Shakhi TS Oui, Chef

Part II | B |

Shaurya tensed when the call continued ringing. He heaved a tired sigh when the ringing stopped but then his mother called him again making him groan softly.

"Kya sir aap bhi! Aastha Kashyap mam call kar rahi hai aur aap attend nahi kar rahe ho!" Anokhi said rolling her eyes at him.

"Ithna bada kaand kar ke aese bol rahi hai tu! I can't believe it!" Shaurya grumbled.

"Hareey baath kijiyeh na" Anokhi said stepping forward and swiped the green button.

"Hey!" Shaurya yelped but the call got connected, so he managed, "Maa!"

"Maa! Mein jo keh raha hoon, baat toh suniye Maa!... Nahi Maa, voh toh...Maa! No, mein ussi Meena... teek hai! Meera ko hi milunga!... Maa baath toh suno na..."

Anokhi chuckled on watching Shaurya struggling to speak with his mother. He threw her a glare and she put her finger on her lips gesturing that she won't laugh but she did anyway.

"Maa Anokhi ne bina kuch samjhe keh diya yeh sab!"

Anokhi got alarmed when Shaurya mentioned her name. Was he planning to reveal the prank she made to take revenge on him to his mother – her idol, Aastha Kashyap? Will her idol be happy to know that Anokhi spoiled her son's date and drew away her potential daughter-in-law? Would Anokhi want that to be the first impression her idol has on her? Hell NO!

So, Anokhi did what she thought was best. She smacked hard on Shaurya's arm making him hiss loudly. Taking the chance, she held his wrist and ended the call. A furious Shaurya glared at her.

"What was that?!" Shaurya asked putting his mobile on silent.

"Were you seriously going to tell your mother about what I did?" Anokhi looked at him in disbelief.

"Aur kya karu? Sach hi kehne wala tha! Tum ne mujhe maara kyun?!" Shaurya asked rubbing the spot where Anokhi smacked him.

"Hayee Matharani!! Agar aap chaho toh sach keh sakthe ho par mere naam math lo aap!" Anokhi grumbled.

"Yeh sab tum ne kiya na, phir tumhare naam hi lunga, pados walon ka nahi!"

"Aap ki Maa, meri culinary field idol hai! Agar aap yeh sab un se kahenge toh voh kya sochenge mere bare mein!"

Shaurya took a brief time to look at Anokhi in disbelief.

"Hareey yaar! Meri Maa tere bare mein jaanthi tak nahi hai. Phir tumhare bare mein galat kaise samjeghi!"

"Par mein future mein unhe zaroor milungi. Tab she shouldn't feel distaste after hearing my name. Aap ne mere naam toh le liya par ab aap ko hi manage kar na hoga"

"Excuse me. Karna hoga? Tere baath mein ek percent bhi logic nahi hai. Mein un se sach hi kehne wala hoon." Shaurya declared and was about to call his mother.

Anokhi gaped before she mustered all the strength she could and pushed Shaurya to the nearby wall. She even fell on him without balance, their bodies pressed against each other with his hands around her making him gasp while she was too focussed on trying to change his mind.

"Dekhiyeh" Anokhi looked up and said, "I don't care ki aap kya karenge, kya kahenga par aap ke Maa ko Anokhi naam se wrong impression nahi milna chahiyeh. Bas" Anokhi said in a threatening tone.

Shaurya was too stunned to speak. Isn't Anokhi experiencing what he is? Isn't their proximity not affecting her like it does to him? Her whole body was pressed against him, their hot breath was hitting on each other's face that's way too close and the surrounding was dimly lighted.

"Huh?" That was all Shaurya could manage to say as he unconsciously tightened his hold around her waist.

That was when Anokhi actually realized the position, they were in. Her eyes widen as she felt his hot breath hitting on her face and she felt his rapid heartbeat under her fingers making her jerk.

On sensing the jerk, Shaurya loosened his hold around Anokhi and she moved back from him, her breath uneven as she pushed her untamed hair strands behind her ear. He stood straight and fixed his shirt. Her mobile rang clearing the awkwardness in the air.

Anokhi's face changed when she saw the caller id. Sighing, she put the call on silence and pocketed her mobile before looking up at Shaurya.

"Head chef sir, jo kuch bhi mein ne kaha, voh yaadh rakhna. Anokhi ke liye aap ke Maa ko sirf good impression rehna chahiyeh. I have to go now, bye" Anokhi said in a breath and turned to leave but Shaurya held her hand.

"Hey, tum ne yeh sa-" Shaurya started but Anokhi's mobile rang and her face changed again.

Realizing that Anokhi needs to leave, Shaurya released his grip on her.

"Teek hai, ja"

Anokhi just waved at Shaurya and left while he stood clueless in the dimly lighted area before he shook his head and checked his mobile. There were missed calls from his mother. Heaving a tired sigh, he decided to head home.

~ * ~

Shaurya walked inside his home cautiously not to get caught by his mother.

"Kudh ke ghar mein chor jaise kyun aa rahe ho sir"

Shaurya paused on his tracks and looked up to see his mother seated on the couch at the living room.

'Damnn! Pas gaya!'

"Maa, aese koi baath nahi hai" Shaurya gave a sheepish smile, "Aap ne khana khaa liya?"

"Jab voh Meera ne call karke sab kuch bathaya tab toh meri peit bar gaya hai" Aastha Kashyap said making Shaurya groan internally.

'Yaar! Usse toh manage karke aa chuka hoon. Ab inko kaise manage karun!' Shaurya thought as he walked towards his mother.

"Maa, voh kya hai ki-"

"Yeh Anokhi koun hai? Koun hai mere hone wali bahu, tera biwi jis ke bare mein mujhe patha nahi?"

'Voh toh mujhe kudh nahi patha tha!' Shaurya grumbled mentally.

"Maa, voh-"

"Tum ne mujhe bataya kyun nahi ki tum kisi se pyaar kar rahe ho?"

'Usne mujhe kudh nahi bataya!' Shaurya thought biting his lips.

"Maa, mera baath toh suno na-"

"Bete ko 33 hogaya, time se shadi karwane ke liye mein ne ladki dekhna shuru kiya tha. Agar tu kisi se pyaar kartha hai toh mujhe keh letha na. Mein koi villain hoon kya?" Aastha asked sternly.

"Hareey! Maa, jaise aap soch rahe ho waise nahi hai. Yeh Anokhi-"

"Anokhi. Ladki kaise hai? Aaj toh iske baare mein pehli baar sun raha hoon"

'Mujhe bhi usse aaj hi patha hai!' Shaurya groaned mentally.

Heaving a sigh, Shaurya said,

"Maa, mein jo kehne chatha hoon voh ek second suno na"

"Nahi, tum mujhe Anokhi ke bare mein batao. Kya kar rahi hai? Acchi ladki hai kya? Kaha mila usse? Kab ghar le aaoge?"

"Ghar kyun?" Shaurya frowned.

"Jis ladki ko tum ne pyaar kar rahe ho, usse mein dekh na chathi hoon. Just because you love her, I can't accept her right?" Aastha said sternly.

'Accept?'

"Maa! Kya keh rahe ho?"

"Meera ne kaha ki us ladki ne tere liye pura tamasha kadhe kar diya hai. Kaha ki tum pe pura haq jathane aagayi thi. Tum pyaar karthe hai toh mujhe keh detha na?"

Shaurya tried couple more times to convey what he wanted to but his mother didn't give him a chance and kept asking about Anokhi. He wanted to say about Anokhi in frustration but remembered her dull face when she left. Heaving a sigh, Shaurya said,

"Uske naam Anokhi hai. Two years FIKA mein chef hai voh-"

"Voh vhi chef hai? Toh milna hi padega"

"Maa, voh-"

"Toh tum FIKA is Anokhi ke liye join kiya tha, Karleen ke liye nahi?"

Shaurya tried to suppress the annoyance he got whenever his mother cut him in middle.

'Inhe manage karna mere bus ke baath nahi hai. In ke liye mein nahi voh correct hai. Ab meri baari'

"Mein kal Anokhi ko ghar le aatha hoon, Maa. Jo bhi pooch nah ai usse pooch lijiye. Ab mein sone jaa raha hoon, morning FIKA jana hai. Good night" Shaurya said in a breath and quickly walked away.

"Shaurya, rukho"

"Good night, Maa"

~ * ~

Thank you for reading,

Nan ~