A Second Chance at Happiness : Chapter 2

 Khushi's bestie's enthusiasm was contagious and everyone was content to not interrupt her nonstop chatter. She was a chatterbox just like their Khushi.

Malvika aka Mukku returned to India with her brother last month and she started her collage in Delhi. Khushi is her first and now best friend in Delhi. Mukku and Khushi were like long lost sisters. They were similar in many aspects. Both can talk non stop 24x7. 

Mukku wanted to buy few items as a gift for her friends whom she was planning to invite for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations which included Khushi also so She couldn't ask Khushi to accompany her. Her driver has some personal emergency so he went home early. Her brother was in office so she decided to go alone and Mukku being Mukku did not think earlier how she was going to get back home with those shopping bags and that too from an unknown place. She went to the market by calling a taxi via uber. She was so proud of herself for reaching there independently. But that feeling did not last longer as she was not aware of the Sarojini market, it was so crowded and someone stole her purse which contained card and cash. Thankfully her phone was not stolen which was inside the front pocket of her Jeans. First she thought of calling her brother, but he will be in a meeting till 8 pm plus he is gonna kill her if he comes to know she stepped out of the house alone and she got robbed. So she decided to call Khushi for help. She might help her to solve this without her brother's knowledge. 

"And that's why I am begging you all not to tell anything to my brother. He is going to kill me."

Mukku made a pupply face and requested the audience which included Nani, Mami, mama, Arnav, Akash, Payal and Anjali.  Even if they are meeting Mukku for the first time, they all like her since the time Khushi and her are friends. Thanks to Khushi's non stop chatter about her bestie everyday.

"But did you block your card? I believe your credit card was also stolen? " Arnav asked.

He noticed she is from a very rich background else she would have freaked out after losing almost 50,000 Rupees hard cash. The girl was more worried about her brother's reaction. Also she was wearing a BVLGARI Serpenti Tubogas Watch worth 41 lakhs, the thieves really had no idea about that. As she was tensed Arnav did not find it appropriate to ask about her family and background.  

"OH NOO.. I totally forgot about it. When I realized my wallet was stolen , I panicked then I called you guys. After reaching here I was busy in explaining the incident and totally missed the most important thing to do. Too much for solving this without my brother's knowledge." 

Arnav smiled thinking she is really Khushi's soul sister. He felt so happy when Khushi introduced him as her husband to Mukku back in the market. Friendship with cheerful people like Mukku made her his Khushi again. Collage and new friendship is really helping her to be happy again. From the ineraction he was pretty sure that Khushi never told about the truth of their marriage to Mukku. Today she let him help her friend as her husband. This girl is important to his wife thus for him also. 

Mukku took out her phone quickly and blocked the card via application and left a message to her brother. She needs to leave from here and reach home before her brother reaches home. Her brother will be worried and will come to her as soon as he gets her message. 

"I think I should leave now, Thanks for your help Arnav Jeeju " Mukku smiled broadly at Arnav.

"Aree Bitiya wait, You are our Khushi Bitiya's best friend and its the first time you are coming to our house. Arnav or Akash will drop you later, you are staying for Dinner." Devyani told her lovingly.

"Aree Naniji I don't want to trouble you guys. I will join you for Dinner some other time. I have to reach home before my brother... " Before she could complete her sentence her phone started ringing flashing her brother's name on the screen. 

"One second Naniji, its my brother, I need to take this. "

Nani waited as Mukku answered the call. She heard Mukku assuring her brother that she was safe at her bestie's house and she swore she did not invite herself for dinner , it was Khushi's Nani who was insisting. When she saw her brother was not convinced, Devyani took the phone from Mukku and talked to her brother. 

Mukku did not hear what her brother was saying but she was pretty sure he was apologizing for the trouble she caused. Devyani hang up the phone and smiled at her.

"So your brother will be here soon and you both are going to have dinner with us. Later you can leave with him. Ok ?" Nani told her as she handed her phone back. 

"Oh no.. I am going to be a dead meat today. " She thought silently.

"Khushi why don't you and Mukku go and chat in your room and I will call you once the dinner is ready." Payal said looking at both Khushi and Mukku. 

Khushi and Mukku went to Khushi's room. Anjali and Payal went to see the dinner preparations, Arnav, Akash, Nani, Mami and Mami settled on the living room discussion random things. 

"Khushi oh god he is going to kill me. I shouldn't have gone to the market alone."

"Yes you should have called me Mukku. But don't worry, the good part is nothing bad happened to you and you made the right decision to call me right away. So its all good. Just explain to your brother calmly and promise him you won't do such a stupid thing again."

Mukku sighed and sat on the bed. She took out her phone again and sent one more message to her brother and continued her chat with Khushi.

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He stood Infront of the main door of Raizada House awkwardly. He was attending a meeting in his office and during the ten minutes break time he called his house help to check on Mukku and she informed Mukku went out alone. He tried to call her but was not reachable. Kaka was also out , he did not want him to worry. After sometime when he decided to cancel the rest of the meeting and leave, suddenly Mukku's message came explaining the adventure she did. When he called her again, she picked up and explained everything in detail. Then her friend's grandmother talked to him and literally forced him to come and have dinner with them. He just wanted to go there and take her back with him, But as she was an elder lady it was not good to refuse her right away. It was the first time he will be meeting her friend and family and its really awkward to have dinner with strangers. Later his sister messaged again to pick up some sweets or any other gift for the Raizadas. Kaka and their parents always said its not good to visit any house empty handed.  

 His secretary had arranged few boxes of Exotica sweet from Lucknow for the clients as a gift at the time of their return today. Thankfully she ordered few extra boxes, so he asked her to take one box from it and to keep it in his car. He heard from Mukku that Khushi and her husband's family is from Lucknow. So they will like it hopefully. 

He reached at the location her sister had sent. It was the residence of Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada. He pressed the calling bell and waited for someone to open the door. A lady in late twenties opened the door with a smile and invited her in. She introduced herself as Khushi's sister Payal. Oh she is the one who is married to Arnav Singh Raizada's cousin, he mentally noted. He was greeted by Nani with whom he spoke over the phone and Mami-Mama. He said a namaste to them and handed over the sweets to Naniji.

"Areey Beta what was the need for all these?"

"Its ok Naniji, my mother said its not good to go to a house for the first time empty handed." He smiled at the elders and his eyes roamed around in search of his sister. He won't be at peace until he see her.

"BHAI... " Mukku called loudly as she descended the stairs and ran toward him. The brother-sister duo hugged and others smiled at them. 

"Thank god you are okay. Don't you do that ever again Mukku. You see now why I always stop you from going out alone in India."

As he scolded his sister lovingly, Arnav and Akash came to the living room. Arnav instantly recognized the man. Oh that explains Mukku's expensive watch.

"Hi.. Arnav .. Arnav Singh Raizada " He extended his hand towards the guest.

"Anuj.. Anuj Kapadia.."  He smiled as they shook hands.

So his wife's bestie is the sister of the business tycoon Anuj Kapadia. He owns the AK group, the multinational company who has all sorts of products from the essential cooking items like salt to the steel pipes used in construction. The AK group was taken over by Anuj Kapadia before 9 years. He always admired and took inspiration from his business sense. Ak group is in the list top 10 companies in the world in the last consecutive 5 years by revenue.  

Akash also shook hands with him and looked at Arnav in a weird way. Arnav had no idea why his brother was looking at him like that. Payal invited everyone to the dining room for Dinner. 

Dinner was not that awkward as Anuj thought. Arnav , Akash and Mamaji engaged him in business related conversation. Mukku and Khushi were busy with their small talk throughout the dinner.

Anjali was missing from the dinner table. They assumed she did not want to face the guest to avoid questions like what do you do now, where is your husband. So none of them forced her to join. Khushi asked Hari Prakash to send Anjali's dinner to her room. 

At the time of leaving Arnav, Khushi, Akash and Payal accompanied Anuj and Mukku to their car. 

"So Mr. Kapadia I heard you were born and brought up in Lucknow. " Akash asked while walking through the lawn.

"Yes, I was there till I graduated, we moved to USA after that."

"Oh I see.. So which collage you went?"  Akash asked casually.

"BBAU.. "  Anuj answered Akash as he opened the car door and sat on the driver's seat of the ODI Q7.

Anuj drove away with Mukku after waving at the them. 

"Does that mean it's the same Anuj ?"  Akash asked no one in particular.

"There might be other Anujs also in their batch Akash." Arnav said

Payal and Khushi who were clueless till now put two and two together and understood what their husbands were talking about.

Khushi suddenly looked up to their balcony and saw Anjali who was looking down. 

That was enough to confirm their suspicion. They all walked silently back to the house.

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She was helping Payal with the Dinner arrangements when she heard his voice. She recognized it instantly.  Is this an illusion? Could he really be here at her house? Her heart beat quickened as she heard him laughing at some joke Mamiji cracked. 

She could say from here that her family was greatly impressed by his charm. She could not go in front of him. 

"It was years ago Anjali, you were a stupid limping teenager who wrote a love letter to her crush. He barely noticed you when you were in the same class. Today also he is not going to recognize you." Her heart told her.

"No.. What if he remembered her as that boring limping girl who wrote a letter to him which made him annoyed at her? it will be very awkward" Her inferiority complex kicked in. 

"Di.. I will take the Dal with me." Payal offered by taking the serving bowl from her hand.

"Ahh Payalji I am going to my room. Please ask Hari Prakash to send the dinner to my room after the guests are served. " She quickly walked towards the stairs without waiting for Payal's reply. 

She crossed the hall quickly without anyone noticing and climbed the stairs in hurry to reach her room. 

She kept the door open for sometime so that she could hear his voice while he ate dinner with her family. 

When he was walking towards his car she watched him from the balcony. What the hell was she doing? It is true that she liked him in collage, no she loved him. But she is not in collage anymore. Her life is a mess. She is a handicapped divorcee Whereas he is still the same. The Anuj Kapadia. The Perfect Man !

She smiled sadly as he drove away. Why these memories are coming back? Why this man had to reappear in front of her again? No.. She is not going to see him again. Today , it was a coincidence, its not going to happen again. Little did she knew that God has other plans.

Love,

ST