IBADAT-E-ISHQ

Reception 🎉

~RAISA~ 

As I finish the garnishing of Malai Kofta, I smile in victory.

I just hope they all likeit. 

"Raisa." I hear Maa call my name as she and Badi Maa comes inside the kitchen. As soon as they notice all the dishes are ready, they gasp loudly, "I told you to take the help of the cooks." Maa says, looking slightly mad.

"But Maa it was a ritual, if I took the help of the cooks, then it would've been cheating." I explain softly. 

"You're such an angel." Badi Maa says as she touches my chin tenderly.

"What about me, Maa?" Rati asks her mother-in-law, raising both eyebrows on her.

"You're my little devil." She replies as she pinches Rati's cheeks softly and hug her.

"Okay now, you two go, I'll help Raisa with the serving." Rati declares like a queen and both our mothers-in-law leave at once.

Rati comes and stand next to me, her eyes fixed on Malai Kofta, she creeps her finger closer to the Malai Kofta, thinking I won't notice, but I slap her hand away.

"But I just wanted to taste." She whines like a small child.

"After it's served." I reply with a strict voice.

"Hitler." She tries to mutter it under her breath, but I hear it clearly.

And then she sends all the cooks to put the dishes on the table and inform everyone that food is ready. And I dread the question she's about to ask me.

"So, how was it?" I knew it.

Her question forces me to take stroll down the memory lane and cringe at myself, for what I did last night.

"How was what?" I try to play dumb, because it really helps in many situations.

"Your Suhaagraat." Rati says, totally not letting me play dumb.

I gulp and avoid eye contact with her and speak as low as possible. "N-Nothing happened."

"Why?" She literally shouts at me.

And I sigh, because there's definitely no point of hiding anything from Rati, because she will find and and once, she finds it, she'll make sure she gives me an earful. So, I tell her everything.

"You cried because he's being nice to you?" Rati asks with a "are you serious?" look. And I feel like a small mouse in front of a big cat.

"I ... I don't know. I ... I felt ... lost." I say with my eyes fixed on the ground.

Rati takes hold of my both hands and says, "How many times do I need to tell you? Just because someone didn't treat you right, doesn't mean someone else won't either. Qaiser, wants to treat you right, and you know it too."

"But you know I can't trust people easily." I say trying to protect myself.

"Yes, and whose asking you to trust him easily, but it's just that if he's trying to do something, anything, if you won't let him, then how will you know whether you can trust him or not? See Raisa, it's very simple. You don't need to go into this whole husband and wife mode from the beginning, take your time, be friends first, try to know each other, anyway there's no hurry, you two have your whole life to spend with each other. Besides, for sex you don't even need to be lovers. You can have fun, Raisa." She says nonchalantly, i wish it was that easy but unfortunately it's not. All the things she said make sense but don't make sense as well.