A Special Day

The Orange Rose

They left the fort in a cab, Shivi had her driver sent off for she wanted space with Reyan and no good was it to have her father's driver around. Reyan took them to the city palace, the place he showed Shivi from the Sajjangarh palace. Some quarters of it were open to general public including the museum and five star hotel.

Reyan remembered from his previous trip about an open air coffee shop in the palace that was right next to the lake, as close as one could jump right off from the balcony into the lake.

There weren't many people at the cafe except for a few foreigners who definitely were residing in the palace. They sat on a table next to the lake, under a lamp post. Agreed that it was broad daylight but lamp posts give away a romantic vibe even during sunny hours.

"Good afternoon, how are you doing today?" Asked the waiter who had shown them to their table and just provided them the short menu.

"We're good, thank you" said Shivi happily.
"What is your specialty here?" She asked, keeping the menu aside.
"We have a continental menu ma'am, our guests enjoy all of what we serve." He said, pausing for a moment and continuing to say "however, we do provide customization services on all our items from the menu."

"Okay" said Shivi, "actually i had been hoping for a more authentic Rajasthani menu."
"I see" the waiter said, "this cafe has been made to serve the general visitors with quick bistro services ma'am."
"Our local specialty fine diner is down inside the hotel complex if Mewar cuisine is what you seek." He said further.

"Thank you, we'll let you know about your choice in a bit." She said.

Reyan who was sitting on the other side of the table, waited for the conversation to end all this while. He knew of all what waiter said but avoided intervening for Shivi wouldn't have liked it.
"We can go down there for a proper lunch, it's 3 pm already" he suggested.
"No, i am not as hungry, let's order from here only" she said and slided the menu in between them so they could choose.

Took them five minutes to decide the order and when the waiter was called again, Reyan asked Shivi to order for herself first.
"I'd like a cappuccino please, low on sugar." She said, "and one spaghetti arrabiata".

"Can I have a customized coffee?" Reyan asked.
"Of course sir" the waiter answered.
"Thanks, I'd like a double shot of espresso blended into three hundred ml of milk with one teaspoon sugar." He said.
"Sure sir, would you like anything else?" The waiter said.
Reyan looked at Shivi who shook her head.
"No, that'll be good for now" Reyan said.

"So, Shivi, finally! you have no clue how happy I am to be sitting here." Reyan said.

"Thank you" she blushed, "I wanted to meet you too"
"You came here yesterday, right?" He asked.
"Yes, last night only." She said.
"How was it? Your Bangalore trip?" Reyan asked, "you little lady, those five days your cell had been off had me missing your calls real bad."

"I am sorry" she said, "but this is how I travel, sometimes the network gets low too. Moreover, I am the kind of person who wants to make the best out of every day because not again will I get to visit the same place again, will I?"

"I understand" he said, "that's why i didn't mind at first when you asked me not to come here, but then, I couldn't avoid."

"I'll be honest, it did annoy me but then, I need to thank you for being here, I am enjoying our time so far." She said, winking at him.

Reyan smiled and blushed. "It's only the beginning" he said, throwing in some curiosity.

"I think I'm going to enjoy travelling with you" he said.
"You sure will Mr. Arora." Shivi said proudly, "I have been so surprised about the similarities and interests we have that I have been wishing to plan a trip with you ever since"

"Haha, this one could have been it" Reyan said with raised eyebrows.
"Yaar, you know I had planned this one over a month ago and I really don't enjoy changing plans" she said, "let's plan one soon"

At that moment the waiter dropped in, placing there order on the table and left.
Shivi initiated and took the first sip from her coffee and her reaction had Reyan laugh. It was evident she hadn't liked the coffee.
"What is it?" Reyan asked Shivi.
"This is nothing like a cappuccino" she said, disgusted "it's light and next to no sugar. More like an ultra-diluted hot espresso."
"Haha" Reyan laughed, "here, try this."
"No, it's alright, I'll order something else." She said.
"Yes yes, but at least try" he insisted, sliding his glass towards her.
The moment she took a sip, her reaction changed, he could see it on her face but didn't utter a word.
She smiled at him, "I'm impressed."
She called back the waiter, asking him to take back the disgusting cappuccino and repeat Reyan's order for her.

"This pasta better be good or I'll go straight to the prince and tell him to have a better taste in food." She said, bringing in the pasta and serving it on both of their plates.

It was good, they both liked it and fortunately the next coffee had them back on track.

"When are you visiting the north then?" Reyan asked her.
"When are you visiting the south then?" She asked him back, smirking.

"Haha; soon, now that I have a reason to visit" he said, winking at her.
She liked the thought.
"I have told you how I'd like my trip to your city to be, I still want that." He said further.
She felt happy.

"You know, my parents are a bit scared of the north and I think their reason is valid, it is not safe there." She said.
Reyan nodded.
"Otherwise there are so many places I want to visit, including a trek in the mountains, the temples of Krishna and Shiva there, the golden temple. What not?" She said, "I hope to visit there soon"

"Don't worry, I'll have you visit there." He said confidently, "your parents won't mind either."
"Haha, let's see how you manage to do that Arora." She said, taking a sip from her coffee.

The conversation went for long, they both enjoyed talking to each other, occasionally making the other one blush and laugh. So intrigued they were into speaking of experiences that they never realized a musical performance being set up right next to them until it actually started. A musical artist had come to visit the palace and just like any other guitarist, he had his guitar set and mouth singing out beautiful songs of friendship and romance.

Reyan had found his perfect moment to slide his next flower to her, he brought out of his bag an orange flower to give to the woman, to signify the enthusiastic bond they shared between each other.
Shivi was surprised again and the musician, as soon as he saw it started singing "yaara teri yaari" a famous Bollywood song.
Her reaction had Reyan's heart delighted with joy.