Next Morning,
Mini woke up due to Rani's call. She informed her that she would be coming late today due to some personal work. Mini got tensed as today was Arya's exam and what if she forgets anything in haste.
She quickly got ready and went to Neil's room drying her hair. She shook him through his shoulders.
Mini: Neil! Neil!
Neil held her hand, wrapped his palms around it and turned in sleep.
Due to the sudden pull, She closed her eyes and was on the bed taking support of the bed by the other hand with her face inches apart Neil's face.
Few droplets of water fell on Neil's face.
Neil opened his eyes lightly feeling the droplets on his face and saw Mini's face so close to him with her eyes closed. He thought it to be his dream. He held her by her waist and pulled her closer, snuggling to her.
She opened her eyes to see Neil's face so close to hers when she felt his pull and he snuggled to her.
She tried to get parted but couldn't due to Neil's grip.
Mini: (loudly in his ears) Neil!
Neil hearing Mini's loud voice in his ears, left her waist and kept his hand on his ear.
Neil: Subah subah itna kaun chillata hai... Kya ho gaya Mini?
Mini parted from him but her hand was still in hold of Neil's so she could get up from the bed.
Mini: Uthoge?... Suno na...
Neil: (got up) Ha bolo...
Mini: Arya ka exam hai aaj... usko ready karna hai... kuch gadbad nahi honi chahiye.... Ekto pata nahi Rani di ne late kyu aana hai aaj... kisi important day pe hi na... siyappe ho jaate hai.... nahi to sab kuch manage ho jaata na aaram se... lekin nahi ji... aisa kaise ho sakta hai... Rani di bhi aaj hi late aayengi.....
Neil understood that Mini is in tension as she was speaking continuously without even looking at him as if talking to herself.
He kept his hand on her mouth.
Mini made a what-happened face.
Neil: Kitni der se bole ja rahi ho.... itni tension kis liye.... sab manage ho jayega... stress lene se kya hoga..... Calm down.... take a deep breath.
Mini took a deep breath.
Neil: Relax... ho jayega sab kuch.... Ok?
Mini nodded.
Neil removed his hand from her mouth.
Mini: Ab jau Arya ko uthaane?
Neil: Hmm... Panic karne ki koi baat nahi hai.... Relax hoke manage karna.. Sab ho jayega....
Mini nodded but she didn't get up.
Neil: Kya hua?.... Jao... uthao Arya ko...
Mini gave him a confused look.
Neil: Aise kyu dekh rahi ho?... What happened?
Mini: Kaise jau?
Neil: Chalke....
Mini gave him -oh-really- look.
Neil: Aise looks kya de rahi ho... sidhe sidhe bolo...
Mini: Tum chodoge to jaungi na...
Neil: Kya chodunga?
Mini: Mera haath... Neend me the tab pakda tha... abhi tak pakda hua hai... chodoge to jaungi na.
Neil looked down and realised he was holding her other hand. He left her immediately.
Neil: Sorry.
Mini: it's ok... breakfast bana dena ready hoke jaldi se....
He nodded.
She went from the room.
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In the kitchen,
Neil prepared the breakfast while he saw Mini keeping exam stationary in Arya's bag and checking everything multiple times to ensure nothing is mistakenly forgotted.
Arya: Veerbalika! Mera bag pack ho gaya?
Mini: Ha... yeh lo.... aur jaldi se breakfast kar lo... aaj late nahi ho sakte...
She said while serving the breakfast.
Neil was packing her tiffin.
Mini filled her water bottle and turned to Neil for the tiffin.
Neil gave her the tiffin and she kept it in the bag.
Mini: Ab sirf tumhare shoes reh gaye hai... niche saamne hi rakhe hai... par kuch to bhul rahi hu main.... (She tried remembering)
Neil held her from her shoulder.
Mini: Kya hua?
Neil: Breath in... Breath out... Breath in... Breath out... Breath in... Breath out... Relax.
She did so and relaxed a little.
Neil: Panic karke kuch yaad nahi aayega... aur vaise bhi sab kuch to tumne rakh diya hai... Arya ready bhi ho gayi hai... Shoes niche jakar pehen legi... No big deal... right?...
Mini: Hmm...
Neil: Ab aur kya bhul sakti ho tum.... ho gaya na sab?
Mini: Are ha.... Exam hai aaj... maine dahi cheeni nahi di....
Neil: Bas?... Itna hi na?
Mini: Ha...
Neil: Relax... abhi 15 min hai bus aane me... relax.
Mini relaxed by deep breathing and then sighed.
Neil: Good.
Arya: Veerbalika ko to tum hi sambhaal sakte ho Neil. Bahot tension le leti hai.
Neil: Hmm....
Mini sat on her knees to match Arya's level.
She forwarded a spoonful of dahi cheeni to Arya and she ate it.
Mini: (smiling) All the best chutanki!
Arya hugged Mini.
Arya: Thank you Veerbalika!.... (pecked her on her cheeks) Love you...
Mini: (pecked her back) Love you too...
Neil: (caressing her hair) All the best Choti Madam.
Arya hugged him by his waist.
Arya: Thank you Neil!... Ab chalo nahi to late na ho jaye...
Mineil together dropped Arya to the bus stand and then came back to the haveli.
Mini: Main apne purse lekar aati hu... phir chalte hai Restaurant.
Neil: Hmm... Main bhi apna wallet room me hi bhul gaya tha.... Main bhi lekar aata hu.
Mini went upstairs and Neil to his room.
Neil came to the hall and saw Mini descending from the stairs.
She slipped at the last stair and fell in his arms.
Neil held her tightly.
Both were looking in each other's eyes.
Few secs later,
Neil: Mini... Tumne pata hai?
Mini: H?
Neil: (laughing) Tum pakka 70 kilo ki to hogi.... haath thak gaya mera...
Mini stood up and punched him.
Mini: I am only 55...
Neil: Liar...
Mini: (punching him) You liar.
Neil held her hand and pulled her closer...
Neil: To bolo sach sach... kal sapna dekh rahi thi tum mall me?
Mini was shocked as how he knows.
Neil: Arya ke jagane pe.... has has ke sharma rahi thi?... Kaun aaya tha sapne me?...
Mini understood that Arya had told him that.
Mini: Ai... Aisa ku... kuch bhi nahi tha.... Chalo restaurant late ho raha hai?
Neil pulled her closer by her waist.
She kept her hands on his chest and held his shirt in reflex.
Neil: Tumhari aankhein to kuch aur hi keh rahi hai....
Mini rolled her eyes.
Mini: (trying to control her smile) Whatever... Restaurant chalte hai... late ho rahe hai... Bakwaas band karo... Chalo...
They parted and went to the restaurant.
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At the restaurant, Mini was sitting in her cabin and discussing with Neil about the profits in the restaurant were still less than expected.
Mini: Ab kya improve kiya ja sakta hai taaki profits increase ho?
Neil: Time....we can give them best quality food in less time.....
Mini: Ab vo kaise...khana banne me to time lagega hi na....
Neil: But agar ek insaan par sab kuch dependent na ho to jaldi banega na...
Mini: To what can we do now?
Neil: I can do one thing....
Mini: what?
Neil: I can train our staff to work faster and efficient. It will not take much time... maybe.... 3-4 days or so...
Mini: Brilliant idea....
Neil: So....Kab se shuru kar sakte hai ?
Mini: Abhi batati hu....
Mini called Naeem bi and said to call everyone in her cabin.
Mini: See abhi bhi restaurant utna fastly grow nahi kar raha hai jitna karna chahiye....to Neil aap sab ko training dena chahta hai taki restaurant faster and more efficiently serve kar sake....yeh jo training hogi restaurant timing me hi hogi to kisi ko timing ki koi issue nahi hona chahiye.... Zyada din bhi nahi lagenge.... maybe 3-4 din hi.. to aap log ready ho?
Staff agreed.
Mini: Good ! So Chef Neil Oberoi make the necessary arrangements and you can start the training from today itself.
Neil: Sure Mini madam.
Neil went into the kitchen with the staff and started the training.
Want a small hint about the next part, then Stay tuned for: Neil drenched in heavy rain.