OS: One Halvai to Another

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This is a crossover work with some characters from Diya aur Bati Hum although you don't need to be familiar with the show to understand it really.

OS: One Halvai to Another

‘Can I have a kilo of jalebis please?’

‘Of course, I’ll just get it for you. I haven’t seen you before. You’re not from around here are you?’

Khushi looked up at the man and broke out into a wide smile. She hadn’t had a real conversation for days! This whole trip to Rajasthan had been a disaster from the moment it had been planned. It was just another in a long line of attempts to make Khushi forgive and forget. Forgiveness was fine, Khushi wasn’t one to hold a grudge but it was the forgetting she had trouble with.

No matter what she did, what she tried, every night had the same recurring dream. She dreamt of the night of her wedding, if you could even call it that. She remembered every taunt and every insult word for word but there was one change. In her dreams even her Babuji rejected her and the possibility of that eventuality brought fresh tears to her eyes every time.  Evidence of her tears could always be found in the morning on her stained pillow and in her reddened eyes which made it impossible to forget.

‘No, I’m from Lucknow. I’m just on holiday for a couple of weeks with my... with my sister’s family.’

‘Oh, I’ve never been to Lucknow. I’ve actually never really left Rajasthan before.’

‘I wish I’d never left Lucknow myself,’ Khushi muttered to herself as he passed over the box and she tore it open immediately.

Suraj eyed the woman curiously as she stuffed a whole jalebi into her mouth, chewing and talking to herself at the same time. ‘I’m going to guess you like jalebis then?’

Khushi swallowed quickly and looked up at the man noting his amused expression. ‘Oh yes, they’re my favourite. I make them myself at home but we’re staying in this stupid hotel so I can’t make them so these will just have to do.’

‘Just have to do? I’ll have you know my jalebis are actually famous in all of Rajasthan, you won’t get any better no matter where you go.’

The laugh that bubbled out at the man's mock-anger surprised her, she hadn’t genuinely laughed in months. ‘Well that’s because they haven’t tasted Lucknowi jalebis made by Khushi Kumari Gupta, that’s why!’

Suraj saw the spark light up in her eyes. She’d been downbeat when she’d arrived, had looked tired and exhausted but suddenly she looked alive and so much younger. ‘Oh wow! You’re The Khushi Kumari Gupta? From Lucknow? Your jalebis are famous even here!’

‘Really?!’

Suraj grinned and shook his head at the sight of her mouth wide open in an ‘o’ shape and her brown eyes almost as big as her mouth.

‘No wait... you’re joking right?’

‘I’m sure your jalebis are really good though Khushiji,’ he nodded. ‘’m Suraj by the way.’

‘Nice to meet you Surajji. Your jalebis are brilliant honestly and coming from me that’s a very big compliment.’

‘Well I won’t know that unless I try some of yours will I?’ He gestured his hand towards the cooking station and stepped aside hoping she’d take the initiative.

Khushi jumped up immediately, her hands had been itching to make jalebis ever since she’d set eyes on Arnav again at the airport. ‘Are you sure Surajji?’

‘Definitely Khushiji, please, I’d love to know how I can improve on my jalebi making skills.’

As Khushi made up some new batter she felt her tension from the past few days relieving immediately. She forgot all about Payal, Akash and Anjali’s obvious attempts at matchmaking between her and Arnav. She forgot Arnav’s repeated attempts to talk to her. She forgot Payal asking to stay in her room, trying to pretend they were still two loving sisters dreaming of handsome princes and grand weddings. She forgot Anjali asking for her opinion on which saree was better as if she hadn’t called Khushi a homewrecker mere weeks ago. She forgot Arnav buying her every trinket, every item of clothing, everything she even glanced towards as if his money and material goods could ever make up for the dignity and self-respect she had lost.

Suraj watched her face brighten as she made the jalebis. Truthfully he’d doubted that such a young girl could even be as skilled at making them as she claimed to be but watching her expert hands make the familiar patterns over the oil made his own face light up. The pure unadulterated joy on her face was exactly what he felt every morning he walked into his shop.

‘Okay there you go, now try one.’ Khushi watched anxiously as he picked one up and took a bite. As he chewed his expression stayed exactly the same, revealing nothing to her and Khushi chewed her bottom lip waiting for him to speak.

‘I think...’

‘What? What? Was it good? Bad?’

Suraj finally smiled, putting her out of her misery, ‘I think I need another one to be sure.’

---

She was still sitting in Suraj’s shop watching as he served customers and helping occasionally when there was a rush when she saw Arnav approaching with a full three-piece suit on even in the blazing heat of Rajasthan. His aviator sunglasses shielded his eyes from her but from the clenched jaw and the purposeful stride she could tell he was angry.

She stood up as he came close and stepped backwards automatically, her thoughts returning to the night of the haldi and how he had held her arms, cupped her face.

‘Where the hell have you been?!’

‘I don’t need to tell you where and when I go Mr Raizada. You’re not my father, you’re not my brother, and you’re definitely not my husband! You’re nothing to me!’

Suraj looked from Khushi’s face to the man’s. He could see the anger in the man’s expression and the defiance tinged with a hint of fear in Khushi’s. ‘Khushiji, is everything okay?’

‘Yes Surajji, everything’s fine. This is just my sister’s brother-in-law. I should go back now, I’m sure my sister will be wondering where I’ve gone.’ Khushi smiled at Suraj, ignoring the seething man at her side.

Suraj narrowed his eyes and looked again at the man who had now taken off his sunglasses and was staring at him with piercing eyes. He shrugged and turned back to Khushi, ‘well it was really nice to meet you and thank you for the jalebis. Please do come again while you’re in Rajasthan.’

Khushi nodded, already feeling happy at the thought of another day away from the Raizadas. Maybe she could spend the rest of the week they were in Rajasthan with Suraj, that would be infinitely better. ‘Of course Surajji, I’ll come tomorrow. Is that okay?’

‘Definitely,’ Suraj smiled. ‘If I’m not here, just ask Chotu to come and get me from the house, it’s right over there so it will be no trouble at all.’

‘Okay bye,’ Khushi turned to leave when she heard Suraj call her again.

He held a box of jalebi towards her and grinned, ‘they’re not as good as Khushi Kumari Gupta’s world famous jalebis but they’ll have to do.’

Khushi smiled as she took the box from him, ‘I guess they will.’

She continued to smile as she walked away ignoring Arnav as well as Akash, Payal and Anjali who were standing outside the rental car waiting for her.