Forevermore | ✓

21

"Chop the onions, finely," Amrit said, pushing two Onions to the chopping board.

Mihir nodded, peeling the onions before starting to chop them when he received the fourth smack of the day on the back of his head.

"Ye chota hai? Bola na chota chota kaatne ko?" Amrit huffed, "La mai karun." He asked for the knife only for Mihir to hide his hand with the knife behind him.
(This is fine chopping? Did I not ask you to chop finely?) (Here, let me do it.)

"Nahi na! Mai khud karunga." Mihir frowned, trying to best to chop the onions as finely as he could.
(No, I'll do it myself!)

Taking out the rest of the ingredients, he put them beside the chopping board, texting Roop to come and save him when he realised she was actually sleeping.

"Make a puree of these tomatoes and chop these chillies too." Amrit added, pulling a stool inside the kitchen as he saw Mihir's pace of doing the work, "Will you be quick? I have to take Roop to her doctor's appointment too."

"I'm trying!"

Ten minutes later, he was done doing everything Amrit asked him to. He washed his hands for the tenth time since he started, "Now turn on the gas and add ghee.

He followed the directions to the tadka, adding everything Amrit asked him to.

While stalking Madira's Instagram account a few days earlier, he stumbled upon a post she liked about a guy cooking for his partner and he wanted to do something similar for her ever since.

He thought about asking his mother but then decided against it, remembering how she didn't stop talking about a picture he added to his status last month till date.

She even got it framed and had it hung between the family pictures, asking his mom was a no-no, his next option was Roop but Amrit overheard their conversation.

After being scolded for making his wife work while she was pregnant, Amrit ended up agreeing to teach Mihir how to cook Rajma Chawal on Roop's demand.

"Maine tereko garam masala daalne ko bola na? Dhaniya powder kyun daal raha hai?" Amrit slapped his hand away from the pan.
(I asked you to add garam masala, didn't I? Why are you adding coriander powder?)

"Aapke haath jyada nahi chal rahe?" Mihir frowned, caressing his hand.
(Aren't you getting too handsy?)

"Aur tere haath kuch chal hi nahi rahe hain," Amrit replied, looking at the watch on the wall.
(And your hands aren't working at all.)

Giving him a look, he looked for the correct masala, "You think she'll like this?" He asked, putting the cooker of rice on the stove before turning it on.

"Jashn said she hates Rajma Chawal." Amrit shrugged, scrolling through his phone.

"She what?" Mihir turned to Amrit, suddenly pausing in his movements as he heard his words.

"She hates Rajma Chawal." He repeated.

"And you couldn't tell me last night when I was soaking these beans?" Mihir asked, trying not to squeeze Amrit's neck with his one hand.

"I thought...you seemed very dedicated? It's okay, I love Rajma Chawal...I can eat-"

"No wait, get out of here." Mihir pointed towards the door, "I know it's her favourite, you're such a liar and a manipulator-"

"Manipulator? Me? Am I a manipulator or are you just dumb?" Amrit asked.

"I said what I said."

"Give me a glass of water." Amrit said, getting off the stool as he glanced at the watch one more time, "Actually, just heat it up a little." He added.