Page 46 of Knot So Romantic

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?”