CHAPTER 19 Neel
Neel
At Mom’s house, I find Elena in the kitchen, rolling out rotis that look more like abstract art than circular flatbreads.
Mom’s sitting at the nearby table, shelling peas and supervising.
I realize they must have given the cook the day off, probably because Elena’s determined to master the art of roti-making.
I laugh softly as I watch her. “Wow, you’re really working hard on those rotis!”
Mom chuckles along, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
“I bet you still can’t make a round roti!” Elena retorts, glancing up at me.
“I gave up trying ages ago!” I shake my head, taking a seat next to Mom.
“Here, make yourself useful,” Elena says, handing me some onions. “Chop these for the curry.”
“Trying to impress Dilip with your culinary skills?” I tease.
Elena’s eyes twinkle mischievously. “Well, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. But surely there’s more to love than just good cooking, right, Mom?”
Mom nods, smiling. “Of course, dear. Though good food certainly doesn’t hurt. Your father and I connected over so much more than just food.”
“You and Dad had something special,” I say, a wave of nostalgia washing over me.
“We did love each other deeply, but we had to work at our relationship just like any couple,” Mom reflects.
“When I first met your father, I thought he was too serious. But then I discovered his hidden talent for singing old Bollywood songs, completely off-key. He’d sing out loud whenever I was upset,” she laughs.
“It always made me burst into laughter.”
“I guess that’s what makes love so beautiful,” Elena says. “Those unexpected moments that bring two people closer, even if they seem so different at first.”
“Exactly,” Mom agrees, her eyes soft with memories. “Your father was the calm to my storm. We learned to balance each other out. He’d always say love is like adding sugar to spicy chutney. You need a bit of sweetness to handle the heat!”
“Tell us more about Dad,” Elena urges, eager to hear the familiar stories once again.
As Mom shares more memories, I can’t help but think about Kavita.
These past couple of weeks, she’s been constantly on my mind.
I remember our talk after the rehearsal and wanting to take things slow.
We’ve been meeting after my morning runs.
I’ve been daydreaming about what it would be like to spend more time together.
Would we cook in the kitchen? I chuckle, remembering her mention of Maggi noodles.
My stomach growls loudly just then. “I’m starving,” I announce.
Elena gives me a pointed look. “Which is exactly why you need to hurry up with those onions, Neel!”
I grab the onions and start chopping, but within seconds, my eyes are watering like crazy. Swiping at the tears, I shoot a mock glare at Elena. “You always give me the tough jobs.”
“I thought you were a big, tough businessman,” Elena retorts, grinning.
Before long, the kitchen turns into a play zone. Mom’s laughing as Elena lobs a carrot piece at me. I duck, and it sails past, landing in the compost bin.
“You two are going to wreck my kitchen!” Mom scolds, but her eyes are twinkling.
I can’t resist teasing back. “Well, you’re the one who let Elena loose in here. See what happens?”
Elena’s rotis turn out stiff, and the curry is a bit too salty.
Mom comforts her by saying that she can try again and do better next time.
We end up ordering takeout in the end.
As we finally dig into our meal, there’s just the cozy silence of a family enjoying food together.
Then Elena looks up from her plate, a mischievous glint in her eye. “So, Neel,” she says, trying to sound casual, “what happened at the Dandiya the other night? I saw you ditch Anjali and hang out with Kavita.”
I pause mid-bite, feeling both Elena and Mom watching me. With a jovial tone, I reply, “Nothing happened. We just talked.”
“But you vanished afterward,” Elena says. “We didn’t even see you leave!”
“I had to drive Kavita’s grandmother and her friends home,” I explain.
Mom gives me a look. “You’ve been in a good mood lately. Something going on?”
I say, “Well, our company is sponsoring an event to save the local park. Kavita’s organizing a fashion show for it.”
Mom’s eyes light up with interest. “Is that so?”
I nod, smiling at the memory. “Yeah, Kavita’s grandmother and her friends pulled me into their rehearsal the other day. They made me dance with them!”
“Neel has gotten better since the Dandiya,” Elena teases. “You should’ve seen him.”
Mom bursts out laughing. “Oh, I would have loved to see that!”
“I think the event is going to be amazing. You should come watch, Ma.”
Her eyebrows raise in surprise. She rarely goes out because of her bad knees. “Really? You want me there?”
“Of course,” I say warmly. “It would mean a lot to me.”
She considers for a moment, then nods. “Alright, I’ll come. But tell me, when do I get to meet this Kavita? You’ve already met her mother and grandmother!”
“Ma!” I groan.
She raises her hand to stop my protest. “You met her family, and I haven’t even seen her yet,” she complains good-naturedly.
“The meeting with her family was totally unplanned,” I explain. “I didn’t mean for it to happen that way.”
Elena pipes up. “Oh, come on, Neel. Admit it. You’re just trying to keep Kavita all to yourself.”
I shoot Elena a warning glance.
Mom’s eyes soften. “You like her, don’t you?”
I want to deflect, but looking at Mom’s curious expression, I nod. “Yes, I like her. But it’s complicated.”
Mom squeezes my hand. “I know, sweetheart. Love is never easy.”
Later, as we sit on the couch, my head in Mom’s lap, she strokes my hair softly. “I give you my blessings,” she says.
“But you haven’t even met Kavita yet,” I protest weakly.
“I don’t need to. A mother knows. But yes, I would like to meet her soon.”
I chuckle. “I promise, Mom. In due time. Right now, I’m just trying to wrap my head around all this.”
As I drift off, I remember something. “Ramya’s been calling me recently. I don’t know why she’s trying to reach me.”
Mom’s hand stills in my hair. Her voice is tinged with regret when she speaks. “I still can’t believe she claimed to have lost your grandmother’s ring during the settlement. It’s such a precious family heirloom.”
She pauses, then continues softly, “You know, I’ve always hoped that somehow we could get it back. It belongs here, with us, until you’re ready to give it to someone who truly deserves it.”
***
Work has been crazy for the last couple of weeks, causing me to miss my morning runs for days on end.
At the office, my assistant tells me that my appointment is waiting in the conference room. I head over to discuss a land deal I’m particularly interested in. The guy is sharp and knows a good bargain, but I know how to be patient.
When the deal falls through, and the man leaves, I remind myself that it’s not over yet. It’s never over until I’ve given up, and I’m not willing to do that in this case.
A week later, Elena calls about a retreat she wants to check out for her bachelorette party. She invites me along, saying it’s just for one night. I think a break would do me good.
“Can I bring someone?” I ask.
“Someone?” She clears her throat, giggling. “I can’t wait to see who you’ll bring.”
After hanging up, I dial Kavita’s number.
“Like a date?” Kavita asks, sounding excited when I invite her along.
It’s been a while since we’ve hung out. I’m excited, too. “An overnight trip this weekend?”
“I’d love to,” she says right away.
I can’t suppress my smile after I hang up.
Whatever is unfolding between us, it feels beautiful.