"Arnav. Arnav."
Arnav looked up just in time to catch his excited wife from toppling them both with the speed she crashed at him.
"Slow down Khusi. What got you so excited?" Arnav said holding his wife who was already wriggling in his grip.
She gave him a dazzling smile before starting to pull him with her "I want to show you something. Come along."
"What?" Arnav asked curiously while letting her drag him towards the front door.
Khushi turned slightly to give him a beaming smile, "Patience Arnav."
He could only shake his head at his super-excited wife.
Khushi being excited was not a new occurrence. His lovely wife was always sporting that radiant smile and excitement even for small things. But the happiness she had today was more and he knew it.
He was dragged all the way to the parking area where he was greeted by 'The Beauty.'
"Wow..." he exclaimed looking at the brand new car looking a little out of place in the small parking area beside his old bike.
"Brilliant isn't it? It's a belated birthday gift for me." Khushi said. Her voice conveyed her happiness as she leaned against him, her head on his shoulder.
Arnav tightened his hold a little around his wife. He frowned as he looked at 'THE GIFT'.
"I didn't know her friends were so rich." He whispered to himself.
Huh...Khushi looked at him asking if he said something.
"Is it wise Khusi? To take such expensive gifts from your friends?" he asked.
"Friends? What...." his expression changed from confusion to realization fast.
"Arnav, this is not from my friends. This is from my father. My dad sent it. He wanted to come in person but due to some emergency he had to go out of the city." Khushi said. Her excitement was back.
But hearing the words made Arnav uncomfortable. He just could not share his wife's excitement.
"Khushi, this is one expensive gift," he hesitated.
Khushi slowly separated herself from him. He looked at her wanting her to understand without saying it. Saying it out felt right as well as wrong.
Khushi could see something was troubling her husband but just could not pinpoint it. So, she just looked at him urging him to say something, anything.
"How could you?" Arnav winced at the tone which came out more accusing than he intended it to be.
Huh. Khushi still looked confused.
He sighed," How could you accept such an expensive gift from him?"
"Why not?" Khushi frowned. "Are you not excited? I thought you will be as excited as me."
"Khushi...I.." He started but could not.
"Uff Arnav, we can talk about what's bothering you after we take a ride. Come." Khushi turned but was stopped by an irritated Arnav.
Why was she not understanding he thought.
Looking at her being so ignorant he simply commanded, "Please return it."
"Return what?"
"The car." he was getting irritated with the passing moment.
"What the! " Khushi exclaimed, "It's my birthday present. Who on the earth returns their birthday present that too from their dad." her expression bewildered.
What had gotten into her husband, she wondered.
"Khushi you are not understanding. This...this car... You..." he was interrupted by an excited squeal.
"Wow, new car."
Khushi turned toward the source of sound and found her mother-in-law looking at the car in glee.
"Yes, Mumma. Dad's gift for my birthday." Khushi answered eagerly.
"Wow, congratulations dear." Asha immediately hugged her daughter-in-law. They both grinned in the hug.
"Thank you, mom." Phew, finally the response she was waiting for. Someone sharing her enthusiasm, unlike her husband.
"Let's go for a ride. What's say? " Asha asked coming out of the hug.
"Cool. Let's go." Khushi said pulling her mother-in-law towards the car.
Arnav who was baffled by his mother's reaction opened his mouth," What?"
Asha looked at her son and then her daughter-in-law," Oh. You guys were going for a drive. Now to worry Arnav, you guys continue. Khushi will take me for a night drive, Right Khushi?"
Khushi nodded eagerly at her mother-in-law. It was always fun with just two of them. Bonding time they called it but it always was so much more for both of them.
"Mom. What are you saying?" Arnav could not believe his mom was acting all cool about the whole thing. Wasn't she supposed to be more upset? "What's wrong with you, Mom?"
"Huh. What does that mean now? You don't want me to go on a long drive?" Asha asked perplexed.
She turned to her daughter-in-law for an answer when her son was not so forth-coming with any response.
"He has been acting weirdly since he saw the car, " Khushi whispered so only Asha could hear.
"Why though?"
Khushi shrugged in return looking worriedly at her husband. He was behaving so out of character.
Asha looked at her son too. He seemed to be struggling. Maybe he was jealous of not getting to ride the car himself, she concluded.
"Oh, Arnav. It's okay. No need to be jealous. I am sure Khusi will let you ride too after she gets the first ride. won't you Khushi?"
"Oh Arnav, such a small problem. Of course, you can ride it." Her silly husband thought Khushi.
They both waited for Arnav's response who was now looking at Asha incredulous.
"Mom, what are you even saying?"
"Did you by any chance hit your head somewhere?" Asha asked looking at Arnav from head to toe.
Khushi looked at her mother-in-law law pondering how she always knew what Khushi herself thought. There was surely some old connection.
"Mom, you took my words. I was thinking the same." She said.
"Really?" Asha was surprised.
"Yes." Khushi bobbed her head.
Both grinned at each other before turning their attention to the subject of their matching thought.
Their eyes trailed from head to toe inspecting in unison and wasn't that creepy thought Arnav. But before he could voice it out, they were pulling at his head and hair trying to too if he had any injury.
"What are you guys doing? Leave my head you two." he backed away from those crazy women.
He was ignored in favor of them talking with each other.
"I'm not finding any wound mom. Maybe there is some internal wound. We'll take him to the hospital first then go for a long drive." Khushi suggested.
"Yes yes, you are right." Asha agreed easily.
"Arnav, come let's go."
Like before he was getting pulled by Khushi but now his mother too was holding his other hand.
"I'm completely alright you two. Just leave me." he snapped fed up while jerking his hands from their hold.
Both mother and daughter-in-law looked flinched at his loud voice.
"How could you act all cool regarding the car matter?"
"Now, what car matters?" Asha asked confused.
As if that was needed to trigger her memory Khushi supplied, "Oh ya. He wants me to return the car."
"What? why? Didn't you say it is your birthday gift from your dad?" Asha asked.
"Yes."
"Who on the earth returns their birthday gift that too from their father?" Asha asked looking at his son.
"Exactly my saying." Khushi agreed whole-heartedly.
"Mom, you are not understanding. How can she accept such an expensive gift?" Arnav said wanting at least his mother to understand.
"Like any other birthday gift," Asha replied. She knew her son was stupid sometimes but this was on a whole other level.
"Mom, That's not what I meant. We are not as rich as Khushi's father. He is Singhania." he said as if that explained everything.
And somewhere that did. Both the women knew instantly what he meant.
What would people say? What would society say?
"Mom, he needs to be updated," Khushi uttered looking at Arnav with so much disappointment. Never in her wildest dream, did she think her husband would have a problem with that.
"Totally. In pro max version." Asha too was looking at him with the same expression mirrored on his wife's face. "And here I thought you were my updated, my son like that new iPhone 13promax. But you turn out to be that never breaking Nokia mobile."
He just looked at them not knowing what to say.
"You wish to have a daughter right?" Asha asked knowing her son was still not understanding completely. Arnav nodded his head positive.
"Just pray that your daughter gets a mother-in-law like your mom and doesn't get a husband like you," Asha said giving him a deadly glare.
That comment was like a blow to Arnav. He stood all still.
"Come mom we will go for a drive," Khushi said looking at her mother-in-law worriedly. She didn't miss the accusation in her tone and neither did her husband it seems.
"Yes yes." Asha blinked with her reply."Wait, I'll bring my purse and come."
Khushi didn't stop her, "Ok, I'll start the car."
A few minutes passed with Arnav standing in a daze.
"Wow...a new car"
Arnav looked at his best friend and his wife looking at the car as Khushi started it.
"Khushi's dad gave her a birthday gift," he replied.
"Wow cool." Aman kept on looking at the car as Khushi started pulling it towards the main road.
"Jessi your birthday is tomorrow right. You have to ask for a car." Aman was more than excited.
"You wish. Even if I get a new car, I'll not let you drive it." Jessi started making faces and started moving toward their home.
"Arre that's not fair." Seeing Aman about to follow his wife. Arnav stooped him immediately.
"Don't you have any problem if her dad buys her a car?" he asked needing an opinion.
"Huh. Why would I have a problem?" Aman asked confused.
"Don't you think it's an insult to your social status?" Arnav asked.
Aman looked at his best friend. He looked conflicted so Aman put it in simple words," Are you from some regency era or what? Why would I think about my social status when the father is showing his love for his daughter. If by any chance my daughter's husband comes in between me and her, I'll make her divorce that guy right then and there."
Seeing Arnav processing it all, he said," Anyways I have to make Jessi agree on allowing me to drive her new car. Bye-bye."
Slowly, a smile graced his lips.
"It was too easy to be updated." he realized.
Just then, Asha spoke to him.
"Ok bye, Arnav. Try to be updated till we come back." Asha suggested and started moving towards where Khushi was waiting inside the car.
"Arre wait I'm already updated. Take me with you."
Arnav shouted running towards them.
Now he just has to make sure, he keeps getting updated.
—————————————————————————————————————
