STAINS an ArShi SS

Part 4

Khushi was waiting for him.

She waited as she sat before the blazing fire praying for the peace of her dead in-laws, she waited as they chanted the mantras, she waited as the Prasad was distributed, she waited as they sat around the dinner table, while the rest o them bade goodnights and left to sleep, and now late into the night she was still waiting, for her Arnav may be a man of few words but he had always kept his promises.

The clock struck midnight and she felt the first taste of panic, she feared his well being, given his tendency to torture himself, his safety, her mind conjuring up wild possibilities of his absence.

Finally deciding she had given him enough downtime she started dialing up random numbers on her phone to get hold of him. And of course as expected no one knew where he was. Now panicking she ran to Anjali's room, banging the door open

'DIIII..........' An extremely scared Anjali sprung up from the bed peering questioningly at Khushi

'Arnav isn't home yet, and no one knows where he has gone off to, I am afraid he has-'

Khushi said all in one single breathe only to stop at the horrified look on Anjali's face

'What do you mean he isn't home yet? And you tell me this now Khushi? What if-'

'Di I am so sorry, I thought he'd be back by now and...' Khushi said tears streaming down her face

Anjali got up from the bed and hurried out of the room Khushi at her heels

'Khushi don't cry now, he will be fine, I'll wake Aakash and NK and then we will go look for him'

Said a very calm Anjali, unlike her usual self.

She knew her sister in law would indeed lose her sanity if she saw her panicked as well; Anjali much like her brother hid her fears and took the matter into her own hands, but her consciousness was already imagining her little brother in all possible harsh situations, her Chottey who had forgotten to live.

Pushing such images away she hurried down the stairs and to the hall while Khushi went to get Aakash and NK, and by the time her shivering form managed to tell them what was wrong, the entire Raizada clan had woken up and assembled in the living room.

While everyone discussed Arnav's location Khushi stood in a far corner, silent tears making their way down her face. Payal, finding the need to assure her little sister, hurried towards her,

'Jiji.....' Khushi cried hugging her tightly 'I need to see him...just to make sure he is all right' she gasped between sobs and the rest of the family shared her concern and pitied the young girl who clung to her sister, inconsolable.

In the next hour, more phone calls were made, followed by Aakash and NK leaving to search for Arnav disregarding Khushi's pleas to be taken along. Now Khushi, Anjali, Mami and Nani, sat at one of the plenty plush Sofa's at the RM patiently waiting for them to return while Payal moved to the kitchen to make some coffee for them.

No one spoke. Khushi sat very silent, with the watchful eyes of a hawk, he promised she kept repeating, he promised to come back in time, and her Arnav was a man of his words, and that worried her the most. And then quite suddenly startling the rest of the ladies she jumped to her feet and ran to the door, throwing it open.

Anjali followed her to see her Chottey, dripping wet stumble into the house all the while supported by his right hand man, Aman. Arnav's arm flailed limply at his side, all of his weight resting on Aman who slowly guided him in. She stood struck as she saw his half closed lids and bluish lips.