Daayre | ✔

Chapter Eleven

The two couples - Akash and Payal along with Arnav and Khushi - left for Gupta house soon after breakfast, promising Devyani that they would be back on time for the satsang. Payal was delighted to be back to her house after a whole week, but more happy than her was Khushi. 

Khushi came out of the car and stared at her home with teary, bleary eyes. She had been wanting to come here ever since her Buaji, Amma and Babuji left her there at Shantivan because she craved for the familiarity that this place gave her. There's no doubt that when she first came here, she had wanted nothing but to run away back to her Lucknow but it's also true that compared to Shantivan - which was her house just for namesake, this house felt more welcoming. This was what felt like home to her.

"Khushi, go ahead with Akash and Payal. I have to attend this call. I'll join you shortly." 

Almost jumping at Arnav's sudden voice, Khushi quickly blinked back her unshed tears and turned to look at him. Unfortunately, he was too pre-occupied with his phone to notice her. She let out a short lived sigh and trailed behind Payal and Akash without a word.

The call lasted for not more than five minutes but when Arnav shoved his phone in his pocket and turned around to enter the house, he found two ladies standing in front of him. They looking - actually gawking - at him with a smile he would gladly classify as creepy. His eyes shifted side to side awkwardly.

"You, you are Khushi bitiya's husband, aren't you?"The lady on the right, dressed in a green saree, asked. 

He nodded, attempting a smile, though it looked forced. "Yes, I am."

The other lady, dressed in yellow, gasped dramatically and reached to whisper something in her friend's ear that sounded something vaguely like - He's so handsome. Khushi is so lucky. 

Arnav stifled a chuckle at that and tucked his hands in his pocket as the two spent a minute or two gushing over his looks. 

Finally, the lady in green saree looked up. "I'm Vimla and she is Mala." She pointed towards her friend, "We are good friends of Madhumati. We have been wanting to meet you ever since we found out about the wedding. Never got a chance, everything happened so suddenly."

Arnav's smile faltered at the mention of his hasty wedding and he recovered with a brief cough. Lucky for him, before he opened his mouth to ramble an excuse, the other lady, named Mala, chirped in.  

"But anyways, it felt nice to finally meet you and know that Khushi Bitiya has such a person in her life. She is truly lucky to have you."

Mala's cheerful yet ironical statement was another blow that threatened to knock off his smile and this time, he didn't even try to keep the curve on his face in tact. Mumbling a small 'thank you', he directed his gaze to the ground and prayed hard for whoever is out there to send these two away, lest he wants more awkward questions to be thrown at him. 

"Absolutely correct." Vimla agreed with her friend, then mumbled in a low voice as her face distorted into a grimace. "He is a gem, and undoubtedly way better than that scoundrel Shyam." 

Arnav looked up suddenly, his brows together in a frown. "Excuse me? Who?"

"Shyam. That guy, Khushi's ex-fiance." Vimla replied, her nose scrunched in displeasure as if she was talking about Satan Himself, "I never really liked him to be honest. He just, he just seemed weird with his head in the clouds. He was a paying guest here before and then suddenly, don't know what black magic he did on Madhumati that she got him engaged with her niece."