Silver Linings

Keeper

After Khushi placed her copy of the contract inside her back she looked up at Arnav "Waise Arnavji.. aap ke khaana ka kya?" (By the way, Arnavji.. what about your food?) Arnav looked at her with a look she couldn't decipher "Aman mere liye kuch na kuch order kar deta hai" (Aman orders something or the other for me) Arnav pointed to the table where there was a bag of take out, Khushi did not look pleased, "Aur Jijaji?" (and Jijaji?) Arnav smiled, his girl cared about everyone "Pehle woh bhi mere saat khata tha... lekin ab uske liye khana ghar se aati hai" (Earlier he used to eat with me, but now he gets lunch from home) Khushi nodded her head, "Teek hai.." (Okay)

"So agle mahine se tumhari lunch service shuru hogi.." (So, from next month your lunch service will commence) Khushi nodded her head with a broad smile.. "waise kal tumhari kya plan hai?" (By the way, what are your plans for tomorrow?) Khushi thought for a second before she answered "Kal hume Devi Maiyya ki mandir jaana hai Arnav ji.. ek pooja hai" (Tomorrow I am going to the temple Arnavji.. there is a pooja) Arnav just made a sound of acceptance.. and did not offer any explanation as to why he asked about her plans.. Khushi wanted to know, but before she could ask Arnav stood up and walked towards his table, he walked back to Khushi with another file in his hand.

He handed it over to her, "Iss mai bhi tumhaari signatures chahiye" (I need your signatures in this as well) She took the file from him, Arnav just observed what she was going to do, he silently walked to the same place he was sitting before. Khushi opened the file "Saare kaagzaat mai dastakat karni hai Arnavji?" (Should I sign all the pages Arnavji?) Arnav shook his head and showed her the 2 pages where her signatures were needed. She removed the cap of her pen and just signed, neither did she read the content of the file, nor did she ask him what the papers were for.

Once she was done, she closed the file and held it out to Arnav, he did not take it back, he looked at the file and then at her "Kisipe itna bhi bharosa nai rakhni chahiye Khushi... bina kuch pooche sign kardiya?" (You shouldn't have this level of trust on anyone Khushi.. Without asking any questions you signed the papers?) Khushi gave him a look "Hum kisi aur ke kehne pe thodi dastakat kiya hai.. aapne kaha.. tho humne kardiya.." (I didn't sign on anyone else's say so.. you said.. so I signed) She stated in a matter of fact way making Arnav's heart swell with happiness. She trusted him so implicitly, He made a silent promise to her right then and there that he would never ever betray that trust.

Arnav cleared his throat "Agar maine dhoke se tumhaari saari property apne naam kardiya hota tho?" (What if I had fraudulently transferred all your property to my name?) Khushi looked at him with a funny expression, she blinked her eyes, waiting for him to chuckle, smile, smirk... Something... Anything to indicate that he was joking, but she got nothing. She then burst out laughing "Arnav ji".. she heaved because of the laughter.. "humaari paas kaunsi property hai jo aap hum se hadap karlenge?" (What properties do I have that you would grab from me?) she continued to laugh throwing her head back.

Arnav had a small smile on his face watching her laugh so freely.. he waited for laughter to subside a little before he spoke "ab tho hai" (Now you have). His words stopped Khushi's laughter altogether "kya bola aapne?" (What did you say?), he pointed at the file in her hand with his eyes "padke dekhlo" (Read and see) he leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms.

He admired her as she read through the first page on the file.. her lips moving at speed as she read through the words, after a few seconds her lips stopped moving and started to part as she gaped at the file.. she whipped her head up and looked at Arnav, then back at the file, and back at Arnav "Arnavji.. yeh sab kya hai?" (Arnavji.. what is this?) she asked in disbelief.. "Aapne humaare naam mai buaji ke ghar khareed li?" (You bought Buaji's house in my name?)