Pickle Perfect

Chapter 4

HIM
✨

'Mangalore??? I mean...you could go to London... Switzerland...Paris...' Aunt Fari tried suggesting when I looked at the lady who silently sat beside me and kept gulping down the orange juice like an innocent little bird. No one would believe she was the same woman who was yelling at me last night when she was absolutely against the idea of a honeymoon.

8 hours ago...

'What do you mean by that's not possible? Just because you are my husband...you cannot force me into anything!!!' she said angrily when my eyes widened and a small smile appeared on my lips.

Husband...

'Am I?' I asked as I bent a little to her height when she narrowed her eyebrows asking 'What??'. She was confused

'You just called me that?' I whispered when she narrowed her eyebrows even more asking 'Called you what?' she asked again when I smiled and slowly tucked some stray hair behind her left ear asking 'Husband! Am I?' I asked when her lips parted. I noticed her cheeks slightly changing its hue. She looked flushed yet she managed to ask 'Are you not?' and I smiled nodding when she cleared her throat saying

'But that doesn't mean we are going on a honeymoon? Coz we are NOT !' she said with a firm tone and I smiled saying

'Tell that to your aunt... because I think she's the one who was talking to my brother's mother about honeymoon in Paris...ummm...Nope...Sweden...or what was that place ummmm-'

'What the??? I ...I can't...I had already told Aunt Maria that I'm in India for an assignment.' she said as she looked concerned and I asked 'What assignment?' but she didn't respond back and kept biting the nail of her little finger.

Old habits never die. Back in college she preferred chewing her ball-pen top.

Cute though.

'Oh come on Erica! It's not like I'll rob your job! I'm not a threat. Atleast not at your workplace.' I said when she looked at me thinking something and she finally muttered

'My boss wants me to curate a sea food menu with some old school Indian recepies. I am here for that!' and my eyes widened and I pressed my lips a little trying to control my laugh asking

'So you mean...no one knows you are here to get married?' and she looked elsewhere saying 'I don't have leaves!' and this time I really couldn't stop laughing as I burst out loudly when she looked at me with anger. She was mad right now but I couldn't stop laughing. I had heard of work life imbalance stories, asshole-boss not granting leaves but for heaven's sake she wasn't going for her cousin's wedding. This was her own wedding and she says she doesn't have leaves. Just wow!

' I don't think it's that funny!' she argued when I nodded trying to hide my laughter yet couldn't help but stop myself from replying 'Of course!!! I mean I have never seen someone managing both writing wedding vows and mackerel curry recipes at the same time. This is such an exceptional situation!' I said when she took a step closer to me folding her hands against her chest as she said 'Honestly! That mackerel curry recipe is more important to me than this wedding! Atleast I'm interested in it!'

Ouch! That pricked. Yet I knew her situation. She had honestly admitted why she decided to get married and she also enjoyed the long distance setup between us. She would stay in Dubai and I would be in London or travelling around the world owing to my business investments. However I won't lie, it kind of hurt when she announced how little she cared about this wedding arrangement, but then I was willing to change her opinion about this wedding. And I was determined.

'Hmm...but staying in Goa means attending n+1 lunches, dinners and breakfasts because although I don't have a big family, I do have an expensive so-called Uncle!' I said when she narrowed her eyebrows and I added