Spice Route
"Mr Ranjan hai kya?"
"Haan ji, his yoga instructor is here so he is doing yoga in the back sun room"
She had NO idea HOW many rooms were there...
she just followed the guy to the most GORGEOUS kitchen she had ever seen in her life...
bigger than her 1400 sq ft D II apartment, recess lighting, some lava rock kind counter tops, atleast 4 double sinks
A HUGE ISLAND in the center with copper pans hanging all around... hanging lights around the islands, recess lights under the cabinets
A wall, A WALL had entire wall was refrigerator, sub zero... one door was glass revealing the things inside, atleast three were empty
She turned to look at Minion in shock... there were two other guys chopping veggies and fruits wearing gloves
Some sort of piped sitar music flowed... twin doors led to the backyard and a HUGE grill was parked under the awning...
A 20 ft by 40 ft pool? and hot tub were in two corners, some trees were flowering and a huge rectangular box had various veggies in different stages of growth
4 umbrellas with the same awning stripes with 6 chairs under each, Ranjan followed instructions of a extremely fit 50 year old?
He didnt notice, she wandered... the kitchen table had 8 chairs and gingham cloth on it...
It was better than perfect
"To be able to cook in THAT KITCHEN I CAN GIVE UP MY CAREER, AND WRITE A COOK BOOK
II MADE GREEDY SILLY RESOLUTIONS
I COULD HAVE A CATERING BUSINESS... I COULD THROW A SLEEPING BAG ON THE FLOOR AND LIVE HERE,
A series of wall cabinets had transparent doors displaying fine china inside...
The kitchen did not smell... IT DID NOT
Not of spices not of meat... it smelled fresh and clean
"Chai banaoon madam?"
"Main bana sakti hoon?'
Sure Maam" he said enthusiasitically, bringing out tea sugar, ginger, milk and water
"Umm kya khaate hain subah?"
"Sir to protein shake, subzi aur fruit shake" he nodded towards the backyard
"Mera matlab... umm" she blushed strangely... lost for words
Never before having to refer to him inside his house to his help
"Chhotey sir to parantha... aur chutney, chef has been asked to not come in today since he went to bed at 3, he said he would eat light"
I DONT CARE WHAT HE THOUGHT HE IS GETTING PARANTHAS
"Different kinds? of paranthas?" she enquired
"Usually, 6 kinds, some times 8 kinds... he only eats half or a quarter"
OH POOR BABY... WHY WONT HE EAT THE WHOLE THING
RAKSHASAN... DONT TRY TO DEFEND THE PIG
"SIX KINDS?" she asked dumbfounded
"He doesnt eat all" defensive again!!
"WHAT kinds?"
"Aloo, paneer, gobi, mooli, keema, mixed veggies"
"Umm sab hai kya? Do we have everything?"
"Yes Maam"
"No keema, nahi no keema... keema mutton hai kya?"
"Jee" mahaveer giggled
"I cant cook meat.. can I have everything else?'
He rang a bell another help showed...
Ranjan walked in
"What a SURPRISE... GOOD MORNING..."
She set her tea cup on the counter with a clatter the expensive English rose pattern clattering on the volcanic rock
"I am sorry"
"Why are you SO SCARED beta, I am not your principal, just your father in law" he smiled
IN THE SMILE SHE SAW HER DUDE...THAT FLASHY PERFECT TEETH SMILE... THE SPARKLE IN THE EYES
He approached the counter
"May I get tea?"
Sure sure, Mr Bha... Dad... Dad" she said
"Relax betaji" he muttered softly
He sat down on the tall breakfast counter chairs around the island
She was extremely uncomfortable and mighty embarrassed she had no explanation for showing up in his kitchen on a Sunday morning at 10:30
"Jaakar check kiya kisi ne uth gaye kya?' he asked hoping to relieve her of her misery
"Oh... no... umm.. not now... abhi nahi" she begged
"Oh! samajh gaya.. surprise? Nice Nice, beta"
She poured his tea out...
"I didnt add sugar, Appa doesnt take much"
"I do..." he smiled
She added two spoons with trembling hands
"Aap mujhe ek baat batao, WHY ARE U SO SCARED?" he asked seriously
"I dont know, Ive never... I mean I dont know I only cook at home... I didnt expect you I think I just came for no reason? I am just completely shocked why I came?"
"Woh sahi kehta hai aap khoob bolte ho" Ranjan laughed hysterically
She turned a darker shade of red...
"If u think my being here is bothering you I will be upstairs in my study, but DONT FORGET ME when u make breakfast"
"Jee BILKUL NAHI" she gasped nervously
"And... RELAX BETA... USKA to pata nahi, I dont know about THE DUDE, but I am not scary" he laughed out again
AYYYO!! II... YOU ARE THE MOST CRAZY LUNATIC UR BRAIN HAS EVER MET... UNBELIEVUHBUL!!
U SHOWED UP AT HIS HOUSE TO COOK? ON A SUNDAY?
NICE!! HOPE HE IS GONE BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY TAKE THOSE SILLY PARANTHAS UPSTAIRS
RAKSHASAN... I CANT BELIEVE I LIED TO MY PARENTS FOR YOU
IVE BEEN DOING NOTHING BUT LIE DA...
UVE MADE A PATHOLOGICAL ONE OUT OF ME
AYYO!
He tok his chai and raised a toast after sipping
"the best Ive had in this house in the last few years" he said somberly
Quickly lowered his gaze and stood still
She stood crushing her dupatta
"thanks... Mr... Dad"
"Enjoy, Mahavir please show her everything, let her figure it out, dont teach her... its her domain as much as everything else"
Mahavir nodded respectfully a hand over his heart...
She was told there is dough in the frig so she didnt knead any
The help started lending a hand she refused "Main bana sakti hoon"
"Jee Maam" they stepped back
The help watched her work listening to "madrasi gaana"
She hummed "Vinmeen vedaiyil nilavai" from Thegidi
"Thoda Thoda from Endrendrum started
Mahavir plugged her phone into the wall gadget and the surround sound picked up her playlist
"thanks" she said
"Ranjan sir ne bola" he smiled sheepishly
Ranjan waved setting his cup down and walked away
R&B stirred in bed... rubbed his face on the pillow sleeping his favorite way, face down...
"she was right he had too much hair" he felt his hair
He felt his jaw, he could hear the rasp interspersed with faint Tamil melody, he rubbed again.. and he heard it again
His bedroom door was open, the other doors leading to the downstairs were also open since he retired before Tan and Bala and Mihir
He heard it distinctly
Sat up, giving himself finger kangi... found his flip flops under the bed, one was over turned, he wore them and stepped out... the music was louder
he followed it to the kitchen
She whipped up aloo and mixed veggie and paneer fillings... chopping away sincerely not looking up his back to him., her moist hair in a wispy cluster
Bombay Jayashree crooning "Kana Ondru Kanden"
He leaned on the huge open door way arms across his chest...
ogling,☺️ whatever she wore on her wrists rang as she swing her hands in quick chopping motion... he wondered what nose ring she wore
He saw she wore yet another pair of giant jhumkas...😈
when she reached for something in the cabinet opening and closing 7 doors... he watched☺️
She cursed in Tamil when she dropped the knife he straightened worrying where it fell, she
sheepishly picked it up left it in one of the huge sinks... picked up another one from the 36 knife butcher block
and continued singing softly, "Ondra renda aasaigal" (I have so many desires, I need more than a lifetime to tell you all)
He turned and went upstairs... paged for help😈
Mahavir appeared
"Mujhe coffee aur omelette?" he requested😈
The guy nodded innocently... like master like help
R&B curled up in bed face down, and smiled😈☺️
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