Our Secret Love

8. Family Matters

The next morning, Kiara woke up to the sounds of her mom’s loud, animated voice coming from downstairs. She groaned and rubbed her eyes, the events of the previous night still fresh in her mind. Aarav… the picnic, the conversation, the way he’d said things that had made her feel like she was actually being seen for who she was. She had never been one to fall easily, but with him, it was different.

After brushing off her thoughts, she forced herself out of bed and into the kitchen. The scent of freshly brewed chai filled the air, and as soon as Kiara stepped in, her mom, Aarti Kapoor, was already there, flipping parathas on the stove and humming a Bollywood tune.

"Kiara, beta!" her mom said cheerfully, not even turning around. "Aaj tumne chai bhi nahi banayi? Don’t tell me you’re already turning into one of those fancy corporate types who can’t even make tea."

Kiara sighed, leaning against the kitchen doorway. "Mom, I can make chai. But it’s Sunday morning, and I thought I could get a little break from being ‘the responsible adult.’"

Her mom laughed, shaking her head. "Responsible? You? You still can’t get your laundry sorted properly, and you call yourself responsible."

Kiara rolled her eyes and took a seat at the kitchen table, watching her mom. Aarti Kapoor the definition of a lively, spirited woman—always full of energy, constantly making jokes, and practically glued to her phone, keeping up with every relative’s drama on WhatsApp.

Kiara’s father, Rajesh, was sitting at the table with his cup of chai, engrossed in the morning newspaper. He didn’t say much unless he had something important to add, which, for the most part, meant simply nodding or agreeing with whatever Aarti said. He had a warm presence, the kind that made you feel at home, even in the most chaotic situations.

"Kiara, have you called that business guy yet?" Aarti asked, her voice suddenly dropping in pitch as she slid a plate of parathas toward her daughter.

Kiara froze mid-sip. "What business guy?" she asked, trying to act casual.

Her mom’s eyes twinkled. "The one you’ve been spending all that time with lately. Aarav, right?"

Kiara nearly choked on her chai. “I—what? No, he’s just a colleague. You know, just work-related stuff. We’re not—”

"Oh, come on, beta!" Aarti interrupted, winking. "I see how you two look at each other when you think no one’s watching. Don’t worry, I’ve been married long enough to know when a young woman’s interested. Aarav seems nice."

Kiara’s face flushed crimson. “Mom, please!” she said, her voice a mix of exasperation and embarrassment. "We’re just… friends. Okay? Please don’t make it a big thing."

Aarti raised an eyebrow. "Just friends? And you call that picnic a ‘just friends’ kind of date?" she teased, giving Kiara a knowing look. "Come on, you can tell me everything. You know I won’t tell anyone. Not even your aunties."

Kiara groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Oh my God, Mom. This is exactly why I can’t tell you anything! You’re worse than my aunties combined."

Her mom laughed loudly, shaking her head as she returned to the stove. "I’m just saying, Kiara. Don’t miss out on something good. Life’s too short for playing it safe all the time."

Kiara rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips. Her mom’s advice, although often unsolicited and dramatic, was always spot on. Kiara knew that her mother had the best of intentions, even if her methods were sometimes a little too overbearing.

As Kiara dug into her parathas, her father finally spoke up from behind his newspaper. "Kiara, beta," he said, his voice low but serious, "your mom’s right about one thing. Don’t waste time. You don’t know what might happen tomorrow. Whatever it is you’re feeling, just go for it. Life’s too short to wait around and wonder."

Kiara looked up at her dad, a small smile playing on her lips. "Thanks, Dad. I’ll keep that in mind."

Aarti grinned, pleased with her husband's rare moment of wisdom. “See, even your father agrees with me.”

Kiara shook her head, laughing softly at how, no matter how old she got, her parents would still treat her like their little girl. "Okay, okay, I get it. You both want me to date Aarav. But I’m not ready to talk about it yet."

Her mom’s face softened slightly. “Beta, I just want you to be happy. You deserve someone who makes you laugh, someone who sees the real you.” She set a fresh cup of chai in front of Kiara and added gently, “Your father and I, we’ve been through a lot together, and I know that love makes life easier. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, just… don’t close your heart.”

Kiara took a sip of the chai, letting the warmth seep through her. "I know, Mom," she replied quietly. "I just don’t want to rush things. You know how I am with relationships."

Her mom nodded knowingly. “I do. But sometimes, we let our fears make the decisions for us.”

The conversation fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, before Aarti broke it with a dramatic sigh. “I just hope you’re not waiting for a guy like in those romance novels you read. Because, trust me, they don’t exist in real life.”

Kiara snorted. “I don’t expect someone to ride in on a horse and declare his undying love for me, Mom. But a little romance doesn’t hurt.”

Her mom raised her eyebrows. "Ahh, I see. You like the spicy ones, don’t you?"

Kiara nearly choked on her chai again. "Mom, please! Stop!" she groaned, feeling her face burn. "That’s not… exactly what I mean. And it’s none of your business, okay?"

Aarti laughed loudly, clearly enjoying teasing her daughter. "You can tell me, beta. I’m not judging you." She paused and added, “Just don’t bring a guy home and expect me to let him stay past 9 p.m., okay? I’ve seen those things in the movies.”

Kiara rolled her eyes but was secretly amused. “You’re impossible, Mom. Seriously.”

“Okay, okay,” Aarti said, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "But if you’re going to date this Aarav, at least bring him home sometime so I can see what he’s made of."

Kiara laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep that in mind. And I’m definitely not rushing things.”

But deep down, she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, her mom had a point. Maybe it was time to take a chance. Maybe Aarav was exactly the kind of person she needed—someone who could make her feel more alive, someone who didn’t expect perfection but accepted her as she was.

As she finished her chai and helped her mom clean up, Kiara’s mind wandered back to Aarav. The way he had looked at her the night before, the way he made her feel like she wasn’t just another woman in a world full of distractions. There was something real between them, and for the first time in a long while, Kiara felt the stirrings of hope—of the kind of love her mom had always talked about.

And maybe, just maybe, it was time to stop running from it.