As she came back and stepped in the dining room, she saw the state of shock still present on their faces.
What? Can't I even have boyfriends now? Is there still a stigma towards it in your oh so spiritual mindsets? Too bad y'all can't judge for me anymore! She smirked, mocking them inwardly.
"Arrey aap sab abhi tak aisay hi bethey hain!" she asked surprised, "please have some" she passed the food around. (Oh, your still sitting like before)
For a few minutes only the sounds of the cutlery's clattering were being heard.
"Uhhh khooshi bitya, ou sach may tumra baifriend hai kaa?" Manorma's shock and curiosity held no bounds. (Khushi, is he really your boyfriend?)
"Ji haan, wo mera boyfriend hai" she answered, assuage clear in her voice. (Yes, he is indeed my boyfriend)
Arnav who was coming back after trying to compose himself together, heard that sentence from her mouth and it sent jarred emotions down his spine. He could feel his heart shatter for the hundredth time in a row.
Nani who though was greatly shocked, still decided to support khushi. She wanted to vision this girl being happy even if it meant her grandson's heartbreak. This was a very complicated situation and no matter how much she wanted to see her Chotte together with Khushi, she knew the pain Arnav had caused her, the pain they together caused her.
Putting her thoughts aside she compressed her lips in a smile.
"Hum apkay liye khush hain Khushi bitya, apka pura haq banta hai apni khushi pay aur agr aap inkay saath khush hai toh hum bhi aapke liye bohat Khush hai" the matriarch of the Raizada family expressed. (I'm happy for you Khushi dear, you have all the rights to be happy and if this makes you feel that way, I'm happy that it does)
That certain statement Devyani had stated caused everyone to reconsider their feelings and opinions. They still knew how much they all had wronged this harmless, guile girl and even after her forgiveness they were well aware that she hadn't forgiven them fully yet which was exactly what they deserved. They all had seen and sensed the distance she still maintained with them. Khushi still hadn't addressed them by their names or other relations as she did before, she'd always use the word 'you' or just wouldn't name them while answering back. That hurt, it was sad but they knew they deserved it. And now by questioning anything she did would for sure anger her and they knew for a fact that they didn't hold such a strong relation to give their opinions to this girl.
Though their hearts bled for Arnav, they knew if it was meant to be, they'd always find a way back to each other, at the end of the tunnel where the light shone brightly.
Khushi smiled in return at the old lady.
"So what do you guys think about authentic Arab food? I hope it was good" Khushi diverted the topic.
She'd mostly opted for the vegetarian dishes and substituted some ingredients that weren't. But there were still a few with chicken in them.
"I love the dolmas and the tabbouleh" Payal answered.
"This tastes a lot like our Indian curry. What's it called?" Anjali asked, tasting what looked like to be a chicken curry.
"Yes it does taste quite like Indian curry. It's called Quwarmah Al Dajaj" Khushi explained.
Advay who was gone made an appearance. Taking a seat next to Khushi.
"So, how are you guys? Laila told me that you've recently shifted here" he asked, making a conversation in English.
Payal took it upon herself and answered back, knowing that he wasn't fluent in Hindi.
"Tumra naam kaa bataya tha tumne?" manorma asked. (What did you say your name was?)
Advay looked lost, he could make out some words in that sentence but the way they spoke Hindi was a bit different, he found it difficult to understand.
"I'm sorry but my Hindi is very limited" he laughed.
They all looked at him. One question running through their minds.
Can't he speak Hindi?
Khushi and Advay were quick to judge.
"I can understand it a bit but communicating is a bit difficult for me" he explained. Looking at Laila he told with a smile, "but she's here and she always teaches me, and that is why main kuch cheezain samajh leta hoon" he fumbled. (And that is why I can understand a couple things)
"But you belong to an Indian family right?" Aakash asked.
"Yes I do but mom and dad both grew up here and didn't really pay much attention to their mother tongue as it wasn't necessary. So there was never a need to learn it" he explained.
"Do your parents live here?" manorma asked, intrigued much.
Khushi felt Advay stiffen beside her. Gripping his hand under the table she answered for him.
"They did but they unfortunately passed, years ago."
Their faces held sympathy. They respectfully paid their condolences to him.
"It's alright, they're in a much better place now" he answered back.
The ladies got busy in making small talks to each other leaving the men to quietly consume their meal.
It was until a very silent Arnav decided to ask Advay some questions, his face bitter.
"So what do you do?" he asked.
"I run a software company."
"How much is it worth?" Arnav asked.
Oh so we're talking about being rich now? Advay wondered, understanding Arnav's obscurely twisted question well.
Pushing the glasses up his nose, Advay answered, "a billion dollars."
Arnav had not known this man's net worth. He choose this route to make a conversation with him because he knew he could defeat someone lower than him. A negative trait of his which he had gotten rid of in the last few years but the moment he came to know of the relation Advay shared with Khushi, the extreme dark side in Arnav wanted to make a comeback again.
It was Payal who shifted the topic to something else sensing the tension build up in Arnav. She could see his tensed muscles, his dark eyes, the clenched jaw and knowing him well, she didn't want this to lead to something bad. And the ridiculously childish topic he had begun inquiring Advay about was just outrageous. These two needed to stop talking.
The deserts were presented next. Baklava's, kanafeh, tulumba, qatayef. The table was filled with mouth watering Middle eastern deserts.
She had also made kheer, specifically a sugar free one.
"Here, this is sugar free kheer so you can have some desert too" Khushi explained to him, ignoring the fact that she had lashed out at him just sometime ago.
He stared at her. A part of him warmed.
She still remembered and cared to make some for me.
"It's delicious!" he said, taking a spoonful of the delicious confection.
Advay who sat there eating nothing was questioned as to why wasn't he indulging in such mouthwatering eats.
"I'm lactose intolerant so I can't have these" he answered.
"Oho!" Payal sympathized. (Oh no!)
He laughed, "it's alright, I've adjusted well to it by now."
Nothing serious was discussed after.
Arnav who had enough of seeing Khushi and her 'boyfriend' felt suffocated being in the same room as that guy. He wanted to leave much earlier but he couldn't because Khushi was present here. He would be lying to himself if he was to say that the guy wasn't very deserving of his Khushi because he knew that that wasn't true. He was everything Khushi deserved, he looked to be. But he knew if he redeemed and improved himself, he'd be better than anyone else for Khushi. He had accepted that he'd been absolutely horrendous and unfair to her but he could change that right? At least become someone who could woo Khushi back easily.
Looking at his Rolex, he made an announcement.
"I have a very important meeting in a couple minutes so I have to leave" looking at Khushi he continued, "thanks for today! The food was pretty good" he praised and saw her nod in return with her lips slightly curved.
It was weird to think how they had such a huge argument before and were now having a normal conversation. But that was exactly what their relationship was, bitter one moment and sweet the other.
As he left, soon the rest of the Raizadas departed as well, thanking her for the day and praising the delicious food. Nani especially gave her not so asked for blessings to the couple and wished them happiness.
They'd gone and Advay now stood in front of her.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" his face grim.
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Not proofread. I'm very sleepy rn lol 😴
How was it?
A weird title, I know 😂 that was something my sleepy brain came up with, lol, but I think it is means that the billion dollars represent advay and the kheer Arnav in this chapter 😂
Do ⭐️ vote if you think it deserved it and comment.
Much love to all 😘