CHAPTER 6
Chitra looked at the clock in the supermarket. It was seven o’clock in the evening.
She normally stayed a few additional minutes to chat with her coworkers, but that evening, she began packing up to leave right away.
“Hi Nancy!” she greeted her coworker who would take over the shift.
Nancy smiled. “Special plans this evening?”
Chitra laughed. “I’m having dinner with a friend. I’m taking him to the Himalayan Café.”
“Is he a tall guy from the university?” Nancy asked.
Chitra was surprised. “Yes. How do you know Mihir?”
“He’s waiting outside,” Nancy replied. “I thought he must be your boyfriend.”
Chitra was taken aback. Mihir knew she worked at the supermarket in the afternoons and evenings. But she didn’t think he would wait for her.
“He’s quite handsome,” Nancy said. “Next time, introduce me to him.
Chitra laughed. “Yes, I will introduce him the next time. Goodnight, Nancy!”
Grabbing her bag, Chitra hurried outside. She saw the familiar tall figure of Mihir standing at the side of the entrance, holding an umbrella. It wasn’t raining heavily, but it was cold and drizzling.
As soon as Mihir saw her, he smiled. Happiness coursed through her.
“When did you come?” she asked, pulling up her jacket hoodie. “I thought you were going to meet with a professor today in the evening until seven. I was coming to get you from the university.”
He shifted closer to her and placed the umbrella on top of her. His nearness immediately made her warm despite the freezing cold.
“I was done early,” he replied. “So, I decided to come here and wait. The café is closer to here.”
“You should have waited inside the supermarket instead of outside in the rain. You must be cold!”
“I’m fine,” he replied with a smile. “I didn’t want to disturb you during your work.”
It was sweet and considerate of him. Chitra wasn’t surprised. Everything Mihir did was always sweet and considerate.
“I’m glad you came,” she said. “I am already hungry. You will love the food, especially in this cold weather.”
Mihir smiled. “I’m hungry too. I had sandwiches for lunch.”
Chitra laughed, knowing how much he loathed sandwiches and enjoyed hot, spicy food that wasn’t available in the university cafeteria.
“Then let’s go!”
They walked down a few streets and stopped in front of a restaurant. It was run by a sweet couple who immigrated from Nepal.
It was warm inside the restaurant. Although it was raining, the place was already filled with people who wanted to enjoy hot, steaming, and delicious food.
“Hi, Sagar.” Chitra greeted the man seated at the cash counter. “How are you?”
The man’s face broke into an affectionate smile. “I’m doing good, Chitra. Nice to see you.”
“This is Mihir. He’s a new student from India.”
Mihir greeted the man with a smile and a handshake.
“Is there a table available?” Chitra asked, hoping there wouldn’t be a long wait.
“There will always be a table reserved for you,” Sagar replied. “Tara wouldn’t spare me if I made you wait.”
Chitra laughed. Tara was Sagar’s wife. Tara and Sagar often came to the temple during weekends.
“Come and have a seat,” Sagar said, taking them to a cozy corner table by the window. “Would you like your usual?”
Chitra smiled. “Yes, but for Mihir, please bring your specialty dishes with meat. He likes spicy food.”
Sagar laughed. “Tara will be happy to make the food spicy tonight,” he said before leaving to place the order. His wife was the head chef who prepared the food.
Chitra knew that Tara kept the medium spice level as most people frequenting the place had low tolerance.
Mihir was seated across her at the small table.
“Do you come here often?” he asked with a smile.
“Not that often. But I try coming at least once a month. Sagar and Tara are really sweet, and they have the best food. They also come to the temple during weekends when I volunteer.”
Mihir had been volunteering too at the temple over the weekend.
“Is there anyone you don’t know personally in the city?” he teased.
Chitra laughed. “I think there must be quite a few. I’ve been here for several years. So, I know a lot of people.”
Mihir smiled.
They didn’t have to wait long for the food.
Chitra looked up to see Sagar as he brought several platters of food to the table. “Daal bhat for you,” he said, placing the vegetarian dish in front of her. “Thakali thali special for Mihir.”
There were also several side dishes of thupka soup, momos, and other traditional Himalayan cuisine dishes.
“Everything looks and smells amazing!” said Chitra.
Sagar smiled. “Enjoy your meal.”
Chitra showed Mihir how to eat the momos. He enjoyed the hot, spicy food, which was similar to Indian cuisine.
Shortly after enjoying a wholesome meal, Tara came to greet her.
Chitra got up and hugged her. “The food was amazing as usual, Tara. We loved it.”
Tara smiled. “I’m glad you and your boyfriend loved the food.”
Chitra blushed. “Mihir isn’t my boyfriend. He’s a new student from India. I’m helping him adjust to life here.”
Tara looked at Mihir for a moment. “Oh, I see.”
Unlike Chitra, Mihir didn’t seem embarrassed or uncomfortable by the assumption that he was Chitra’s boyfriend.
“Thank you for the wonderful food, Tara,” he said. “It reminded me of my home.”
Tara smiled. “You are welcome here anytime, Mihir.”
They got up to pay for the meal, but Sagar and Tara refused. “Since you are Chitra’s friend, and it’s your first meal at our restaurant, it’s on us.”
Chitra usually insisted on paying for the meal. But since it was Mihir’s turn, she didn’t argue. She decided to help Sagar and Tara sometime at the restaurant during their busy times.
Bidding good night to the sweet couple, Chitra stepped out of the place with Mihir. The rain stopped, and the weather was cold yet refreshing.
Once again, she felt a strange awareness towards Mihir.
“By the way, my coworker Nancy from the supermarket thought you were my boyfriend. I told her you were a friend. So, she asked me to introduce her to you.”
Chitra didn’t know why she brought up the topic. But she wanted to get rid of the strange awareness she felt towards Mihir.
Mihir was quiet.
“Oh, sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” she said.
She realized he wasn’t used to the concept of dating, which was rare in India.
“I’m not uncomfortable about people assuming I’m your boyfriend,” he said with a smile. “I would be proud of being your boyfriend, Chitra.”
She was stunned for a moment. And then, she realized he must be joking.
She laughed. “Stop joking, Mihir.”
He smiled, not saying anything.
Soon, they arrived at the residential unit near the temple, where she lived. She stopped and looked at Mihir.
“I’m so glad you are adapting well to your new life here, Mihir. Congrats on getting your first paycheck.”
Mihir smiled. “But I’m yet to treat you to a meal,” he reminded. “Today doesn’t count because I didn’t pay.”
She laughed. “All right, then we’ll go on another treat sometime soon. Good night, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Chitra,” he said softly.
The smile on his handsome face made her stomach flutter strangely.
Pushing away the awareness, she smiled and waved him goodbye before going into her building. But for the rest of the night, she was reminded of Mihir’s words.
“I would be proud of being your boyfriend, Chitra.”
Even though he had been joking, his words fluttered inside her heart.