Bride

-Chapter 4-

"What makes you think, I want something, buddy?" Vikky gave him an annoyed look. His plan was falling flat despite his best efforts.

Vivek stared at him till Vikky huffed and looked away.

"If you want something, just ask, bacha." Vivek spoke softly. "You don't have to do all this. If it is the right thing for you, I will never say no."

Vikky sighed. His buddy knew him very well. He should have known that his plan would not work. Vivek caressed his face gently, "Bata na, kya chaye? Naya phone?"

Vikky shook his head.

"Naya bike?"

Vikky shook his head again.

"You want to go a trip with your frinds?"

Vikky shook his head again.

"Naye...."

"Pehle khalo aap, phir batata hoon, mughe kya chaye."

Vivek sighed. He could feel Vikky's nervousness. He did not understand why his child had to feel apprehensive to ask anything of him. He humored him by having the snacks. The moment he took a bite, his taste buds protested. Vikky had forgotten to add salt, the fries were heavy on spice, even taking a bite was a punishment.

"Kya hau ache nehi bane?" Vikky frowned when he saw his buddy's expression.

Vivek shook his head and forced  a smile. "Bohot ache bane hai, infact they taste yum. You have some more?"

"Itna kafe nehi hai hai?" Vikky shot him an annoyed look.

Vivek shook his head. Vikky dumped his own fries in his buddy's plate. "Khalo. I am not hungry anyway."

Vivek looked at the heaps of fries and cringed inwardly. If he ate so many he would end up in the hospital, but Vikky had put in hours of work behind the food he could not disappoint him. He sent a quick prayer to his guardian angels and ate.

"How was your day?" 

"Good. Yours?"

Vikky shrugged his shoulders, "Are you going back to the cafe, now?"

Vivek nodded his head. He run a successful cafe in the town. Evening was the busiest time for them. He had come to check on  his father.

"Are you performing tonight?" Vikky's eyes sparkled. Vivek nodded his head as he forced another bite. Vikky smiled. Every Friday night His buddy performed in the cafe every. It had been doing it for 16 years now. His pops had told him how his buddy had joined the cafe part time as a waiter. It was a summer job for him. His dad loved music, and took part in the Karaoke night one evening. The applause was so good that the owner offered him a permeant spot on the team provided he agreed to perform every Friday night. His buddy took the job gratefully. Since then, every Friday night he performed in PCCH (Pasty Coffee and Conversations Hub). When the owner's children shifted to another state, he wanted to close the coffee, his father offered to buy the cafe. Vivek had been 22 then. Too young to manage business, but he believed in himself. He had just finished his MBA from a top notch institution. He could have easily snagged a job from any corporate he choose, but he wanted to make a difference.

His pops invested in his buddy's dreams. The first few years were difficult. They did not have the funds to support a thriving business. His buddy was always at the cafe, so much that he designed the back room into a fully functioning nursery. The better part of his childhood was spent in that room. He had waited tables there, cleaned the mess, worked in the kitchen, did everything his buddy did. Dignity of labor was something that he learnt from his buddy. Vivek treated his staff fairly and with respect. No job was big or small in his books. Vivek never forgot his humble beginnings and he made sure Vikky remained grounded. Their cafe had huge turnover now. They could easily afford a bigger home, a better car, a more luxurious life style, but his buddy preferred to stay in the home that their pops had inherited from his grandfather. Vivek Malhotra was the most down to earth person in the world, and that made Vikky love him even more.