Shorts: An IPKKND Collection

A Very Arshi Holi: Part 1

Author's Note: This is a very short story about Khushi and Arnav's second Holi. I wrote it out of nostalgia.

*****

The estate was a riot of colour, the gardens a confused mess of tents, carnival rides, and gaudy decorations, and Arnav had a headache. He watched the organized chaos from the balcony that overlooked the grounds.

Holi.

Wandering down to the study, he rummaged through the cupboard until he found his painkillers and swallowed them dry as he walked to the kitchen. A glass of water and a sugarfree barfi later, he was ready to return to his prison of a room.

Arnav worked until the dull and impenetrable document he was reading blurred.

Maybe I should take a break and check on Khushi.

Khushi had been a vision in white this morning, prancing around the bedroom while excitedly making plans. She'd jumped on the bed, where he'd sat against the bedhead watching her, and plastered his face with kisses.

"This Holi is going to be great! We'll play with colours, we'll dance, we'll sing. Everyone will have so much fun, especially Aarav! And we won't have to pretend we don't remember it later!"

She'd bounced away after one last kiss, mumbling about staying away from bhaang. The reminder of last year's Holi – how they'd come together and then lied about remembering it afterwards – cut through him. Arnav was determined to make it up to her this year.

And yet, here he sat, two hours after Khushi had left with his family to celebrate outside. Aman had called as the morning pooja was coming to a close. The Italian contract they'd been working on for two months was stuck in the obscure legal machinations of the Indian Business Council. He had spent the morning speaking with council members, politicians, and lawyers, sometimes on the phone, sometimes through videoconference.

Arnav stretched, blinking to clear his vision, and made a decision. It took him less than two minutes to throw off his three-piece suit and shirt, replacing them with a white shirt and dark jeans. He ran along the corridors, buckling his belt as he jogged down the stairs.

*****

Interlude: Earlier

Khushi returned to their bedroom after the pooja carrying a platter full of different coloured powders, with Aarav trailing behind her. Arnav lifted his son onto his lap as Khushi settled beside them on the sofa.

"Aarav," Khushi began, "since it's your first Holi with us, you can start. Take small amounts and don't make a mess. The mess is for outside."

"Yes, Mom," Aarav turned so Khushi couldn't see him roll his eyes.

Smiling, Arnav dipped his head and quietly reminded his son not to annoy his mother on one of her favourite holidays of the year.

"Sorry, Dad," he whispered.

"Happy Holi, Mom," Aarav took a dash of orange powder and streaked it across his mother's cheek.

Khushi laughed delightedly and kissed his hair before smearing him with green powder, "Happy Holi beta. I hope you enjoy your first Holi with us."

"Happy Holi, Dad," Arnav grinned as Aarav turned to him and applied blue powder to his cheek.

"Happy Holi, big guy," he rubbed purple onto Aarav's unmarked cheek.

"Touch Papa's feet," Khushi instructed.

"No. Khushi, he doesn't have to. Aarav, don't."

"He's your son, Arnav-ji. It's his responsibility. And his right."

Sighing, Arnav conceded, and Aarav slid off his lap. He bent to touch first his feet then Khushi's. They blessed him in unison and Khushi fed him sweets.

"Can I go and play outside now?" he asked around a laddoo, "NK Chachu said he wanted to show me something."

"Okay," Arnav nodded, "but stay with your Chachu. There'll be quite a crowd and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Thanks, Dad," Aarav leaned over to kiss his cheek before rushing away.

When they were alone, Arnav bent towards Khushi, brushing her hair from her face with two fingers. He dipped his head, listening to her breath stall, feeling her fingers slide up his arms to clutch his shoulders.

He swore as his phone rang.

Arnav slid his Bluetooth device on and greeted one of his lawyers while grimacing an apology at his wife. Khushi idly toyed with her plaited hair as she watched.

Smiling, he pinched some red powder between his fingers and gently flicked Khushi's nose, watching as her blush spread across her cheeks. Dipping his fingers in red again, Arnav streaked her cheeks before allowing his fingers to slip down her neck and across her collarbone. She slapped his hand away. When she bent to touch his feet, he quickly reached down to stop her, shaking his head.

"Mr Raizada? Are you still there?"

The lawyer's voice had jolted his attention back to the phone call. He winked at Khushi before answering the questions the man posed. Seconds later, her gentle fingers were on his cheek. He looked up, losing the track of his thoughts mid-sentence, and she took advantage of his distraction to smear colour on his other cheek. She retreated with a grin, her fingers stained red.

But she didn't stop there. She took some yellow powder and dotted it behind his ear, whispering that she'd marked him as hers where no one else would see.

"Mr Raizada? Mr Raizada?"

"Y-yes, I'm here. Sorry, could you repeat that last part, I think there was a problem with the connection."

Khushi plucked the pen from his fingers and wrote on the hand closest to her – Come downstairs when you can. Love you. She kissed his forehead in farewell, picked up her platter, and hurried away.