|Innaya|
The sudden cold temperature in the room had me pull the blanket closer to my body. Still with closed eyes, my hand roamed for searching the remote of AC, generally kept on the other side of the bed beside my Dubu only to meet emptiness, not even the soft fluffy fur of Dubu, my teddy.
I blinked my eyes several times to get rid of remnants of sleep and pulled my body so that my back could rest against the headrest.
Disoriented at first, it took me several moments to realize that I was in my new home. The clock beside bed read 6 am, one hour past my usual time of waking up, seemed like medicine did work as I slept throughout without waking up in the middle of the night.
Morning pleasant sun-rays along with cool air rushing in through the opened balcony door marked the beginning of new day. I noticed Eshan's absence. Where was he? Did he not sleep? Had he left too? My breath hitched and I felt my heart racing up with the same fear crawling back.
The sudden click of bathroom door caught my attention, which after a moment opened. Eshan walked out freshly showered, wiping his hair with towel humming some song, wearing black pants and vest.
'Okay! He is here. He has not left.'
'Okay! He is here. He has not left.'
I repeated in my mind trying to calm my distressed self, wiping my sweaty palms on kurta I blinked twice to assure myself of his presence.
"Good Morning, Innaya. Slept well?"Eshan wished as our eyes met.
"Hmm yes... Good morning." I replied dragging myself out of the bed avoiding his gaze. I took my clothes from the suitcase and left for the bathroom.
*
After taking bath and getting ready, I left our room closing the door behind me. Last night after welcoming me his family had left because of some urgency telling me not to worry about such an important day, so it was just Eshan and me.
Following the path Priya had shown me yesterday, I spotted the kitchen. Nothing in the world would have prepared me for witnessing Eshan preparing the breakfast. My feet halted near the entrance and eyes followed Eshan as he sauntered into the kitchen from the cooking marble counter to the wooden cabinet for taking out something, his back towards me.
How could the person like him be working in the the kitchen? Aren't men supposed to stay away from kitchen? I must admit it was actually very unusually good to meet a person like him. From the very start, he had been nothing less than Pandora box full of surprises, pleasant one if I may add. No one would say this was the same Eshan Singhaniya, the media portrayed as ruthless and cold.
"la mia rosa, cosa stai facendo alla porta," Eshan surprised voice pulled me out of my reverie, I straightened up immediately, I felt heat creeping up on my cheeks as the embarrassment of being caught finally dawned on me.
"What was that?" I asked, once again unable to decipher the foreign language.
"Nothing, come inside," Eshan shook his head and giving his that beautiful smile gestured me to step inside.
"What are you doing here?" I asked while walking towards him avoiding his amused eyes.
Stopping beside him, I scanned the counter where the bowl with batter, olive oil bottle, and the plate was while on pan he had spread pancake for cooking.
"What does it look like?" He questioned raising his hand holding the spatula spreader towards the counter.
"Umm... I mean-
"Relax Sweetheart; I am just preparing our breakfast. I can't have my wife work on her first day that too this early, now can I?" Eshan interrupted me placing the spatula down while slowing down the flame.
"Eshan, please let me do this," I mumbled turning towards sink for washing my hands ignoring the fluttering feeling at the endearment he used.
"I'm not that bad cook, okay." Eshan declared with fake annoyance that I could see from the way he grinned.
"Neither am I," I answered with a smile.
"Why don't we do one thing we both will make today's breakfast?" He suggested with a proud smile as if he just solved the most difficult puzzle.
"But-
Eshan again cut me, "No but, now as you can see these pancakes are almost done, till then you can make orange juice."
"Orange juice, seriously?" I frowned at him.
What does he think I am, a spoilt princess who does not know anything?
"Okay Sorry! Why don't you make yourself comfortable and make something you prefer." Eshan announced on noticing my frown.
"Better!" I opened refrigerator looking for something to go with pancakes.
"Hmm, do you like beetroot sauce?" I asked as I spotted beetroots and green chilies.
"Haven't heard about it, go on let me know if you need anything." He answered while turning the pancake in the pan.
I pulled out the glass bowl and filled it with water. Washing the beetroot and chilies in the sink, I placed chilies on the chopping board and beetroot in the bowl for soaking.
Picking three oranges from fruit basket, I started peeling them one by one. Once done, putting one in manual juicer I started rotating the handle. After squeezing all three oranges in the juicer, I filled the juice in jug, adding a pinch of salt and two-tablespoon sugar and putting a lid over jug placed it in the fridge for cooling down.
Pulling out chef's knife from wooden cutlery stand beside the sink and washing it, I started cutting the chilies into small pieces all the while aware of Eshan's glances towards me. Peeling out the hard cover of beetroot, dicing them in middle pieces, I put them into a food processor.
Standing beside Eshan, I put the oil in a pan. Adding the required ingredient and then pouring the beetroot juice, I let it cook putting a lid on it. I turned towards the sink to wash out the used utensils.
As the spicy aroma of sauce entered my nose the memory of Grandpa's love for it came rushing to my mind tightening my chest with grief.
"Aah," The sudden cut in my finger had me cry out in pain. I looked towards my thumb of left palm holding the knife that accidentally had pierced little in my skin making a small gash that was bleeding.
*-*
"You careless brat."
"Don't you dare to shed those crocodile tears, you pathetic excuse for a human being."
"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT YOU -
"
*-*
Eshan was in front of me, speaking something I could not hear as those words rang in my ears. I involuntary took a step back as fear of Eshan's reaction seeped in.
"oh mio dio, cosa hai fatto", Eshan worried voice prevented me from further backing out. He took the knife from my hand before I could make more damage.
"I... I'm sorry... I'll just clean this mess-" I rambled turning to find cloth for wiping the drops of blood on the counter.
"Innaya, you will do no such thing. Let me see." Eshan held my shoulders turning me towards him.
"It's nothing Eshan." I tried moving away.
"Let me be the judge, please," he added holding my bleeding finger. Dragging my unwilling self to sink with him, he put my finger under running water of tap.
I just waited for him to scold me for being careless.
"Is it paining?" Eshan asked, putting band-aid on it after cleaning with an antiseptic liquid.
I nodded in negative not able to trust my voice, seeing his care over such small wound.
I did not realize I was crying, until Eshan's fingers touched my cheeks, wiping the tears from my face with a gentle caress.
"Don't cry, Mio Caro!" Eshan pulling me towards him held me closer, softly caressing my hair with one hand while other wrapped around my shoulders.
My hands remained on my sides, as I closed my eyes letting his warmth engulf me.
I did not expect this kind of reaction from him. What did I expect?
Anger? Shouting? Accusations? Disappointment? Casual? Ignorance?
Whatever it was but not this worried Eshan, who behaved as if I was a child, handled me with care held me as if I am some fragile doll. I let his presence, his natural scent calmed my agitated nerves.
*
"Are you going to college?" Eshan asked me, as we sat for the breakfast on the dining table.
I nodded taking a sip of the water.
"When are your exams starting and till when?" Eshan asked dipping a piece of his pancake in beetroot sauce. How simply he managed to make a thing like eating,graceful.
"From next week, I have four theory papers and three practicals. I will be done with exams on 26th of April." I answered chiding my mind to focus on the conversation rather than ogling at his lips.
"This Sauce is delicious Innaya, you are definitely great cook." Eshan appreciated relishing the taste of sauce with closed eyes.
"Thank you!" Involuntarily smile, broke on my lips.
"What will you do till then? What about your business?" I asked curiously, as he had told me about us shifting to Mumbai after my exams.
"Our," Eshan replied, gazing into my eyes.
"Huh?" Unable to understand his meaning I asked.
"Our business Innaya, how many times should I tell you that everything that belongs to me is now yours too? And I will be working from here only."
My eyes widen little. God, every time how he manages to make such sweet declarations?
Suddenly my throat felt dry, keeping my fork down I hurriedly gulped the orange juice.
"Hmm... By the way, you haven't told me about what business you are in. I mean I know, you learned from Grandpa but I don't know who exactly Eshan Singhaniya is?" I questioned, realizing I actually not know anything about him.
"Well Sweetheart, you have the whole life to get to know who exactly Eshan Singhaniya is."
*Cough* *Cough* * Cough*
I started coughing badly, shocked at his reply. Tears gathered in my eyes because of coughing, I felt Eshan's one hand rubbing my back and another hand holding glass of water near my lips.
"Be careful Innaya."
I found Eshan rubbing my back concerned even after my coughing subsided.
"I'm okay," I managed to answer, pushing his hand little that held the glass.
"Sure?" Eshan asked unsure about my answer.
"Hmm" I answered smiling little.
His care was a little overwhelming. Having someone apart from my family care for me this way was genuinely surprising and touching, knocking on that locked door of my heart arguing with my mind for granting access.
*