Chapter 2
"Hello. I am Khushi, The caretaker you had asked for." Khushi introduced herself, her smile disappearing as soon as she saw it was that same man she had seen the other day in black.
"You? Are you sure you were the one assigned for this job? Not your mother?" Arnav didn't bother with the pleasantries; his mood was already heavy with the baby's crying.
Why the hell did this man prejudice everything and everyone in his vicinity? She thought. Wasn't he in desperate need of help right now, given the fact, she could still hear the baby cry?
"I am more than capable of doing this, Mr..? You know, it would be a help if you introduced yourself first! Aur itna ro kyun raha hai woh? Aapne kab usse khilaaya tha last? Bataaiye?" She burst in full form, shoving him aside to get a hold on the child. So much crying wasn't good for the baby in the first few days.
Did he just push him out of her way? In his own home?
She was stomping to the sound the baby was making, and he just couldn't help but follow her in that moment. He still wasn't sure whether she was capable or not of this, but right now, he would give anything to shut the child up.
She was still mumbling endlessly, and he really really tried to focus on what she was saying, but to no avail.
They entered the baby's room, and she took it in her arms instantly, lulling it softly.
She had transformed herself from the hypernova to the soothing angel so rapidly; he stood there dumbfounded for a moment or two in shock.
"When did you last feed him?" She asked in a hushed voice, as the baby boy had stopped crying but was rolling and popping his tongue out every moment or two.
"I haven't… Since I brought it home…" He stuttered, probably first time in his life, at the authority this stranger possessed over his own nephew.
"Ssshhh…" She hushed again, as the baby had turned his head in the direction of the man's voice.
She couldn't help but smile at the baby's attentive eyes, they were just so beautiful, perfect big puddles of brown. Under a certain light, they did resemble the man's eyes, just a less sad version.
"Aapko doodh garam karna aata hai?" She enquired, quite already aware of the answer.
Did she just ask him that? What did he look like, exactly, to her?
He barged out of the room, not bothering to answer her, and she heard him scream out something loud, to which she instinctively covered the baby's ears.
"HARI PRAKASH!"
"HARI PRAKASH!"
"HARI PRAKASH!"
She couldn't hear anything anymore, but within minutes, a person, in his late 30s, who seemed like a housekeeper entered the room, looking apologetic.
"Ji, Arnav bhaiyya ne kaha aapko yeh chaahiye…" HP looked concerned, his eyes hovering on the baby.
Khushi stared for a second at the glass of milk in front of her, and sighed. God, they needed her.
"Arnav kaun?" She asked, putting the baby in the crib, taking matters into her own hand now.
"Woh Arnav Singh Raizada. Aap abhi toh thi unke saath… Yeh lijiye." HP stammered.
"Aap isse rakhiye apne paas, bas mujhe kitchen kahaan hai bataaiye… Aur apna naam bhi…" She generously said to the almost shaking guy. Didn't anyone here believe in giving introductions? She thought.
"Your weird noises are disturbing me. Keep them low."
She jerked her head in that direction, while the baby kept on sucking Khushi's milk covered thumb.
Her face involuntarily frowned at that, and she turned her head away from him, praying for him to leave. She still knew she would have to face him as soon as the baby fell asleep, as they still hadn't decided whether she was hired or not.
How the hell would she coddle the baby if she didn't make those noises? This man was surely berserk!
She fixed the blankets in the crib for the thousandth time. She knew she was stalling it; buying unnecessary time. The baby had gone to sleep almost an hour ago, and given the amount of sleep newborns required, she was sure he wasn't going to wake up anytime soon.
She let out a prolonged cold sigh, finally making her way out of the baby's room, and started combing the house for the so-called Arnav's whereabouts.
"Aapko kuch chaahiye, Khushiji?" She jumped a little at the unexpected voice from behind.
"Haan Hari Prakashji, Arnavji kahaan hai?" She smiled as she asked, her throat still choky dreading the negotiation that would ensue.
"Woh study room mei hai… Aaiye mai aapko le chalta hu…" HP said, and she followed silently behind him, absent-minded.
"Khushi, If you want a high-paying job, there is a place I can refer you to… But the guy is a single father." The nurse had said.
And she had felt relieved at finally having an opportunity to get some money for babuji's chemotherapy.
She had jotted down the address, and rushed as fast as she could, dreading missing a golden opportunity.
She bumped into HP's back, and realized he had come to a halt.
"Aap thik toh hai naa, Khushiji?" he questioned.
She nodded slightly, and made her way in, where he seemed to be furiously typing something on his laptop.
"Arnavji?" She said, unsure of the usage of 'ji' for the guy that irked her to new ends.
He stopped whatever he was doing, and looked up in her direction.
"Yes?" He asked, his one eyebrow perched up.
The wretched freaking expression on his face, that felt so judgmental, made her want to rip something.
"Nothing." She cleared her throat, maybe she didn't want to work for this guy after all, "Hum jaa rahe hai…"
"What?" He stood up, not expecting that out of her.
"Humei nahi karna hai aapke liye kaam." She spout out, "Hum jaa rahe hai!"
"How much money do you need?" She heard his smirk in that question, and she swore to Devi Maiyya she could hit him with her chappal.
"Aapki himmat kaise hui yeh bolne ki!" She shot at him, "Aapko lagta hai hum yeh naatak kar rahe hai paise badhaane ke liye?"
"I have known people like you all my life. Complete sellouts…" His cold words, for some unknown reason, hurt her a bit more than they were supposed to.
She couldn't take it anymore, and stomped out from his place without uttering a word.
Did he just make her flee? Fucking lord, what would he do with the baby now? Arnav couldn't believe the scare he felt at raising the child on his own.
He rushed towards the main door after a few minutes of contemplating, she wouldn't have gone far.
And just then, the doorbell ring.
He opened the main door, only to find her standing there, her head bowed down.