PART-65

Sun rays peeped in through the heavy curtains and khushi grimaced in her sleep, her one hand groping around for Arnav.She soon found an arm and in her state of abject sleepiness mistook it for Arnav's ignoring the softness altogether. Khushi pulled herself closer,nuzzling closer.

"Good morning Aranvji!"She mumbled sleepily,slightly lifting her face to place a kiss on the cheek of whom she mistook to be Arnav.

She felt his body rock,tremors going down until they increased in frequency.

"Arnavji,what's wrong?Why are you so shivering so much?Oh God!Did you catch cold,sleeping all night in the balcony?"Khushi's eyes flew open in concern and her one hand immediately touched his forehead,until she saw a figure clad in yellow lying beside her.Surely Arnav wouldn't wear such bright colored clothes!

"Khushi....you aa...re mad!Arnavji.....Gooood morning!Se...riously!" Payal rocked back and forth with laughter,clutching her stomach.

"Jiji...you here?What?How?When did I reach here?I was with Arnavji!Then how?"Khushi went on incoherently.

"Woah!Hold down a bit little sis!So many questions at a time!Why are you blaring like a steam engine?Anyways, so this is what you do with your Arnavji? Kissing and coddling!"Payal teased,clutching her by her ears.

"Ouch jiji!It hurts!By the way you are wrong!I was just....I mean I was dreaming and that..."Khushi's cheek turned the shade of a tomato!

"Stop it Khushi!Don't lie!The fat is in the fire!...You love him don't you?" Payal added softly,letting go of her ear.

"Jiji I..."Khushi looked down,abashed.

"I know you love him and this time round you have truly done something sensible!Arnavji absolutely adores you!He is so intense about you...so caring..and the look in his eyes,when he was gazing at you!Well, it seems my crazy, childish sister has finally found her match!"Payal smiled softly.Khushi looked up and immediately embraced her,while Payal patted her back gently.

"You know what,had you murmured someone else's name and coddled up the same way going cozy,I would've given you a good one,a nice elder sisterly lecture on being responsible!"

"If you want you can still have a go on me jiji!Don't keep anything pent up!" Khushi said.

"Oh sure,I would love to!But you should get going.I don't want to be the cause of your Arnavji's despondency so early in the morning!"

"Jiji!"Khushi yelled,throwing a pillow at her,while Payal laughed and ducked out of the way just in time.

After sometime,Khushi emerged out of her room in great haste,having willed away her time in a pillow fight with her sister.She ran helter-skelter,trying to gather her things up and banging every now and then on the walls and doors.

"Hai rey nandkishore!This girl will bring the house down someday! oversleeping and then nearly razing the house down!What will I do with her?"Buaji wailed, watching her niece rush around like a lunatic.

"Bye Buaji!Love you!"Khushi blew her a kiss mischievously,before dashing out of the house.

She didn't encounter much traffic,to her immense relief and reached the office on time.She swiped her identity card and touched the screen of the biometric device with her palm,rushing in as soon as the doors opened.

"What the.....?"Khushi gasped as soon as she emerged out of the elevator.

The entire S.T.F. office was bustling with activity as unknown people swarmed around with a heavy-looking machine in their hands!