Making Her Mine- An IPKKND story.

Chapter 11 - Success

The three Gupta women (one of whom was also a Singh Raizada) gaped at Arnav, mouths hanging open.

"What?" he said, although it was kind of fun seeing their shocked expressions. All he had told them after getting back to Buaji's house was that he was going to make tonight's dinner.

Buaji recovered first. "But Arnav Babua, why will you make dinner? That's not—we can't let you—we don't ask our damaad to—"

"Relax, Buaji. Why can't I cook? I'm not so bad, honestly. For a change? Khushi can help me."

"Huh?" Khushi said, still staring at him. He enjoyed seeing her lost for words. "I—uh," she was recovering rapidly, though. "Yes, I don't know what he will do in the kitchen otherwise."

Garima Aunty and Buaji both looked deeply dissatisfied, as if they were going to hover in the kitchen after all, but Arnav told them no.

"If you don't like it, I won't do it again, I promise. But give me a chance," he said to them, and the two women finally went away, giggling, to watch some TV.

Khushi eyed him suspiciously.

"What are you trying to do?"

Arnav smirked. "Make dinner, of course. Come, help me. I need a big pot..."

He could see that she was curious, despite herself, examining everything he pulled out from the grocery bags and placed on the countertop.

"We already had tomatoes; you didn't have to buy them," she said. "We had garlic too. What are these?"

"Mushrooms. And those are baby corn, and this is a zucchini."

"Mushrooms? But mushrooms are not like that. Why not get fresh ones instead of this dry packet..."

"Shut up, Khushi. You don't know everything."

"Yes, and you know everything." She rummaged through the cabinets for the pots, muttering just loud enough for him to hear.

"Laad Governor's English food. I don't know if it will even be edible. Everyone will have to go hungry. I better make something else too; otherwise..."

"It's not English; it's Italian. And don't you dare make something else. I can cook!" Arnav said, snatching the pot she held in her hand.

Arnav didn't usually like someone getting in the way when he was focused on doing something, and Khushi was the Queen of Clumsiness. But she learned fast and did what he asked exactly right—or even better than he could have himself—chopping vegetables neatly to the exact specifications he requested. It was fun having her do as he asked for a change.

Khushi was holding the colander with drained pasta over the sink. Instead of asking her to hand it over, Arnav reached around her to grab it, their cheeks almost touching as he stood close behind her.

She gasped and let go of the colander, which thankfully he had caught firmly.

"Watch it, Khushi. Are you trying to sabotage my dinner?" Arnav said, grinning.

Khushi looked flustered, but she couldn't stay away for long. She inched closer as he put the pasta together, eyeing him work with a mix of curiosity and incredulity.

"That's all we are going to eat?" she asked as he scooped the pasta from the cook pot and transferred it to a serving dish she had taken out.

He quirked his eyebrow. "Yeah?"

She twisted her lips in a grimace, and, sticking a serving spoon into the dish, carried it to the table. Arnav followed her with the chopped basil and cheese on a tray.