"Your boyfriend?" Omar asked Sanyukta as she pointed out Randhir to him. Randhir was waiting for her at Columbus Circle just like he had promised her. "He is much more than a boyfriend, he's my soulmate actually!" Omar caught the slight blush on the cheeks and the gleam in her eyes as they lit up on spotting Randhir. "You look quite young to be settling down so soon!" Omar remarked. "Oh, we are not ready to set up home yet! I have a school year to finish and it will be between 4-5 years before he graduates from a good business school." She explained.

"Wow, you guys must have tons of faith. Relationships today hardly survive a five year wait. Sorry if I sounded intrusive, have fun, I'll see you at work tomorrow!" Omar turned to walk toward the subway station. "Thanks Omar, you were quite helpful on my first day at work!" Sanyukta called out after him. "Anytime!" He yelled back before walking away and Sanyukta made her way to Randhir. He welcomed her in his arms and gave her a light peck on her lips. "Had fun at work?" He asked her. "I am not sure it was fun, but I surprised myself by working at their pace and level of efficiency. There is a lot to learn here, I am happy I decided to train in New York!" She replied.

"And how was your day?" She asked him. "Well, you'll be happy to know that my workplace is dominated by aggressive and ambitious heterosexual men, the few women who work there are also similar, which means you don't have to worry about me succumbing to any office romance!" He chuckled. "If you really put your mind to it you can meet a woman anywhere, this is a city of singles anyway!" She reminded him. "Baby, let me at least impersonate a loyal husband while you are in town, later you won't know what I have been up to!" He smirked.

"Did the job live up to your expectations?" She asked, ignoring his previous remark. "Too early to say yet, there is a lot to learn from the old suits!" His job was a different routine from what he was accustomed to but he would learn how to manage money, and that mattered more. He was mentally prepared to work hard because it was worth it. "That guy you were talking to, does he work there?" She was surprised that Randhir had spotted Omar although he seemed lost in his phone, but she knew Randhir had an eye for detail, in a single glance he registered far more that what she could, she envied him for the skill.

"His name is Omar, he is a senior intern in the restaurant kitchen and he was very supportive. He is my unofficial mentor now. Hey, he asked about you too!" She smiled slightly. "It is a guy thing, Sanyukta! Men are territorial about their turf, we spot rivals instinctively!" He pulled her close to demonstrate his possessiveness. "Randhir, as if! Anyway, I am hungry. Buzz is that there is a wine and cheese festival happening close by, let us visit there, try out the cheese, buy some stuff to take home and also get mildly drunk. What say?" She posed him a rhetorical question, he would never say no to a gourmet experience. 

"Lead the way, wifey!" He said, getting up. "It is a fair bit of walk, I hope you don't mind!" As she voiced her concern he grabbed her palm and they started to walk at a leisurely pace. "Randhir, I chatted with Vidushi, she is excited about her work in the forthcoming mega fashion event!" She chirped. "And I talked to Mom and Dad about my experience in office!" As he volunteered this information she withheld her reaction, she was unsure of how to express herself over his parents. Randhir knew that although she got along well with his father, his mother made her uncomfortable. Yet if they were to be accepted as a couple by his extended family, Sanyukta would have to make peace with Renuka.

When they reached the venue it was early, there was just a trickle of people exploring the various exhibits. "Cheese is fattening, we need to be careful how much we taste!" She said. "The Europeans eat cheese and meat all the time, but they hardly have health issues!" He remarked. "The trick is to have artisanal cheese, lots of garlic, organic tomatoes, fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil and red wine daily!" He added. "I know, the Mediterranean diet!" She had learnt about it in college. "That's not all, the lifestyle extends to enjoying meals with family and friends, lots of walking and plenty of sex!" He whispered in her ears.

She laughed, finding it amusing how he managed to connect anything with physical intimacy. "I was serious, sex keeps your heart healthy and your joints flexible. Once an Italian guy remarked to me that any man who dislikes garlic and strong smelling cheese would make a lousy lover for his partner, because that's what a woman tastes like when you go down on her!" There was a wicked grin on his face as she looked squeamish to hear that. "Shut up Randhir, I almost took you seriously!" She laughed. "Don't worry, I love garlic and cheese!" He teased her.

They wandered around, tasting bite-size portions of cheese with assorted accompaniments, pairing it with wine that was being offered on the side. They tried the Cypriot Halloumi  with watermelon, balsamic vinegar drizzled over Italian Pecorino, fruit chutney with cream cheese and prosciutto with Parmesan. For their meal they chose an expensive portion of grilled French raclette cheese served with oven roasted potatoes, cornichons, pickled pearl onions, cured meat and wild rocket salad. The mild white wine flattered the cheese as they sipped on its crisp and refreshing acidity. Later they had fresh fruit drizzled with honey and sprinkled with nuts.

"I am feeling re-energised now! I really liked coming here Randhir,  I had read so much about these exotic cheeses earlier." Her face was flushed because of the wine she had. They decided to take a bus home rather than lug their shopping bags through the crowded subway. The bus dropped them some distance from the apartment but they did not mind the long walk as long as they were together! "Everyone should live in this city at least briefly to experience its hidden gems!" She declared. "Randhir, if I had not run off from home my life would be so confined. It was a bold step to take, leaving my family behind, but I have no regrets now. And it was possible only because of you!" She had said that several times before.

 Randhir was brought up by broad-minded parents, although he had less freedom in choosing a career. However, the prospect of joining the family business had always seemed exciting to him. Running a huge empire gave his mother a different high; there were many challenges to look forward to, but it was definitely a great ego boost! "I wish every person is allowed to do some exploring before putting down roots- visit different places and even make a few mistakes before finding the right thing to do! And I would like to work independently with flexible schedules so I have enough time to devote to my husband and kids!" She said, having some idea about what she wanted to do in the future. 

They got home and showered before deciding to watch a movie. The movie turned out to be boring and Sanyukta started to doze off so Randhir switched off the TV. He played her favourite Hindi romantic song instead and sang along. "Raabta, seriously? Since when do you listen to Hindi film songs Randhir?" She was a tad surprised, as they fed each other spoonfuls of lemon sorbetto from a large bowl. "Since I married you, because you enjoy listening to them!" He said, caressing her golden waist chain. "Come here, Shekhawat!" She said huskily. "What you got on your mind, Sanyukta?" He smirked at her. "I want to show you how much you mean to me! Lie down!" She was going to orchestrate something that she knew would drive him crazy. "Your wish is my command, Jaan!" He grinned in anticipation, she was really good at this!