Tewari & Sons, 23, Chandni Chowk

Chapter 21: Coming Back to Life

Arnav

"You convinced Khushi to do, what?" NK asked in his most incredulous tone. Arnav noticed that NK referred to her as Khushi and not Cutie this time.

"Which part are you tripping on? I know it sounds like an impossible thing, but I thought it is best to get mom involved," he said as lightly as he could. But honestly, it didn't feel light. He felt heavy with a sense of impending doom, anxiety. But he wanted to make sure that this time, there would be no wrongs done to Khushi by his family. And honestly he felt it was time that all of them found a way to put all that happened as something which was a thing of the past. It was in his interest and Khushi's, and who knew maybe his mother too.

"I still don't believe it, Arnav. How can you be sure about the brother, what is his name.. Shyam? I am already reading these articles in the Times of Delhi, it doesn't sound right to me," NK continued.

It was a little surprising to hear all this from NK, the one who usually had a very lighthearted POV on most aspects of life. But he also knew that his cousin was capable of seriousness and he genuinely wanted to ultimately look out of Arnav. He was grateful for that always, plus he was ever entertaining.

"Anyway, I need to head out now. I am catching up with Aman for dinner," he said picking up his car keys and waving at his cousin.

"Oooh, meeting your frenemy? Since you are a dinosaur, let me explain what a frenemy is, it is basically a friend, who..." NK began, now evidently back to being his glib self.

"I know what a frenemy is, so let me stop you right here. Aman is a friend, and I thought we were due for a proper catch up. I am not going to let the business nonsense come in the way," Arnav said. And it was true that suddenly they were getting pitted as rivals, there were murmurs within the South Delhi business community, conversations in the clubs, and even some media scrutiny, but at least from his end, he felt no such rivalry. There was some distance between them, but he still was very fond of his friend. And which is why he had initiated this meeting two days back. Maybe it was this imagination, but Aman sounded less cheerful and almost sombre when he said yes. Much like Khushi did when she agreed to meet his mother. But that was tomorrow and he was going to tackle one day at a time.

"But Arnav, if you had to choose between your mom and Khushi tomorrow, whom would you pick," NK asked in parting. He rolled his eyes at his cousin and finally left. But whom would he choose?

Khushi

"You will have to tell me everything that has happened so far, kyunki sach ka saamne aana zaroori hai," Khushi told her brother. She was unsure if Maa, Baba and Shyam Bhaiya were taken aback by her authoritative tone. But honestly this had all now reached a point where all the cards had to be laid on the table. Just when she and her family were coming to terms with everything, and there was a semblance of normalcy in their lives, her brother had been arrested. The last few days were a haze, first was the shock of her brother's arrest on account of fraud. And the more shocking fact that Arnav who had gone cold on her had bailed him out. And the worst was that her brother had somehow got embroiled into something that was to do with AR Industries. It had all been too much for her, and she really couldn't discuss this with anyone - not with Maa and Baba, not with Aakash, not with Preeto. It was her problem, and she needed to find the answers herself.

Shyam looked forlorn, beaten, he reminded her so much of her Baba in that moment, Too often she had seen her Baba this way, when everything had gone out of control and wrong. But she was determined not to let history repeat in their lives. In her gut, she instinctively knew that her brother had not done anything wrong, he had perhaps done something naive or stupid, evidently a family trait she thought wryly. And then Shyam spoke.