PART 48

ACP Arnav Singh Raizada stared at an overcast sky in great trepidation.He was greatly unnerved by the conversation that he had eavesdropped on that afternoon in the hospital between  between Surinder Manohar Jha and his son.His anxiety was also seasoned by a tinsy twang of gratification on having recognised that nagging sense of de javu that he had felt on seeing Surinder Manohar Jha.

He could vividly recall the numerous times he had seen his uncle in his company. In fact,Surinder Manohar Jha was present at the time of that hideous debacle 14 years ago.Did that mean that he too was responsible for his marred childhood?

ASR's head spun with the unanswered questions and conundrums and he vowed to find every hidden layer of his obscure past.After calling all his informers and instructing them strictly to search every possible facet of Surinder Mnohar Jha and his family,he himself settled down to rummage through the high profile police database that he had access to being the Assistant Commissioner of the S.T.F.He ransacked every record of drug-peddling thoroughly yet futilely.

ASR banged his laptop shut and glared in the omnipresent bloom in his room,thinking,his mind whizzing.

His foe was more cunning and possibly highly dangerous than he had estimated!

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The days passed by at the pace of a vivid film and soon khushi was discharged from the hospital,fully recuperated.Still she had gained leave for getting proper rest much to her chagrin as Shyam frequented Gupta house more than necessary with his cloyish pretense of concern,yet her pleadings had no effect on ASR whatsoever.It was a difficult decision for him too,staying away from her,especially when that Shyam droppen in every now and then at her house,still her health was his first priority.

On one such uneventful which verged on the border of being tedious,khushi found herself alone with her jiji,who babied her kittens!Buwaji,Shashi and Garima had gone to attend a function in one of the family friend's house and had left Payal behind to look after khushi for she had not bothered to accompany them.

Khushi was tired of Buwaji's incessant harping about Shyam and so she had refused to go with her family in order to savour some Shyambabua-is-a-jem-of-a-person ballad which she had been subjected to more than often ever since her accident,to her immense displeasure!

''Jiji,what does Buwaji sees in that Shyamji that she considers every minute that she is not heaping praises on him as waste?''Khushi wondered,more to herself than to Payal,who was folding clothes at the foot of the bed.

''Khushi,leave it!Don't  strain yourself.Let Buwaji blubber whatever she wants,you know her habit,don't you?''Payal said reasonably.

''But still jiji!There has to be some reason for Buwaji behaving like an utterly besotted woman!You know what they may some day even announce their engagement!''Khushi giggledd at the thought.

Payal rolled her eyes and threw towel at her crazy sister.

''Shut up you dumbo!And go and take bath before Buwaji arrives,otherwise don't expect me not to tell her what you blabbered just now.''

Khushi stuck her tongue out at Payal,but complied all the same.She went to take a shower.

Suddenly the door bell rang and Payal opened it to find ASR standing there.

''Arnavji?''

''Oh hello Payal.Is khushi there?I mean I just dropped in to check how is she?'' ASR muttered awkwardly.

''Of course!Please come in!''Payal showed him in.

''Payal bitiya!Payal bitiya!''A shrill voice called.

''Uh,excuse me!I'll be right back.''Payal said and walked out of the door.

Their neighbour Shomita Aunty needed some help. 

Unaware of the happenings,khushi was happily bathing in the washroom when water got finished.

''Ugh,damn it!This crappy water had to go just now!Jiji!Jiji!Please switch on the motor,there's no water overhead!.....No,first bring some water so that I can wash my face,my eyes are stinging!Jiji!''Khushi yelled.

ASR heard her call in the living room and immediately went up to the door to call Payal,who was no where to be seen.

''Jiji!Are you listening?Please hurry up!My eyes are stinging like hell!''She called again,wrapping a towel around her torso.

ASR stood perplexed,unsure,trying to locate Payal futilely.But it seemed like  that he himself will have to help khushi and the thought made him gulp.

He went to the dining table and started towards khushi's room with a jug filled with water in his hand.

ASR knocked brusquely on the door and silently tried to hand the jug over to khushi as soon as the door opened.

''Jiji,I can't even open my eyes.Please come in and help me with it!I've already wrapped towel.''Khushi pleaded through closed eyes.

ASR entered the bathroom nervously to see the etheral beauty therein.She was wrapped in a blue towel which clung sinuously to her soft body.There was soap foam covering her body and water dripped from her hair.He followed the course of one droplet that made way from her hair to her collarbone and down to her cleavage and he gulped hard.

''Ofo jiji!What are you doing ?Help me please!''

ASR awoke from his enchanted reverie and gently helped her to wash her face,trying to futilely avert his eyes from her.

Before khushi could open her eyes he silently slid out of the bathroom.If it was so awkward for him,it will be worse for khushi if she came to know that it him who helped her not her jiji and admittedly,he didn't have much quota of self control!