Khushi woke up early in the morning. She stepped out of her room dressed in a blue anarkali suit. She went straight to the kitchen and started preparing breakfast for herself and her brother.
Shyam woke up a few minutes later. He joined her in the kitchen, staring at her with a confused look, "Didn't you wake up much earlier than you planned to wake up on Saturday?"
Khushi pouted, using her fingers to flatten her roti thin and then put it on the tawa, "That Cold Light kahike stole my sleep. I couldn't sleep after what happened last night."
Shyam joined to help her in rolling the remaining dough balls, "I thought you would be tired and sleepy since you got home late yesterday."
"Maybe it's because of the trauma and panic I went through last night that I couldn't sleep later," Khushi said, looking away from her brother as she was hiding the fact that what stole her sleep last night was actually the strange and intimate connection she felt with Arnav last night.
Shyam kissed her head, "I'm proud of you. You did the right thing by staying with him and calling the doctor yesterday. This helping nature of yours always reminds me of Amma."
Khushi smiled slightly, "I learned to be this way from her only," she watched him rolling the rotis, "Hurry up, bhaiya. Today I'll accompany you to the shop."
"Thank you, my Titaliya. But I suggest you stay home and take a rest as you couldn't sleep well last night," Shyam said.
"Well, I've my plans after I drop you off at the shop," Khushi said.
"And can I know what your plans are?" Shyam asked curiously.
Khushi smiled, nodding her head, "First, I planned to go to Mandir and pray for Arnav ji's health. I just found out that he has diabetes and since I couldn't sleep last night, I was reading more about his type of diabetes on google. I felt bad that such a young man is suffering from a long-lasting illness. And to make matters worse, he doesn't even take care of himself, nor does he let other people around him take care of him. That's why I want to talk to Devi Maiyya about my khadoos genie, pray for her health, and long life."
"That's really sweet of you, but I don't think your genie gives a damn about you. He doesn't really care, Khushi. He couldn't even say a simple thank you after knowing you stayed there with him till he regained his consciousness. Why are you taking trouble and going to Mandir to pray for him? You've done your part, it's enough na.. It's not necessary to go to Mandir and pray for him now," Shyam said in a serious tone, "See, you know that I'm not the kind of brother who keeps monitoring everything you do nor did I ever restricted you from doing anything you want. But you're my precious angel, I don't like to see you waste your time on people who don't really care about you."
Khushi's face fell, staring at her brother with her big sad hazel eyes, "He does care, bhaiya. If he didn't, then he wouldn't have insisted on dropping me home last night. You don't know. I was being so stubborn and firm on my decision that I'll catch a rickshaw to get back home. Still, he didn't give up and dragged me to his car to drop me home and accompanied me till the door of my house. Do you really he doesn't care? He just doesn't convey his feelings in words. Maybe that's why everyone misunderstands him."
"Khushi, he's not a Saint. You know that, don't you?" Shyam asked with a "Don't make me remind you of his wrongdoings" look, "I know he helped us a lot by giving us the opportunity to acquire our parents' house from him. But it doesn't mean you'll keep covering for his mistakes every time and portray that man as an innocent soul. You're aware of his short-tempered, rude, and arrogant attitude towards everyone, including his own family."
Khushi looked down to take the roti out of the tawa and placed it on a plate at the side, frowning slightly, she doesn't know why, but it was pricking her to hear words against Arnav, "He's human, not any monster. He's not perfect. He's a flawed human being like the rest of us."
