"All ingredients required are here, tum bas kheer bana do baki mai dekh lungi" Ragini di said keeping everything on counter for me.
(You prepare kheer, I'll handle the rest)
kheer- a desert in India, it is made with rice, milk and sugar to add more flavour we add dry fruits like cashew, pistachio etc.
She is Vicky bhaiya's wife, and the elder daughter-in-law of this house.
She's the only genuine person to be found here but what if she starts to show her colours after few days.
I nodded as she left the kitchen for me, I'm glad she did.
I started preparing the kheer which I have made thousands of time yet I'm nervous for their reactions.
I kept all my attention on the kheer and refuse to think about anything else right now.
What can I expect from my in-laws when my own parents sold me for what I don't know.
Ragini di entered the kitchen and gave me a smile, kisi ko toh yaha acche se behave karne aata hai.
(at least someone knows how to behave properly in this house)
"Kheer ban gyi choti?" she asked maintaining the smile on her face
(is the kheer done smally?")
"choti?" I asked her in amusement.
Not like I mind her calling that but I'm still a bit taken back by someone putting effort to make me comfortable.
"han Aakriti, tum meri devrani nahi meri choti behen jaisi ho" she chuckles making me smile.
(Yes Aakriti, you're like younger sister to me )
"kheer ho gyi hai di, aap chak kar dekhogi" I asked her hopefully.
(Kheer is prepared, will you taste it please?")
she nods and bring a spoon to taste.
I wait for her reaction and to my delight she smiles at me
"kheer toh bohot acchi bani hai, devar ji toh khate hi behosh ho jayenge" she teases me.
(The kheer tastes delicious, my brother-in-law will faint getting a taste of it)
I freeze when she mentions him.
Only if she knew that I have neither seen him since last night nor do I wanna see him.
"What else to cook?" I asked her before she teases me further.
"I have prepared the sabzi before you entered, bas puriya banani hai and the breakfast is done" she tells me.
The dough was too prepared by her before I came, she was rolling them in perfect round shape and I deep fried them while talking about anything. It felt like she's my friend and not my sister-in-law.
"Aacha phir kya hua?" she asked showing interest.
(what happened after that?)
I was telling her about one time when I went out with my friends and the bill came more than amount we combinedly had.
"Kya bolu di, hum sabki sitti pitti gul ho gyi thi but hamare ek dost ne online payment kar diye" I say remembering the memory.
"tum bacche bhi na, How come y'all didn't realise the cost while ordering? "she laughs.
"Aare baba, we didn't realise it'll cost that much, humne toh utna khaya bhi nahi" I huff "Anyways we were just 15 then, not even in high school"
