Finally a break!

I stretched out my arms, ready to spend an hour of peace.

"Should I practice for my interview? Or should I just go to sleep? Hmm, what to do? What to do?" Rubbing my chin with my finger, I contemplated on how to use this opportunity. It wasn't really hard to make a decision either. One look at Rehaan's empty bedroom, and it was sealed.

There's no way I am going to get to sleep in such a large bed ever in my life.

The large bed, the cooling of A.C and the huge space; everything was just pulling me in. So in I went. Preparation for the interview can wait. I needed to make use of this opportunity first.

With a bounce in my steps, I went towards his room and plopped myself on the silky soft bed. The size and the softness really left me baffled. Even if I had spread my arms and legs, there was still space left in the bed, whereas I couldn't even turn in my makeshift bed, before getting in another girl's personal space.

This was truly bliss.

I bounced on the bed a few times, giggling like a child, before letting out a sigh and closing my eyes.

If you think I would have the most peaceful sleep of my life, then you are completely, absolutely wrong.

~Rehaan would be alright, right?

~He has never done this before.

~Even if he had, right now he is scared of so many things.

~Will he be able to even step inside the store without freezing on the spot?

I groaned, twisting and turning as the thoughts invaded my brain.

"Stop thinking and sleep Muskaan," I yelled at myself, putting hands on both sides of my head to stop having any negative thoughts.

But has anyone ever listened to me, that my mind would.

Huffing, I sat up, blowing the stray hair that had gathered near my face.

Clutching my hair tightly, I yelled at myself to stop. "He is a grown adult. Stop worrying about him. He can just return empty-handed if it gets hard."

~But what if his head starts hurting suddenly?

~What if he faints because of over-exertion?

~What if the criminal suddenly shows up when he finds Rehaan alone with no one by his side to protect him?

I was out of the bed, the moment the thought crossed my mind. Putting my disheveled hair in a bun, I took my mobile and keys, and ran out of the apartment.

Rehaan's safety was the only thing in my mind, everything else be damned.

I had completely forgotten about that aspect, while enjoying the little break I got. We still weren't sure that what happened to Rehaan was an accident or not. If there was a criminal, then he was still roaming around freely. And even without that risk, Rehaan's health was also questionable.

Getting discharged, coming face to face with the world again, cleaning the refrigerator; he had already gone through too much in one day. There's only so much a patient's body could take.

I was already inside the elevator when I realized that I wasn't wearing shoes. Between going barefoot outside or delaying being there for Rehaan, I chose to just go without shoes.

My heart thudded rapidly as every second passed by. The negative thoughts continuously invading my mind did nothing to help. It was only after I saw Rehaan, my breathing calmed down.

There he was safe and sound. I chuckled at the sight after my initial panic had finally vanished.

The idiot was still looking over the racks trying to figure out if should take a basket or a wheeling-cart. He was gone for so long and yet here he was.

It was actually for the better. If he had already gone inside, it would have been hard to find him, which in turn would have escalated my panic.

Smiling at his cute confused face, I went near him. I was just about to tap his shoulder, when I heard him mumbling, "Should I just call Muskaan? No, no, Rehaan. Don't disturb her. You need to do this on your own, no matter how hard or confusing it gets. You cannot be so dependable on her.

"This is nothing. There are even more tough things to do. You have to learn to become a functioning adult. You have to do this, Rehaan."

I slowly backed off as he gave pep-talk to himself. It might have been funny for me, but it wasn't for him. He was sincerely trying.

To think that the smartest person I had seen in my life would get shaken by simplest things like this was baffling to me. I never thought that the work I could do without batting an eyelash could actually be scary for someone. Especially someone who was so good in those worldly matters that went above my simple brain.

I guess everyone has their own weaknesses.

This must be even more tough for him, because he couldn't muster up the courage to ask someone for help. Not even the previous Rehaan did. He ordered around, but I don't think there was a single time I had seen him asking for help. Thus, I knew the moment he saw me, he would stop trying altogether.

I really wanted him to learn. Because even after his memories came back, he would require these skills. It would be better if he learned it now. The new Rehaan still had a chance, the previous one didn't. That jerk of a person would rather die instead.

Hence, I stepped back. But I couldn't really leave him alone. So I resorted to hiding and watching him, while he did everything on his own.

★★★★★

Scratch that! I take my words back.

I seriously can't let him do this on his own. Who in the world buys milk first? Like seriously! Shouldn't it be common sense to buy dairy at the end? The milk was going to rot by the time he finished buying everything.

My hands went up, before I fisted them and brought them back. I couldn't even go to him. He would lose his confidence. But there's no way I was going to let him waste things like this. My poor mind just couldn't handle such waste of money.

Think Muskaan, think. You can't go to him but you can't let him make such a stupid blunder.

Getting an idea, I went to a nearby aisle and took out my phone, pretending to be on call.

Obviously after changing my voice.

"Where are you baby? I am waiting near the dairy section. We need to buy the ice cream, no? Oh! At last. But whyyy?" I whined. "Ooo, it will melt. Haha, stupid me. I totally forgot that dairy items should be bought at last."

I saw him putting back the milk through the side-eye, obviously having heard my conversation. I immediately left the aisle, before he could see me and fist-pumped in the air at my success.

'You are too smart, Muskaan,' I said internally, while raising my non-existent collar.

If you thought this was the end of it, then you need to reassess your brain.

"Who the hell puts tomatoes at the bottom of the basket?" If scowling was a competition, I would have won first prize at it.

Adapting the same method, I picked up my phone again.

"What to tell you Maya, I had to come back here because of my stupid husband. He put the potatoes over tomatoes, squeezing them all in the process. Not one tomato survived. Ah! Seriously, so annoying. It is a basic sense to put tomatoes on the top or even better in a different bag."

Rehaan immediately removed the bag of tomatoes and placed it in the small, empty compartment of the cart, away from other vegetables.

And the same process continued.

"Check the expiry date on the packaged products."

"Don't buy if there's only 3-5 days remaining in the expiry. The products at least last for a month."

"There's a sale on a similar type of product. Take that one."

"Don't buy a useless product just because there's a sale."

"Spices are on the other floor."

"Take the lift."

"Take your cart along. No one's going to take care of your belongings."

"Billing counter is near the exit."

"Yes, you have to get in line and wait patiently. The cashier is a human, not a machine."

"Pack your own stuff after it gets billed. No one's your slave."

"Don't throw away the receipt. You need to show it at the exit."

Like this, slowly and steadily we finished Rehaan's first grocery shopping.

Yes we, because I was equally involved even though the guy didn't have any idea about it.