Chapter 06

Khushi

I can't sleep at night thinking about what will happen and what they will decide. Hai Devi Maiya, please do something. Please. Please. I prayed with my hands pressed together in front of the small idol in our home mandir.

I exhaled softly before taking the puja thali to Baba and gave him aarti and prasad before going to Amma and Jiji, then I lastly went to Bua ji in the kitchen.

I waited for her to say something, but she just took aarti, ate prasad, and then resumed cooking for lunch. I frowned slightly before placing the thali down and following behind her.

"Bua ji, are you going to do something or not?" I asked because it's already been a week since we visited Shantivan and six days since the wedding didn't happen on the due date. "Did they call or did you call Nani Ji or something?"

"Why should I call, hain? And I think we have given them enough to deal with for the rest of the remaining months of the year." Bua Ji responded slightly irritated as she peeled onions. "I understand you are worried about Payaliya, but also think about the Raizadas, Nandkishore. Have some patience. Give them some time."

"Pur agar phone nahi kiya toh?" I asked with my brows pulled tightly together in worry and eyes slightly wide in horror. Will I again be the reason why Jiji's wedding got called off? I shook the thought off. No, no. Think of nice things, Khushi. If you think of nice things, only nice things will happen. Think of nice things.

"Nahi kiya toh na sahi. Larko ki kami thodi na hain Delhi mein? My Nandkishore sure has someone better for our Payaliya if the Raizadas call things off. Their loss. Hume kya? Nandkishore sab thik kar dengay, hain." Bua Ji replied almost blissfully as she handed me the gumla of peeled onions with a knife and a board to chop them, and I took them almost unconsciously and started cutting them.

How is she so optimistic?

"Bua Ji?" I called her while chopping the onions in deep thought.

"Kya?"

"Agar koi bhi nahi mila toh?" I asked because it was literally eating me from inside. Bua Ji looked at me, and I looked at her. She had a look on her face that clearly said she's going to say something important.

But what she said was, "Toh kuwari mar jana dono! Thik hain, Nandkishore? Ab pyaaj kat ke do jaldi."