Bengal, Chatterjee Residence

Saudamini's breath hitched for a while as the kids demanded for Payesh. 

She pressed her lips into a nervous smile; the expecting and innocent eyes of the kids had put her into a dilemma. How could she say 'no' to them? Moreover, Payesh was a sweet dish, which everyone loved to have after meals, it was like a satisfying ending to the meal. Initially, she thought that she would slide away discreetly without Payesh, and feed everyone laddoos and barfis which were brought; but now she felt that she was in a tiff. 

She felt like cursing herself while sidelining her mother's advice, "Kire, eibar ektu Payesh ta banano shekh re! (Dear, now learn to make the Payesh too!)"

She wished she had paid heed to her. 

She bit her lips subtly, what if the kids say to someone that she didn't know how to make the basic sweet dish? What will they think about her? Already, Kadambari was giving her judgmental looks since the morning, she didn't want to aggravate it further. People would laugh behind her, that she was a married woman and still didn't know how to make Payesh?

"Ye-yes! But Payesh ain't ready yet kids! I am...I am still boiling the milk you know," She kept Phalguni down and gave her a puffed flatbread to it, "You all go, I will be bringing Payesh while you'll be sitting for lunch! How about that?" She grinned at them.

"Okay!" The children mumbled while half-eating their flat-breads and ran out of the kitchen. 

Saudamini began to fidget with her fingers.

"Boudi! If you want to make Payesh, you must start boiling the milk now. Else it would take time," One of the workers claimed, smiling at her and talking out a plate of the vegetable curry which was ready. 

Should she ask her how to make Payesh?

No, it was a damn bad idea. Who knows whether they release this secret of hers? Servants were already notorious of back-bitching their masters. Moreover she was new here, she didn't want to give any one any chance to complain about her.

And now her mind hit the only 'feasible solution' to her problem.

.

.

.

"Where the heck does Anirban vanish whenever I need him?" She gritted her teeth as she strode out of the kitchen, hastily looking around for her husband, who was again, no where to be seen. He pops up so suddenly and disappears so suddenly!

Lunch time was nearing already.

Her eyes darted around the corridor, and luckily she spotted Subhankar who was engaged in gossiping with Meghmaala's husband Dibyendu. 

"Subho Dada!" She sprinted towards him, panting slightly. She hurriedly greeting Dibyendu with a smile, while Subhankar spun around, looking at her expectedly, "Hnn?"

"Have you seen Anirban around?"

"Oh! He must be downstairs, I just went past him you know," He smiled at her, while Saudamini nodded swiftly. 

"Listen, listen!" Subhankar halted her before she could leave, and sided her, "Is everything alright between you two? Like, about Kadambari Maashi and all that....?" He nervously asked her, with furrowed brows, "That idiot was saying he pacified you, but I wanted to confirm from your side you know."

Saudamini softly nodded, "No it's nothing, Dada. We have resolved it," She was touched momentarily at his concern, and her lips bloomed into a smile. 

"Thank God!" He sighed, rolling his eyes, "And listen, if he troubles you much, I am just a  door away, right?"

She burst out laughing, "Noted!" 

.

.

.

Anirban's eyes momentarily crept towards Saudamini, who was standing near a pillar and furrowing her brows. Signaling him to come over. Excusing himself from everyone, he strode towards her with an amused smile, "Missing me?"

"No I mean, you left the kitchen in between and rushed to meet me," He shrugged, brushing his hairs behind.

She stared up for a short while and shook her head, "Hoyeche tomar?(Are you done?)" 

"What?"

"Nothing, forget it." She whispered, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "Now listen, you'll have to do a work for me." 

Anirban raised his brows and gazed at her. She bit her lower lip for a moment and leaned forward, "Can you try and gather the recipe of Payesh from somewhere?"

"Hnn? Payesh, why?"

"Arrey, that; it's not so you know. The kids are wanting to have Payesh....but, I don't know how to make it," She hesitantly spoke the last phrase, fidgeting with her fingers. 

His eyebrows instantly furrowed as he tried to press his lips from breaking into a smile. Just womanly things it were. They would care about every detail and be meticulous, trying to earn perfection in the tiniest of things. Be it from London or his India. 

"Relax Mini, they are just kids, alright? They'll forget about it! Moreover we have laddoos for everyone after lunch!" He softly answered, half-smiling at her. 

"No Anirban...." She inched closer, "Try to understand. It doesn't feel good. How can I deny the kids? That too for the first time, they had asked something from me you know," 

"And guests are equivalent to Gods. Not satisfying them is sinful-"

Anirban could feel his heart swelling for her for some reason. She was too adorable for God's sake!

"So if you can, try to.....I mean get the recipe from somewhere," Saudamini hopefully peered at him, biting the corner of her lip. 

The latter stared at her for a brief while, and breathed out, "This is so good of you, you know."

Saudamini raised a brow confusedly.

"Whenever you want, you can come up to me and ask for help. And when it's my turn, you run away." 

The latter bit her lip harder, widening her eyes. 

"So, why should I help you, Mrs. Saudamini Anirban Chatterjee?" He raised his brows at her, his lips curving into a smirk. Saudamini looked around, and tried to open her mouth to say something but shut it back, "Arrey..." 

"Yo-you're going to do like this with me?" She cupped her elbow and peered at him, gathering innocence in her eyes, "Look, it will affect your respect as well. Will you, will you like if people say that your wife is a poor cook?" 

"I didn't say that I won't help you," Anirban side eyed her, his smirk widening, "But not easily."

"Anirban, not now-"

"Oho, when it is your case it's important; when mine it's not?" Anirban dramatically shook his head, "When I asked for a kiss, you stuffed rosogolla in my mouth you remember? And that, when I got whacked because of the wet cloth, you didn't even apologize to me." He shrugged. 

 She looked down, pressing her lips. She didn't knew why she was blushing all of a sudden. 

"Did you remember?"

"Anirban, please, save me today," She tilted her head, trying to sound convincing, "I will make up for it, by, by giving you an extra scoop of Payesh, okay?"

'I will teach him a lesson later!' She huffed internally.

"Okay! If you're requesting so much," He breathed out, not before an evil smirk laced his lips, "But, only an extra scoop of Payesh won't work."

"So, what else do you want?" Saudamini anticipated with a glint in her eyes.

"Kiss me on the cheek." 

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

Anirban--😈😈😈😈😈Ab baat hui na barabari ki.

Signing off for today!

Nushkie