SS: Second Hand News - Part 8

Read all previous parts to this SS here.

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Part 8

Arnav stepped out of the plane with a smile. It was still early; hopefully Khushi would forgive him today itself and they could start their new married life tonight. But if she didn't he would wait. She had waited three months for him; he would wait forever for her.

He had ordered bodyguards and a private car so his appearance had gone undetected so far. He didn't want Khushi to know he was alive from a newspaper or a TV spot; he wanted to see her reaction in person. Whether she wanted to hurt him or hug him, he wanted to see for himself.

There were journalists and TV cameras surrounding the entrance of the Mansion and as they drove towards the Guard's post Arnav congratulated himself on his good sense to hire a car with tinted windows. The shock was evident on the guard's face when he rolled down the window ever so slightly and demanded entrance to his house.

Once inside the steel gates he felt himself relax. He got out of the car to be met almost instantly by numerous servants, all surprised and all shockingly tearful at his return. He was a generous and fair employer but he had never encouraged any emotional attachment with his employees and so their reactions surprised him slightly. Then he gave a small smile, undoubtedly they were crying on Khushi's behalf. She had always been friendly with the staff; knew everyone's names and all of their family members.

The door was opened by Om Prakash who went one step further in surprising Arnav by hugging him and crying on his shoulder as soon as he realised he wasn't a ghost or apparition. Arnav patted Om Prakash awkwardly on the back before stepping away and towards the living room. He could hear a priest chanting as he rounded the corner to see the living room set up for a pooja. His mouth was set in a grim line; he knew this would be hard. Di and Khushi had probably arranged a pooja every day with all of the happenings of the past few months and it would be difficult to make the family understand why he had taken the course of action he had.

As he stepped closer, he could see the backs of Mami, Mamaji and Akash Payal and in front of them a picture of him with a garland strung across it. He winced as he was once again hit with the realisation of the amount of mental trauma he must have inflicted on his family. Taking a deep breath and resolving to take everything they threw at him with silence and without reproach he stepped fully into the room.

Akash turned first and then Payal. Arnav didn't get a chance to see who noticed his arrival after that, his gaze fixed on the large portrait they were all gathered around. It was a picture he recognised but hadn't seen before; cropped from one of the pictures taken of the two couples on their faux-Bali-Honeymoon.

However, it wasn't just a picture of him as he'd originally thought. It was a picture of him and Khushi.

---

22^nd August 2012


It is with great sadness that we report the death of Khushi Singh Raizada (23) just 24 hours after informing you of her victory in court against Shyam Manohar Jha. Khushi was taken into Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre last week where she passed away at 7.17 pm on the evening of August the 14^th on what would have been her 6 month wedding anniversary with the late Arnav Singh Raizada who went missing under mysterious circumstances three months ago.


Reports have emerged that she was found unconscious at the poolside of the Raizada Mansion on Tuesday morning following her success in court due to an overdose of sleeping pills. Sources within the Hospital suggest that Mrs Raizada's mysterious illness 2 months ago which forced her to miss the funeral proceedings of her husband may have been the result of a prior failed suicide attempt. Scars that were found on the late Mrs Raizada's wrists confirm this theory.


Aman Chopra, long-time personal assistant to Mr Raizada released this statement:

It is my unfortunate responsibility to confirm the rumours of Mrs Raizada's death. I do not wish to get into the particulars and cause of death but she was cremated in a private ceremony last Thursday. News of the successful court-case was therefore delayed while the Raizada family dealt with this new tragedy. We once again implore the media to allow the Raizada family time and space to grieve for their loss.

We have all been witness to the immense strength, faith and love displayed by Khushi in the past month over numerous hearings and she will be sorely missed. We offer our deep and sincere condolences to the Raizada and Gupta family who have endured much turmoil in the past three months.