Possessive pickle
The driver stopped around 10 in a small town to get gas and to stretch his legs, and go get a smoke
Harit slept soundly.
"Weve stopped she nudged his arm
He woke startled
He stretched, yawned and looked out
"whered he go? he asked gruffly, zipping up his hoodie
"Abhi aate hain she said panicking
He turned to her sensing her panic and smiled
"they always do that, he must be getting a smoke he mumbled
"Its such a small town, sab dukaane bhi band hai " she accused
"Khaayengi kuch? he asked peering
"I don't want to get down she was afraid and adamant
"Aur akele Dilli se Bareilly chali aayin aap? he jeered turned toward her
She colored turning away
"Jab darna chahiye tab nahi dartin aap? he insisted
She didn't respond looking out her window
"Avantika hum hain, chaliye utarte hain he requested
"It doesn't even look like there is any food available she complained
The driver sauntered back quickly stubbing his cigarette out
He peeked through his open window
"Kuch kha lein bhayya? he asked
"Aap kha lein, Avantika ka pata nahi he said
Teeku nudged him with her elbow
"Whatt? he asked impatiently
"Why are you telling him I don't want to eat? she fumed
He laughed
"U wanted me to lie to the chap?
"Nahi she mumbled
They sat there quietly
The driver was gone now
"Chandan se baat ki? he yawned again
"Nahi, who wahin chhota bheem dekhe aur so gaye, Bhabhi ne kaha
"Good, so no tantrum then?
"Who hamesha aise tantrums throw nahi karte she was deeply hurt
"Baat aapki nahi ho rahi Avantika
"Hum jaante hain she snapped
"OK... I am sorry lets go down please? he begged
She got off after him he held the door open
"Did u bring a jacket? he asked tucking his hands into his hoodie's pockets
"Umm... nahi she mumbled
"Can I give u this? he asked
"It doesn't match my outfit she said plainly
He laughed hysterically
"None of mine will he said gasping
He stepped into the SUV and peeked in the back
"Ma ne shawl rakhi hai apni, lengi? he asked handing her a gorgeous red pashmina
She accepted it grudgingly
She hugged her arms and walked by him
They walked 15 or 20 yards and found a dhabha
The driver raised his lassi glass in toast
Harit sat on a bench and she across from him
There was no menu card
Only verbal narration of items on the menu, from chicken to lamb to veggies
He ordered dal, roti and paneer
"Aapne haath dhoye? she asked
"nahi he smiled
"Aise hi kha lein? she enquired again, feeling her palm with her fingertips
"Aap dho aayen chahe he muttered, relaxed now, scanning her flushed face, noticing every feature on the sparkling skin
"Akele? she asked injured
"nahi he smiled knowingly
He got up and tailed her
"Bhayya haath kidhar dhoyen hum? she asked politely
"Who aage banch par sabun aur paane hai Balti mein a man yelled
She turned and looked at Harit's face
"Don't use the soap just wash it! he instructed
She nodded as if she agreed
He corralled her back to her seat and
It arrived almost immediately, the rotis wafting the most delicious steam
He began eating as if he was famished
"Mirchi nahi lagi aapko?
"Lassi peeyengi? he asked kindly
"Aapko? she asked
"peene ko keh rahi hain ya mirchi ka pooch rahi hain? he asked
"Dono she muttered embarrassed
"No its not spicy he said gobbling more paneer
He waved for more bottled water and lassi and raita
She ate hers with dal
"Bhayya achar nahi hai? she asked sifting through the salad
He brought the gajar mooli achar
"U like that? he grinned
"I love the saunf, its all soaked in haldi oil she grinned
"My brother loved it too he smiled fondly
She suddenly realized he used past tense
"Hemant?
He looked away, did not chew for a minute. "Was his wife your best friend? he asked quietly
Teeku nodded calmly "Best friend to Devu hai, but I was close to Srishti she mumbled to afraid to meet him in the eye
She had unlawfully kept the Vaidya grandson for two years, there was no running away from that
"Achar mein mirchi nahi hai? he asked
Instead of serving himself a spoonful, he scooped some in his piece of roti
She watched in shock as he did that
"Aap apne khaane ko lekar kaafi possessive hain? he asked impishly
She blushed but quickly recovered "Achar ko lekar she said
He took some again to see what she would do
"Nothing? he whispered
He was rendering her speechless, there were not many people in the world that could do that for sure
She drank all her lassi ate one roti and picked out the candied saunf from the sugar crystals mouth freshner bowl and walked back
It was breezy and cool and they rode with windows down all the way back with both falling asleep and staying asleep till the driver pulled into the gates at the Gupta mansion in Roorkee a little after midnight