Hate Me Like You Don't

Don't you know your limits?

The next morning, Arnav was shocked to know that Aman Mathur was on leave. Without informing him. 

On calling his number for a dozen times, finally Aman picked up. "Just where the hell are you Aman? We have an investigation going on."

"Boss, it's my mother..."

Arnav gulped at Aman's morose voice as the door to his office burst open. Khushi Kumari Gupta stood there with a frazzled expression. "What the-"

"I'm sorry boss. I need some days off."

"Yes, I suppose you do. Take care, Aman." Arnav hadn't peeled his eyes off Khushi yet.

"It's true, isn't it?" Khushi asked. "Aman Mathur, he just became an orphan."

"Just what do you know about being an orphan?" Arnav hardened. How dare she come into his office and pick this particular topic?

"I..."

"Get out!"

"I just..."

"I said LEAVE! "

***

Khushi reprimanded herself for her rash actions. Everything had been fine. Things were settling down and now she had set things haywire again.

When Lavanya had told Khushi that Aman Mathur was on leave and ASR was going crazy, Khushi was turned to stone. At midnight, the name didn't make any sense. In the light of the day, suddenly an idea formed in her head.

Excusing out of work, she had ran home to find that Shyam Manohar Jha was thankfully home. A slight indication of interest and ten questions later, her theory was confirmed.

They were all orphans.

She ran to the one place which would re-affirm her theory. When she entered Arnav's office, he was on a call. One question later, she was spiraling.

"I said, LEAVE!"

Khushi turned. "I'm sorry. I won't bring it up again."

The walk back home was necessary to put the newly found information in perspective.

You took the first names when you were thirteen. Four names. Anjali, Arnav, Shyam, Khushi. Bhai's words drummed in her mind. You took another name three years later. Aarav.

You have triggers, Smiley. Avoid few things. Please sis, don't get into mysteries or prophecies mood. That was all she remembered. She had promptly fainted at the trigger again.

"When I was thirteen, Shyam would be around twenty-five." Khushi calculated hurriedly. Remembering Shyam's story, it sort of fit. She must have known, even then that someone close to her was abandoned. "Okay. If that's the case then three years later, someone else was abandoned. Aarav. And today, Aman. But what about Arnav and Anjali?"

There was no easy way to find that out. But answers do come to those who ask questions. And Khushi's prayers were already heard eons ago.

***

Arnav was having a hard time dealing with Khushi Kumari Gupta. He didn't want to go poking around the Khuranas, and with Aman suddenly indisposed, all he could do was wait.

As minutes turned to hours that night, Arnav wondered why Khushi had come into his office that afternoon. Why had she asked abut Aman? And why the specific question?

Anjali. Aarav. Shyam. Arnav. Khushi. He had been repeating the names in a litany. What was it that this mysterious woman was after?

***