MaNan: Breaking Free

16|Jingle bells

Manik's POV

"Okay, now! I know you love cooking Nandu. But why did you suddenly decide to make gajar ka halwa today? You don't even like it." Jenny squeals with a smug expression. She is literally jumping up and down in happiness.

"Um..I..I..wanted t..to try something new?" Nandini stutters.

"Yeah, sure." She looks at me, as if trying to say something, but doesn't.

"You two finish your dinner. I am calling it a night." She gives a peck on Nandini's forehead and mutters something into her ears, which makes her blush. After giving me a wink, Jenny goes upstairs.

There is an awkward silence between the two of us. She is looking here and there.

"This is really good!" I say and her eyes snap to me.

"Thanks. I wasn't sure you would like it. Indian dishes are not really my forte." She mutters.

Is this what she was nervous about? Whether I would like her dish or not?

"I really like it."

"I wanted to prepare something with rajma, but I couldn't understand the recipe. So I made this." She rambles.

Hang on. Rajma and gajar ka halwa are two of my favourite dishes. Did she actually put in all this effort for me?

"Did you cook for me in particular?" I am sure she did but I still ask.

"Um..no. I was getting bored. So I decided to experiment with an Indian dish."

"You weren't getting bored. We were watching TV when you suddenly sent me off so you could make this lovely dish for me." I smirk, looking into her eyes.

She turns a bright shade of red and starts looking at her hands with a lot of interest.

Nandini's POV

My heart is beating like crazy and I don't know what to say to him.

"I really appreciate it, Nandini. Thank you." He says after a minute.

"Don't give yourself so much importance." I roll my eyes at him.

"I am not. You are." His smugness is unnerving.

"Just finish it off and leave." I say, not being able to bear this anymore and get up to leave.

"Nandini, please come back?" He calls after me. I turn around and automatically, my feet carry me back.

"So, since when do you love cooking?" He asks.

"Since ages. Dad was my inspiration. You know, as a kid, I would follow him around the kitchen, irritating him more than helping. But he never complained. He always let me do whatever I wanted to. I learnt cooking from him. He was just awesome!" I gush.

As I think about my childhood, memories of dad come flooding into my head and I feel a strong twisting in my stomach. It's his birthday a day after Christmas.

"You really miss your dad." He states.

"Yeah." How I would give anything to be with him. "I couldn't know him too long, but I can say he was the best father."

"Hey! My dad was the best!" He complains like a child.

"Okay, okay. One of the best, then." I smile.

"Yeah." He laughs. "Can I have some more of this?"

"Sure." I pass the bowl to him.

After finishing more than half the bowl, Manik finally gets up, burping.