Arnav got up the next day with a hangover. He felt
his head splitting up. He saw medicine and water on the side table. He took it
and after freshening up he came down for breakfast. Anjali was already there at
the dining table sitting with her hands supporting her head. She too was down
with the hangover. Viren was making the breakfast today.
Arnav: Morning Di!
Anjali: Ugh! Mornin’
Arnav: Thank you for the party yesterday Di. I
enjoyed a lot.
Anjali: Yeah we had a lot of fun na. It felt like
old times.
Both Arnav and Anjali were smiling at each other
when Viren walked in with breakfast.
Viren: Good morning, breakfast is ready.
Arnav straightened up and his change didn’t go
unnoticed by his sister.
Viren: Saale saab, I hope you are feeling better.
Arnav just nodded. Anjali could not take this cold
war between them any longer.
Anjali: Arnav, what kind of behaviour is this? You
are here with us after so long and still you are holding onto things that
happened in past? Don’t you think it’s high time you behave properly with your
jiju?
Viren: Anjalii..Let’s have breakfast...please?!
Anjali was angry, her head was still hurting and she
was feeling irritated. She ate grumpily while Arnav ate without any expression
on his face. A silence boomed over the table; hence Viren decided to break it.
Viren: Umm...Anjali just give a call to Kushi after
you finish. Just check with her if she is okay. She was very angry and upset
yesterday.
Anjali: Kyun? What happened to her?
Arnav too looked up.
Viren (trying to hide a smile): Well won’t she feel
angry when someone puked on her yesterday before passing out.
Anjali (shocked): What??? Who???
Viren: Your chotte!
Now it was Arnav’s turn to be shocked.
Arnav: WHAT????? No wayyy!!!
Anjali: Are you serious?
Viren: I am.
Anjali: OMG! Already she doesn’t like him, now this.
Arnav: What the! Di girls die over me!
Anjali (rolling her eyes): Yeah but not Kushi. (Then
to Viren)How did this happen?
Viren: Well, you were all high yesterday.
Anjali: That’s true.
Viren: And to top it, you were giggling seeing the
scene.
Anjali had her mouth wide open while Arnav was
cursing under his breath.
Viren: Saale saab, it seems like you don’t do well
with drinks. Then why did you drink so much?
Arnav ignored Viren’s question and addressed Anjali.
Arnav: Di, I’m leaving. I have to join hospital
tomorrow. Have to get my stuffs ready for that. I will just shower and leave.
Anjali nodded with a serious expression on her face.
Arnav turned to go before turning back again.
Arnav: And Di thanks for the medicine, the hangover
is better now.
Anjali: I didn’t keep them for you, your jijaji did.
Arnav and Viren had an eye lock before he again
chose to walk away without talking to Viren. Anjali saw him going and was
depressed.
Anjali: I can’t take this anymore. Why is he
behaving like this with you for something that happened in the past?
Viren: Baby, you shouldn’t force him to talk to me
if he doesn’t want to. Give him some time.
Anjali: Didn’t I give enough time already. You keep
telling me the same thing for past 5 years but see there is no change in
chotte’s behaviour with you and for what? The fault was not yours, why is he
punishing you for your mother’s mistake.
Viren: even
I’m to be blamed. Only if I had stood by you when you needed it, then the
situation would have been different. I have hurt him baby, by remaining silent
when you were getting hurt.
Anjali: But all that was in the past. Now I’m happy;
we are happy. Can’t he see that? Can’t he move on too?
Viren: He can see you are happy. But it takes more
than that to have an amicable relation between him and me. In his eyes, I am a
failure as a husband and jijaji....
Anjali: No Viren, don’t say like that.
Viren: I won’t say he is wrong baby. He has every
right to be angry with me. I never did anything but stand a spectator when you
suffered in my own home. Even you were hurt by my silence but you had a big
heart to forgive me.
Anjali (hugging him): Shh it’s all in the past. All
that matters to me is we are happy now and will always be.
Viren (retuning the hug): Hmm
Anjali: You both are the most important people in my
life. I just want you two together and happy.
Viren: Time will see to it baby, have patience.
*****************
Arnav walked into the lobby of the hospital in white
shirt and blue jeans. All girls, be it patients, or people present with
patients or visitors or nurses or office staff or lady doctors had their eyes
only for him while he strode casually through the premises of the hospital. He
kept walking ignoring the comments passed on him from all sides guessing his
identity. After reporting to the MD of the hospital he got to his duty. When he
walked out of the dressing room for staff all looked at him with wide eyes. He
was dressed in a blue shirt and pant, the uniform for male nurses!
Now
I have to meet Kushi before I took charge.
************
Arnav knocked on Kushi’s consulting room.
Arnav: May I come in?
Kushi: Come in
Arnav walked in. She still hadn’t got over the
humiliation last day. Arnav had vomited and passed out; but she was the one who
had to face the embarrassment. She had to change into Anjali’s dress which
Viren offered before leaving home. Not to forget the laughter of all those
drunken toads. Arnav is going to pay hell for this! Now that he is going to
work under her, she is going to have her sweet revenge.
Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada, welcome to hell!!!!!
Arnav: Hi sexy. I’m joining work from today.
Kushi(raising her eyebrow and with a smile) : Oh is
it? Good. And by the way, (putting on a stern expression)in hospital, it’s Kushi maám for you.
Arnav: Umm yes. Se...I mean ma’am... I’m sorry for
what happened last day. It was not intentional, trust me. It just happened like
that and I’m really sorry for it.
Kushi was taken aback by his apology. Arnav never,
never ever apologized for what he did. So this was quite unexpected. She melted
for a moment, but then she remembered all the times he had teased and irritated
her. This is the only time she will get to give him a payback. So even if he
did that intentionally or not, she did face embarrassment; so he has to pay for
his mistake.
Kushi (suddenly plastering a smile on her face): it’s
okay Arnav, it happens.
Arnav felt weird. Kushi had never smiled like that
at him; something was definitely off. But he brushed it past him and took to
job. But soon he realized his hindsight was true. Kushi was driving him up the
wall with neck breaking work. Though he is new to the place and mostly
equivalent to an intern, she made him work like a slave. He almost worked 18 to
19 hours each day leaving him drained out. Lavanya felt bad for him. Though she
too joined at the same time in the same post, she relatively had lesser work
obviously. They didn’t have to report to a particular doctor but yet Kushi
found ways to torture Arnav. She was feeling immensely happy at how the things
were working out. Anjali did feel sorry for Arnav but since she knew Kushi’s
temperament she didn’t interfere in what was happening. Afterall Arnav did
deserve it for all those things he did with her. She actually found it funny –
their cat and mouse relation.
*************
Arnav was fed up. He had to put an end to this. He
cannot continue like this. Kushi was surely having a gala time seeing him
suffer. She was exceptionally sweet to him these days, but he clearly saw
through the sarcastic smile behind her acts.
Just then Lavanya walked into the corridor where he
was standing and thinking.
La: Hey Arnav, how come you are standing here?
Didn’t Kushi maám give you any work today?
Arnav: Hmm actually I am thinking of giving a work to her instead!
La: Oh com’on Arnav. You are actually paying for all
those teasing you gave her. Now are you going to rile her up again and attain
more torture?
Arnav: I have no other choice La. Otherwise she will
make me travel through hell and back.
La: Hmm what are you going to do?
Arnav(mischievous smile): You don’t wanna know!
La: Arnav, whatever it is, do carefully. If it backfires
then you will have even tougher time.
Arnav( smirking): You said this because you don’t
know our famous history. Arnav Singh Raizada has always won over Kushi Singh
Malik. It is always going to be like that. You wait and watch.
**************
Kushi had a tiring day. She saw some staff and nurse
etc giving her weird glances. She could hear some murmurings around her though
she cannot make out what it is hence she ignored it. She had missed her breakfast and lunch. Hence
she ordered a pizza and was waiting for it to be delivered when she heard a
knock.
Kushi: Come in
Arnav: Hello sexy!!!
Kushi (already tired): Arnav, its ma’am.
Arnav (leaning on her table making her scrunch her
eyebrows): Oh and why should I? After all now that I know what is between us!
He winked at her while Kushi remained confused.
Kushi: What is between us?
Arnav came around the table and leaned on her
reclining chair and stood very close to her face making her uncomfortable; with
a smirk intact on his face.
Arnav: Oh come ‘on baby. Why this act? I know.
Kushi (getting irritated now): What do you know?
Arnav: The reason behind why you are making me work
a lot for you...with you.
Kushi (suspicious): What?
Arnav (with his best romantic expression): You want
me to be with you....always.
Kushi (wide eyed): What?
Arnav: Yes babe. You want to spend time with me and
you can do it without others suspecting is by making me work with you. Know
what, already there are rumours about us, so I’m going to tell everyone openly
so they stop with their speculations and leave us alone.
Kushi( eyes ready to pop out): You are going to tell
what?
Arnav( shrugging his shoulders): That we are in
love!
Kushi: WHAT?
Arnav (adjusting her fringe behind her ears): Yes
sexy!
Kushi (angry now): Arnav, is this some kind of your
sick jokes?
Arnav: No babe. Already people are talking about us.
So I thought we better make it official. You see I’m so hawt, and has huge fan
following here. I know that is upsetting you, so if we come out clean they will
stop having eyes on me and I will be yours (coming more close to her) only
yours!
Kushi (pushing him off): Arnav stop it.
Arnav: Okay if you want me to stop then you will
have to stop first.
Kushi: What?
Arnav (sitting down on her table before her):
Simple. Let’s just be professional and not bring in our personal feelings into
our work.
Kushi: When did I mix it?
Arnav: Come ‘on ma’am. Who are you fooling? We both
know what the truth is.
One minute silence boomed over their heads. Kushi
sat with an angry red face while Arnav sat coolly with an innocent face.
Kushi: And what if I don’t?
Arnav: Then this news goes official.
Kushi: Oh please!!! I don’t care what others think.
Moreover if they are planning to think that I will date a guy so young and to
top it a male nurse then they can think all they want.
Arnav (crossing his arms): Exactly and if the rumour
of such an unconventional love reaches your orthodox family in Lucknow?
Kushi looked at him with angry eyes.
Arnav : Let me think; then it will be end of your
career here right?! You will have to pack up and leave for your home no matter
what the truth is. And soon get married and be trophy wife to someone?!
Kushi: ARNAV!!!!
Arnav (leaning back): I’m sorry Kushi. I know this
is not fair. But you haven’t been fair to me too. All I did with you was
harmless teasing. And in party, I told you I didn’t do it intentionally. But
you have crossed all limits by linking personal affronts with professional
life. Just because I work under you or have a degree lesser than you, you have
not right to treat me like shit.
Though his voice was low and calm she could clearly
see he was angry; Arnav who was always a happy-g-lucky-guy was having serious
expressions on his face. Even Kushi knew what he was saying is right, she did
take it far. But what to do, she had Malik blood running in her and she hurt
people who hurt her and with vengeance. But yes she was being childish but hell
would break up if she admitted that to him.
Kushi: Ok, we will have a truce. But I want you to
agree to two of my conditions.
Arnav raised his eyebrow.
Kushi: You will apologize to me sincerely for
everything you did to me till date and also promise that you won’t be after me teasing,
again. Then we can have an amicable relation.
Arnav pretended like he was thinking for a moment
before giving up and smiling seeing her getting riled up again.
Arnav( smiling): Okay. But no one, not even Di will
know about this truce.
Kushi : hmm okay.
She signalled him to ask for apology with her eyes.
Arnav: I’m sorry sexy.
Kushi: Arnavv...
Arnav (grinning): Okay I’m sorry....Kushi!
Kushi nodded satisfied.
Arnav: And I think for your second condition to turn
true, we will have to bring our hands together for a friendship, what say?
Kushi looked at his extended hand and thought for a
moment. She was not sure if Arnav really means it but then she thought to let
go of her suspicions for once and take a leap. She did not know why she wanted
to do it; maybe she was tired of their cat and mouse games. A friendship is a refreshing thought, if
Arnav behaves like a gentleman. Anyways she extended her hand. Arnav smiled
as they shook hands.
Arnav: Now we are friends Kushi. So everything is
fine between us; right?
Kushi nodded.
Kushi: But what about the rumours going around?
Arnav: Oh Kushi, don’t worry. People just need a new
gossip to forget this one. And a gossip in Canada is surely not going to reach
your home without someone informing them, so chill.
*******************
Days passed by. They shared a better equation these
days. Arnav was very friendly with her while Kushi still had reservations but
maintained a relationship that bordered on formal and informal grounds. Arnav
adapted to the new work well. Kushi did not burden him anymore and they shared
a healthy professional relationship. Arnav admired her professional calibre; her
personality and nature towards her patients and her dedication and service
mentality. He is glad that he got this opportunity to work under her.
It is already one month since Arnav reached Canada.
And today Arnav, Anjali, Viren and Kushi have planned to go on a picnic.
Precap: Picnic
