NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE (Completed)
36 Confidence
Part 36 Confidence
"Why isn't it easy, uncle?" Asked Arnav, who came there.
Shashi and Garima smiled at him, whereas Khushi raised her brows on his question. Arnav walked in.
"You are the KEY sweet master in your shop. Without you, the shop will not gain customers and profit. You, too, know that. Then, why don't you think of your own shop, uncle?"
Shashi smiled awkwardly.
"Uncle, if money is your problem, I'm ready to give you or sign a surety for you if you feel embarrassed to get money from me," Arnav said, his words a comforting blanket over the trio.
"No, beta... it won't be good if I get your money."
"Then, get a loan from the bank... I will give you surety."
Shashi looked at Garima uncomfortably.
"No, hurry, uncle. Take your time. Discuss with Aunty and Khushi. Then decide."
Shashi nodded yes.
"I hope you know Khushi's new State Meet record," Arnav asked, smiling at Khushi.
Shashi nodded yes and said,
"It became possible because of you."
"No uncle... Khushi is a born-talented girl. She didn't win, just because I provided some facilities. She won because of her legs, not because of the shoes."
Shashi smiled proudly.
"The encouragement you are providing her is something no one could do. Giving her shoes may not be the sole reason for her success, but providing her a COAT is definitely worth doing." Shashi smiled at Khushi, who nodded yes.
"You know how she wished to wear a coat?"
"Really, uncle? Did she wish to wear a coat?" Asked Arnav as if he was unaware of it, making Khushi dumbfounded.
Shashi shrank his eyes confusingly.
"Don't you know that?"
"I gave her a coat when she received the medal because I'm her sponsor. I want her to be recognised as our Ambassador..." he said seriously.
Khushi looked at him, shrinking her eyes, like, 'How big a liar you are!' Arnav controlled his smile.
"Oh... Khushi was so crazy about the Coat!"
"I see..." He kept the dinner bag before Khushi.
"We should get ready for the national Meet." He said.
Khushi nodded yes.
"Have dinner and sleep well. You should be tired. We will not have practice tomorrow morning. We will start practice the day after tomorrow."
Khushi nodded even though she was not okay with dropping the next day's practice.
"See you, uncle..."
"Bye..."
Arnav walked out. Shashi looked at Khushi and said,
"Go and send him off, beta,"
"Jee Babuji..."
Khushi followed Arnav to his car. Arnav stopped hearing,
"I don't know; you are a big lair."
Arnav looked at her, turning his face.
"Why did you lie?" She asked.
"When did I lie?" He smiled.
"You said you didn't know about my craziness for the COAT."
"Recall my conversations with your father. I didn't say, 'I DON'T KNOW' and spoke without telling a lie."
Khushi recalled their conversation. Yes, he never used the phrase 'I don't know'. She looked at him, biting her inner lip and said,
"Very smart! But why did you avoid showing them you are aware of it?"
"I want some things to be personal between us. That's why I didn't reveal it to your father. Let it be..." He smiled, making her embarrassed.
"By the way, Khushi, I think you should return my old coat to me as you got a new one..." he intentionally said with a lopsided smile.
He would have been disappointed if he had expected her to be embarrassed, but Khushi nodded her head firmly from left to right, surprising him.
"I won't give it to you," she said daringly.
"Why?" He crooked his brows.
"Why do you want it back? You threw it on the dustbin. In your opinion, it was a waste. Then be it...!" She asked, making him thunderstruck.
He composed himself.
"I don't think you will need it. However, you will not wear it; you will hide it in your cupboard. Right?" He asked teasingly.
"Maybe. Yet, I won't return it to you."
"Why? Will you wear it when no one is home, just like you did the other day?" he pulled her leg.
"It's not a simple coat but my FORTUNE." She said, not looking at him but playing with her shawl.
"Fortune?" Arnav raised his brows.
"Yes, after I got the coat, I got many things I had never dreamed of in my life. So, let it be with me. However, you too will not wear it again as it was your school uniform..."
Arnav smiled brightly. He sensed a confidence in Khushi's tone. He liked it.
"It seems someone's confidence is improved...!" He smiled.
"You wanted the same. Didn't you?"
"I want more... then only you will reach the finishing line." He said with a lopsided smile.
"I have three months..." She hinted at the National Meet.
"I'm thinking about appointing a special coach for you. What say?"
"Only for me? What about you? Don't you want to win a National medal?" She asked seriously.
"More than a National medal, I want to win a person who wins a National medal..."
Khushi bit her lip, not wanting to smile.
"But, the medal is not at all my concern. I won't give a damn about the medal. Don't forget that. It's you who FIXED the goal."
"You know why."
"Mmm... I know... I'm glad about it. You know why?"
Khushi looked at him without answering.
"To see you with more confidence. It feels good to see you like this." He said and was supposed to sit in the car, but stopped, hearing,
"Thank you, Arnavji..."
He looked at her.
"For being with me... and for everything..."
"Good night..." he sat in the car smilingly.
"Good night..."
When Khushi came inside, Garima emphasised that Shashi get the bank loan. Without getting into their conversation, Khushi had dinner and slept.
The next day
Arnav intentionally gave off to Khushi because he had important work to do. He came to AR with Aman and NK to find out who called and warned him. He came to his cabin and saw all the workers in their cubicles.
"Aman, watch the left side, and NK, you watch the right. I will watch the middle." Arnav said, looking outside through the glass wall.
"Ok..."
Arnav dialled the same number and looked at the staff. The same woman who had answered Radha's phone attended to the call. The trio got alerted.
"ASR, she is the one," Aman said.
Arnav nodded yes.
"Hello, who is speaking?" She asked.
Arnav frowned, hearing the voice because it was not the same voice that alerted him.
"How did you know the drink was spiked?" Arnav asked, looking at her facial reaction.
"What drinks?" She sulked.
"Didn't you call me and warn me about the spiked drink yesterday?"
"What are you talking about? I don't even know who you are! I know nothing about the spiked drink and all," she said, disconnecting the call.
Arnav gritted his teeth. She should have made someone talk to him. She was hiding something.
Arnav walked to her cubicle. Seeing Arnav, Rita stood up and wished,
"Good morning, sir" After all, he was one of the directors of the company.
"Good morning, Mrs...?"
"Rita... Rita Gaikwad, Sir"
"Take your seat, Mrs. Rita..."
Rita sat. Arnav took a seat before her.
"I want you to tell me the truth, Mrs. Rita. You don't have to panic because what you did is indeed the biggest help for me."
Rita frowned as she didn't know what he was talking about.
"I didn't get you, sir."
"How did you know about the spiked drink?" Arnav asked the same question again.
Rita's facial expression changed.
"Sir, I don't know what drinks you are talking about. Trust me. I know nothing about the drinks...God promises"
Arnav removed his phone and showed her the number on his incoming list.
"I got a call from your number yesterday. You asked me to stop Khushi from having anything which would ruin her career. Didn't you?"
"Khushi? Who is Khushi? I didn't call you, sir. I don't even know your number"
"Where is your phone?"
She gave him her phone. Arnav checked her outgoing call list and found his number.
"What is this? If you didn't call me, how is my number on the outgoing call list?"
Rita became thoughtful.
"Yeah, I remember..."
"What?"
"You got a call from my number, but it was not me who called you but someone."
"Someone? Who?"
Rita hesitated. After all, Arnav was Arvind's son, and Radha was his wife.
"Sir, I don't know how to tell you..."
"Why? What's there to hesitate? I just need one answer. Who made the call? Tell me now, or else I won't mind firing you."
"Sir, sir, please don't do that. I will tell you."
"Tell me"
"It's Radha, madam, who asked for my phone yesterday as her phone had no charge. I gave it to her only to help her. I have no bad intention, sir."
Arnav was stunned. Was that Radha who warned him? He didn't know how to take it. He looked at his friends, who were also in the same state.
To be continued...
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