Chapter 7: Khushi
The shrill alarm rang in her ear. Khushi had fallen asleep with the phone in her hand. She quickly silenced it and checked to see if it had awakened Arnav-ji.
Oh. Right.
Khushi's disappointment was short-lived. There were only two hours until his plane landed.
She quickly got ready for the day, picking the red kameez and matching bangles he'd bought her, along the ever-present gold bangles that belonged to his mother. She finished her outfit with earrings and lightly applied makeup.
Downstairs, she couldn't contain her grin. Di was the first to notice.
"Ahh, Khushi-ji, you look so happy today. Is it because Chotte will be back soon?"
Khushi blushed, sidestepping Di to prepare for the morning's pooja.
Nani-ji also teased her before blessing her marriage, and Mami-ji made a suggestive joke before grinning ear to ear. Nanhe-ji winked at her, making her blush again. But Khushi didn't mind their teasing.
Her Laad Governor was coming back to her.
She rushed Aarav awake and into the shower, and then brought him down for the morning pooja. The whole family always got involved in their morning routine, washing and feeding and dressing Aarav as a team before Khushi walked him to the school bus. Aarav wanted to stay home to greet his father, but Khushi refused, promising him that they would all spend time together tonight instead.
She returned at 8:30, barely able to contain her excitement. She checked every few seconds for a message from him, and when it came she almost dropped her phone in her eagerness to read it.
Landed. See you soon.
Khushi typed a quick response before dashing off to find Di and Nani.
Hurry.
They were looking at shawls when she entered Di's room, and asked her opinion on the pile they'd set aside.
"Arnav-ji has landed!" she announced.
"Really?" Nani asked with a bright smile.
Di's phone beeped – Arnav-ji had messaged her to say he'd landed. The shawls lay to the side, forgotten, as the three of them shared their excitement and started to make plans for lunch. They would cook him all his favourite dishes. Khushi would make sugarfree jalebi, Nani would make his favourite potato dish, and Di would make him rice pudding with almonds.
"Khushi, have you eaten anything today?" Nani asked.
"No."
"Come and eat with me then."
"I'll eat with Arnav-ji."
"No. He'll eat on the plane. Come on, let's eat something. You can't wait until lunch."
Mami-ji sat at the dining table, finishing the last of her breakfast with Nanhe-ji. Their faces lit up when Khushi shared her news. She ate while Nani-ji and Mami-ji talked, suddenly missing her sister. Jiji and Aakash Jija-ji would be back from the US in four weeks.
Khushi's phone lit up with a message as she cleared the table.
With Mohan. See you soon jaan.
It took just over half an hour to get to Shantivan from the airport.
