Healing The Void (The Roys, #2) ✔

Chapter 9 - Assumption

Wiping off the sweat forming on her temple and neck, Shreya quickly made to the dining hall. On the way, the thought struck like a cannon bolt. Abhimanyu knew about her telling Dev tales of Krishna's pastimes. How did he know that? That- that meant... he- he actually listened to her when she was telling them. She was now sweating more profusely. He listened to her last night as well. Tiyasha saw him outside Dev's room. That must mean he spent some time there listening.

She couldn't process this bit of information. He was AR! The infamous industrialist AR! He stopped to listen to her telling stories to a kid! Okay, she was definitely losing her mind.

Dev was able to eat the rice with dal. Although, she had to help in the end, but overall, it was a good progress. When she was still feeding him, Dona returned from market.

"Oh my God, Shreya di, you wouldn't believe the crowd I had to face in order to but just paneer! I'm telling you, all these people just wait for this time of Durga Puja to break into various kinds of foods."

Shreya smiled mildly while Dona continued, "I had to fight a woman you know? She was going out of line." She huffed audibly and went inside the kitchen. Moments later she ran out with the bowl of excess poha that Shreya made earlier.

"Who made this?" She shrieked.

Shreya looked at her then her gaze dropped on the bowl she was holding. "Oh, that! Yeah, I made that," Shreya answered. "Actually, Abhimanyu came to kitchen soon after you left and asked for you to make him..." But she couldn't finish her sentence as Dona squealed, "WHAT!! Manyu dadababu? And you cooked this with ghee (clarified butter)? OHMYGOD! Shreya di! He likes his food cooked with olive oil only! What have you done?"

"Oh!" is all Shreya could let out. She stared at Dona who looked panicked.

"I don't want him to stop eating my food again! Oh no-no-no! That'd the end of my days here!"

"Is it that bad?" Shreya blinked, unable to understand what was the big deal.

"Of course! Once I served him korma and it was a little too oily. So, he stopped eating food cooked by others altogether, and it went on for two months before Ginnimaa (Bengali native word for the head woman of the house, Madam) had to intervene and convince him. He's very particular with foods. He doesn't eat outside. He doesn't eat too much spicy and oily food... oh!" She halted from blabbering, then looked at Shreya with her lower lips upturned.

Shreya observed her dramatic act before sighing. "Okay. I'll apologize to him. Would that be enough?"

Dona slowly shrugged and rolled her free hand as an act of uncertainty.

~~~

No one was home, so the house was silent, until Ritu came back around 8 in the evening. Shreya was playing words game with Dev in the hall, when Ritu rushed into the house and halted when her eyes landed on Shreya and Dev. At the same time Shreya looked up and made eye contact with her. As soon as she did, her brows furrowed in concern. The girl was crying.

"Ritu? What happened?"

She wiped her eyes and shook her head. But her action didn't match the language of her eyes. Streams of tears ran out of them freely and rolled down her fair cheeks. "Nothing."

Shreya hurriedly got up and took long strides towards her. "Oh," she reached forward and held her while trying to see her face which she was hanging low trying to avoid eye contact. "What happened? Tell me."

She shook her head again.

Unable to think of anything else, Shreya pulled her close and hugged her. "Okay, calm down. It's fine, it's fine." She cooed in her ears as she broke down into a complete sob.