CHAPTER 27 #2
Mom reads my face and sighs softly. “You know he’s a good man.” She smiles. “It’s not his fault. Whatever Raghav did was his own decision. Why should we punish the rest of the family for it?”
I exhale sharply but don’t argue, because she isn’t really wrong. Kailash Uncle has done nothing except try to make us comfortable ever since they arrived. Mom wipes her hands before looking at me again.
“And honestly,” she continues, “I was getting bored sitting inside that room. At least this is better.” Then her eyes brighten a little. “Besides, you know how much I love South Indian breakfast.”
That finally makes me smile. Just then, Kailash Uncle walks towards us, carrying a tray loaded with three large bowls of chutneys.
“Perfect timing. The chutneys are ready.” He places them carefully on the table and points to the different bowls. “This is tomato-red chilli chutney, this one is pudina, and this is the coconut chutney.”
I look at the bowls. The mint chutney is bright green while the tomato one looks fiery enough to burn someone alive.
“The coconut chutney is my favourite,” Uncle continues. “Ayaan likes the mint chutney, and Raghav only eats the tomato-red chilli one.”
The moment Raghav’s name leaves his mouth, my expression hardens automatically. Of course, the man practically breathes danger. So naturally, he would love the red-hot one.
Uncle notices my mood immediately.
“Don’t think I’m trying to make up for what Raghav did with this breakfast,” he says quietly.
“I’m not. But right now…” He sighs tiredly.
“I just want some peace in this family. Both my sons are at war with each other, and I don’t know how to fix it.
So this…” he gestures around lightly, “is simply my way of trying.”
Then he smiles slightly.
“Besides, I never even got the chance to properly welcome my daughter-in-law into this family.”
The term daughter-in-law still feels strange.
“You’re family now, Siya. Just like Meher. Both of you deserve the world. So next time I’m here, forget the dosas, I’m going to make all your favourite dishes.”
I stare at him for a long second. Then the words leave my mouth before I can stop them. “Why are you so good?”
He bursts out laughing.
“I told you,” he says proudly. “My sons keep telling me that I’m an excellent father.”
“Yeah.” I smile. “Now I can actually see why.”
Just then, Ayaan and Meher walk out of the villa together.
Well… correction. Meher is dragging Ayaan out.
Because the man looks like he would rather go fight a war than sit through a peaceful family breakfast right now.
The bruises from his fight with Raghav are still visible, and from his stiff posture, it’s obvious he hasn’t forgiven his brother.
Meher, on the other hand, looks completely unbothered as she holds his wrist and pulls him towards the garden.
“I told you Paapa was planning something special,” she announces. “Just look at this. Live dosa counter and all. I was craving masala dosas, and here they are.”
Ayaan smiles at her indulgently as they approach us, and I quietly step aside for them.
“I hope you like dosas, Siya,” Meher says warmly.
Before I can answer, Mom speaks up first. “Oh, she may not be crazy about it, but I definitely am.”
“Wow. That explains why Aunty is helping Paapa then,” Meher replies, pointing towards the dosa counter. “Trust me, Paapa makes the best dosas in the family. One breakfast, and you’ll become his fan forever.”
I smile faintly at that before my gaze shifts to Ayaan.
“I need to talk to you,” I tell him quietly.
Ayaan looks slightly taken aback, but then he nods. Maybe because this is the first time I’m initiating a conversation with him. But before he can reply, Kailash Uncle claps his hands together.
“Enough serious faces in this house,” he declares. “Everybody sit down. The dosas are getting cold.”
Then he looks around.
“Where’s Raghav?”
Almost as if the universe hears him, he walks out through the villa doors and heads straight towards us. My entire body stills. He’s wearing yet another black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark jeans, a watch strapped around his wrist, and a phone in one hand.
I shouldn’t be surprised anymore. I’ve already seen his wardrobe. It’s an endless collection of black. As if the man has declared war on every other colour in existence. Or maybe black simply belongs to him, the way darkness does.
He looks tired, as if he hasn’t slept properly.
Not that I would know. The moment our argument over the couch ended last night, I threw myself onto the bed while he disappeared into the shower.
By the time I woke up this morning, he was already gone.
It seems he follows some absurdly early morning routine, unlike me.
And considering he’s been sleeping beside me for two nights now, it’s a little embarrassing that I still have no idea what he actually does after I fall asleep.
I don’t believe he’d ever do anything inappropriate.
He might have married me forcefully, but I’m sure he wouldn’t touch me without my consent.
Still, that doesn’t stop the questions in my head.
Does he stay awake for hours? Or does he simply lie there staring at me?
Urgh!
“There he is,” Uncle’s voice breaks my thoughts.
Raghav disconnects the call, and his eyes land on the elaborate breakfast setup spread across the lawn. He pauses for a beat, as if even he wasn’t expecting this. Then his gaze shifts to me, and he begins walking towards us.
Ayaan’s expression hardens. He looks away, irritated, and starts leading Meher towards the table to avoid his brother completely.
“What is all this?” Raghav asks, stopping beside Kailash Uncle, who looks almost offended.
“We are having breakfast together,” Uncle replies. “Sit down before the dosas get cold.”
Raghav exhales quietly. Then, without another word, he pulls out the chair beside mine and waits for me to sit, but I deliberately ignore it. Instead, I walk right past the chair he’s holding and pull out the next one myself, a little farther away from him.
For one brief second, his fingers tighten around the backrest of the chair he had pulled for me.
The entire table notices it. But he doesn’t say a single word, nor does he react.
He simply pushes the chair back in slowly and takes the seat beside mine anyway.
Close enough for his presence to still feel suffocating.
Across from us, Ayaan sits beside Meher, annoyance still written all over his face.
Kailash Uncle takes the chair at one side of the rectangular table, while Mom sits at the other end.
The staff starts serving fresh dosas. Butter crackles over the hot surface, while the aroma of curry leaves, red chilli chutney, and ghee wafts through the air. It feels peaceful.
Until Ayaan ruins it… first.
“You don’t have to bother yourself about the security at the Mumbai house,” he says suddenly, tearing a piece of his dosa with unnecessary force. “I can handle this family’s protection myself.”
Raghav doesn’t even look up from his plate. “I know you can, but I’ll still monitor it.”
Ayaan scoffs. “If you were really worried about this family’s safety, you should’ve reconsidered your impulsive decision before dragging everybody back into your mafia crossfire.”
Meher closes her eyes. Even Kailash Uncle hurriedly pushes the bowl of chutney towards Ayaan.
“Did you try the mint chutney, Ayaan?” he asks, trying to distract him. But Ayaan ignores him.
“You don’t get to act like the saviour after creating the mess, Raghav,” Ayaan says sharply.
Raghav finally looks up. “You think this is funny?” he asks quietly.
“Marrying a woman by blackmailing her wasn’t funny either,” Ayaan shoots back.
The entire table goes silent. Mom stiffens beside me, and my fingers tighten around the spoon. Despite sitting next to Raghav, I can sense the muscle ticking in his jaw without even looking at him.
“More dosas?” Kailash Uncle immediately interrupts, but neither brother pays any attention to him now.
“You done?” Raghav asks coldly.
“No,” Ayaan says instantly. “Not even close.”
The tension between them is so thick that it feels like there’ll be more physical blows like yesterday again.
But just then, Meher winces. A sharp breath escapes her lips as her hand flies straight to her stomach.
Both brothers freeze instantly. Raghav and Ayaan stand up at the exact same time, their chairs scraping loudly against the ground as they push them back.
“What happened?” Ayaan demands sharply.
“Are you okay?” Raghav asks at the same time, already moving towards her.
Huh!
Just a second ago, they were glaring at each other, and now the anger disappears from both their faces, replaced by concern and pure panic. Raghav immediately crouches beside Meher’s chair, while Ayaan is anxiously checking her forehead.
“Why are you sweating, baby?”
Watching both of them panic over one small expression on her face, I instantly realise that no matter how furious these two brothers are with each other right now, their love for this family runs deeper than their anger.
“Should I call the doctor?” Raghav asks seriously, already reaching for his phone.
“What do you mean, should I?” Ayaan shouts immediately. “Call him. Now.”
“No. I’m fine,” Meher insists, but neither brother listens to her.
“It must be the cramps, Meher,” Ayaan argues. “Let’s not take any chances.”
“Yes, we can’t ignore it,” Raghav agrees.
Meher looks at both of them as they hover around her and sighs dramatically.
“Oh God,” she mutters. “I said I’m fine. Both babies just kicked at the same time. And I think I know why.”
Both brothers frown in unison. “What?” they ask together.
Meher points tiredly between them.
“I think the babies are already traumatised by seeing their father and Uncle behave like sworn enemies every five minutes.”
For a second, silence falls over the breakfast table.