The Midnight Moon

Chapter XXX

"Wow, Dia is a good cook. Way better than you " Himani said before taking the tiffin in her hand.

"I am offended but that is true. I suck." Anya said before taking Kabir's tiffin from him.

"You are not that bad," Kabir said before taking his tiffin back.

"Yeah. You are not great but not bad either," Himani said with a smile.

She narrowed her eyes and pulled the tiffin back. "Thank you. You guys are so supportive."

"We love you, too," Himani said. "Ah, she is really good."

"Of course she is. She is a professional chef."  Kabir said before taking the tiffin back.

"Really?" Himani asked in surprise.

"How do you know?" Anya asked him.

His eyes widened a little. "You told me. How else?" He said before giving her his tiffin.

"OK. Anyway! I am so happy. She did something. I mean something! That is so good. I feel this is a great change. I feel everything will be fine soon."

"Just because she cooked?" Kabir asked with a frown.

"Because she did what she loves. She loved cooking which is why she took up this career."

"She didn't cook before?" Himani asked.

"No. She helped Nani daily but just with cutting and stuff. But she never cooked a meal. I thought of telling her to cook because I knew she would enjoy it, but I didn't want her to think that I want her to work. I thought eventually she would because she loves it but she didn't. Which made me sad. But I am so happy today." 

"That's nice," Himani said with a smile. They all fell quiet after that. It was not awkward it was just quiet. After a few more seconds Kabir said, "It has been two days without any silly or lame jokes which are often funny."

Himani laughed. "Missing him?"

"I hate to admit but yeah."

Anya frowned as she did not understand what they meant. "Oh, Ali!"

"Yeah." Kabir nodded.

"That reminds me. Khadijah has been so sweet to Dia. She even chats with her. So I took her number and messaged her. I asked her, out of curiosity, why she was such a sweetheart. She said." Anya wrinkled her nose. "That she knows how it feels to be helpless. She knows how it feels when no one helps. And I never felt worse."

"Aw," Himani said sympathetically.

"She is a teenager and see her. Looking at Ali I forget they had a terrible childhood. Actually, they both are very cheerful."

"I agree. Who can say they have seen days where they didn't have food to eat or water to drink," Himani said.

"He is an idiot though," Kabir said which made them laugh.

"Anya!" Baskar exclaimed. "Where have you been? I looked everywhere."

"Ah. It is lunch time."

"OK. Done with food?"

"Yes."

"Then come to my office urgently. We have a problem to solve before the end of the day."

"Sure, sir." Anya quickly stood up and followed him. It was the first time Baskar had asked Anya or any of their colleagues to do some work urgently. She knew it was important.

"What is it, sir?"

"I need your help. Please sit."

"Sure." She sat on a chair immediately. "How can I help you?"