13. Dooriyan bhi hain zaroori

                                    

                                          
Arnav was in a good temper when he woke up from his nap in the evening. He puts on his clothes and goes to look for Khushi not finding her in bed.
Buaji and Khushi's parents were now back from the temple, he greets them merrily and asks "Aunty aapne Khushi ko kahin dekha [Aunty have you seen Khushi anywhere]". Garima and Buaji share a quick smile thinking how these two have become inseparable.
Garima informs him that Khushi has gone to Preeto's house for Mehandi function, (an Indian pre-wedding ritual in which the bride and other ladies decorate their hands with henna to help calm the nerves and stress of wedding), and will stay there for the night.
Arnav is taken aback. She left him again? After sharing such a wonderful time together just few hours ago ... why does she keep doing that?
This time however, he is stable. Arnav has come to know that even though she is uninhibited when they are intimate, she gets very bashful afterwards and avoids him for hours at length. But this is too much ... how can she just leave him here alone. What the...!!
On the dining table, Arnav misses her banter with Buaji - extra pooris sitting idle on the table, nobody to swipe it away and be struck on the hand in the process. When he was served Jalebi by Garima, nobody to stop her from serving him sweet, "Amma unhe meetha mana hai" ... he heard his mind conjure up her voice unwittingly. "I must be going mad", he reckoned. 
Arnav decided to concentrate on his work instead of looking at the door every now and then, hoping a dash of  pink would swirl by... wait is she still wearing pink? *Stop it*
***
Arnav stays tossing and turning on his bed. The flashbacks of their time together coming unwittingly to his mind - she was the first person to make him laugh in the longest time, she understood his pain, his grief of losing a parent and gave him hope ... as silly as it may sound that they have become stars and they are watching us from far, it brought him peace that he is not bereft of his Maa's presence.

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
He spotted his plant on the window sill that she had got for him while coming to Gupta House ... a part of him here "agar aapko apne paudho ki yad aaye toh [should you miss your plants]" she had so innocently explained.