Silent Affair (On Hold)

Chapter Eleven

Khushi busied herself in the kitchen. She had holed herself in there for the rest of the day and preferred it that way. After what had happened with Arnav earlier, Khushi felt weird and wanted to avoid seeing him. She worked away with the other chefs, assisting them here and there.

At lunchtime, Khushi quickly put the food at the table so that she wouldn't see Arnav. During lunch, Arnav found it odd that Khushi wasn't in sight. Deviyani, Anjali and Avantika found this weird, as well as Vijay and Amoli.

"Has anyone seen Khushi," Amoli asked. "It's not like her to not be around."

"True," Vijay said. "I haven't seen her all day today, which I found quite strange. She usually checks in with me once in the morning."

"She checks in with me as well, but she didn't today. How odd. Is she okay? Is it because of what happened last night?"

Arnav straightened his spine. The thought hadn't occurred to him and he wondered if Khushi had thoughts about the incident again.

"I hope she wasn't thinking about that again," Amoli said, stuck in deep thought, her chin resting atop her folded hands.

"No, she's fine."

Everyone looked up at Bhromor.

"She was in the kitchen all morning and now she's watering all the plants in the garden."

"All alone," Amoli questioned. "That's odd. Is something the matter?"

Bhromor shrugged. "I don't know. She seemed a bit distracted, but it didn't seem like she was disturbed or in pain, so that's a good thing."

"Hmm, I wonder what's on her mind."

Deviyani, Anjali, and Avantika glanced at each other and then at Arnav. He seemed to be deep in thought and they wondered what was going through his head.

Arnav was too busy wondering if he should excuse himself and go looking for Khushi. But then that would raise questions from the family, and he didn't want to deal with that. Then he wondered why that really mattered. After all she is his best friend.

Is she, his subconscious questioned.

Arnav shut the thought out.

Of course she is, he thought.

"Bhromor, if you see her, could you tell her to come to my room," Amoli said.

Bhromor nodded. "Of course."

Bhromor left the room and Vijay frowned.

"Why is she working in the garden alone," he wondered. "She usually does that when something is bothering her. What could be bothering her?"

"I have no clue," Amoli frowned. She looked at the others. "Do you guys know anything?"

Avantika spoke up first. "Who? Us? No," she blurted under pressure.

Amoli found her answer odd, as well as Arnav. Something just didn't settle for the two.

"I find this so strange," Deviyani said, trying to cover up for her granddaughter. "I keep thinking about it, but I can't seem to come up with a reason that would have Khushi betiyan so... preoccupied."

Amoli didn't know why, but her mother's answer just didn't seem right. She had a feeling her mother knew something, but she decided not to push it. Instead, she looked at her son.

"Have you seen her Chote?"

"I saw her this morning when Di had her bring me a change of clothes."