Agnisakshi (Under Editing)

5: Daughter

5: Daughter

"Khushi, don't forget to go to ASR's house after lunch, okay?" Lavanya said as she put on her berry lipstick.

"Arnav sir's house? Why?" Khushi said as she kept Lavanya's oatmeal cereal on the table.

"Baby, you forgot! ASR had asked you to help his mother..." Lavanya reminded her.

"Oh Lavanya ji! I toh forgot only! I will get ready and come, okay?" Khushi said as she made a run for the washroom along with her clothes.

*************

"Arre baap re! What a beautiful house! House? This looks like a palace!" Khushi whispered to herself. The driver had dropped her fabout 100 metres away from the mansion as he had to return to the office for some urgent work. Asking directions from the watchmen, Khushi finally reached the lobby. She was awestruck would be an understatement. The pale white walls and the crystal chandelier glittered as the sun rays hit them.

"Whom do you want to meet?" the watchman asked catching hold of the intercom.

"Bhau, mujhe ASR saab ne bheja hai, unki maa ki madad ke liye. Aap unki maa se pucchiye, unhe pata hoga. (ASR sir has sent me to help his mother, ask her. She must be knowing.)" Khushi said.

"Bahadur, allow her in." A voice echoed through the intercom making Khushi root to the ground. She had never seen a watchcam or an intercom.

"Ma'am has allowed you, come," the watchman said, opening the lift's gates for her.

Khushi stared the indicator in excitement and fear as the lift reached the 20th i.e. the last floor.

"Hello darling!" A woman in her 50s greeted Khushi lovingly. "I am Anjali, Chhotte's mum. It was so sweet of you to agree to come to help me." She smiled widely.

"Namaste!" Khushi said. She was in awe of how regally Anjali spoke and carried herself. The sweetness in her speech was impossible to miss out. She seemed like a pure bred rich woman.

I have never seen rich people talking so sweetly to poor people. In the village... nevermind.

Khushi diverted her attention back to present, not wanting to ruin her day with the negativity of her past life.

"Oh my god! You are so beautiful! Chhotte never told me that there was such a lovely girl like you in his office. What is your name, beta?" Anjali asked holding Khushi's chin lovingly.

" Na..." Khushi mentally slapped herself. " Sorry, my name is Khushi."

"You have such a nice name too."

"Lavanya ji gets the credit for giving me such a nice name." Khushi blurted out and giggled, reprimanding herself for saying so the very next second.

I hope this doesn't raise any suspicions about me.

"Oh yes, Chhotte told me. You are Lavanya's cousin, right?" Anjali said as she led her towards the main hall of the duplex.

"Yes."
Beta, I am so glad you are here. I run a NGO where we help the below poverty line children. I had made a prayer at Siddhivinayak that once my Chhotte becomes successful in holding the reigns of my late husband's company, I shall feed as many children I can with my own home prepared food."

"Chhotte?"

"Your ASR? For the whole world he is ASR but for me he is my Chhotte."

Khushi giggled again. Such a huge man is called chhotte? My ASR? ...no Khushi wave of that thought.

"And what is a NGO, maaji ?" Khushi sweetly asked taking hold of the vegetables that Anjali was cutting.

"A non government organisation, we basically help everybody, without any profit from the government for our social work...Wait did you just call me Maaji?" Anjali said surprised.

"I am sorry, by mistake I did so, Raizada ma'am." Khushi bowed, she had a habit of apologizing for everything.

"No Beta, don't be sorry. It is just that hearing Maa from a girl like you! I can't explain how I am feeling right now." Anjali tearfully said.

"Did I say something wrong?" Khushi questioned as she saw tears brimming Anjali's eyes.

"No, Beta ...It is just that ...You know when I was young, I wanted a little daughter, my own Rajkumari (princess) but after Chhotte ...I couldn't ever conceive again ...my wish remained incomplete." Anjali said as she stirred the dal.

" Maaji don't worry! Once ASR ji gets married you might get a grand daughter, you can call her Rajkumari!"

"Aww you are so sweet! But ASR and marriage? He seems far away from that, he doesn't want to get married only!" Anjali pouted making Khushi giggle.

Khushi and Anjali talked for hours as they prepared a scrumptious meal for the children of the orphanage. Anjali was awed that a young girl like Khushi knew to make so many delicacies and that to with so much perfection.

They had a never ending discussion about common things that they like – Sarees, cooking and temples.

By the end of the day, Anjali had started looking upon Khushi as her own daughter.

************

I entered the hall of my home tired of the busy day at office. I removed my blazer and handed it to HP as he came to open the door for me. I heard many giggles echoing from the kitchen.

I was surprised, had many girls come to help mom? Was it Kanya puja today again?

I went towards the kitchen and was acquainted to the sight of two extremely beautiful women giggling heartily as they fried some Samosas.

One was my lovely mother whom I had seen  giggling like a teenager after so many years. The other was the girl from my office's canteen, whom I had deemed to be extremely silent, only seen  shedding silent tears.

Khushi, like her name, had such a beautiful smile. She looked so stunning when she giggled, I felt my world stop when I heard her melodious laughter. I could stare her for the whole day and not be tired. In fact, I felt so relaxed away from all tension hearing her laughter.

"Arre Chhotte, you are here!" Mom exclaimed happily as she came to embrace me.

"Mom not again! Chhotte, really?" I made a face and mom grinned widely. Khushi had stopped giggling, she was adjusting her dupatta and looking here and there.

"Good evening, sir." Khushi wished, fiddling with her dupatta .

"Good evening Khushi! Lavanya had called, I told her I would send you with the driver. That is fine right?" I smiled to her expecting her to smile to me as beautifully as she was some time ago. But she just nervously bit her lips.

"No Chhotte! That is not fine at all! You must drop her home, not the driver. Her safety is utmost for me! Go Chhotte, drop her to her home."

**********