Air Beneath My Wings(On Hold)

Compromises

Khushi was lying on the bed when she heard shuffling feet at the door. "Jiji, please let me rest."

"I got you some medicine." Payal whispered in a decibel audible to Khushi.

"I don't need any medicine."

Payal jumped across strewn boxes to reach Khushi on the opposite side of the queen size bed. "Ibuprofen."

Khushi looked up, surprised how Payal knew she needed one.

"Arnav ji mentioned you're having a headache. If I knew, I wouldn't have sprung all that on you. The lights and stuff." Payal muttered the last sentence, visibly ashamed.

Khushi got up slowly and took the pill from her sister. She gulped it down with the water Payal handed to her.

"Khushi, I'm... I worry about you."

"I didn't ask you to."

"But I do. We used to tell each other everything. Now it's like, you're a completely new person to me. I want to understand why."

"Well, that's a first." Khushi muttered loudly.

Payal looked up, her eyes inquiring.

"In the last two days, Jiji, you've only assumed what I would have done. And if I didn't do that, you go off the handle. I'm a human Jiji, I'm allowed to have my private space."

"I just-"

"You want to understand, I get it. But give me time. My emotions aren't a switch I can flick. You find me, you ask me to visit the office, Aman orders Arnav to get back, everyone is just expecting us to fall back into our old selves. Did any of you, except Aman, ask why?"

Payal gulped.

"Anjali ji orders that she would be heartbroken if we didn't live with you. Even she didn't ask what Arnav wanted. What I wanted."

"We're family, Khushi."

"Anjali, yes. Not Akash. Not you. Not Aman, and he still had the best reaction. At least he asked what is our problem with Delhi. With reconnecting. I didn't hear you ask me that once when we had dinner. You just assumed that being with family is what I want."

"Khushi, we're-"

"Family, yes. You call Amma Babuji on me, Jiji? Without informing me? Aman books the tickets, without thinking what we want. What if I were to walk out that door this moment?"

"Amma-"

"Would be heartbroken, wouldn't she?"

"You agreed."

"What was I supposed to do Jiji? Let Aman spiral down after the years that he has had?"

"You're telling me ASR is back for his company, not his family?" Payal hardened.

"What do you think?"

"Good night, Khushi."

*****

Arnav was helping Nancy remove the decorations Payal had done, as Akash looked on in amazement. He never thought of his brother doing something so... mundane.

"Bhai, why didn't you tell us this morning that it was your anniversary?"

"How did it matter? We have been on a time crunch ever since Di demanded we move in together."

"But, if you would have told us, we would have done the move a few days later. Di would have understood."

"This is Di's problem. She doesn't ask before she commands. Jeejaji has given her quite an apt nickname." Arnav pulled another banner down.