Feeling The Greys (revised version)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎. 𝐀 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒

𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐲

They say stubbornness won't lead you anywhere. Jokes on them because mine led me straight to Shivi's apartment. In her kitchen. On her couch to be exact.

The apartment was filled to the brim with silence, save for the soft snores of Aayush—who slept with his tiny legs sprawled on my lap—and the occasional thundering. I waited for Shivi to say something, anything at this point to break this awkward phase.

I know I've an apology to make and it is why I am here. Mom use to say everyone's—not only men's—route to happiness starts with their stomach. Cross out 'happy wife, happy life', it should only be 'good food, good life'. So, after stealing one of the easiest recipes from her book, I came her.

Though, I didn't expect the little one but I can't deny he turned out the entry ticket in her house.

Shifting on the same place for the tenth time, I waited for her to finish her plate. I don't know what's taking her so long to eat everything.

"Are you done?" Finally. Finally, she opened her mouth for something else other than to shove spoonful of pasta inside it, which she's been doing since past thirty minutes.

Even if it's not what I wanted her to say, I'll have to manage with the crumbs. "Done what?"

"Done staring." She said. Another spoonful inside her mouth. She took her time chewing and swallowing. "I wonder how there's not a hole burned at the side of my face."

What? "Shivi. I came here with a purpose—"

She cut me off. "Don't talk like that. You're scaring me."

"Don't cut me in mid-sentence so I can finish what I was saying and not scare you." I sighed. "I came here to apologize. Please don't make it hard for me."

She raised her brow. "How am I making this hard for you?"

"You've been eating for thirty minutes. Purposely, should I add."

She pushed the plate on the table in front of her and removed Aayush's head from her lap. She stood up in front of me. "What does that have to do with your apology?!"

Straightening to my height, I tower over her making her take a few steps back. "Everything. You didn't even compliment me for the food." I take a step ahead making her take one back. "Didn't even thank me." Another. 

"The ingredients were mine." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I cooked them." Another step ahead.

"I didn't ask." Another step back.

"But you ate."

"Can't let the food go waste." Her back hit against the wall behind her.

I stopped, my feet touching hers. Bracing my hand on the wall behind her, I leaned in. "Tell me how it was."

"What?" Her eyes moved over my face. Heat flushed up her cheeks.

"Pasta. That I cooked for you."

"You didn't cook it for me, it was for Aayush."

"Aayush was just an excuse."

She narrowed her eyes at me, asking, "Did you come all the way here to cook pasta for me?"

I stepped closer and brushed off the crease forming on her forehead. It would be a shame if such a pretty face got ruined by stupid wrinkles. "I came here to apologize."

"You're doing everything but that." My eyes travelled down to her slender neck, seeing the movement in her throat as she gulped.

I let my eyes stay there for another few seconds, then moved them up to her face. Her captivating eyes possess a brilliant shade of brown that somehow seems to warm my heart every time I look into them. They're expressive and currently wide, betraying her every emotion and thought. Her small, slightly upturned nose gives her face an endearing appearance. And her lips, the fullness of them was so alluring, I had to swallow the lump forming in my throat.