chapter 4

They reached Laxmi Nagar, Buaji was sitting at the door with her head on her hand looking depressed when she saw a big car pull over she was confused, she saw khushi come out of it with a woman around garima’s age she got up and said

Buaji: hai re nand Kishore sanka devi what are u doing and who is this??

Khushi came ad stood next to buaji and ratna came and folded her hands and then said Namaste buaji responded back and then said

Buaji: who are u ??

Ratna: I am ratna arnav’s mother, can I speak to u for a second

Buaji: yes please do come in

They went in, buaji called garima and shashi and payal out, and then khushi brought the tea and some water for ratna and buaji said

Buaji: (folded her hands and said) please don’t brake this house we have lived here for a long time, my husband has put in all his hard work and made this a house and it is his last mark before he died

Ratna: (said in a loving tone) please I understand your daughter has explained to me about it, I am here because I have a favor to ask of u  

Shashi: yes please tell us

Ratna: my son has made a deal with ur daughter

Garima: (looked and khushi and said) what deal

Ratna: she has agreed to come and stay in our house and my son has told her in return he will not break the house

Every one was shocked and Buaji said

Buaji: stay in your house but why what’s happening khushi??

Khushi: buaji don’t get angry please listen to us, they have 3 children and in their house and they want me to come and take care of them he has agreed to pay me a sum of 30,000

Buaji: hai re nand Kishore its ok you can go and take care of them but how can u stay in their house, we can not allow that (she looked at ratna and then said) sorry we cannot accept this offer we are small people and a single girl like this staying in some one’s house is not the values we teach our children

Garima: yes jiji u are right we cannot do this an alone girl staying like this in an unknown house (she said worriedly)

Ratna:  Please try to understand my son says that this will be good for the children, they are my daughters children, she died due to cancer and they are a bit depressed they need some one to take care of them, they need some one to remove them out of this depression, I saw your daughter and I like her values and she traditional and loving ways, the youngest child aarti really is fond of her and they just met, please it’s a request

Buaji: I understand, our sanka devi loves children but….

Ratna: I promise I will personally make sure nothing will happen, I promise she is purely staying only for the children, and she is at our house she will be treated like family u have my word, please see if u don’t agree then my son will brake your house

Buaji: (looked confused but then she said) sanka devi why did you do this , u should have asked me

Khushi: buaji I had no time please try 2 understand with this salary we can run the house and also our house wont brake we can stay here for ever

Garima: but are u going to be ok staying so far u have never done that before

Khushi: (put her hand on her amma’s and then said) I know but I promise I will be fine

Shashi: I think u should go

They all turned to shashi who was silent for a while and then shashi broke it by saying

Shashi: jiji garima let her go, its not for the money its for the good cause she is going for, our child is getting a chance to perform a good deed in life then why should we stop her

Garima: but ji how can we just send her

Payal: (came and put her hand on her shoulder and then said) our khushi can take care of herself I know it she is a good girl and smart too, amma babuji is right we should let her go

Buaji heard what payal said and nodded as well and then garima reluctantly nodded, Khushi smiled and hugged buaji happily and went o pack her clothes while payal followed her, ratna smiled and then buaji said

Buaji: she is our sanka devi she is a little mad, but she is nice at heart, she is our daughter and we love her a lot, please make sure she is taken care off, I am only allowing her because of your word

Ratna: don’t worry I understand I know what its like , ur daughter is safe

She said bye to everyone they had an emotional moment payal hugged her sister, and rantna told them that when ever they like they can come and visist, buaji made a deal with ratna that payal will come and visit her every weekend in the evening, ratna was more than happy, finally saying her last good bye’s she left

As they entered Rm, Khushi was introduced to everyone in the house, she bowed down to nani and touched her feet and then said nameste to mamiji, who was not so happy and a bit arrogant but khushi didn’t mind, she said hello to akash and then an excited aarti came down and was jumping around she said

Aarti: ur back your back, yeah, come in (she dragged khushi)

Khushi came in and ratna said

Ratna: aarti btiya let her come in at least

Aarti: yes nani off coarse let her, and I will show her my room first

Ratna and khushi smiled, as aarti took her to her, room, after seeing aarti’s room, she called the other 2 children anika and anuj to meet khushi, the two children walked in and ratna said

Ratna: anika and anuj, this is khushi your governess

Annika looked up at her and then said to her nani

Annika: great so now instead of mama we are going to be taken care by her (she said sulking)

Anuj: do u have a boy friend (he asked playfully)

Ratna: please children give her a chance she is a nice girl she..

Khushi stopped her and then said

Khushi: i am not here to do ur mama’s job, he is your mama and he love u three a lot, I am here because your nani told me to come she said that u three are very nice and I want to be your friend, (she told Annika, then she looked at anuj and said playfully) no sweetie I don’t have a boy friend,

Aarti jumped and anuj smiled he excepted her to get angry but she seemed ok, Annika the oldest just looked at her sulking, ratna was impressed already,