The Way We Were

Chapter 15

(Pre Y2K: Sharma-Gupta Niwas Part I)

Khushi Kumari Gupta knew she was in for trouble soon as she knocked the door to her home. It was two days before new year's and she was coming home after more than 3 years. More to the point, she was coming home to announce a decision she had been coming to terms with for months now. However, her family didn't know that yet.

As per her mother, she had become elusive, vanishing to Mumbai first, then several cities citing business opportunities. Khushi had become an elite society caterer thanks to her own hard work and one employer who never ceased to care about her. From London to Delhi to Mumbai to Bangalore to Pune to Chennai to Hyderabad, and lately even Kolkata, Khushi was now used to traveling across India at the last minute to cater to some wedding or another.

As per her father, she had become flaky, taking decisions last minute, using up most of her savings on renovating some part of the house at odd times every year. They now had an air conditioner in every single room. The living area, which had one sofa set a decade back, walls run down by weather, was now sporting a montage of frames with faces of the family, from Payal's school photos, to Khushi's college photos to the Gupta's latest anniversary celebration picture, and even one with Madhumati and Payal Sharma standing beside Akshit Sharma, something Khushi had dug out from God knows where! The wooden, termite prone sofa had been replaced with plush couches housing a dozen cushions with various quotes that the girls kept picking at odd places around the country. It had become a game to them, whether who could bring the most quirky stuff home.

As per her aunt, Payal's mother, she had become strong headed, not willing to listen to reason most times, but ending up doing the right thing at the right time, whatever be the obstacle. Their biggest concern, financial insecurity, was now a dream. Khushi was making enough to save for years to come. And with Payal's steady choreographer salary, the Gupta family had little to worry about their daughters.

Khushi knocked again, worried if she had given the wrong time to her parents about her arrival.

"Coming, coming Titaliya!"

Khushi grinned. Her aunt, Madhumati Sharma, had become so fond of her achievements lately that she had gifted Khushi a new nickname, something Khushi cherished over the childhood nickname of Sanka Devi. That just brought memories she couldn't erase.

The door opened and Khushi saw Madhumati beaming at her with pride. "Finally, you are home! Come in, Titaliya. Your parents are out grocery shopping for you."

"Oh no. Is Amma going to cook all day and night then?" She asked, worried for her own sanity for the next few days.

"That's her plan, yes. And I will, too, once Payal is home tomorrow."

Khushi stacked her luggage against one of the sofa sets. Payal had another day of all night shoot which she couldn't skip. Hence, Khushi had come early planning to get the serious talk over with before the new year's festivities could begin in earnest with Payal's arrival.

"Ae Khushi!"

Khushi realized she had tuned off, and brought herself back from the what if's her brain was cooking up. "Sorry Buaji. I just... It feels good to be back."

"It feels good because you are back for good. Go get freshened up, I'll make your favorite coffee."

"Yes Buaji. I need your coffee, badly! I'll be out in ten minutes, okay?" Khushi rushed to her room. She had only stayed in that room for less than two years, but the bed was familiar here. Her closet housed all her life, once packed up from Lucknow. Her study table was the same, some academic books but more romance novels peeking from its storage space. The only addition was her Devi Maiyya idol, something Sudha Yadav had given her when she had to extend her stay in London for a year.