"OMG Khushi you're back," Lavanya shrieked as she came running in.
Lavanya attacked Khushi and both went staggering back.
"Dude I missed you so much!"
Khushi chuckled. "Same here. I brought you a present too."
"Aww! Thanks! But first, tell me - did you go everywhere I told you to go?"
"Yeah, and you were right - Soho is the best place to shop! And omg guess who I saw at Brighton Beach? Matt Bomer!!"
"Eeeeppp!! You're kidding!"
"Nope! He was shooting at a restaurant there!"
"OMG!!!"
"I know!!!"
Kinjal came in and tugged on her earlobe. "My goodness girls, you two are gonna make me deaf if you two keep it up."
The two girls giggled.
"Sorry Mumma," Khushi pouted.
Kinjal smiled. "So what do you guys wanna eat? Pakoras? Jalebis? Samosas? Everything?"
The two girls looked at each other and then at Kinjal. "Everything!"
*~*
"Dayum girl," Lavanya remarked. "That's like your what? 23rd jalebi?"
"That's surprising," Kinjal retorted. "Wait till she gets to her 33rd."
Lavanya blinked. "Damn. But that's not good for you Khushi - it will get back at you in the future," Lavanya said, pointing her finger at Khushi."
"No way," Khushi said. "I work out so I'll keep fit. Besides, even if I don't, I have my family genes running through me," Khushi said as she went over to her mother.
"What do you mean," Lavanya asked as she bit into her samosa.
"My mom also used to eat as much as I used to. And look at her - thin as a stick."
Kinjal waved her hand. "Oh please! I'm not a stick. I'm bigger than a stick. More like a tree's trunk, I would say."
"Not a very big one, that's for sure," Lavanya said. "Saying a tree trunk would make you fat."
"Exactly," Khushi said.
Kinjal rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
The three gals chuckled. Kinjal was making her famous butterfly shrimp, when a worker came in.
"Madam, there's a call for you," she said.
"Who is it," Kinjal asked.
"From the company."
"Ugh! Okay, I'll be there in a few."
The worker nodded and left.
Khushi looked at her mother. "Why do they need you?"
"Well I am co-owner so they must need my authorization on something. I dunno," she shrugged, lowering the flames and then left to get the call.
Khushi looked at Lavanya. "So tell me - what did I miss?"
Lavanya's eyes slightly widened and then she looked away. "Nothing."
Khushi scrunched her eyebrows. "Really?"
"Nothing important. You know, the usual," and she gave a nervous chuckle.
Khushi felt weird about it, but decided not to say anything. Kinjal came back in and continued with her cooking. Soon Karan came home and they all sat down for dinner. Lavanya stayed over for the night, so Kinjal prepared snacks for them, knowing there would be no sleeping for them tonight.
