Chapter 22: I Am A
Stripper
“So that’s how you became Amba Singh Malik but what has
Khushi been doing all these years and who is your father?” asked Arnav.
“We’re coming to that! And I’m Amba Singh Gupta not Amba
Singh Malik.” snapped Amba.
“You’re mother was right Karan.” Said Khushi.
Karan rolled his eyes. “No she wasn’t.”
“She was. I don’t do much to help you out.”
“What are you talking about? You cook, clean and take care
of the kids.”
“And that’s been fine for 3 years because we’ve also had
your parents’ money to support us. You’ve just rejected their them, you’re a
freelancing photographer, we have kids, a big house and a lot of bills to pay.
Karan, we need extra money.”
He shrugged. “So I’ll work two jobs, no big deal.”
“Karan I want to work too.”
“Khushi, you can barely speak English properly.”
“Aren’t there classes? I’ll take up English and when I pass
that, I’ll do something else so I can earn more money.”
“Khushi-”
“Karan please. Amba’s going to pre-school and soon nursery.
Nikhil’s already in school so I’m sitting around house doing nothing when I can
be out and about earning and keeping this family afloat. Plus, there’s an
Indian shop close by and they are hiring seamstresses, my sowing skills are
perfect so I can do that in the morning when the kids are in school. Then in
the afternoon, I’ll pick the kids up, cook and clean. And at night, I can
attend classes.”
“And when will you have time to breath or sleep?” he joked.
Khushi put her hands on her hips. “I’m being serious Karan.”
“Fine. I’ll ask Giya to send over some money to support us
for a while. I’ll try and get a more stable photography job and I’ll pick up
something else too.”
Khushi hugged Karan tightly. “Thank you so much. I promise
I’ll make you proud.”
“All I want is for you to be happy and if this makes you
happy then do it.”
“It took 3 years for mum to pass English and Maths with a
grade C and above. She never gave up; she always tried her best, that’s what
she taught me. After that, mum took up business studies. While that was
happening, dad worked 2 jobs. We never knew what the other job was, he’d never
tell us. We eventually found out and it just made Nik hated us even more.”
16 years ago
“Amba, Nik! It’s time for school.” Khushi yelled from
downstairs.
The two children came bounding down the stairs and into the
kitchen. Nik ate in silence whilst Amba was chatting up a storm. Khushi looked
at her phone and debated whether to call Karan again.
“Mum are you listening to me?” demanded Amba.
Khushi was pulled out of her daze. “I’m sorry Pari, I was
distracted. What were you saying?”
Amba sighed. “Never mind.”
“Did anyone notice dad coming home last night?”
Amba shook her head and Nik just shrugged.
“Why do you care?” he asked.
Khushi frowned. “Because he’s family and I’m worried.”
“Worried about him or yourself?” Nik asked before grabbing
his bag and walking out of the house.
Khushi sighed, even after all this time Nik still hated her.
Amba looked at her mother sympathetically and patted her on her shoulder.
“It’s ok mum, he’ll come around and I’m sure dad is fine.”
“This night job has been putting a lot of strain on him
recently, he barely gets 3 hours of sleep before he has to go to his
photography job.”
“Have you tried talking to him about it?”
“You know your father, he won’t listen to me. Anyway, the
Lawson’s are coming over for dinner.”
“Is this another babysitting gig? I mean, Jenny-”
“Mrs Lawson. I told you that it’s rude to call your elders
by their first name.”
“And I told you that she told me to. What was I saying? Oh
yeah! Jenny practically lives with us because she’s been taking care of us at
night so why don’t we just merge our houses together and live in one big house?”
“Your dad and I were already thinking about doing that.”
Khushi said with a straight face.
“Really?” Amba said excitedly.
Khushi was trying hard to hold in her laugh. “Yes, I mean
our houses will merge once you and Logan get married.”
Amba’s face reddened. “I’m not getting married to that
stinky brain! I’m not, I’m not, I’m not!”
Khushi laughed out loud. “Ok baba, you won’t have to marry
him. Just be nice to him at dinner. Now let’s go or you’ll be late for school.”
Amba grabbed her bag and Khushi grabbed the keys. Just as
they were about to exit the house, Karan stumbled in.
“Dad, are you ok?”
“Yeah I’m fine now get to school.”
“Where have you been? I have been so worried.” Said Khushi.
“I was at work.”
“All night?”
“Well yes and no, I was…I’ll tell you when you get home.”
“You better.”
“Nik and I came home late. I went to my friend’s house and
her mum dropped me off at 7. And Nik had football so he came back around the
same time I did. When we got home, dad was really drunk, drunker than I had
ever seen him.”
“Dad, are you ok?” Amba asked as she saw her father stumble.
Nik looked at his dad before he rolled his eyes and went to
his room.
“I’m fine. I am just fine.” Replied Karan as he took another
sip of his drink.
Amba looked at her mother who shook her head. She went over
to where she was.
“How many glasses has he had?” she asked her mother.
Khushi frowned. “I have lost count.”
“Why is he drinking so much?”
Khushi sighed. “He lost his job today.”
Amba gasped. “Which one?”
“The photography one.”
“Why?”
“He won’t tell me. He thinks I’ll disapprove. I don’t know
why he thinks that, I barely disapprove of anything he does anymore.”
“Are we cancelling the dinner with the Lawsons?”
“I think-”
“No we aren’t!” interrupted Karan. “We will have the dinner
as planned and I will sober up, I promise.”
“He didn’t sober up, he just got worse. But we didn’t cancel
dinner. Dad was very civilised until Jenny asked him how work was.”
“So Karan how is work?” asked Jenny conversationally.
“I got fired today.” Said Karan casually.
There was a long and awkward pause in which Nik began to
throw dirty looks at Amba and Khushi.
“Why did you get fired?” asked Logan Sr.
“Because my boss found out about my other job.”
“Isn’t that kind of illegal?” asked Jenny. “They can’t just
fire you for having another job.”
“They said I come in late sometimes and that I’m always
tired and that I don’t do the job properly because my other job keeps me so
busy and that’s why they fired me. But I know it’s because they found out that
I am a stripper.”
Everyone’s jaw dropped except for Amba’s. Khushi looked like
she was going to burst into tears and Nik looked like he was going to murder
someone.
Amba was confused as to why everyone had reacted that way.
“What does that mean?”
“It means that he takes his cloths off for money!” spat out
Nik before storming off.
“Why is that so bad?” asked Amba not fully understanding
what that entailed.
“Am, why don’t you take Logan
Amba took the hint that the grown ups were going to talk so
she grabbed Logan and left. She was about to go to the living room when Logan
“What are you doing? Don’t you want to know what they are
talking about?” asked LJ.
“Yes but what if we get caught?” she was uneasily about the
whole eavesdropping thing.
“We won’t. When they stop talking, we run to the living
room, ok?”
“Ok.” She wasn’t convinced but she stayed.
They put their ears on the kitchen door and listened.
Khushi was crying. “Why Karan?”
“It was a fast way of earning a lot of money until I got a
proper job. But even when I got a proper job it wasn’t enough to cover for
everything so I kept my night job.”
“So it’s just stripping?”
“And sometimes if a client has the right money I sleep with
them. The photography job I do doesn’t pay that well Khushi.” Khushi cried
harder. “Khushi, I don’t have shame and I kind of like it so it’s ok.”
“No it’s not ok. I knew I should’ve gone back to India
“I didn’t just do it for you, you know. I did it for me and
the kids.”
“No. I will go back so you can sell this house and then we
won’t have to worry about 4 people, we’ll just have to worry about 2.”
“Khushi-”
“Let’s not be hasty.” Cut in Logan
“Yes.”
“Good. Complete you education and I promise you a position
in my firm.”
“I can’t take favours.” Protested Khushi.
“Actually, you’ll be doing me a favour. I’ll have someone I
trust completely doing some important and sensitive work. And before that you
can do an internship so I know that you will be capable. Don’t say anything,
it’s going to happen. Karan would you like a job too?”
“Yes but-”
“No buts. I want a portfolio of your work on my desk
tomorrow by 11 o’clock .”
“Logan-
“I don’t want to hear anymore from you two. You guys have
been more than neighbours to us, you have been like family.”
“That’s true.” Said Jenny. “And I fully support Logan
“How are we ever going to repay you?” asked Khushi.
“By making me lots and lots of money.” Replied Logan
As the adults laughed, the kids ran to the living room.
“You’re parents are the best!” said Amba as she hugged LJ.
“I know. Now go and tell Nik so he doesn’t stay all grumpy.”
“That’s a good idea. Stay here and watch tv and I’ll tell
Nik.”
She ran up the stairs and knocked on his bedroom door.
“Go away!” yelled Nik.
Amba knocked on the door again. “Nik let me in, I have
exciting news.”
“I don’t care.”
“Dad has a new job at LL so everything is going to be
alright. Plus mum’s going to work there too after business school.” Amba
explained excitedly.
The door flung open and Nik walked out with a scowl on his
face.
“No, everything is not going to be alright. Nothing has been
alright since you and your stupid mother came and invaded our home.”
Amba was hurt. “My mum’s not stupid.”
Nik chuckled darkly. “You have no idea exactly how stupid
she is. Have you ever asked her about your real father?”
“No, I-”
“Ask her and see what she says. I guarantee that she will
lie to you.”
“Mum never lies to me.”
Nik laughed. “If you believe that then you are stupider than
she is. Only I will tell you the truth.”
“Then why won’t you just tell me now?”
“Because you’re not ready now. I’ll tell you when you are
the most happiest so I can watch as the truth crushes all the happiness out of
you.”
