To Love or Not To Love

Chapter 40

It was 11.15 at night. Khushi had looked for her phone everywhere. She had literally emptied her bag and turned it inside out, but her phone was still missing. She closed her eyes, trying to go through her day again. She remembered placing it in her handbag and had texted Payal to call her at 7, in case she was running late.

That hadn't happened. She had met Payal as planned at the Shukla Chaat House in Hazratganj. In fact, she was there early, gulping their famous Paani Batashe, thanks to her showdown with ASR.

She'd not checked her phone. When was the last time she used it? She rubbed her temples, trying to think when realization dawned. She was in ASR's office and she had taken it out to check if there had been any messages from her mother or Payal. Because a certain Raakshas Raizada did not like phones ringing during meetings, she had turned it on silent before entering his office.

What had she done with it, after that? Khushi thought hard. Arnav had interrupted and she had placed it on his desk, to focus on the note-taking. Then she'd sparred with him and stormed out of his office with her bag on her shoulder. The phone was still on Arnav Singh Raizada's desk. She glanced at her watch, again. If she left for Sheesh Mahal now, she could be back by 1.00 am. There won't be any traffic at this time.

She woke Payal up. Seeing Khushi dressed in jeans and kurta, Payal chided: "Is that your new nightdress Khushi?" Absently combing through her hair and tying into a ponytail, Khushi replied: "Jiji, I forgot my phone at Sheesh Mahal. I'm going to get it."

"Khushi?" yawned Payal. "Do you know what the time is? Its nearly midnight. Can't you get it tomorrow morning?"

"No Jiji, you know me, I won't be able to sleep till I get it back." When Payal scowled, she hugged her sister. "I promise, I'll be quick. I know exactly where I left it. I'll be back before you can blink."

"Khushi wait," Payal tried to reason with her sister, who was hell-bent on leaving home at this ungodly hour. "Why don't you call Arnavji and ask him to keep it safe? You can then collect it tomorrow morning."

"I tried calling but no one answered," she said. "Don't worry Jiji, I promise to take care of myself. And I'll be right back."

"But Khushi.." Payal's words were drowned in the thud of the door. Khushi had stepped outside the house. Payal rushed after her and called out: "Khushi, call me if you need anything. I'll keep my phone right beside me." Only her crazy sister could think of doing something so ... crazy.

*****

Khushi reached Sheesh Mahal a little after midnight. An old friendly watchman was sitting at the gates, absentmindedly digging the stick he held in his hand, into the ground. She stopped and asked told him she wanted to go to Arnav's room. The watchman stared at her. Sure, in his short stint working for AR, he had seen many women ask for directions to Arnav's room, but this girl looked different. He wasn't sure about what to do. And he didn't want to upset his saab by annoying this girl with a wrong question. So he gently prodded, "Bitiya, did you have any work with ASR saab?"

"No chachaji," Khushi huffed. "I forgot my phone in his office earlier today. I just needed it back."

"You had a meeting this evening?" the watchman asked cautiously. The last thing the man wanted was to let a stranger into his saab's office. He knew how his saab felt about that. 

"Yes," she breathed out, the cool October winds, spreading a soothing sensation throughout her body. The city felt different without its hustle, almost beautiful without a fault. In front of her, the watchman patiently waited for her to continue. "I work with AR Designs." And to prove that she truly did, she took her ID card out and showed it to him.