Twice Shy

05 TWICE SHY

When we finally enter inside, the scent of butter chicken is everywhere. It's her speciality, and there has been at least one meal every week where Ilyaz complains about missing it. She's too petty to share the recipe though, but who am I to complain? The food here is the only reason I don't impale myself on the coat rack the second we enter.

When she scurries away to check the kitchen, I pull my phone out and start tapping, "Cadet blue on gold damasks," I read aloud, "Potpourri. Porcelain figurines of creepy elves. Bohemian rugs,"

Ilyaz gives me a wary look, eyeing my phone, "What're you doing?"

"Figuring out ways to make our house look similar since you love this one. You know, to replicate your mother's magic," I continue tapping, "Bouquets of flowers bestowed by loved ones," I say bestowed to put an emphasis, before sucking my cheeks in and looking around in search.

"Hm, wonder where I'll get that though. Might have to find some loved ones first,"

Ilyaz grabs my elbow, pulling him against him that only I can hear him. He points to the crisp bouquet of wilted flowers, the previous just because flowers, "You want that, but I thought you said they're impractical?" His voice is sharp against the side of my face, "What about impractical jewellery? Would that make you happy, jaan?" He points to the diamond brooch behind the glass frame.

If I hear impractical from his mouth again, I'm going to stab him with the diamond.

He lets go of me as we hear Dahlia aunty's footsteps approaching. "Lyaz, what do you think of Ilyana's new hair?" She asks, and my eyes narrow on Ilyaz. "Yes, Ily, what do you think?"

The only reason Ilyaz keeps a straight face when I call him Ily is that he stands beside the large window, and it'd be too easy for me to push him out of it. "I think she looks great," Then he takes two steps to the right and he's against the wall, "She has a large enough forehead to get away with bangs,"

First of all, they're not typical bangs, it's called a curtain fringe. Second, when the two mother-son duo cover their grins in an identical movement and Ilyaz notices it, the horrified expression on his face is good enough for me to ignore the comment.

Lastly, I give him my sweetest smile to confirm his darkest fear, "Yes, Ily, you're turning into your darling mother."

"Aren't those dahlias so nice?" I gesture to the flowers as Dahlia aunty replaces the previous bouquet with the newer one.

"Ah, isn't it?" She croons, "Ilyaz spoils me so; mashAllah, he's such a sweet boy. I'm sure he does the same for you,"

My smile twists at the corner and Ilyaz has found the most interesting thing about the carpet to captivate him.

My heart sings when I remember it's nearing the end of autumn now, and these bouquets would almost cost a hundred pounds. He'd be forking out over a hundred pounds for these once in two weeks visits.

After the longest time of our introductions in the frontier corridor, we finally go inside.

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Dahlia aunty has made chapli kabab. The butter chicken I so adore was licked clean by all of us while watching the match. Chapli kabab makes my insides twist, and she knows it. That's why, up until now, she has kept alternate dishes if it was on the menu. Not tonight though. I suppose this is because of the hydrangeas, but this is a creative reprisal and I'll give her that.

She's watching me closely, anticipating a reaction, so I look her right in the eye and fit the largest morsel in my mouth. I turn to Ilyaz next, and smile.