Redemption

James

James entered the gate of the shroff mansion with his jet black motorcycle with glowing blue wheels. He stopped by the door took his helmet off slicked his shiny hair back and threw the helmet to the valet.

Tigers parents were sitting on the living room couch

James: Hello my dearest family!

Jackie: James! What a nice surprise

Jackie got up very excited to see his troublemaker nephew. He stood up and hugged him

James: aunty Ayesha? Are you getting younger day by day?

Ayesha: oh stop it, you always have a way with women I can tell you get a lot of them hu, why don't we meet one and arrange a marriage

James: and that's my cue to leave

They all chuckled and Tiger then came downstairs with his sister

Tiger: hey james, welcome

Tiger and james hugged but Tiger was more calm than his father but loves james like his little brother

Krishna: what brings you here at this hour, usually your always out with someone new every week

Tiger was smiling, they all sat down

James: missed my family, decided to take a break from partying for a while

Krishna: well that's a breaking news for sure

James: very funny, as always

James said sarcastically
Zoya came into the living room with a flower vase in her hand to put on one of the counter tables and arrange the flowers well, she was far from where the family was sitting nobody noticed her except James. He looked at Zoya and was silent as he tried to remember her

James: her?

James whispered under his breath, he was still staring at her. The breeze from the open windows were flying zoya's hair back, exposed her beautiful neckline and face even more and brighter

James: *I never noticed how pretty she was*

James thought inside his head

Tiger then turned his head and noticed Zoya as she was leaving to the kitchen

Tiger: stop right there

Zoya and the rest of the family turned to each other

Tiger: is dinner ready

Zoya: uh, no sir

Tiger: I told you to have dinner ready didn't I

Zoya: I'm sorry I—

Tiger: I don't wanna hear it, you have an hour to get everything ready or you'll see yourself in front of the door

Zoya rolled her toung inside her mouth looking away from his direction as she was getting a bit annoyed

Tiger: now leave

Zoya then left to the kitchen

Ayesha: don't you think you're being a bit harsh on her sweetheart?

Tiger: please don't worry about what I do all of you stay out of it

James then without trying to make them get suspicious he excused himself to get water but really went to see Zoya

Zoya: that jerk ohh how much I really want to smash his head with this pot!

Said Zoya while holding one of the large pots and huffed her right side bangs away from her face with her breath

James: you'd probably go to jail for that

James heard her and made that remark with a little chuckle, Zoya didn't notice that James came so she jumped and turned around

Zoya: oh, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to-

James: no no no, it's fine really I won't tell don't worry

James zipped his mouth

James: Tiger may seem as a very rough harsh person but he's actually a very good guy, you'll know that once you get to know him

Zoya: I'm sure that's the case

James smiled at zoya's sarcastic expression

James: so, what will chef Zoya be cooking for us today

Zoya: oh..uh.

Zoya didn't know what to say she looked away from James thinking of what to say

Zoya: I don't really know what kinds of food you guys eat

James: why don't you cook to your taste then, I'm sure we will all love your dishes

Zoya: thank you. You know you're nothing like your cousin at all you're nice and he's a jerk

James let out a soft laughter

James: don't let him hear you calling him a jerk then you'd be a prisoner here forever

Zoya started cooking all the dishes while james was leaning on the wall with his arms crossed smiling and watching her

Finally Zoya finished all the dishes and put a portion on a plate and offered it to james for a taste

Zoya: you've been waiting here all day you deserve an early treat

when james reached for the spoon Zoya took the spoon and wanted to feed him herself
James took a bite while smiling at Zoya but then his smile faded, and that wasn't because the food tasted bad but on the contrary it tasted very good and brought some memories to james

*mom your cooking is really good I love it*
Young james said to his deceased mother
*that's because that's an Indian food that I poured all of my love to it, once all your love is poured into the food that you make for the person you love more than anything in the world, then the food tastes very good*

James started to get teary as he remembered the flashback, Zoya noticed it

Zoya: is that really that bad?

James: no...it's really good, it just reminded me of someone

Zoya: who?

James: my mother

Zoya felt bad but tried to cheer him up

Zoya: now I am really happy, comparing a girls food to your mother is a big achievement and that means a lot to me that means I did a very good job

Zoya smiled and so did James