Saajna

12

Thank you Shiv ji. For blessing me with this amazing family and a loving caring husband. Sabki raksha karna.

Anika opened her eyes, hands holding the 'aarti ki thal' with her husband.

It was like a dream. Everything was feeling like a dream, like a film playing in front of her eyes. Happiness blooming in her heart as the warmth from the 'diya' in front of her and Rudra's chest behind her spread in her body. Is it normal to feel this happy.

Finishing the 'arti' she handed everyone 'prasad', at last coming in front of her husband. She put forth her hand waiting for him to forward his but to her surprise he has something else in his mind.

Anika raised her brows urging him to take the 'prasad' but instead of doing as she was indicating he opened his mouth causing her eyes to widen.

Huffing a breath she finally gave up and started to put the prasad in his mouth.

"Anika" Her mother in law called, startling her which made Anika to force the laddoo in Rudra's mouth, resulting in chocking him.

"I-I'm s-sorry" She apologized patting his back. Her heart beating at an abnormal speed looking at Rudra coughing and chocking.

"Anika" The call form Garima again make her movement stop. She looked at Rudra with guilt full eyes and took a step back.

She wasn't able to make a lot of distance between them before he gripped her wrist and tug her in his arms. "Just wait until you are in our bedroom. Badla lunga mai" Rudra wishpers near her ear, slightly nipping her earlobe causing her to gasp and flee from there.

He chuckled looking at her hurrying form. All the teasing he is gonna do, playing in his head. Smirking he turned towards the 'mandir' and bowed down.

***

"Anika. Kaha thi beta? Mai aawaz laga rahi thi kab se" Anika got questioned as soon as she entered the kitchen.

"Maa w-wo wo m-mai-" She started nervously to explain, when Garima interrupt her mid sentence. "Koi baat nhi Anika. Ab pehli rasoi ki rasam shuru kare? "

Garima started explaining her things once Anika nodded.

Ok! Relax. Plan. Execute.

Repeating the words in her head she inhale a large breath and slowly exhale.

All those years in culinary school has prepared her for this moment. Growing up she loved cooking, the only thing which make her feel close to her dead mother. When she was little she used to think everyone's mom make delicious food but that myth burst when she started living with her uncle and aunt.

It's not like her kaki maa was a bad cook or anything . Neeti cooks well too but the love, the 'haath ka jadu' her mom had, the feeling she used to pour in, nobody can compare it.

It was a dream of Anika to start the once popular cafe her mother used to own. After her death no one was there to continue it and unfortunately it got shut down.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

She counted setting everything on the table. Six dishes, she made all because she was confused what to make. And just then she got an idea to cook someone's favorite but being the people pleaser she is, she cannot just choose a single person and leave others. What if the left members feel bad? Even though they will probably not, her overthinking brain would never stop thinking about it.

So it's gonna be everyone's favorite even if she had to cook SIX freaking dishes.

"Anika. Ye kya hain? Itna sab kuch banane ki kya jarurt thi bachche." The mother of her husband looked at her confused. "Wo maa mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha to maine sab ka favorite bana diya" She began explaining herself. "Ye papa ke liye ker sangari, ye aapke liye kadhi, ye Anirrudh ke liye gatte ki sabji, ye Shobhna ke liye pyaaz kachori or ye Sristi ke liye"

"Beta tumhe nahi lagta tum sabse important insaan ko bhool rahi ho?" Garima asked giggling to herself. "Ye moong dal ka halwa" Anika showed the sweet dish to her which she made specially for the husband of hers.

Soon everyone gathered and sat at the dinning table waiting for the food to be served when the sudden squealing shocked everyone.

"Wow!! Pyaaz ki kachori. Ye kisne banaya? " Stuffing her face with the piping hot kachori Shobhana inquired, soon realising her mistake she cried out again. "Ah! Ah! Ah! Garam... Pani Pani Pani" She was jumping while fanning herself.

"Here, drink" Rudra hand out the glass to her looking concern. "Jada laga? Idhar dikhao." He was checking her while the younger siblings were trying not to laugh.

Unfortunately they failed and burst out laughing, receiving a deadly glare from Rudra which shut them up real quick.

Making sure the clumsy little sister of his is okay he took his seat and everything started eating.

Anika was getting showered with compliments and gifts when from the corner of her eyes she noticed Rudra getting up. "Rudra beta mitha kha kar jao" Garima suggested.

"Nahi maa you know I'm avoiding sugar" He stated.

His wife's face fell. He told her that she can make him her tasting person and now he won't even taste the dish she specially made for him. Lowering her head she tried not cry.

"Maa if bhai don't want moong dal ka halwa then I'll take it " Anirrudh snatched the bowl of the table, digging a big spoon full of the sugary goodness. He was going to put the stemming halwa in his mouth but remember what happened to his younger sister and started blowing, waiting for the dish to cool down a little.

In a blink of an eye the spoon was snatched from his hold. He looked up at the culprit ready to fight for his rights but one look from Rudra dismissed all his courage real quick.

Moong dal ka halwa was a weekness of Rudra, hearing about it his ears perked up and he cannot let anyone have it before he has his share.

He was very upset when he looked at his wife serving everyone their favorites. He waited for his turn patiently but it never came so he thought she forgot about him.

Now knowing she didn't forget about him he was ecstatic. She definitely deserves a reward for this.

Rudra pointed his finger at table telling Anirrudh to put the sweet dish there, so he did just that grumbling.

Rudra sat on his place again, grabbing the bowl he push it in front of Anika. "Serve me too please" He requested looking at her, smiling ear to ear.

Thank you so much guys for 2k+ reads.
Also the amount of people ask me to update was overwhelming. So I wrote this chapter in a hurry.
I'm sorry if it's a little boring. Please bare with me the story will get interesting slowly.
Byeee.