"Ghar kyun nahi aaye kal?"
(Why didn't you come home yesterday?)
That was the first question thrown at Roop as she entered the house. Even though Amrit had breakfast with her, he didn't dare to enter the house. He knew his cousin wouldn't stop annoying him and that's what he was doing at the moment but with his wife.
"Wo..Petrol nahi tha!" She replied, feeling proud of herself for saying something sensible.
(Erm, there was no petrol.)
Mihir looked at her with strange expressions, opening his mouth twice just to close it again.
"Ye bhi kyun hi bola aapne? Nahi matlab.." He shook his head, "Khair, I'll get going now." He shook his head, letting her enter the house as he left for the office. "Nice shirt by the way!" He didn't forget to add the last part.
(Why did you even say this? no, I mean..)
Everyone seemed busy, giving Roop an opportunity to go to her room without any unnecessary questions, the conversation with Amrit came back to her mind, maybe it was better in the penthouse but then she wouldn't have anyone to talk to.
She'd rather stay with Nandini instead of living a life alone again, where people didn't care if she existed or not, Nandini's taunts were a better option than being neglected.
"Bhoo!"
"Aaaa!" Two yells came at the same time but one was ecstatic while the other was terrified.
Clutching her erratic heart, Roop looked at Avni in disbelief, who seemed to not get it. Avni was very happy with herself for scaring Roop the way she wanted and she succeeded in it too.
"Aww, Poor Roop...anyways, did you enjoy your little getaway?" Avni asked, entering the room behind Roop, and uncapping the water bottle she was holding.
"It was nice but I was sleeping more than half of the time." She replied with a sigh.
"Sleeping or...?" A teasing smile played on Avni's lips as she looked at Roop, Avni was one of those people who were actually happy with the progress in the couple's relationship but at the same time, it was like a duty for her to tease Roop about it.
"We just started talking." She reminded her.
"Right but hey! With the way bhaiya looks at you, it feels like you've been talking for years so you can't blame your girl here!" Avni defended herself.
"And how does he look at me?" Roop asked, shifting towards the closet.
"Like he'll die if he looked away." Came Avni's instant reply.
"You spend too much time with Mihir." Roop shook her head disapprovingly, there was no way Amrit looked at her like that, she clearly was exaggerating but she didn't say that to her.
"No shut up." Avni frowned, a gasp leaving her lips a second later, "Oh my god, that dress is so pretty!" She pulled out a sundress from the hanger, admiring it.
"Thank you, I never wore it." Roop replied with a shrug, remembering when she bought it because it looked so good on her plus it was heavily discounted at that time.
"We should totally go somewhere so you can wear this orrrrr..." Avni smiled suggestively, "You can wear this on your next date with Bhai." She winked in the end, hanging the dress back.
"You can take the dress if you want to." Roop went to grab the dress off the hanger but Avni swatted her hand away.
"Aye, no. You're going to wear it and trust me, I'll give you an occasion soon!" She stated before leaving Roop alone, "I made idli sambhar today!" She yelled from outside before disappearing off to her room.
Listening to the day's food, Roop suddenly felt hungry again. Taking a quick shower, she headed off to the kitchen, unable to resist the tempting food.
"Roop?" She turned to Priya, hearing her confused voice, "You didn't even come to meet me!" She complained childishly, taking a seat beside her. Now she knew where Mihir got those behavior traits from.
"Aane wali thi, fir Avni told me about idli sambhar.." A blush coated her cheeks as she felt embarrassment creep through. Roop definitely planned to meet her Tayi ji and grandparents but after eating though.
(I was going to come but then..)
"I was just teasing you, Did Amrit come back too?" She asked, waving her hand in the air.
"Nahi, wo bahar se hi chale gaye. Unki meeting thi." She added the last part, not knowing why she felt a reason to defend her husband.
(No he left from outside only, he had a meeting.)
"Ye ladka nhi na..kuch khaya tumne? Breakfast?" Priya asked further.
(This boy...did you guys eat something? Breakfast?)
"Haan wo breakfast kia tha." She nodded, sipping her hot sambhar, the richness of spices melting in her mouth.
(Yes we had breakfast)
"Good, meet your dadaji okay? He'll get sad if his favorite bahu didn't meet him." Priya ruffled her hair playfully, leaving her alone to eat in peace.
Finishing her food, Roop went to meet the grandparents, spending a few hours just talking to them.
That's the beauty of talking to old people, they are just happy to spend time with you with no expectations or judgment because at that age, no one really wants to spend time with them and when someone does, they just happily give company.
"Ab aap so jao." Roop helped dada ji cover himself with the quilt while dadi was already sleeping.
(Go to sleep now)
"Jeeti reh." He patted her head as she left with a smile on her face.
(Long live)
Entering her room with a content smile on her face, she decided to do some work to spend the next few hours till Amrit came back.
The little smile she had all day never faltered, it was for the first time she was waiting for her husband happily, she was assuming what it would be like in the back of her mind.
Would he greet her with a smile? Oh, and would he accept the glass of water she always kept for him, and mainly, would he kiss her cheek just like he did in the morning before they parted ways?
She couldn't wait to get answers to all her questions.
New questions and new assumptions just made a place in her mind as she worked around the kitchen, making dal makhni, even though the dinner was for everyone but only one person was the reason why she chose the dish.
Yesterday when they were having their random conversation, Amrit mentioned his love for Dal makhni then how could she not make it for him?
"Mummyyyy, Bhabiiiii." Mihir sing-sang as he walked through the doors, announcing his arrival.
"Aagyi aafat." Priya mumbled, looking at her son who just threw his tie somewhere on the sofa, his shoes lying near the entrance while his suit jacket was nowhere to be seen.
(Disaster is back)
"Thak gaya mai." He dropped himself onto the sofa, taking a relaxing breath.
(I'm tired)
"Utha sab kuch." Priya twisted his ear, making him stand up.
(pick up everything)
"Mummy." He whined.
"Now." Priya glared at her irresponsible son, Mihir was always the laziest person in the house, never doing his things right.
Mumbling things under his breath, he picked up everything he threw away while Avni poured him a glass of water.
Roop watched the scenario in amusement, wanting to record Mihir's expressions but she didn't, knowing full well that he will find ways to get back at her somehow.
Rahil and Amrit came after a little while, Rahil taking a seat on the sofa tiredly while Amrit walked towards his wife who was standing near the kitchen's door frame.
Dropping a kiss on her now heated-up cheeks he whispered, "You didn't answer my calls."
"I was..in the kitchen?"
"It's okay, nothing important, Can you make me a coffee?" He requested.
"Ji-"
"Mereko to kabhi pappi ni di." Mihir stood behind them, an accusatory glare shot toward Amrit.
(You never gave me a kiss)
"Tu biwi hai meri?" Amrit asked, turning to him.
(Are you my wife?)
"Aapki mummy ko bataunga." He mumbled sadly before leaving from there.
(I'll tell your mom)
...
Hii! Thank you for waiting!
Just hang in there for a few days more, swear will be more regular after 5-6 more days!
Also, are the translations really needed? I mean is there anyone non-native to the language reading the book?
Enjoy reading!