"There...You shared your first breakfast after wedding with me and THIS is called SHEER BLISS"

Did I just say that!?

Oh...sorry...wrong question

Did I just do that!? is what I should be asking myself....

Did I really lick her soft petals?

Ummm...They tasted so yumm...The best breakfast of my life!!!

But did I do right?

Right ya wrong...Kee farak painda? Zaroori tha yaar! Halath dekhi hai meri!?

But was she ready for it?

Galti usi ki thi...Kya zaroorat thi use tujhe is tarah tempt karne ki? Agar wo tempt na karti to tu aisa nahi karta na!

So it was not my mistake?

Ye bhi koi poochnewali baat hai? Obviously not!

Feeling good?

Yeah! Better!

But what next?

Aaa...ermmm...well I can't help you with that!

Hey you can't do that! You were the one who convinced me that I am not at fault. Now help me find a way out!

Sorry!

Hello! Are you there????

No reply!

You are gone???

Hey! Please come back! Tell me what next!

How can you just say Sorry and disappear? This is not done!

Sorry! Was that a clue?

Did he mean that I should be sorry for doing this?

Or should I be sorry for believing him?

Or should I say sorry to her?

Urghhh...This is so confusing!

Calm down Raman! Calm down!

Get a grip over yourself!

Ok! Fine! Fine! I am good!

Just take a deep breath and look at her reaction...Then decide what has to be done about it!

Yeah! That's right!

I listened to my mind, took a deep breath and opened my eyes.

I scanned her face starting from her eyes...

Eyes...wide open...expression was inscrutable...shock or surprise? Unable to differentiate...

Nose...wide open...buddhu nose to hamesha wide open hi hotha hai na? I mean looks like she is holding her breath...

Mouth...wide open...gulp...how will it feel to have my tongue inside? I am sure some chocolate remains must be there...

Oye chup! Kya soch raha hai? Bigdi baat banana chahta hai ya baat ko aur bigaadna chahta hai?

Sorry! Sorry!

Sorry mujhe nahi use bol! Dekh nahi raha uski haalath? Bechari shock me chali gayi hai! Itni der se saans roke hue hai ke kahin hamesha keliye saans na ruk jaye!

OMG!

"Ishitaaa" I called out to her worried and shook her holding her shoulders

"Haan" she said coming out of the shock

Thank God! She is fine!

Her right hand began to move from its place and my mind gave me warning signals.

High Alert! Her right hand could land on your left cheek any moment from now!

Oh no! Not again! Jhansi ki Rani thappad zor ki marti hai!

Nevertheless! Be prepared! You deserve it!

I was all prepared for the slap but was relieved on seeing her tuck an imaginary strand of her behind the ears...Hufff!

"I am..." I started to apologise but she didn't let me complete

"It's alright" she said understanding what I was about to say and turned to the other side

Wait! Was that a smile I just saw?

Woah! Woah! Hasi to phasi...Phasi to pati...

Beta teri to aaj chandi hogayi!

Bina maange hi sab kuch mil raha hai!

Kismat ho to Raman Kumar Bhalla jaisi!

Agar bina expect kiye hi itna kuch mil sakta hai to expectations rakh ke disappoint kyun hona?

"Thank you" I heard her say

"Thank you?" I asked the reason for this unexpected expression of gratitude

"Breakfast keliye" she said genuinely

"Breakfast keliye ya breakfast share karne keliye?" I asked winking naughtily

She just blushed

Her blush encouraged me to be naughtier"Lagta hai abhi bhi thoda chocolate laga hai tumhare honton pe, Kaho to chaat loon?" I asked inching closer

"Ramannn" she said pushing me away"Ab humein chalna chahiye. Warna humein lunch bhi yahin beech raste isi gaadi me karni padegi" she said in a warning tone

"Actually idea achha hai! Breakfast to bahut hi mazedaar tha! Lunch me to aur maza aayega" I didn't quit being naughty

"To theek hai! Aap yahin baithiye aur lunch ke maze lee jiye. Mai taxi leke ghar ja rahi hun" she warned and opened the door to go

I pulled her holding her elbow and held my ears "Sorry baba! Ab no masti! I promise" I said

"Pakka promise na? Restaurant pahunchne tak no masti. Ok?" she said pointing a finger towards me

"Ok baba. Pakka promise...I said pinching my throat. "Uske baad to masti kar sakta hun na?" I teased her

"Raman...mai sach me jarahi hun" she warned

"Sorry...sorry...no more masti" I said folding my hands

"Now that's like a good boy" she said like a teacher

I raised my collars and shrugged proudly. She chuckled and started to drive away

After about half an hour, we drove through into a familiar street and I was right! She had planned our lunch at my favourite eat out destination Sonu Da Dhaaba

It was no 5 star or 3 star restaurant. It was a simple roadside restaurant on the highway that served the best Punjabi food.

She looked for my expression after parking near the dhaba and I gave her a full smile letting her know that it was a pleasant surprise. A similar smile reflected on her face.

This was the busiest time of the day at the Dhaba as truck drivers and workers around stopped by for lunch. I was not sure if we would be able to catch a table but to me delight our table was booked on my favourite corner. I remembered her say that she had already booked the table.

It was noisy around yet my heart felt at peace looking at the excitement on her face, the excitement of making me happy could clearly be seen there and I was glad that my happiness mattered to her.

We were sat for about 5 minutes now but no waiter turned towards us to take an order. I got impatient. I knew she was starving. One chocolate could do no good in satisfying her hunger.

"Koi waiter idhar dekh tak nahi raha hai. Tum yahin baitho mai jakar kisi ko bulata hun" I said raising from my seat

"Raman...Aapko jane ki zarurat nahi hai...Order maine pehle hi kar diya hai"

"Order kar diya? Par kab?"

"Subah...phone pe"

"Oh...Perfect planning madam! Advance me booking...advance me order...I am impressed!"

"Wo to pehle se hi ho" she said smiling shyly

"Aur tum?" I asked prodding her to spit out her feelings

"Aaa...mai...ermmm...Khana agaya!" she screamed!

"Wrong timing" I muttered looking back at the waiter bringing our food

"Perfect timing" I heard her whisper

I closed my eyes taking in the aroma

Butter Chicken, Seekh Kabab, Tandoori chicken rolled in front of eyes

To my surprise (Shock)

Paneer Makhni, Hara Bhara Kabab, Tandoori Alu were on the table

Flashback

"Raman aaj veg options try karein kya?" Abhi said

"Veg? Yuck! Sonu Da Dhaba aake tu Veg khayega? Dimag to thikane pe hai na tera"

"Yaar! Tu itna drama kyun kar raha hai? Veg khane me kya burayi hai?"

"Abhi mere bhai! Sonu Da Dhaba me chicken aur mutton nahi khaya to kya khaya? Aur yahan pe veg koun khaata hai? Veg khane ka naam lekar inki insult mat kar"

"Dekh Raman! Zyada ud mat haan! Kahin aisa na ho ke tujhe zindagibhar yahan pe sirf veg hi khana naseeb ho"

"Raman Bhalla and Veg? Impossible!"

End of flashback

Beta! Tamil Brahmin se shadi karke tu Chicken, Mutton expect kar raha hai? Ab Sonu Da Dhaba me zindagi bhar tujhe yahi khaana naseeb hai!

I imagined Abhi telling this to me with an evil grin.

I found her looking expectantly at me. I put up a fake wide smile masking the disappointment on seeing the Veg cuisine laid on the table

"Bhayya wo baki dishes bhi le ayenge please?" she requested the waiter

Baki dishes?
Karela, Tinda, Loki.....the worst vegetables flashed in front of my eyes

"It's ok Ishita. Hum itne me manage karlenge. Aur dishes ki zarurat nahi hai"I said stopping her immediately.

Paneer, Alu to chalega magar Karela? Nooo I said in my mind

"No Raman. Mujhe bahut bhook lagi hai. Itna kafi nahi hoga. Aap laiye bhayya"

Hey Bhagwan! Mujhpe daya karna I sent a silent prayer and prepared myself for the worst

I just wished and prayed that my displeasure won't show on my face

3 dishes came next in cloche!

Cloche??? When did these roadside restaurants start serving in the cloche?

"Raman...Dekhoge nahi ke isme kya hai?"

"Ermm...haan"

"Aap bahut excited lag rahe ho"

Thank God! Kam se kam chehre pe to excitement hai!

"Hmmm" I said keeping the fake smile and excitement intact

"To phir khol ke dekho na"

"Ermmm...haan" I said hesitantly reaching out to the cloche

"Ruko...mai hi kholti hun aap keliye" she said holding my hand that was near the cloche and she raised the cloche one after the other

Bharwa Karela, Achari Tinde, Loki ki subzi were not there

To my shock (surprise)

Butter Chicken, Seekh Kabab, Tandoori chicken were placed in front of me

"Kaisa laga surprise?" she asked winking

"Ishita...Ye sab...I mean...tumne ye sab order kiya? In sabki zarurat nahi thi...Mai tumhare sath veg khaa letha"

"Bol to aise rahe ho jaise Veg khane keliye mare jarahe the jabke chehre pe poore 12 baje hue the"

"Wo mai...bas...aise hi..."

"Agar aap mere liye Veg aur Chinese kha sakte ho to mai aap keliye Non-Veg order to kar hi sakti hun na"

A genuine smile played on my lips

"But honestly Veg khana dekh kar apka chehra kaise KHIL (sarcastically) utha tha, ye dekhne layak tha" she said giggling

"Ab bhook nahi lagi tumhe? Khalo" I said strictly

She nodded her head obediently

She reached for the Non-Veg dishes and served me first. As she reached for the Veg dishes on her side a naughty thought came to me

I held her hand and said "Mere liye tumne Non-Veg dishes order kiya, jo tumne pehle kabhi kiya nahi, Non-Veg chuaa jo bhi pehle kabhi kiya nahi. Ab itna kar liya hai to khaa bhi lo"

(Author's note: Copied from IshRa scene of chicken surprise)

"Itna bhi pyar nahi karti aap se ke Non-veg khaaun"

Did she just say that!?

------To be continued-------