|| - stir - ||

To have someone understand your mind is a different kind of intimacy

Lyla emptied her fridge slowly and meticulously. There was a dark mood set on her penciled eyebrows and her hands fidgeted over smallest of tasks. After a decade of non existent contact Vanya found out her once best friend’s stress relieving method. First she was worried that she was going to be asked to join a marathon through four tubs of ice cream but later realized Lyla was a stress cook, not a stress eater. Soon enough the little kichenett of Lyla’s apartment was full of sounds of simmering and appetizing steams. In spite of jet leg Vanya sighed appreciatively leaning against the spotless counter and sniffing at the sauce Lyla stirred on a low flame.

“It smells like heaven…!” She confessed then.

Lyla looked up lips pressed and expression sour.

“But not tempting enough to you to change your decision?” She asked then, her mind clearly still on their conversation on the way. Inwardly Vanya cursed that over smart cousin of Lyla’s who had in a matter of few kilometers, spun so much of awkwardness into their friendship. But even she couldn’t deny the truth in his words. “Are you set upon making me feel guilty for writing that e mail? I was stupid okay? I didn’t know what he was playing at-” Lyla continued waving the spoon around distressingly and almost poking Vanya in the nose.

“Of cause you never bother about what they are playing at as long as its a cute boy -” Vanya raised an eyebrow. “That brings me to the question, what kind of a man is this detective Kurana?”

“The kind I’m never seeing again!” Lyla snapped and turned to face her fully. “I thought he was really a good man you know - a funny guy who was not so full of himself.”

“Seeing how your cousin thinks he is a gift to the female species from god - I see why that interested you…” Vanya let her voice trail off as she critically examined a bell pepper before starting to slice it. “Since when are you two hanging out anyway - ?”

“Since the wicked man decided deluding me is the way to solve his case!”

“Not the detective -” Vanya tattered. “Your cousin.”

“Adhir? He was always around. I guess he’s been at my parents than his own. You know how they’ve been childless for decades and then adopted me right? Well even before that - Adhir had been more of a son to them than a nephew. And he does the ‘big brother job’ quite admirably!”

“I can see that -” Vanya said pointedly casting a look around the lavishly furnished, upscale apartment and the assortment of pictures of the two cousins on the far away wall. “He is spoiling you!”

Lyla shrugged.

“Getting adopted sometimes has its benefits.”

“You could say that,” Vanya said slowly, trying to chase away the chill brought forth by the memories of her time at the orphanage. It had never been half so bad for Lyla who for some reason was adored by their caretakers. “Jo Jo was the only good thing that happened to me.”

There was a pause and Lyla took her hand and gently squeezed it. Vanya looked away from her understanding gaze and exhaled slowly.

“I can’t believe she is gone. Moreover I can’t believe somebody did it because of me.”

“That’s a load of rubbish -” Lyla said a little forcefully turning off the stove. “It shows how mental police is that they think so.”

“But they do have a point - there is no reason for someone to replicate a scene from the story I’ve been writing - if not to get my attention.” Vanya wondered at how decisive and calm her own voice sounded. Considering the turmoil brewing inside her ever since she had heard the news in the car, and the strain it put on her emotions she couldn’t believe at her own resolve.

“But you don’t want to go - do you?” Lyla asked slowly. “I know you don’t like that place Anya - I know how terrified you were! You ran away for God’s sake - I don’t think you should go…”

“Like your cousin said - that should be my decision to make. I have to go there. I owe that to Jojo. I should help them find who did that to her. At least that much I could do in return.”

“Adhir is a fool - don’t take his advice!” Lyla exclaimed. “I really shouldn’t have listened to that traitor of a detective and wrote you an email!”

Vanya reached over and took her hand.

“You did the right thing. I’m grateful actually. And you know me too well - I won’t be able to go and stay there alone.”

“Oh you don’t have to,” Lyla nodded solemnly. “That’s where Adhir comes in you see - my cousin would have to sponsor our trip now that big mouth of his has pushed you into taking this decision. Plus - I’ll be coming with you!”

**

Adhir came around quite coincidentally in perfect time to help them finish the abnormal amount of food Lyla had ended up making. If she had not already been half asleep on her feet Vanya might have concluded it a well executed move on his part to guilt trap his cousin into a cooking frenzy.

“Ah I never knew I needed this in my life -” he sighed dramatically digging into the golden crusted dessert that came last. “Perhaps I’m not too mad with that detective after all.”

“I hate you too!” Lyla hit him with a napkin and folded her arms. “I’m going with her by the way….!” She stood up and moved to the kitchen leaving her words to trail behind her. Vanya stood up to follow but hesitated as Adhir cleared his throat.

“It’s terribly boring to eat alone, care to give some company while I rise my sugar levels?” He asked, his hazel eyes shining in amusement. “Your company adds flavour you know?”

Vanya threw her arms in the air as she sat back down.

“I really can’t take anymore flirting -” she warned halfheartedly. “In case your cousin forgot to mention - I’m engaged.”

“To be engaged -” he corrected her with a flash of a half smile but it was gone quickly and his eyes turned serious. “Though that’s none of my business as you would correctly point out. I have something else to talk to you about.”

“Um hmm?”

“I know it wasn’t a happy place - your orphanage. I quite agree with Lyla that you shouldn’t go alone whatever the reasons. And I’m glad she will be there to walk you through it. My problem is -” he swallowed. “I’m concerned about her.”

“Lyla? Why?”

Adhir shrugged as if debating inwardly whether to share his concern or not and then sighed.

“Going there means staying with Dadi. I’m not sure how much of our family equation Lyla has shared with you but they’ve had the rockiest of rocky relationships.”

“Uh..”

“She is not an evil woman - dadi, but she can be really cold if she makes up her mind to. She has never been too happy about Lyla’s adoption and any of the subsequent events.” Finally Adhir put his spoon down and looked into her eyes, his voice dropping down to a mere hint of whisper. “Thanks to her I had to take Lyla to counselling after her parents’ passing.”

“What do you suggest that I do?” Vanya asked suddenly overwhelmed with her own conflicting feelings. She knew only too well how hard it was to stay in a place where you were considered the plague upon earth. While she wanted nothing more than to have her friend by her side to battle her own demons, she was not sure how long she could stand by her decision and watch if in turn it pushes Lyla to an abyss of her own.

“I can tell her not to come with me… After all I’m quite well devised to hold on my own.”

“I’m sure.” Adhir nodded. “But I don’t want things to be too hard on you either. I know we are hardly friends but terrible childhood is something I can relate with. And I don’t want to think I sent you to hell alone just to keep my sister out of trouble.”

“I’m not quite the flower you imagine I am.” Vanya offered with a dry chuckle. “I can easily call my assistant to fly here and join me. We can pretend its a research trip for my next project.”

Adhir nodded after a moment.

“That sounds good.” He agreed and some of the tension vanished from his shoulders. “On many grounds. It’s the best to pretend that you are not there because of the case but on other more professional reasons. The case just happened to capture your interest.”

“I can imagine that…” Vanya said dryly. “It could be a better plot than anything I can come up with. Plus it might make my publisher happy for a moment.”

“Just in the meantime…” Adhir paused and waited to gain her attention. “Until your assistant comes to join you -”

“Yes?” She urged a little impatiently.

“Would you mind terribly if I tag along?”

**
Adhir is definitely cooking something. Though I'm not certain if it's anywhere as healthy as Lyla's dinner!
What do you think? Is he a bad good guy or a good bad guy or simply adorable?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Thanks for reading! I see we are at 80 votes, I'd be the happiest if you take a minute and contribute towards the journey of going to 100 votes!
Until we meet again,