This Love

CHAPTER 3

Inaya hasn't shut herself up about the lie I made up out of panic. He's single, you know. When are you making a move? Or are you waiting for him to come to you? Bunch of bullshit.

But the excitement about tonight's dinner makes it all easier. Payal and Inaya are my besties from high school. Payal got married two years ago and now has her own little version of herself delivered from her uterus three months ago. And tonight she's bringing baby nina to dinner. Yaay.

I've only seen her in the videos and photos that she would send me and also during video calls where nina would probably always be sleeping. Nina looks most like her mother, but I bet her personality would be more like her dad. Now, Payal's husband is also her high school love. Thomas John. They started dating back in high school and held through thick and thin to get married despite the religion barrier. Now they're one happy family, especially when Payal's and Thomas' parents accepted their marriage after Payal got pregnant with Nina.

I dress up in a cute white sleeveless satin dress hoping to catch the attention of nina. She likes pretty things, from what I know of her. I pack the toys and clothes I bought for nina, more soaps, clothes, bags and chocolates for payal and Thomas from Germany. Nina is really gonna love all the fluffy toys.

I had to rent a car for two weeks since my brother took my car his college stay. And I rented a really expensive electric MG hector, I don't remember why. I stuff all the bags in the trunk, and start driving to Just Loaf Cafe.

The cafe is known for it's outdoor seating aesthetic and as I walk down the black stone graved path towards the big table that has been reserved by Rishi, I can see my friends there. They're all talking, happy and carefree. I can see inaya and Rishi talking something in between and smiling to themselves. I see payal trying to get nina's fingers off from her hair. I see Thomas catching up with Neil, since we all went to the same school. I also see Rian with half his attention in the phone but occasionally smiling to what the table has to say. They're laughing through things, rearranging the dishes they've ordered- what? They ordered without me?! I walk faster towards them.

"Started without me?" I ask from behind Inaya who now is licking her fingers off some clearly delicious sauce.

"You're early." She says sarcastically and goes back to her eating.

I walk towards Payal, who's holding Nina. Nina is dressed up in a bright yellow dress and she is just so cute and pretty that I feel like squishing her.

"Ninaaa" I sing and take her off from her mother. She doesn't even resist a bit and I take pride in that.

"Nina, it's me aunt vee." I say and hope she would smile or something? Does she remember me? Do she even know me?

While I try to make nina adjusted to me by making funny faces and talking to her like I've known her since ages, I motion Neil to switch seats away so that I can sit near Payal which gives me more access to Nina.

"Sit somewhere elsee." He says whining.

"Pleaseeee." I annoy the shit out of him by making a pathetic cute face that he stands up and takes the other free seat beside my seat.

I don't look at Inaya.

"Don't forget to get the things from me." I say to Payal and she beams. She already knows I have brought everything she asked for.

As I continue to play with Nina for a while, Neil pokes me.

"Yeah?" I ask him and he's in a really deep thought.

"How's Germany?" He asks and waits for some time as I contemplate the question. It is only normal people ask me this question, and I'd say something that won't destroy the reputation of that place nor try to shame my hometown.