The next day, as Lathika walked in with a carrier filled with food, Prashanth felt his spirits lift instantly. His eyes lit up as he looked at the carrier, murmuring to himself, "Oh wow, food."

He was doing his best to move slowly, trying not to strain himself as he sat up straight, feeling the familiar ache in his leg but determined to carry on.

"How's your leg?" Lathika asked, placing the carrier on the kitchen counter with an easy grace.

"I don't know," Prashanth shrugged, glancing at his leg with a frown. "It still feels the same. I'll know for sure when I see the doctor tomorrow."

"Oh," she responded, her gaze turning thoughtful. "You want me to come along?"

Prashanth gave it a moment's thought. It would be nice to have some company, especially since he'd have to take a cab instead of driving. Varadhan was probably off to fly again, and it was just him. "If you're free, I'd be happy," he said, his voice lighter.

She nodded without hesitation, the kindness in her response making Prashanth feel a little lighter.

Then, his gaze shifted to the tall carrier on the counter. "You cooked?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Lathika scoffed lightly, laughing under her breath. "Nah. I can't cook this many items in such a short span of time. I know a wonderful lady near my place—a great cook. I used to get food from her for my employees and for myself before."

She glanced at her watch, and Prashanth followed her gaze to the wall clock.

"It's almost one o'clock, you want to eat now?" she asked, already moving around the kitchen, effortlessly grabbing plates, spoons, and a ladle.

Prashanth watched her, his heart swelling with gratitude. She hadn't needed to do this for him. When she called earlier and offered to bring him food, he'd insisted on ordering in, but Lathika had insisted that homemade food was better, especially since he was injured. And now, here she was, with a tall tiffin carrier full of homemade goodness. Why did it feel so nice to have someone care for him like this? Sure, his Patti had always been thoughtful and caring, but seeing someone who wasn't family take the time to do something like this... it felt different.

Lathika returned to the table, setting a plate of steaming rice with spicy brinjal stir fry, sambar, paneer masala, a piece of crispy papad, and a cup of rasam in front of him. The aroma was mouthwatering.

"Thank you, Lathika. You're too kind," Prashanth said, genuinely touched. He waited for her to join him with her own plate of food and setting the rest of the dishes on his coffee table.

"Oh, please," Lathika replied with a soft chuckle, waving her hand dismissively. "Don't thank me. If anything, you've been kind enough to agree to help me out with this whole... arrangement."

Prashanth smiled, but he sensed that Lathika might still feel a little uncomfortable with everything, especially with how she'd been forced to find alternative ways to keep her business afloat. Even with her family owning a famous spice company, he could imagine that having to resort to other means for help couldn't have been easy.

"So, what kind of business are you looking to venture into?" he asked, trying to shift the conversation. He picked the crispy papad and took bite with a crunch.

Lathika chewed thoughtfully before responding, "I'm looking into event item rentals. There are so many people who want to do their own decors but are reluctant to spend money on items they won't use again after the event. So, I want to offer a rental service for event décor and maybe take a few clients for event styling."

Prashanth listened closely, considering her idea. "To rent out things, you'll need storage space, won't you?" he asked, his mind working through the logistics.

Lathika nodded thoughtfully, looking at the plate in front of her before gazing off into the distance. "Yes, and it depends on how big the items are," she said, her voice trailing off as she lost herself in thought. "But, I'm planning to move my office out now, since there's no income coming in. I've got to think of another way or... just wait, you know?" She shrugged, her expression becoming more dispirited as she spoke.

Prashanth's heart went out to her. He could see how much she was struggling, the weight of the uncertainty bearing down on her. "Don't worry," he said, his voice firm with reassurance. "We'll figure it out soon."

Lathika's eyes lingered on him for a moment, searching his face as if deciding something. Then, she smiled—a soft, genuine smile that reached her eyes. "Thanks, Prashanth. I needed to hear that."

"Always there to support now that ..." he leaned forward, a mischievous grin on his face, "we are to marry. I've got your back." He giggled and earned a head shake from Lathika who was all smiling.

❁ ❁ ❁

Prashanth savoured the burst of flavours of rice and sambar. He looked up at Lathika, who was smiling as she took her bite of food, clearly enjoying the meal as much as he was.

"This is amazing," he said with a satisfied sigh, taking a sip of the rasam. "I honestly thought I'd be stuck with delivery food for the next week."

Lathika laughed, shaking her head. "You'd be surprised how much better home-cooked food is. It's all about the ingredients and the love, right?" Lathika handed him the papad.

He smiled, his curiosity piqued. "So, what's your go-to comfort food when you're stressed out? I need to know if I can recommend this place to my friends when they're in the same situation."

Lathika thought for a moment, stirring her food absently. "It's gotta be a good bowl of noodles for me. I love how it's so easy, yet somehow, it feels like the best meal ever when you're just craving something warm."

Prashanth let out a laugh. "Instant noodles, huh? That's surprisingly relatable."

"It is! It's like—no matter how busy or complicated life gets, instant noodles always feel like a little moment of peace, you know?" Lathika said with a laugh. "What about you? What's your food go-to?"

"I think for me, it's gotta be a hearty burger," Prashanth said, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "The kind with a perfectly seared patty, melted cheese, and some crispy fries on the side. It's a total comfort meal for me."

"You're a man of class, I see," Lathika teased, raising an eyebrow. "But I get it, there's something comforting about a big, juicy burger. You can never go wrong with it."

Prashanth grinned. "Exactly. It's like the world just melts away when you take that first bite."

They both shared a laugh. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Lathika's voice broke through again, this time with a playful note. "Alright, now that we've talked about food, let me ask you this—what's one quirky habit of yours that people find weird but you can't help but do?"

Prashanth laughed and leaned forward, clearly enjoying the direction the conversation was taking. "Okay, so... whenever I'm at home and I'm eating something, like chips or peanuts, I always make sure I have a little cup of water next to me. I don't know why, but I can't stand having dry food without something to wash it down right next to me. Even if I have a drink, I still need that water."

Lathika blinked, trying to process that for a moment. "Water? Just... water next to you while you eat?"

Prashanth nodded seriously. "Yes. It's a habit I picked up when I was younger, I think. If I'm eating something dry, I need something to balance it out, even if it's just a sip of water."

Lathika shook her head with a smile. "That's a new one. But hey, if it works for you..."

"My turn," Prashanth said, clearly excited to hear something equally quirky from her. "What's your thing?"

Lathika hesitated for a moment, glancing at her plate before looking up at him with a sheepish grin. "I'm kind of obsessive about organizing things. I don't know why, but if my desk or space is cluttered, I feel this constant need to clean it up—like immediately. My mind can't focus until everything is perfectly in order. Even at home, I end up tidying up stuff while I'm on a call, just to feel at peace."

Prashanth chuckled while nodding. "Oh, I have seen it. I remember how you were stressing out when the product display at the party got mixed up," his eyes twinkled as he laughed.

Lathika rolled her eyes, guilty of getting caught in action. "Well, presentation is important. So, yes. I stress over trivial issues, sometimes."

"Well, even so, you're definitely a perfectionist," Prashanth said with a teasing smile. "I don't think I could live like that."

Lathika smiled shyly, her eyes softening. "I guess I just like a little order in my life. It makes things feel... less chaotic." She took a small bite. "But I think I'm losing the touch... life is getting a little messier than I can handle."

Prashanth looked at her understandingly, he might just know what was going on in her head. "Don't worry. We will tackle it like a pro."

Lathika laughed and shook her head yet made no comments. They both shared a quiet smile, their conversation drifting into more personal territories. Despite the awkwardness that could have easily set in, their exchange felt natural—comfortable, even. Prashanth was starting to see more of Lathika, and with each passing minute, he appreciated her quirks and insights more.

"You know, I'm really glad we did this," Prashanth said softly, his voice carrying a note of sincerity as he looked at her across the table. "It's nice to just... talk, without all the other pressure. No expectations."

Lathika met his gaze, her eyes warm. "I'm glad too."

"Well, here's to more moments like this," Prashanth said, raising his glass of rasam in a quiet toast.

Lathika smiled, clinking her glass with his. "To more moments."

As they sat there, laughing and sharing stories, the sense of ease between them deepened. They were beginning to understand each other in a way that felt real and not forced—one conversation at a time.

In those moments, Prashanth realized that he was beginning to enjoy these quiet times with Lathika. In fact, much to his surprise, he looked forward for it.

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Hello! Happy Sunday all!

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