Chaotic Tangles!

19|| Grief Reaction

I cannot help but wonder how many of us walk through our lives, day after day, feeling slightly broken and alone, surrounded all the time by others who feel exactly the same way." — Patrick Rothfuss, The Slow Regard Of Silent

Manik breathed in deep as he sniffed in the mouth watering aroma of his special biryani, and ended up smiling to himself. He continued to stir the Raita on the adjacent stove for a few more minutes before transferring it to a glass bowl and ushering that inside his refrigerator. He liked his Raita a little cold.

Once he was satisfied with the flavor and taste of his Biryani, he turned the stove off and washed his hands, before using the kitchen towel to wipe them dry. Turning on his heels, he walked to the dining table and began setting it for serving dinner. After he was satisfied that the jug was filled with water and his pickle collection along side plain curd was all there on the table, he walked back to the kitchen, transferred the Biryani into the casserole and put it on the table.

"Nandini, food is ready!", he called out, before going to fetch the plates from his utensil rack.

"Coming", Nandini yelled back. A weird nervous excitement began to bubble inside Manik's stomach, he shook his head trying to shake off the feeling.

It was okay. He knew he was a good cook. So what if Nandini was going to eat something he made for the first time?

It was while giving himself a pep talk he realized he forgot bringing the Raita from the fridge. Rolling his eyes at himself, he walked inside the kitchen just a few steps in when he felt like a ball of orange had just rushed past him. He paused and turned back, walking out again to see Nandini standing by the couch, her back to him.

"Nandini?", she jumped at his voice and immediately turned to him, making him raise a brow. She chuckled nervously and showed him her phone, making him realize she was texting.

"I didn't see the time and completely forgot that my mother awaits my text to make sure I have eaten. Or she won't eat in peace either", her voice shook a little as she smiled with melancholic features, but Manik understood why. She probably missed her family. He nodded at her, his own memories of his mother clouding his mind as he walked back in to fetch the Raita, and Nandini immediately sighed in relief grateful that he buy her stupid excuse. She then immediately sent the text, and carefully closed the chain of her hand purse, her heart beating erratically in her chest. Then she forced herself to smile - she could not sabotage the entire thing now just because she had no control over her feelings and she felt like the entire world has fallen apart around her.

"Breathe in, breathe out", she chanted inside her mind, her eyes drifting back to her purse every few seconds while her hands fisted her dress by her side, her knuckles turning white from the pressure she was applying.

When Manik walked out of the kitchen with the bowl she quietly walked upto the dining table and sat down, watching him. While her constant gaze made him nervous quiet a bit, he still managed to serve them both before sitting in the chair beside her, such that they were sitting beside each other on the table at ninety degrees.

Manik scooped some rice, mixed it with his raita and was about to eat it when he noticed Nandini playing with her food instead, she looked lost in some deep thoughts and prominent frown lines covered half of her forehead. He nudged her slightly, touching his left elbow with her right and she looked up with a jerk, scared as her heart beats increased.

Manik raised a brow at her unusual reaction but Nandini shrugged, ignoring him on the outer while feeling terrified on the insides. She immediately put a spoon of food in her mouth, while giving herself another pep talk in her head about not losing her cover in front of Manik.