PINCHU

Soon the auto arrived at Kushi's apartment. Kushi directed them towards the lift. Kushi lived in a rented apartment in the fifth floor and she had told and described evrything about the apartment to Karan and he now felt that he is in a familiar place. The watchman and the hand operated lift door and the window of the lift; all this made Karan remember how Kushi used to describe them. She was once stuck in this same lift and she had told him how that experience was.

Hence neither Kushi nor Karan were shocked when Karan absent mindedly pulled open the lift door and pressed for number 5.

" Have you been here before? " It was Tammana's turn to wonder. " How did you know that it operates this way? "

" Ha Ha. I just knew. Infact I guess I know evrything that Kushi knows except for those jalebies ", replied Karan.

When they arrived at her door her parents Umesh and Maala, came to the door to great them. Her mom was in a Saree and her dad was in Dhoti*.

"Namaste*", said Tammana and Karan together.

" Namaskara*", said Kushi's parents.. " Please come in and sit down. How was your journey? Would you like to have a cup of coffee?"

As Kushi's mom started her usual welcome there was a huge sound. " Bow Bow Bow"..

Tammana :" A dog!"

Karan: " Hey pinchu come here.. How are you doing? How's your life going on after the new additions?"

Pinchu( A Pomeranian dog) : " Bow Bow Bow"..

"Don't tell me you know that dog as well!". Tammana threw her 'that's enough' look.

" How can I not know pinchu!! She was my friend and my saviour ", Karan winked at Kushi.

Kushi remembered that first day when Karan had revealed his feelings towards her. He had said ' I am in love with someone. You know her as well ' and had left Kushi wondering for days before he had given the great clue. ' Her name has the letter I and the letter U'.

This had made Kushi think that the girl Karan loved was her, since those letters were present in her name. And finally she couldn't wait and had asked Karan on the call ' Karan. According to your clue, this sounds like me. Is it me? '

And he had replied a 'Yes'.

' What!!!!!! You haven't seen me. You know nothing about me yet. We just have been chatting a lot recently and you say you love me? This is crazy.. How dare you even think like this? ' With Kushi's angered response, Karan immediately had executed his back up plan.

'Hey Kushi just chill. I was kidding. Look at you!!! Don't get so upset now'

'Then who is she!!!! I don't know any friends of mine who have those letters and our common friends are just my buddy Seeta and your buddy Preetham. Tell me soon before I throw my phone from the balcony'

' Hey Kushi. What about this temper now. Jealous is it? '.

' Why would I be jealous Karan. You are my friend and I will definitely be happy for you. The reason am so pissed off is from the fact that you have kept me waiting from a week now to know who she is!!! And I just cant understand how in the world can I know her ! There is no girl we both know other than Seeta '

' Is it. Really Kushi. I thought you had a good memory!! '

' Karan please stop it. Tell me her name. Don't check my patience. Because, I have already lost it now!!'

Karan had no option but to just do as he planned and he had told her ' Its Pinchu dear. There were no girls in my life really until You..( biting his tongue) your pinchu came. Her voice. That sweet high pitched bark and that emotionally heart touching squeaky sounds she makes when she hears me over phone. I love y..ah... her Kushi. '

' Ha ha ha. Karan your humour is just!! ha ha ha. I cant take this. You made me scratch my head and pull my hair out and even made me almost throw my phone out. All for this!! Ha ha '

' Yes. All for this. I like to hear you laugh Kushi. Keep laughing your heart out like this daily!!!' Karan had said feeling his heart being ripped into peices.

"Are you both even listening to me?" , Kushi's mom was asking for a cup of coffee and Tammana had told that she is better with Tea. And Kushi's mom had turned towards Karan and Kushi to ask if they can drink Tea as well.

Both Karan and Kushi were lost in their thoughts. By hearing her mom yell at her, Kushi finally got back her sense and replied " What? Mom anything will do for me. And Karan likes Tea as well"

Kushi's dad Umesh, too sat down and watched how his daughter was head over heels for this man. What had she seen in him? No. She saw him today isn't it? He felt proud yet sad about his daughter's true heart. Umesh was a heartful person and always wished that his daughter too turns out like him one day. But after he had gone through his failures in his life, he had started to see that being good at heart is a weak point in a person.

People shouldn't melt at words and should see things in a practical way. It was too late now. He was living not for his sake but for his daughter. He knew he had lost everything but was hoping that Kushi will raise one day and live happily. He couldn't just leave her and go now. She was only 18!

Very soon they all had Tea with biscuits. Karan happily fed many of the biscuits on his plate, to pinchu, which made her calm down and start wagging her tail watching Karan.

There was very little talk since there was a language barrier. Most of the things were expressed by actions than words.

Kushi finally led them both to her room. The apartment had only two rooms. One was her parents' room and other belonged to her. Her room was having an attach bath and a gallery sitout that had a good view of the city.

"You both freshen up. You can rest for sometime. If you need anything just call me. "

As Kushi was about to leave them she stopped turning back to say something even more important- "And Karan as you already know it. That attached bathroom isn't usable. I felt I have to inform Tammana about it in case she opens that door. Just let that door be closed. You both can use the common bath here." She showed them that just next to the two room doors was another door which enclosed the common bathroom.

Tammana was tired and she unpacked very soon and headed to have a shower. This left Karan alone in the room. He walked over the space and then opened the door to the gallery and something huge flapped all over him.. He just couldn't see it as he shouted "Noooooooooo!! "

[ dhoti* A cloth drapped around lower body by men . Usually wore by South Indian men

namaste *- how North Indians greet each other

namaskara* - same as namaste. Used by South Indians. ]