Appetizers & Articles of faith
He picked her up promptly at 8:03, Manya finally showed up at dinner, the chef was home too, a big meal was being cooked
Mahavir was helping fill out Akka's dinner tiffin carrier, a giant stacked bowl set.
There was even recipe cards and a formal menu on a lil tripod like stand
She read carefully, it had the chef's logo on it
Malai kofta and Kombdi rassa (Maharashtrian chicken)
and salad with strawberries and baby oranges, naan, jeera rice, karhi with pakoras and stuffed baby brinjals, and rabri and fresh jalebis for dessert
The kitchen smelled fantastic when she entered
She turned to her husband hesitantly "what a good cook , the house smells like a restaurant" she said in awe
He wasnt carried away, but indulgently admired her childish enthusiasm
"How many years has he cooked?"
"They always switch jobs and or buy new ventures, they cant do it dedicatedly, we get a new guy/woman every few years"
"That must be so fun" "Food from every state?" she asked softly
"Punjabi is the most popular" (with Dad) he said
"I want food from every state" she wished
"Tell him I dont think he would care, hed make it... its his job" he muttered bending down speaking softly, caring
He waved the chef appeared as R&B picked out a lager from the frig
"She had a question
"NOOO" she said gripping her husband's hand
"She wnated to know if u could do a state theme" R&B said
"TOTALLY, agle hafte se shuru karen?"
"Not Iyer though" II blurted
The chef and her husband burst out laughing...
"i eat that at home, Amma and Akka both make yummy Iyer food"
"Niice... where do ur parents live?"
"D II, I mean Sector 12, I am a bureaucrat baby" she said embarrassed, he must cook in homes where the new DIL is a so and so herself
"Niice... My Dad worked for MCD" the chef said politely
"Oh??" II visibly relaxed
"Bhallas are great people" he said
"U dont have to say that when my husband is within ear shot" II reminded
R&B chuckled she felt him on her back... woodsy and lemony and... umm...
"Jee theek" the chef nodded amused
"I have a variation to the sparkling water, u want to try some?" he asked
She nodded cheerfully
He handed her water with strawberries she thought, but it had mint,... divine
"Ive seen it on Pinterest, this tastes sooo good" she nodded
"Then u will like this" he said
Pouring out rosemary lemonade"
I COULD HAVE 6 GLASSES OF THIS" she declared downing it
"Thanks" she nodded
"U are the only non drinker in the family I was told" he smiled
"I drink wine... sometimes"
Manya walked in "chef more of those finger foods please"
"Hey I am crashing ur private party" she said
"Oh! no its not private" II was defensive
Manya saw the husband and wife leaning on the glass door frig and being feted by the chef
He offered II a golden brown roasted paneer slice, when she bit into it she found roasted
pine nuts and a stalk of basil in its belly with zing/heat from Mexican cascabel peppers
"OH WOW!!" II jumped
"U like that?" he asked smugly
"I LOVE IT" "With the lemonade... I am pretty much done for the night" she smiled
She extended her plate to Manya... she grabbed a piece
"U shud try the fish he makes... how much ghaas phoos can u eat?" she asked
"thats all I eat" she nodded quietly
"He eats everything" she pointed to dimpal
II shrugged uncaringly
"Are u guys having a private party?" Manya asked
"Oh! No... he came in for a beer, I followed the scent of food" II chuckled
"dinner's ready... I came in at 4" the chef said
"I am hungry" II said "I cooked at Akka's but didnt eat, I eat a lot so I wanted to leave food for them" she burst out laughing
Mahavir picked up the tall tiffin carrier
"I cooked today" she told her husband
"they can eat tomorrow"
"Or until the baby is born" II laughed hysterically
"Is that going to ur sister's place?" Manya asked
Ii nodded
Manya watched Mahavir leave... didnt say anything... now
"Is Dad home?" she asked
"Oh ya... Dad, Chachu..."
AYYYO!! thought II
Manya took a plate of whatever the chef made
Santarm heaped her plate with the paneer
The chef poured lemonade
Manya watched it all before leaving
They ate together... Chachu delighted his nephew was leaving
His good days were indeed on the horizon, sons at Excel, expanding unsupervised at
Gurgaon workshop, and the only visible heir to Excelsior leaving the company, AND leaving the country.
Her being there wasnt helping Ranjan in any way, what was done was done. She was a nobody.
She didnt have any wise advice or clever workaround to R&B's departure
She didnt have any words of healing or hugs of compassion
She didnt want to express too much of her disappointment in front of Chachu
It must already be evident to him and Chachi how dysfunctional poor "Bhaisaab's" family is
II's heart broke at that thought
Ma being gone under suspicious circumstances
Manya being random, and whimsical and opinionated, Vik completely not belonging to the picture, saying the most tactless things all the time
Her husband pretty much all packed and ready to go
She herself from a totally different culture and socio economic setting
"chachi is right" she thought
Yet she lingered by Ranjan... looking for little hints of how he was feeling facing up to his brother's unwanted pity and sympathy.
In every minute of extra attention displayed by Harish there lay a reinforcement that "Ranjan will never be as happy as "us".
They all probably sat around with Chachi in the living room watching TV and drinking in Vasant Vihar, 4 sons, 3 bahus, 6 grandkids
Her husband went up...
Chachi rarely forced Ranjan to stay for dinner
"Meri jimmerwari haigi bhiasaab" Chachu promised big
Ranjan nodded
"4 gabru jawan haingey ne, kis din, kis waaste kaam aavenge?" (I have 4 boys when will we use them)
ranjan nodded
"Hoshiyaar, jawan hai, os dee company haigee, jaan do tussi, dil chhota na karo, wahe guru sab theek karangey" speaking with contrived positivity😡
(hes young, he has his own company, u dont lose hope, God will make it all better)
"Jo jo hoey soyee sukh manayeen" Ranjan quoted a prayer somberly
(Whatever happens he peacefully accepts)
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