Kaun Kiska ✔️

thirteen: Deal or No Deal

Five Months Later

Raman and Ishita
"Adi bhaiya, may I have the soup please"

Adi passed the tureen of water to his little sister and then watched keenly as she carefully ladled the liquid into her soup dish.

She looked towards him for encouragement and then sipped delicately from the side of the soup spoon as he had instructed, as he clapped in encouragement, a wide smile lighting up his face.

Ishita was standing at the stove, busily stirring the steaming pot in front of her and watching the two childrens antics with a smile when her husband walked in the front door. He looked every inch the successful businessman, briefcase in hand, shrugging off his jacket as he tossed both it and the briefcase onto the nearest sofa.

"Water, Ruhi?" He asked quizzically as he walked behind his children, ruffling Adi's hair and planting a kiss on Ruhi's head. "Are you on a diet beta?"

"Uff ho, no papa" Ruhi turned around in her chair to glare at her father, who had by now reached his wife. "Adi bhaiya is teaching me table manners."

"Adi bhaiya is very brave then" Raman said with a laugh, as he grinned at his daughter. "But I'm glad that you two haven't had dinner yet, because I have ordered pizza for you, and after that, Romi chachu and Rinki bua are going to take you both out for ice cream."

"Raman, no, why pizza? Mein khana bana rahi hoon" ( Im cooking dinner already) Ishita protested even as the children started to cheer, their table practice forgotten as they jumped up to hug their father.

"Adi, careful" Raman cautioned, not wanting his son to put too much pressure on his newly healed ankle. "Now go and get ready for dinner you two, pizza is almost here" He watched lovingly as his children disappeared down the hall, before turning to face his irate wife.

"Ramannn" she protested with a scowl.

"Stop frowning madrassan" her incorrigible husband said in response. "You and I are going out to dinner, so go and get ready. And listen, zara sexy sa kuch pehena please, apni kanjeevaram kapde ki thaan nahi." (And listen, wear something a little bit sexy please, not your usual Kanjeevaram material)

"But Raman, dinner kyun? Mein ne kaha na khana bana rahi hoon na." (But Raman, why dinner? I told you I'm cooking already)

"Haan toh khana baaki sab khayenge" Raman moved closer to his wife, his voice lowered so that his parents and siblings watching tv could not hear. "Woh pizza aur sambar khayenge aur hum dinner par jayenge. Aaj hamari anniversary hai yaar, tum bhul gayi." (Yes, so everyone else can eat what you're making. They can have this food and pizza, while you and I go out. It's our anniversary, you've forgotten)

"Kaisi anniversary Raman?" (What anniversary Raman?) Ishita looked at him quizzically. "It's not February"

"Hamari suhaag raat ki six month anniversary" he whispered into her ear. "Aur mujhe aaj repeat performance chahiye. Ab jaldi se jaa kar taiyaar ho jao, Rinki and Neelu yahan kaam sambhal lenge." (Its the six month anniversary of our consummation. And I want a repeat performance tonight. Now go and get ready, Rinki and Neelu can finish up here)

Ishita blushed as she stared at her smirking husband. "Raman, kya..."

"Go" he repeated. "Before I tell everyone else the reason"

"Rinki" he raised his voice, as his blushing wife withdrew in confusion. "Come and help Neelu. Your bhabhi and I have to go out."

*********************************
An hour later at the Casa Bianca
"Why did we have to come here, Raman" Ishita hissed at her husband, as yet another waiter graced their table to show her his teeth. "I'm so embarrassed."