"Come with me...I need to talk to your parents and I think you should be there too." Arnav said as he glanced over at Khushi.
Aman raised an eyebrow doubtfully. His sister's happiness and safety took the priority in his mind. "What? What's wrong?"
Arnav turned to look at Khushi and smiled naturally. He was even surer of his decision now than before. He needed to do this for her. She deserved it. He turned back to look at his friend. "It's about Khushi."
"What's the matter?!" Aman exclaimed, worried at once.
Arnav held up a hand to calm his suddenly frantic friend. "Relax Aman...nothing iswrong...I just want to talk about the wedding date..."
"Oh..." Aman nodded thoughtfully.
Garima and Shashi also expressed their puzzlement at Arnav's sudden declaration of this conversation. Garima's slightly pessimistic mind was already conjuring the worst possible scenarios. Was Arnav going to call off the wedding? Had Khushi said something to him? Was something wrong?
Shashi was more confused than worried as he followed Arnav and Aman into the elevator. The short ascend of the elevator turned eternal in the anticipatory silence. The silence remained until they settled in the hotel room in which Shashi and Garima were staying.
"Okay...enough of the suspense...tell me what's up. I can't take this!" Aman threw his hands up in the air and slouched back into the couch.
Arnav couldn't help but smile lightly at the impatience clearly etched in Aman's every single gesture. Instead of addressing his friend, Arnav turned to the more senior and apt man--His soon-to-be father-in-law.
"Uncle...I won't beat around the bush. I wanted to talk to you and aunty...And Aman," Arnav added when Aman scoffed, "about the possibility of pushing the wedding date to the next suitable one instead of next week."
Shashi was too busy observing the young man keenly to notice Garima's constant weary gaze.
"If you don't mind me asking...why do you want to postpone the wedding?" Shashi questioned calmly.
"you do realize that the next suitable date isn't too far...there's only an extra ten days in-between the date we have selected and the day you want to postpone it to..." Aman frowned.
"It's more than enough time, Aman." Arnav shrugged and looked at Shashi steadily. "Uncle...If Khushi was in New York, she would be studying for her exams...she would be writing them next week, right?"
"Yes..." Shashi answered, unsure where Arnav was going with this.
"I want to postpone the wedding so that she can go and write her exams." Arnav stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Arnav paused when Garima and Shashi exchanged a glance. "Please don't misunderstand me...You're her parents and you know what's best for her but I don't think it would be fair to her if all her hard work of years goes to waste because of this wedding. I already have my degree and even now I'm planning on studying further...I would hate it if she can't write these exams because of the wedding...And like Aman said...it's only ten extra days..."
"Arnav...have you spoken to your parents about this?" Shashi inquired.
"They know and they agree with me. They told me to speak to you regarding this."
Arnav paused for a few seconds, waiting to see if someone wanted to say something but no one offered any words.
"I apologize if I'm stepping on toes here but...I really don't want to start this relationship on a foundation of her incomplete goals. She can finish her degree here after the wedding, I know, but with the credit transfer process and the legal name changes...it will just prolong everything and waste time. Why do that when we have a better solution?" Arnav felt more confident with his arguments as he put them into words. They definitely sounded more solid when spoken than they did in his mind. "And an extra ten days also means that you have more time to prepare for the wedding...and that my sister can be a part of it all...it's killing multiple birds with one stone."
Shashi looked at Arnav thoughtfully for a long minute before standing up with a sigh. As he paced, Arnav and Garima watched him wearily while Aman's face lit up with a goofy grin.
"I thought I've been a good father to my daughter but clearly, that's not the case. I've been so caught up with the excitement of her engagement and the pending wedding that I haven't given her degree a single thought. I can't believe how selfish I've become...and she didn't say anything to me either..." Shashi faced away from them shamefully and his shoulders slumped slightly, making Arnav feel guilty.
"She didn't say anything to me either..." Arnav defended at once. "This is all my doing..."
The guilt pricked at Arnav at having this man feel shameful. That was not his intention at all. He didn't want the man to think that he'd been a bad father! Before Arnav could say anything else, Shashi squared his shoulders and turned to face Arnav.
"I think choosing you for my daughter is done of the best decisions I have made in my life. You barely know her...you've been engaged to her for no more than an hour and a half but you're already assuming her responsibility...I respect that...and you have my complete support for this matter. With that said, I want you to be the one who discusses this with Khushi." Shashi held up his hand when Arnav opened his mouth to, what seemed like, protest. "It was your idea...it was your thought process...you should be the one who tells her."
"And who knows...might earn you some brownie points!" Aman winked.
"Dude, What the..." Arnav glanced indicatively at Shashi and Garima, warning Aman to shut up.
"Let Khushi know that we know about this already...she won't protest as much..." Shashi smiled fondly at the thought of his obedient daughter.
"But Shashi Ji..." Garima started but shut up when Shashi gave her a warning glance.
"No Garima...Bitiya has agreed to get married when she had no plans of doing so just because we wanted her to...until today she has been a perfect daughter...I think its time to loosen our grasp on her." Shashi placed a comforting hand on Garima's shoulder. "Our daughter is ready to let go of our hands, Garima...I think she has been...for a long time...we just didn't want to let go."
"And think of it this way Maa...if you don't let go of her hand, how will she have free hands to hold this idiot's?!" Aman chirped and earned a dirty look from Arnav and Garima.
"Aman, why don't you go bring Khushi...?" Shashi spoke pointedly. "Now..."
Aman may be goofy but he was no fool. He saw an underlying threat even when his father presented it in the calmest way.
___
Khushi twisted her hands nervously as she stepped out of the elevator and walked towards her parents' room, with Aman following her closely. Khushi's confusion had known no bounds when Aman walked up to in the middle of her little dance party and announced that Arnav wanted to speak to her. Of course, Aman being the teasing jerk he is, didn't tell her much else.
Khushi's mind was reeling with random questions since that moment. What did he want to talk about? Did they have the wedding day fixed already? Was he having second thoughts?
Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door lightly and frowned when her mother opened the door.
"Maa?" Khushi stepped into the room and her eyes immediately flew to the exchange of a hug between her father and--damn, it felt weird to say this--her fianc.
Confusion gave way to nervousness when the two of them walked towards her, both looking happy yet serious. Sashi cupped Khushi's cheek with fatherly affection and kissed her forehead. With an identical gesture from Garima and a wink from Aman, her family had left the room, leaving her with the enigmatic man, who for some reason had started making Khushi feel flustered.
"Hi..." He broke the silence with his husky voice.
Khushi managed a smile in response, knowing well that her voice would give away the butterflies in her stomach.
"Have a seat." Arnav gestured to the couch.
Khushi obediently made her way to the couch, trying her best to not display any of the confusion or nervousness. To ensure that he didn't make her more nervous than she already seemed, Arnav took a seat opposite of her instead of next to her.
He leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, bringing his hands together he entwined his fingers, all the while keeping his eyes trained solely on her.
"Are you enjoying the dancing?"
Whatever she had expected him to say, it wasn't that. "Yeah...so much that I didn't realize that the four of you had left the hall..." Khushi said, referring to Arnav, Aman, and her parents.
"I wanted to talk to them about the wedding date..."
"It's decided?" Khushi blurted.
"Not without your consent...no." Arnav held her gaze and hoped that she didn't look away; her emerald eyes were silently encouraging. "Originally, the suggested wedding date was in a week's time...that might change depending on your opinion...I've already spoken to both our parents and they're both fine with my proposal of postponing the wedding date."
Khushi searched his face for some kind of a hint. Was he deliberately talking in riddles? This didn't make sense to her. Why did he want to postpone the wedding?
"You...want to postpone the wedding?' Khushi frowned. "I thought you said that your family was pressed for time..."
Arnav couldn't help but give her a small smile. "Both our families want this wedding to happen as soon as possible...and thanks to Dadi and her tantrums...my family is more pressed for time than yours...but not so much that you can't finish your degree."
Khushi instinctively opened her mouth to say something but he held up his hand, making her pause. "This wedding shouldn't be a reason why you don't get to write those exams. We're only pushing the wedding back by ten days..."
Khushi looked thoughtful for a few seconds and then a smile broke out on her face. "That means Anjali can be here..."
Arnav shrugged, letting a small chuckle escape him. "If she doesn't end up in jail for killing us both...yes..."
Khushi giggled and then stopped abruptly. "Our plan to surprise Anjali..."
Arnav gave her an incredulous look. "Here we're discussing the wedding date getting postponed, you finishing your degree and the first thing that comes to your mind is our less-than-amazing-plan to surprise...scratch that...shock Anjali? Unbelievable..."
Khushi shrugged innocently, her emerald eyes twinkling with mischief. "I was kind of excited about it..."
Arnav shook his head at the woman in front of him. "We'll still shock her, then, I guess...we'll plan it out again..."
Silence prevailed for the next few long seconds while Khushi seemed to turn his idea over in her mind. Arnav couldn't understand why she was taking so long to agree to the damned plan! She had expressed her desires to study further during their first conversation then what was taking her so long to jump on this opportunity?
"Thank you..." Her voice was earnest and her tone dripped of genuineness. "I...I wanted to talk to you...and my parents about this...and I had every intention to do so once I figured out what the wedding date was...I didn't know how to bring it up to them or to you...I guess you beat me to it and I owe you this."
"You don't owe me anything." Arnav adjusted the engagement ring on his finger suggestively. "I'm not exactly a stranger anymore..."
Khushi smiled even as colour flooded into her cheeks. "That's true..."
After discussing the day when she would need to leave and what day she needs to come back, along with their plan to surprise Anjali, the two of them finally stood up to return downstairs to the hall where their absence was, no doubt, getting noticed.
He held the door open for her and with a grateful smile she made her way out of the door.
"Khushi?" Arnav spoke just as she passed him, making her heart flutter the same way it did every time he said her name.
She turned to face him questioningly. "Yeah?"
"Next time...if there is anything you want to talk to me about...please don't hold back..." It was an honest request with the slightest tint of authority to it.
Khushi nodded in agreement. She was no expert at this relationship stuff but she knew that this journey of theirs would be much easier if they shared their thoughts rather than keeping quiet.
_____
"About time!" Payal frowned in annoyance at Arnav and Khushi. "Way to disappear from your own engagement party!"
"Sorry for stealing her away from you..." Arnav smiled at Payal.
Payal poked Arnav's chest with her index finger and squinted dangerously. "You may be her fianc but you can never steal her away from me..."
"Calm yourself, Payal..." Khushi rolled her eyes. "I was only gone for half an hour..."
"It's still unacceptable!" Payal crossed her arms.
"Stop pestering them and just get on with what you want to do." Akash walked up to them and nudged Payal's arm with his.
"Dance." Payal ordered as if they were slaves to her will.
"As if Khushi needs an invitation..." Aman joined the gang.
"She may not...but Arnav does." Akash grinned.
"Excuse me?" Arnav raised his eyebrows.
"And he's supposed to be a doctor! Men, I tell you!" Payal grumbled and mumbled as she grabbed Arnav and Khushi's hands in each of her own and dragged them towards the dance floor where other couples were already enjoying a romantic dance and the soft melodious music.
"Look...I'm sorry for my irritated behaviour, okay...I don't know what's wrong with me...you two just enjoy yourselves..." Payal smiled apologetically before gathering Khushi in a hug. "And make sure you make this memorable...it will be your first dance ever!"
Khushi blushed a beetroot red and glared at Payal.
Gee thanks Payal...that's gotta help the butterflies and of course, that knowledge will calm me down!
Arnav wordlessly held out his hand to Khushi, surprising not only her but himself as well. Never before had he behaved in such a cheesy manner. Then again, never before had he met a Khushi Gupta in his life. There was something about this arranged marriage concept. He found himself wanting to, for the lack of a better word, impress Khushi. He wanted her to be comfortable with him, his family, and his values. He wanted to understand her better, get to know her more, and support her in things she wanted to do. That was the reason why he had spent long hours the past couple of days, coming up with a solution so that she gets to finish her degree.
Now, seeing her obvious love for dancing and Payal's suggestion of them dancing together, he'd found his hand automatically offer itself to her. Is it this way it is for all couples in an arranged marriage or is this particular to them...?
As wordlessly as him, Khushi placed her hand in his awaiting one and placed her other hand on his shoulder just as his arm wrapped around her waist tentatively. She sensed the apprehensions in his actions and instinctively, she knew that he was evaluating her reaction. She gave him a reassuring smile and saw him relax visibly as their steps fell into tune with each other and the music.
Smiling at them in approval, Payal turned to leave when her eyes caught Aman and Akash looking at her. And neither one wants to ask me to dance...especially my useless boyfriend! She turned away haughtily, raised her chin in the air and stalked off.
"What the hell happened to her?" Aman said as he watched Payal's retreating back.
Akash, though very aware of the reason behind Payal's annoyance, kept quiet. He'd been trying to avoid her to keep their charade in check and had ended up upsetting her. He knew that if he got too close to her, everyone would find out about them then and there because he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of her and hers off of him. He'd make it up to her later.
"Why don't you ask her for a dance? That's gotta cheer her up." Aman suggested.
"Why don't you?" Akash retorted almost too quickly in an attempt to add an extra layer on the charade.
"Do you want us to end up killing each other? You know that we bicker like cats and dogs..."
"Yeah, that's true..." Akash grabbed the opportunity and made his way to Payal.
Let this wedding wrap up, then, I'll dissect the equation between you and Payal, Mr. ASS. Aman looked back at his sister who seemed to be saying something to Arnav, who was looking at her with arrant attention.
Aman couldn't be more wrong. Khushi was surely saying something but Arnav had drifted off into thoughts of lush green fields and emerald stones as he watched her bright eyes. In those few moments of closeness, Arnav learnt quickly that her face and eyes were both very expressive. The most innocent statement's hidden evil intentions were given away with that evil glint in her eyes. The fondness and affection for her parents and brother turned her eyes a warm and earthy green whenever she mentioned them. And he was clearly obsessed with them. It was the same obsession that caused him to utter the next words.
"You have beautiful eyes..." Arnav blurted and kicked himself mentally the very next second.
Khushi paused mid-sentence and forgot to breathe for a second. She could already feel the heat in her cheeks rising as the blood rushed in. He thinks I have beautiful eyes...! Never had a compliment made her feel so...so...pleasant!
"Thank you..." Her voice came out in a hushed tone.
Khushi felt as if she had run a marathon. She tried hard to control her breathing lest it give away the insane butterflies in her stomach.
In that moment, Khushi decided that Asha'd false impression of her son being shy needed to be eradicated. Fast. This man was a smooth charmer if he managed to make Khushi feel this way in a mere few days when other men hadn't managed to get even close to making her blush.
Unknown to all present in that room, even Khushi herself, that was the moment that started it all for Khushi Kumari Gupta.
_____
Khushi's heels clicked rhythmically on the smooth marble floor as she made her way towards the check-in gate. She could hear the padded thumps of Arnav's footsteps next to her and the constant faint grind of the wheels on her small bag, which Arnav had chivalrously taken out of her hand.
He had surprised her this evening by picking her up at her house. Her sneaky father and her oh-so-charming fianc had planned and plotted around her mother so that Khushi could have her first unofficial date with Arnav. After a slightly emotional goodbye to her family, they had "just picked up a coffee" on their way to the airport.
The conversation had been a bit awkward yet easy, as if two friends were hanging out after a time gap of a couple of years. It ranged from the difference between his black coffee and her sweetened caramel mocha latte to their preference of airlines for travelling to her exams and his residency.
The one hour of "picking up coffee" had added to their pools of knowledge of the other as well as to their collective pool of comfort in each other's presence. It also included them, finally, exchanging phone numbers.
And now here they were, approaching Khushi's check-in gate in companionable silence.
"Well...I'll see you in a week, I guess." Khushi turned to face him once they'd stopped a few feet from the counter.
Arnav smiled and nodded. "Good luck with those exams...but more than that...Good luck with Anjali..."
"Thank you for the reminder." Khushi rolled her eyes.
"Anytime." Arnav shrugged casually.
"Thank you for the coffee too..." Khushi held his gaze.
He looked amused, as if he were watching a child do something interesting. Not sure how to say goodbye to the man in front of him, Khushi awkwardly took a step closer.
"Um...Are you done with your thank you's?" Arnav raised an eyebrow and watched on as she looked away, slightly embarrassed. "Goodbye Khushi...have a nice flight."
"Thank you...oh." Khushi bit her tongue, realizing that she'd just thanked him yet again. The embarrassment brushed away when a throaty chuckle reached her ears and she watched on surprised as the small chuckle turned into a light rumble of free laughter. In all these days, she hadn't seen him laugh. Chuckle, yes...smile, yes...but laugh...?
"While we're at it...I would like to thank you again for this...I don't think I would have been able to convince my mother as easily as you have..." Khushi said seriously.
The laughter subsided and he became serious too. "Khushi, remember you'd asked me a few questions the first time we met...this was one of them...whether or not my family and I would be alright with you studying further...and I'd told you that you'll have all the freedom to pursue your career the way you want...I meant every word I said that day."
Khushi knew that without him telling her. So far, he had kept every word he'd spoken that day in response to her questions. He had said that she would have his support, along with his family, in anything she wanted to do with her career. He had also explained his views on how sometimes people want different things but the healthiest thing to do is compromise. Her parents wanted the wedding sooner, she wanted to finish her degree and he had gone ahead and come up with a solution to the dilemma.
With that thought came the memory of his answer to her question regarding physical intimacy.
"I expect the physical intimacy to grow naturally with time...but the initial few months will be spent getting to know one another, given the circumstances..."
Suddenly, she knew how she wanted to say goodbye to him at the moment. He'd taken the first step to show that he'll give in all his effort into this relationship, regardless of the circumstances in which it was formed, and she wasn't going to back down either. She would thank him like she thanks her friends and family.
Hoping that she won't offend him in anyway, she closed the distance and gave him a short, friendly hug. "Thank you...for keeping your word..."
Arnav was shocked at the unexpected hug simply because until now, she'd been busy blushing and looking away shyly. He hadn't expected her to be the first one to initiate anything as far as physical closeness of any kind of concerned. Before he could react, she had already stepped away, leaving a warm feeling within him which came from knowing that someone appreciated your presence. That's how she made him feel in that moment...honestly appreciated.
"Take care..." Khushi smiled.
He repeated the words and looked on, still dazed, as she turned on her heels, grabbed the bag and walked off. He stood there until she nearly turned the corner onto the boarding tunnel but at the last moment, she turned around to face him and waved at him with a brilliant smile.
Arnav's last thought before he turned away towards the exit was that he wanted this week to end quickly.
_____
"Khushi!!"
Khushi whirled around in time to get a two-second glimpse of a girl of similar height and frame, clad in navy skinny jeans and white top paired with a brown leather spring jacket running towards her. Khushi opened her arms to embrace the girl who'd quite literally thrown herself at her, her long brown hair obscuring Khushi's vision for a quick second.
"Hi Anjali...How--" Khushi tried to speak even as her friend had gathered her in a bone crushing hug.
"Oh my god! I'm so happy you're back!! I was worried that you were going to miss your exams! You're so crazy, do you know that! I've been emailing you and you forgot to give me your new number! How was I supposed to contact you?! How's uncle doing? Is he feeling better...oh he must be...that's why you're back! And you look different...what's different about you...NO! Did you cut your hair?! No, the hair's the same...what's different, dammit?! Ah, forget it...Give me that bag...let's go, the taxi is waiting...I didn't want to drive here today...it's raining outside and you know how much I hate driving in the rain...and why the hell are you so quiet?!"
"Anjali!!" Khushi came to an abrupt stop in front of Anjali to shut her up. "How can I talk when you've barely taken a second to breathe?!"
"Oh...well...excuse me if I have a lot to say after you disappeared like Mr. India for all these days!" Anjali rolled her eyes.
"Sounds to me like you've gone into your chatterbox mode because of exam stress." Khushi smirked and started walking again.
"Don't even go there. I was more stressed thinking that you'll come back married!"
Khushi froze in her spot, her jaw hanging open slightly. "What?!"
Anjali looked at her weirdly, as if Khushi had grown three heads and sprouted a beard and a moustache. "What? Remember what happened to Nisha? She went to India for a trip and came back with a husband on her arm?"
Khushi tried to think of a retort to that but decided to shut up simply because Anjali's outburst was spot on. If it weren't for Arnav, she definitely would have come back married.
As they started walking again, Khushi discreetly pulled on her leather gloves to hide the gang of diamonds with their emerald leader on her ring finger. Anjali was still chattering on as they continued walking from the arrivals gate to the taxi stands where their cab awaited them.
Khushi tried to pay attention but her mind had instantly gotten to work, noting the similarities and differences between Anjali and Arnav. They both had their mother's hazel eyes. Anjali seemed to have inherited the light brown hair from her mother while Arnav had dark hair, no doubt inherited from his father. Their personalities, she knew, were quite different. Anjali was talkative while he was relatively quiet. She didn't radiate the confidence he did. She exuded a warmer persona which didn't intimidate people...well, until she had a temper tantrum. With all said and done...Good looks clearly ran in the family!
Khushi tried to fill Anjali in on her trip to India as much as she could while excluding the biggest event that had taken place. She was hugely relieved when Anjali took over to fill Khushi in on the exam schedule, their study group arrangements.
That same day, Khushi went home and replaced the glove with a bandage around her ring and middle finger in an attempt to hide the ring from Anjali...simply because taking the ring off didn't feel right.
Through the next few days, Khushi and Anjali pretty much lived in the library as one caught up to her coursework and prepared for the exams while the other battled exam anxiety and tried to study to the best of her ability. Khushi and Arnav had made it a point to talk over the phone every day...the reason, or rather excuse, being that they had to discuss the wedding preps when in reality, deep in their hearts, both knew that there was something exciting about those phone conversations. Luckily for Khushi, Anjali passed off these phone calls as conversations between a brother and a sister.
Then, came the day of surprising Anjali...sooner than it was planned. After a celebratory dinner in honour of the end of their exams, Khushi and Anjali had planned a movie night with just the two of them. Khushi had excused herself and gone to take a refreshing shower while Anjali had volunteered to arrange for the junk food and snacks that usually completed a girls' night.
In her room, Khushi combed her fingers through her damp hair and changed out of the robe, into her comfortable Pajamas.
"Khushi, let's go!! The pizza's here!" Anjali yelled from the living room.
Rolling her eyes at her friend's impatience, Khushi grabbed the phone from the dressing table and walked out into the room, forgetting all about the bandage that was supposed to hide her ring, letting it rest forlorn on the counter in the bathroom, where she'd left it before she went into the shower.
"That smells amazing!" Khushi walked into the kitchen. "What're we watching?"
"Knight and day or The proposal?"
Khushi hopped onto the counter, settling cross legged next to the pizza box. "Hmm...Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise kicking @$ or Sandra Bullock kicking Ryan's @$..."
Khushi tapped her chin trying to decide between the two movies. The shocked gasp from her friend brought her out of her thoughts and she looked at Anjali in time to see the large plastic bowl of popcorn slip out of her hands and clatter on the floor, sending popcorn flying into every corner of the kitchen.
"What. The. Fuck. Is. That!" Anjali spat.
"What?" Khushi frowned confusedly.
"That!" Anjali raised her hand and pointed at the offending ring on Khushi's left hand. "What the fuck is that?!"
Khushi followed the line of Anjali's index finger and her eyes immediately caught the glittering stones on her finger. Well, hell.
"Oh, shit!" Khushi jumped off the counter and ran at the same moment Anjali lunged in her direction.
Khushi ran around the island counter to the opposite end, putting as much distance between herself and Anjali as possible. No sooner had she reached than a banana flew past hear head, missing her by mere inches.
"WHAT THE HELL KHUSHI GUPTA!" Anjali roared. "YOU GOT ENGAGED??"
Anjali picked up an orange and an apple from the fruit bowl and threw them at Khushi which were dodged expertly.
"Anjali...hear me out..."
"You freaking got engaged without telling me and you want me to hear you out?!"
"Oh dear lord, what have I unleashed?!" Khushi gaped at Anjali who was currently, frantically, looking for something to throw.
"When did you get engaged? Who the hell did you get engaged to?! I want all the details right now, do you understand? And if I don't like him, I have full right to reject him and you're not going to argue with me." Anjali crossed her arms.
"I'm sure you won't reject him...but"" Khushi ducked as a spatula came hurtling towards her.
"You dare be so confident about that?!"
"Listen Anjali...whoa!! Drop the knife...don't kill me just yet...at least hear me out!" Khushi pleaded even as she prepared to flee the kitchen.
Anjali slammed the knife on the counter and crossed her arms. "You have two minutes."
Khushi sighed. "my dad's cancer has advanced to last stage...his only wish and request from me was that I get married...and I am as guilty as charged for not having told you but...this is exactly why. I knew I had to explain this to you in person...My parents have never asked me for anything Anjali...how could I deny them this one thing they asked...I only got engaged ten days ago and after my family and my in-laws...you're the first one to know anyway...please try and understand...I wouldn't have gotten married without you there..."
"How do I know? You got engaged didn't you? Whole TEN freaking days ago!" Anjali looked away stubbornly.
"What would you have done if you were in my place?" Khushi relaxed, seeing the kink in Anjali's armour.
Anjali opened her mouth to speak and then closed it when no retort came to her, looking like a goldfish. The two women stood and looked at each other, each just as stubborn, and each just as defensive.
"When do I get to meet him?"
"Tomorrow." Khushi answered at once. "It was supposed to be a surprise for you..."
"Shock is the correct term." Anjali stomped her foot.
"Fine...it was supposed to be a shock for you...but you got it ahead of time and it's my own foolishness..."
Anjali sighed dejectedly. "Fine...but I'll tell you right now that I already don't like him and I'm not happy about this."
Khushi suppressed a smirk. "Why?"
"Because he's getting in the way of my plan!" Anjali whined.
"Plan?" Khushi's brain perked up at the word. This was news to her.
"Yes!" Anjali threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "It was all perfect! I've put in so much plotting into this plan! I was making this super mastermind plan of hooking you up with my brother!"
Now it was Khushi's turn to imitate a goldfish. She was making a plan to do what?!
"Excuse me..?"
"I know I know...but it would have been perfect! You'd be my sister-in-law and we'd be family and all of it would have been absolutely perfect but you had to go ahead and get engaged to Mr...Mr. I-Mess-Up-Anjali's-Plans-and-look-like-a-Godzilla."
Khushi chuckled. "You were planning to hook me up with your brother?"
"It's not funny." Anjali tossed popcorn at Khushi.
"I'm sorry...I shouldn't laugh but..." Another giggle escaped Khushi.
"Go to hell! I'll find some other hot woman for my brother."
"Thank you for the compliment." Khushi winked.
"Argh! Leave me alone! I so want the details of your engagement and your stupid ugly fianc but I'm too annoyed right to care about him so I'm going to hold off on this discussion until I meet him tomorrow. But my gut feeling says that he will be rejected...he won't be able to impress me. Just stay prepared for that! I'm part psychic...and my psychic powers are telling me that he will be rejected. That's it."
With that Anjali stalked off grumbling something about inconsiderate people not thinking about other people's plans and feelings.
Khushi stood there in the kitchen and allowed herself to laugh at the coincidence. Now she was more eager than ever to see Anjali's reaction tomorrow. When she meets the stupid ugly fianc, when she meets Mr. I-Mess-Up-Anjali's-Plans-and-look-like-a-Godzilla, and when she figures out that he is none other than her very own brother!
Maybe Anjali won't kill them for this engagement. After all, she was planning to make this happen, wasn't she? She'll be happy that it has worked out without her insane planning...right?
Tweet Follow @Katie_3L
No comments:
Post a Comment