A Thousand Encounters

Chapter-67

Mrs Murthy put the tiffin box in the basket and sighed to herself. She checked once again if she had put the cheesecake in the basket. Her fingers continuously tapped the kitchen slab. She turned around just to see a line of trained staff looking at her all amused. She had cast them away from touching anything in the kitchen for past two hours. Kitchen staff was amused to see how many dishes she had cooked that day. Nobody was coming to Murthy mansion, otherwise they would have been informed by the maintainance staff. Elderly chef smiled when Mrs Murthy picked up the mango pickle from the cabinet. Nobody had touched that mango pickle since Nandini had left the house. He immediately knew for whom all these preparations were.

He couldn't resist so he asked, "Is Ms Nandini coming home, Ma'am?"

Mrs Murthy looked at him plainly and shook her head. She picked up the food basket and walked out of the kitchen.Cleaning staff saw her pacing in the hall impatiently till Rishi came out of his room.

"What's this, Rishi? The food will get cold. You are late," She nagged.

Rishi hugged her hyperactive mother and laughed.

"It won't get cold. Besides, your daughter wouldn't wake up till noon," He revealed.

Mrs Murthy smiled meekly and then drooped pensively.

"What if she refuses to have it?" She said gullibley.

Rishi smiled and said, "She would. Probably she would throw the food on my head."

Mrs Murthy looked horrified while Rishi laughed at his own joke.

"Don't look this sad, Mom. You know her how she is. Her anger has no match in this world. But we have to try," He said confidently.

Picking up the food, he left for Nandini's house.
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Daadu was watering the plants in the garden when he heard Rishi's car honking. He turned around and smiled to his handsome grandson who was bringing some goodies along. Nandini hadn't come back from Bernard's yet so he had decided to amuse himself with some gardening.

"I smell mango pickle," Daadu eyed the food basket.

"That's for Nandini. Besides, you cannot have this much spicy," Rishi warned and entered the house to find his little sister.

"She isn't home," Daadu yelled.

Rishi came out and joined him in the garden.

"You said she wouldn't be up till noon," He reminded his Daadu.

"Things have changed for good, my son," Daadu was smiling behind his big mustache.

"She is mothering two little pups now," He added.

"She is doing what?" Rishi was baffled least to say.

"You didn't meet your nephews? Pongo and Rogue?" Daadu asked surprised.

"Nooooo! Nobody told me that," Rishi was not joyous about the new development.

Daadu chuckled as he saw Rishi already horrified. He was afraid of dogs.

"What else... You people haven't told me?" Rishi demanded all the information.

"They are Siberian huskies and one of them is a bite-monster," Daadu revealed and Rishi already felt like running away from there.

"You are reminding me of Manik's friend now," Daadu quipped and Rishi shook his head in denial.

They heard Nandini's car and saw her coming out of it without two furballs in her hand. They were so tiny.