Heads up: This chapter has quite a few family secrets/emotional baggage discussions.
--*--
Arnav found Khushi sitting on the stairs, looking quite disheartened. Their efforts to get any lead, any good news about finding Saahas had not resulted in a fruitful end till now. So, he understood her condition.
As they say, the pain of heartbreak is as severe as any bodily pain.
And who other than him would understand that better?
But right now, he wanted to give her support and ensure she stayed strong in her heart and mind as he had seen her 2 years ago or a few weeks ago.
So, forcing a smile on his face, he went and sat beside her keeping a respectable distance.
She did notice him but didn't say anything, continuing to rest her head on her folded hands on her knees...
"I know, I know you will say, that you don't need anyone's consoling words or support (Tumhe kisi ke sahare ki zarurat nahi hai, yahi kahogi na tum). Right?" he asked, guessing her answer.
And something about the way he was already prepared for her to shut him down made her feel bad. He was truly trying to help her; she could say now. So, smiling a little, she answered, "Nahi. I was going to say, you watch too many Bollywood movies."
He laughed heartily at that unexpected gibe, "Maybe. I mean, I used to. Dadi likes all these movies toh kya karta (what could I do)."
"And your Maa?" she asked, with curiosity.
"I don't know. She rarely had time." he shrugged.
.
.
Arnav's mother- Vasudha -returned home from work that evening only to be confronted by her mother-in-law, Arnav's dadi, Subhadra.
Taking her handbag from Vasudha, she asked in a caring voice, "How did you get late today? Has the workload increased again?"
"Hmm." came a monosyllable answer.
"You should tell your boss to reduce your workload. After all he is Arnav's friend's father. Lalit ji will understand."
"Hmm."
"Hum toh keh rahe hai, naukri chod hi do ab (I would say leave this job). Kya zarurat hai(what's the need)?"
At that point, Vasudha found it hard to answer in monosyllable. This demand from her to leave her job was not going to be acceptable to her and she had to make it clear.
"That same job gave us support after Arun(Arnav's father) passed away, have you forgotten Maa ji? I was given that position as a kind gesture in place of Arun. Because of that same job I could support our house, and Arnav's education. It's been hardly 3-4 years since Arnav started working now. And besides, I really started liking my work. Why do I need to quit?" Saying so, Vasudha started going towards her room to get freshened when her mother-in-law's words fell on her ears.
"See, if you had married Lalit ji, this would not have happened."
.
.
"You know Khushi, my Dadi is very supportive, very progressive woman. Her thoughts are ahead of her time. She has always supported Maa in her work. Dadi even taught me to help Maa in the kitchen so she could take some rest. But Maa has always been working round the clock."
Khushi didn't know what to say. She had seen Arnav's Dadi as well as mother in Aman-Poorni's wedding and could say they weren't very cordial to each other, but she kept quite as Arnav kept speaking,
