The Red Necklace

Chapter 40

What's that?" Salman asked turning to look at me from the hockey game he was watching on the TV.

" White chocolate chip." I said absentmidedly as I put the said item on the countre. I had taken out their bag from the refrigerator.

"You're not putting those in the ice cream, right?"

" That's precisely why I took them out." I said as I mixed the warm milk, sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl.

" Make with the cashews." Salman said from the sofa. He was wearing trousers and he didn't have a shirt on.

" No." I said as I poured the mixture in a pot and put it on the stove.

"Yes."

" I said no. "

" Why?" Salman asked throwing the remote aside carelessly and keeping a hand at the back of his neck.

"Because she doesn't like it that way!" I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

" Did she tell you that?" Salman asked and I could see a hint of amusement in his eyes

"Well no, but I know. I'm her mother." I said in a Duh tone and Salman chuckled.

"I feel really bad to break it to you Neha but Fatima happens to like cashews better than any other nut." Salman said smirking. "Just like me." He winked at that.

"She does not." I stated arguing pointlessly. Turning around once again I removed the mixture from the heat.

"She does." Salman said smuggly.

" She does not Salman! What's wrong with you? Last time I checked she skipped the whole dinner just because there were nuts in the chicken! " I was almost yelling as I tried to remind him of the incident.

"Firstly, those were not cashews in the chicken but pine nuts. And secondly, why exactly are you shouting?" I stopped abruptly and hunched my shoulders, defeated.

What was wrong with me?

I stayed quiet.

"Neha?" I closed my eyes.

Oh, I happen to know what was wrong with me. I was freaking out, alright.

" Fine, whatever. I'll just put these stupid roasted cashews in the base custard, are you and your daughter satisfied now?" I muttered as I flipped the whole bag of cashews in the hot mixture.

O.O

"Neha?" Salman tried again but I refused to turn around. I didn't feel like explaining myself right now. And he sure as hell had already smelled something fishy.

Slowly I turned around and looked at him.

"What's wrong?" Salman asked and I groaned.

In my mind.

" Nothing. I just don't like when my food goes to waste." I said shrugging and Salman gave me a look that said he meant no playing around.

But I didn't wanted to say it. I wanted him to understand. To know everything that went in my head even before I had the chance to open my mouth.

And here he was, my husband, as clueless as ever.

Salman got up and brought his well tuned body towards me.

" Don't tell me it's about last month again!" Salman almost groaned as he kept a hand on my waist.

Last month? What about it?

Oh. Of course. Last month when Fahad had dragged Salman out to men's-night-out and they both got wasted there.

I still could't get over the fact that Salman had actually gone there again. After all the pain he went through to skip alchohol he gave everything away in a night.