Chapter 18

Khushi

It's been a long week, since the wedding. And Holi is already here. I woke up at 4:30 in the morning and found Bua ji already in the kitchen.

"Arre, Bua ji, why are you up so early?" I ask as I throw my dupatta over my shoulders.

"If I don't wake up who will make all the snaks for you to munch on?" She asked, a slight smile on her lips as she turned away and started making gujjiya.

Her words made me smile too, so I walked to her and grabbed a copper mixing dish and a container on besan to make laddus. "Then I should also help you to make sure I'm not starving,"

Bua ji smiled and continued her work. We worked in unison with some back and forth banter and comments. But something that Bua ji said, made me look at her.

"What do you mean by none will blame me now?" I asked.

Bua ji also stopped and looked at me. She blinked then turned back to the gujjiya she was frying on the stove. "Damad ji and Payalia told me everything before they left, told,"

My lips parted slightly. They told Bua ji?

"They said that none will bother you anymore. And if they did? Damad ji will handle it." She added.

The back of my eyes burned slightly. I didn't realize Jija ji as this serious when he told me all that yesterday. I pressed my lips together and blinked fast so tears didn't fell.

When I remained silent, Bua ji looked over her shoulder at me. Her face softened after whatever she saw on my face. "Now, don't cry over the laddu, Nandkishore, we are supposed to eat that!" She turned back to her frying. "It's already 6, go take a shower and change into fresh clothes after finishing this,"

I nodded with as i rubbed my nose with a softly sniffle.

*

By the time of 7:30, I was drying my hair in my room, when Bua ji came in, already dressed in fresh clothes.

"Devyani ji called," She informed me. "She asked us to join them for the Holi at Santivaan."

"Huh?" I looked back at her as I draped my multi-colored leheriya dupatta over my white Anarkali. My brows pulled together slightly. "Santivaan? With them? Why?"

Bua ji rolled her wrists and hands, pushing her bottom lip out. "I don't know, Nandkishore, she said since it's Akash and Payal's pehli Holi, we should celebrate it together."

My mouth fell slightly open. "Phir? Aapne kya kaha?" I ask.

"Hum ka kehte, haan kehdiye aur ka," Bua ji answered.

A scoff escaped my mouth as I put a palm on my hip. "How can we go there? You know the situation."

"That's why I came here. You will stick to me the whole event. I will see that Arnav Singh Raizada." She said, her eyes turning angry briefly but it vanished when she looked at me. "Amma is getting ready, so come help me pack the snacks. We can't go empty-handed. We have to  shut that Manorama's mouth before it opens to talk nonsense about us."

She turned around and walked out in complete attitude. While I bit on my thumb nail, I don't waant to go. I want to see Jiji and Jija ji, but I don't want to go. I don't want to see him. He'll again say bad things and blame me. I pushed the left corner of my mouth on my cheek in a frown. I don't want to go—

"Arre, O Sanka Devi!" Bua ji yelled from the kitchen. "Kisme aayi rahi ho?"

"Aa rahe hain!" I yelled back as I threw my dupatta on my other shoulder and stormed out of my bedroom.