The Royal Stranger

17

Padmanabh looked away flushed, he can't believe that just happened. His body is sore and numb. He needs to step out to relax his body.

Padmanabh opened his door stepping out. He looked at the wet ground, it is slightly drizzling. Vrishali looked at Padmanabh before opening her side of the car door.

She closed it gently with her scarf. She wrapped it around her shoulders when the chill air hit her shoulders.

Padmanabh walked over to Vrishali, he looked at Vijay and Harika before looking at Vrishali.

"Why did we halt the car?" Padmanabh asked Vrishali.

"The road was blocked by elephants so the cops stopped the vehicles. Even trees fell down because of winds so we had to halt the car," Vrishali explained.

Padmanabh nodded his head massaging his face with his hands. "Do you need something?" Padmanabh asked.

"Hmm... I need to use the restroom," Vrishali said. She has been holding for too long, now she needs to take a leak before she embarrasses herself.

She flinches just imagining it. "Let's go," Padmanabh said when he saw the dhaba(roadside local restaurant) on the opposing side.

They both cross the road and go to the dhaba. The tables are filled out with people, there are many cars and vehicles are halted.

Padmanabh waits as Vrishali hands her scarf before going to the ladies' washroom. Vrishali goes in and does her business before walking back to find Padmanabh standing where she left him.

She thought he would be waiting inside the dhaba for her. But he was waiting for her outside the ladies' washrooms, something changed in her knowing that he waited for her.

"Let's eat something," Padmanabh spoke when he saw Vrishali. He handed her scarf back.

"What about Vijay and Harika? Should we go and wake them up?" Vrishali asked.

"No, they had their dinner" Padmanabh replied.

"How do you know?"

"Vijay sent a message." Padmanabh showed his phone screen to Vrishali. Vrishali read the message from Vijay.

Her cheeks flushed when Vijay said they didn't wake up no matter how much they tried to wake them up.

Vrishali's stomach is growling for food but her growls cant be heard out. Vrishali followed Padmanabh inside.

Padmanabh and Vrishali used the tissues to clean the table and chairs before sitting down.

"Order whatever you like and no dessert if you don't eat your veggies," Padmanabh said placing the menu card in front of Vrishali.

Vrishali slouched her shoulders down hearing that. "That's not fair," she groaned.

"Everything is fair."

"What you gonna order?" Vrishali asked Padmanabh. She scanned the menu and found that they have non-veg in their menu.

Padmanabh is a vegetarian so he would order vegetarian food and Vrishali is carving chicken after seeing the word chicken on the menu.

"It's a Punjabi dhaba so I will order Punjabi food. What do you want to order?" Padmanabh asked keeping the menu down.

He looked at Vrishali and she looked unsure to say something. "Tell me what you want to eat?" Padmanabh asked her.

"Actually it's been months that I ate chicken... Is it okay if I order chicken? I'm carving naan and chicken," Vrishali said pointing her finger at the menu card.