HOME IS WHERE HEART IS.

Chapter 8| EPIPHANY.

An experience of a sudden and striking realization.

The day had arrived. The day Khushi's family was leaving to Lucknow. Payal and Aakash had stayed the previous night at Lakshmi nagar, helping with the packing. Arnav was to take Khushi in a while.

Only, Khushi had gone into her 'Sanka Devi' mode. She  was on call berating Payal and pacing around frantically. Apparently, the latter had left the list Khushi had prepared for their travel at Shantivan itself.

"Jiji!! I'll read the list. Check if everything is there and packed!.... What?..... Jiji!... Don't disconne...." Khushi was greeted with the beep of the dial tone. Her lips circled as she mouthed a 'Haww' that her sister had hung up abruptly

In Payal's defence, the woman had practically vowed that she'd take care of everything but our darling Khushi couldn't stop herself from pestering and bothering her sister.

Irked. She rang Payal again was answered by the recorded message of the weird voice lady saying the phone was switched off.

"Jiji!"Khushi groaned in frustration. She attempted to call the landline and it went unanswered.

Just then, Arnav walked in. Almost barging into him, she declared "Arnavji! Give me your phone. I need to call Jijaji!"

Arnav glanced at the phone in her hand and back at her miffed face.

"Khushi, you already have a phone."

Khushi rolled her eyes. "I know that. If I call from my number, Jiji won't pick up and won't allow Jijaji to do so too. So, phone?"  She demanded, putting forth her hand.

"You want to speak to Payal? Again? Didn't you already talk to her three times." reasoned Arnav.

"I just want to cross check the list, that she very conveniently left! Can I have your phone or not?" she asked crossing her arms.

Arnav raised an eyebrow. Khushi was on edge. Cranky even. And, he knew that a mere piece of paper had nothing to do with it.

Picking up his blackberry, he suggested "Why don't I text the list to Aakash?"

Khushi looked at him, thinking for a second and offered it to him.

Without further delay, he got onto to the task. But, Khushi still looked troubled as she resort to biting her nails.

Arnav thought probing her would probably worsen her state. But, he decided to do it anyway.

"Khushi,"

"Hmm..." came her absent-minded reply.

"Are you okay?" pondered Arnav.

"Do I not look okay?" she retorted.

"Hey," He took a step closer. "Relax.." He told her gently. "I asked... because you look worried."

"Of course,  I'm worried... What if they leave anything.. What if Buaji forgets her Asthma medicines or Amma forgets the house keys... or Babuji's reports... What if something goes wrong or..." she rattled on but was interrupted

"Nothing is going to go wrong. It's all going to be fine." he tried his best at reassuring her. She sure was frazzled as hell.

At that, Khushi took in a deep breath calming herself and settled down on the edge of the bed.