Charade (IPKKND AU)

Chapter 20: Celebration

Khushi

Khushi gently shook the pleats of her sari as she slid out of the car.

"I'll pick you both up from here when you're finished," their driver twisted in his seat to smile at them, "Just give me a call."

With Mohan-ji still in the hospital, a new driver had been hired.

"Thank you, Lalit-ji," Jiji nodded in his direction as she slid out, "Make sure you have something to eat while you wait."

Khushi's heart thundered as she looked up at the bright blue sign — THE LOTUS CAFE.

Arnav-ji.

Her husband sat somewhere in there, masking the pain inside him. Her hand trembled as she pushed the door open, allowing her sister to step inside first before following. The balding maitre-de greeted them with a smile.

"Table for two?"

Khushi felt her sister's stare in the short pause that followed but found that she couldn't speak around the constriction in her throat.

"No," Jiji gave a small cough, "We're meeting someone here. Aakash Singh Raizada? Or maybe, maybe Ar-Arnav Singh Raizada?"

"Ahh, this way ma'am."

As if alerted to her presence by some sixth sense, Arnav-ji looked up as they stepped around a pillar. Her breath caught in her lungs. Her body rebelled; feet stumbling as she clamped down on the urge to run to him. To wrap her arms around him and assure him that she understood. To offer what little comfort she could.

Di's voice echoed in her mind.

"Our Chacha threw us out a few weeks afterwards, saying we had no place there anymore. Nana brought us to Delhi. Dadi-ji chose to live in an ashram after losing her firstborn son and she doesn't talk to Chhote when he visits, even though he donates money every year."

He stood, greeting Jiji with a nod before turning to her. His eyes travelled up and down her body as he took in his gift. Khushi's heart skipped a beat as he smiled. She came to a standstill at his side and watched Jiji hug Aakash-ji quickly in greeting.

"Khushi."

Her husband indicated to the chair he'd pulled out for her. She sat after flashing him a smile that felt more like a grimace and noted that his eyes immediately narrowed.

"Your deal?" Jiji asked Aakash-ji once they were all settled.

Jija-ji passed around the menus, "It went well. The Nainital deal is finalised."

The rest of the conversation faded away as a memory surfaced.

"Do you know what it feels like to light your mother's funeral pyre? How it feels to return home after cremating your parents? How it feels to step foot inside the home they'll never return to? How it feels when everyone says that they understand but they don't understand a thing?"

When she peeked at Arnav-ji over the top of her menu, she found him already staring at her. He quirked an eyebrow. She looked away.

Focus Khushi. Act normal.

For the next few minutes, she made conversation and smiled as they waited for someone to take their orders. Her eyes slid to Arnav-ji as Jiji and Aakash-ji busied themselves with the menus again.

How do I help him, Devi Maiyya?

"What?" his voice was muted as he spoke without looking up from his phone.

"N-nothing."

"You keep staring."

"S-so? Is there a tax now, for staring at Arnav Singh Raizada?"