All I Knead is Love

oh nakhrewaali

@oh_nakhrewaali

#13: All I Knead is Love

Priya stormed into the almost empty bakery, with Ram following her in trepidation. Sandy, who was at the counter, was taken aback to see that Priya was seething.

"Priya, will you just…" Ram was trying his best to calm her down, but she ignored him, pushing open the door to the kitchen forcefully and walking in.

"Is everything all right?" Sandy asked in concern, but before he could reply, Priya was back.

"Did you guys suddenly decide the kitchen was too plain and boring and that you should decorate every surface with flour?" 

She yelled at Sandy who just gawked at her, too shocked to say anything. 

Priya looked at her for a few seconds and then sighed deeply, trying to control her anger. Sandy spoke as soon as she had an opening and was sure her sister’s tirade had stopped.

"Saransh had a fall and has a few minor injuries. Ansh Jiju called Sara Di. Maa and everyone are at the hospital. We have been trying to call you, but the call wouldn't go through." 

"Is he alright?" Ram asked in concern, as Priya simply gaped at her in shock.

"Yeah, the doctor sent him home, now. We were working on the croissants that Mr. Khan had ordered for his son's birthday party when this happened. We’ve told them there will be a delay, but we have to get that order done soon!"

"I'll start on them," Priya said and grabbed an apron. She walked into the kitchen without sparing Ram a glance. He stood there, rooted, as if in a trance for a few seconds, and then rushed into the kitchen before Sandy could ask him anything.

"Priya, I am so sorry. I know I should have told you the truth."

"Mr. Kapoor, it doesn't matter. It's your past, and I don't care about it."

Priya shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant but her stance betrayed her. It was as if she wanted to yell and scream, but she was holding back. He stepped closer to her, but she moved away.

"I know I broke your trust…"

"You took me to your ex-girlfriend's house for dinner, and you didn't bother telling me what she means to you, Mr. Kapoor! Like a fool, I always thought that Vedika was just your best friend," she roared and tossed the spatula she was holding into the bowl with a splash, causing some flour to fly off. Ram flinched.

Tears had begun to pool in her eyes, but she forced herself to ignore them and started measuring the flour.

"I should have told you."

"Yes, you should have," she snapped. 

Ram unconsciously stepped closer to her as he sensed how broken she sounded.

"Please, don't," she said and wiped her tears. Unknowingly, she rubbed some flour on her cheeks and turned away. 

Ram grabbed her arm, and she turned to yell at him again, but the look in his eyes stopped her.

"You have flour on your cheek," he said, his hand arrested mid-air as if he was about to wipe it off. She rubbed the back of her hand absently across her cheek, only smudging it more. 

Ram sighed and rubbed his fingers across her cheek, wiping it off completely.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I wanted you to tell you, I swear," he said, taking the opportunity to explain. "But we had decided that we wouldn't talk about Vedika or Neeraj, so I kept procrastinating." She looked at him for a few seconds, as if she was waiting for more, but he didn’t say. He had been over Vedika, there was no more explanation or answers he could give her. The past was in the past and his present was looking at him, with tears in her eyes.

"Do you still love her?" she asked in a small voice, and he shook his head.

"I have moved on," he said in a firm voice.

She nodded and stepped away from him, her anger long gone.

"Will you be able to fall in love again?" she asked after a few seconds. The question surprised him, but he held his ground.

"Will you?" he countered, nervously running his hand through his hair. 

Priya looked at him and then let out a tiny chuckle. He raised his eyebrow at the sudden change of mood and took a sharp breath when she stepped closer. She ran her hand through his hair and he froze.

"You managed to get some flour in your hair," she said in a low whisper. Ram’s breath stopped at her nearness. She smelled like vanilla and cinnamon.

Her fingers strayed to his ear now, rubbing around his earlobe. He almost groaned aloud as their noses touched. 

Suddenly, as if realizing she was standing close to him, she moved a fraction of an inch backward. His eyes fell on her lips, and he breathed sharply. He placed his hand on the small of her back pulling her back in, and she gasped, bracing her arm on his shoulder to put some distance between them. He could almost sense her heart beating at an abnormal speed, and the way her brown eyes looked at him, innocently, was driving him crazy. He knew she wanted honesty from his side, and in that moment, he would give her the world if she had had asked her. 

"I think I will fall in love again," he said, as if in a trance.

"We both will, Ram," she said, softly and he nodded. 

His name sounded so beautiful coming from her lips. He couldn’t help but lean in and kiss her forehead. She closed her eyes and smiled. After a few seconds, which felt like an eternity, he stepped aside.

"You should get back to the croissants. I'll call Meera Maa to ask if they need any help at the hospital," he said after a few awkward seconds, and she nodded.

They looked at each other, knowing it wouldn't be easy because their past relationships would still keep affecting them, but also knowing that if they tried, they could make it work, because somehow, without either of them knowing it, this warm and beautiful bond had developed between them. One that would keep them together, forever and beyond.