatively began: "Bitiya, saab just got back from Lucknow this morning. And from what I understand he is very angry and upset about something."

Khushi nodded indicating she was listening to him. "He was shouting at everyone in the office. He even asked for Lavanya memsaab and when she went to him, he shouted at her. I don't know what he said, but Lavanya memsaab left for the airport an hour after her meeting with saab."

Looking at Khushi's confused expression, Ashok clarified: "You see saab has never shouted at Lavanya memsaab in front of others during the time she was his Business Developer."

Khushi stilled. Ashok's version and Lavanya's version didn't add up. Lavanya was clearly afraid of ASR. And yet, apparently, ASR had never raised his voice on her.

She nevertheless decided to not voice her concerns and let Ashok continue. "I know bitiya that you were supposed to move into saab's apartment tomorrow. But it would be better if you moved in today. Saab always likes things done before he asks about them."

"But the keys? I haven't yet signed my contract with AR and so I don't have the keys to the company apartment."

"Don't worry about that bitiya. I have a spare key to all of saab's apartments. I can help you move in."

"But why are you doing this for me Ashokji?"

"Because I would hate it if saab unjustly punished you for something that was not your fault."

Suddenly memories of the 48 hours of captivity in Lucknow came flashing back. If ASR believed you were guilty, he didn't wait for the jury to convict you.

Khushi mutely nodded. A few hours here or there weren't going to make a big difference. She asked Ashokji if he could wait until her buaji got back and went to change into something more suitable.

*****

The drive to Karol Bagh, where the employee accommodation for AR Designs was located was mostly silent.

The high-rise, known as Rising Stars was a tall modern structure. It comprised of two wings with a corridor connecting them in between, resembling an open book. The building was painted all white. All employees who held positions above the managerial level were allotted accommodation in this building. The penthouse of the left-wing was reserved for ASR. The penthouse of the right-wing was reserved for his Business Developer.

After having helped Khushi place the last of her things into her new apartment,  Ashok was just about to make his way out when Khushi stopped him. "Ashokji, I have a small request. Please don't tell ASR I've moved into the apartment." Ashok could sense fear and apprehension in Khushi's eyes. Unfortunately, he couldn't even truthfully tell her there was nothing to worry about.

"Bitiya, I won't tell saab anything. But trust me when I say this, he will find out, and it won't be before long."

"How?"

"God knows. News and information always find their way to him."

*****

Idea-packed Anjali Jha was at her wit's end. The first thing she did, this morning, after getting to work was perusing Khushi's employee record to locate her address and phone number. Her permanent and mailing address was from Lucknow. Useless. Her phone number, incorrect.  Also useless. She had a strong urge to pick up the closest thing next to her, fling it to the ground and watch it shatter to a million pieces. But since she didn't give in to her tempers easily, she did the next best thing that would calm her down. Picking up a glass of ice-cold water from the farthest end of her desk, he gulped it all down in one go. Then she asked her secretary to get her another glass – of ice-cold water.

She needed to calm down and think logically. There was always a way, as long as she was persistent enough to look for it.

Her phone rang and without looking at who it was, she answered: "Hi Anjali, did you manage to speak with Khushi?"

It was Shyam, a rare occasion when he called her during work hours.

"Shyam," she began.

Sensing the nervousness in her voice, he correctly guessed the situation: "So the details in her employment file are of no use to you".

"How did you know?"

"I didn't think Arnav would be stupid enough to keep a copy of with the correct details when he knows half the world detests him."

"But what do I do now? How do I meet Khushi?"

"Why do you need to meet her?"

"To talk to her about Chhote of course. Why else?" said an exasperated Anjali.

"Okay. So if you can't get in touch with her what else can you do?"

"Get to the point," she said in a tone that could almost be perceived to be threatening.

His wife's unusual display of anger got him to chuckle. "I now know why they call you the "Dragon Lady". Never thought you would use those skills on me."

"Shyam...."

"Look into her file. She has an offer letter right? Does her employee record also include a contract?"

"No."

"Then sometime before tomorrow, she has to come in to sign her contract to formally accept her position."

And all of a sudden Anjali knew how she could let Khushi know. "Thank you," she whispered before disconnecting the phone and dialing another number, this time with HR to see what time the meeting with Khushi Gupta was set for.