"Kishan, start preparing the sauce, Anubhav, bring the caviar, Vasant did the prawns arrive yet?"

"Yes Chef, just half an hour ago."

"Bring them to me....Ismail, prepare the dough and be generous....and Farook, slice all the veggies I gave you the list of..." Saqib began barking orders as soon as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Yes Chef!" They all said in unison and got to work.

"Oh and remember, tonight a group of Russian guest are coming and they want to taste authentic Indian food. Let's all work hard and make our country and our restaurant proud."
He announced.

"Yes Chef!"

"Jai hind!" One of them suddenly said making Saqib chuckle.
"Yes... Jai Hind....very patriotic! I like the spirit..."

"Chef! You look soo happy nowadays. You smile more....and you even scold us less. Should we call it Bhabhi's magic?" Farook teased.

Saqib couldn't help but smile scratching his nape.
"Something like that...." He said sheepishly.

"Oooooo." Everyone teased together.

"Oh right, Chef, a journalist is here from The Times of India to interview you."

Saqib sighed.
"Today? Damn I'm soo busy. Tsk.... nevermind, I had to ask them to leave last time too. Where are they?"

∆∆∆∆
Saqib was completely drained out by the time he got home but half of his fatigue simply vanished as soon as he found his wife on the door welcoming him with a warm hug.

"You look tired."

"Hm...It was a long day...." He moaned nuzzling her neck exhausted. Feeling her body he realised she was dressed up.

"Oh God I completely forgot!" He got back making an apologetic face.
"Tonight we were supposed to go on a date! I'm soo sorry Huda...."

She pecked his lips
"It's ok. I know how hard you work. We can always go another time.

He sighed.
"Thankyou. I don't even have the strength to complement you right now but I know you look beautiful." He said feeling her hair.

Huda giggled.
"Aww.... thankyou. Now go take a shower. As we couldn't go today, a prepared for us a intimate candle light dinner. And mom and dad are already sleeping too."

"Oooh.... intimate you say?" He cooed smirking.

"Shut up! Is your head only filled with that?!" She smacked his arm blushing.

"Yes." He laughed.

"Shameless! Now go already!" She pushed him towards the bedroom shaking her head, smiling like an idiot.

∆∆∆∆
Huda placed the plate in front of her Chef.

"Ummm....smells nice? Rice and....and gravy....is there cashews in it?"

"Are u just going to smell or eat too? I worked soo hard on it!"

"Ok ok....sorry. It's a habit."

"It's Chicken in Creamy cashew sauce." She informed.

As he took the first bite, Huda observed him keenly for his reaction but his poker face was too hard to read.

"The salt is a bit much and the cashew paste could have been a bit more smooth. The chicken is not enough cooked though, should've been more tender and the mint...."

He went on and on as Huda's face sank.
"Ok fine fine! Just say it's not good!" She huffed.

"No...no....not at all. It's good.... it's just that, it's a habit of mine.... please don't be sad..." He tried to reach for her hand on the table but she crossed her arms.

"What can I do when all our cooking lessons end up on the bed." She said blushing.

Saqib too scratched his nape smiling shyly.
"Looks like a we still need a lot of 'lessons". He improvised biting his lip shyly and continued to eat.

"Oh how smart!" Huda mocked eating too and he just laughed.

"It's really good though."

"Too late. No special treatment for you tonight."

"Ouch! Soo cruel." He purred.

After dinner, Saqib stretched on the bed while Huda used his chest as a pillow. He kissed her hair holding her tight.

"I'll take the week off after a few days. Then let's go somewhere." Saqib suggested.

"Like a honeymoon?" She asked

"Hm... we've delayed it a lot."

"But are you ok with traveling? I thought you hated traveling outside the city."

"It's not like I hate it, I just don't feel comfortable in new places as I need time to learn about my surroundings so as to not rely on others." He said.

"You can rely on me."

Saqib smiled kissing her.
"Ok... I'm trusting you with my life my darling wife. Please take good care of me then."

"Yes my darling husband.... please rest assured." She replied as dramatically as he did and they both laughed.

∆∆∆∆
They were on thier honeymoon in Lonavala and Huda guided her husband by holding his hand into a coffee house for some hot coffee to fight the heat. He was carrying his stick with him just for extra safety. Everyone was observing the couple curiously.

"Take to steps then turn to your left." She instructed.

Saqib did so and then Huda pulled his chair for him helping him sit as she took her seat in front of him.
"I must look like a fool right?" He asked with a forced smile.

Huda grabbed his hand in both of hers.
"No, we just look normal."

Saqib smiled too this time and they both were busy playing with eachother's hands until the waiter came to take thier orders.

Enjoy thier coffee and snacks while talking and giggling, Huda's eyes stopped at the person who just entered the cafe.
"Tania? Is that you?..... OMG!"

"Who?" Saqib asked curiously.

"It's my friend from college. Will you say hi?"

"Of course, invite her to sit with us." Saqib smiled but he was nervous as to what her friend might think of him.

Tania didn't seem much happy about meeting Huda yet she had no choice but to go to her.

Huda hugged her unable to contain her excitement while Tania just patted her back.

"What a pleasant surprise! It's been soo long! I still cannot believe it. How have you been girl! I haven't heard from you....since...well...since I left college. Where have you been? What have you been upto, we have soo much to catch on!" She was babbling smiling from ear to ear.

"Wow Huda! I don't remember you being this lively or interested in other people's lives before?" She mostly mocked.

Huda chuckled awkwardly.
"Oh well, people change. Anyways Tania, meet my Husband Saqib and Saqib this is my best friend since school time, Tania!" She beamed and subtly held his hand to guide it towards her.

"Hello Tania. It's nice to meet you. It's the first time I'm ever meeting one of Huda's friends."

Tania shook hands with him but blinked confused when she saw the stick in his hand and observed his eyes.

Huda nodded understandingly at her.

"Please have a seat." Saqib said like a gentleman.

Tania agreed reluctantly.

"You're alone? Where's your husband?" Huda questioned.

"Uhm.... I'm divorced."

Huda's jaw dropped.
"D... divorced? When? Why? I mean...."

Tania shrugged.
"It just wasn't meant to be.

Saqib just let the women talk while he silently drank his coffee.

"Don't worry yaar, you'll find someone much better!" Huda said confidently.

Tania kept on gawaking at Huda without a word making her quite uncomfortable.

"Your make-up skills are still as implacable as ever. Really can't see the scar on your face."

Huda unconsciously touched her cheek.
"Yes, I cannot let my past keep dragging me down right. Life goes on." She smiled.

Tania gulped clenching her jaw.
"Your life is soo well, I envy you."

Huda smiled uncomfortably.
"Forget about me, what brings you here?"

"Just a business trip. And you?"

"Our honeymoon. Because of Saqib's busy schedule we couldn't go before. So we're here now. He's an executive Chef after all." Huda said proudly and Saqib couldn't help but smile to himself.

"You should visit his restaurant sometimes. His food will blow your mind."

"Yes of course, it will be on the house." Saqib said reaching for Huda's hand on the table as she sat in front of him and she readily took it.

"No thanks. I can pay for my own food." Tania replied rather coldly.

"Um...uh.... I didn't mean it that way. You're my Huda's friend soo..." Saqib began explaining self-consciously.

"You really are happy huh Huda. How nice!" She ignored Saqib and turned to Huda but she could sense the bitterness in Tania's voice.

"Tania....you ok girl?" Huda frowned asking a bit heatedly.

"How can I be after seeing you like this? Putting on makeup to cover your ugly face and walking around with your blind husband pretending to be happy. Wait.... I should be ok. Because you're not."

Huda watched her confused unable to properly comprehend her words.
"Tania, what's going on?"

"Shut up! Just shut up you bitch!" She yelled ejecting off her seat gathering the public's attention.
"This ...this isn't fair! After ruining soo many lives, how can you deserve to be happy?! Allah cannot be this cruel!"

"Tania?" Huda was dumbfounded.
"What are you talking about? Who's life did I ruin?"

"Mine damnit!" Tania yelled at Huda's face making her step back from beside her while she was hitting her own chest as tears blinded her eyes.
"I don't know what all the guys saw in you, what He saw in you?! You were such a shitty person with a Mountain of attitude. You considered yourself as a Queen and treated everyone of us like peasants just because of your pretty face!"

Huda had tears in her own eyes now remembering all the awful things she has done.
"I'm sorry Tania.... I know I was a terrible person back then....but now I've realised my mistake and I've changed.... truly."

"Huh? Changed? What use is it changing now? You stole my boyfriend whom I loved soo much and you think I can forget that?!"

Saqib's face sank hearing that. Of course, she was a popular back then. She must've been in a lot of relationships before him. Huda noticed that and desperately tried to explain herself.

"Tania! I never stole anyone's boyfriend. Infact, you know it better than anyone else that I'd never dated any guy from college or school."

Saqib was surprised to hear that.

"Yes...you didn't, but my boyfriend still left me for you and you know what he said to me, that I was ugly and clingy and he wanted a girl like you and so, he would rather chase after you then waste his time with me. Did you know how heartbroken I was? I wanted to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him, have his children and be a simple housewife but instead, I got married to an older guy whom I never felt anything for."

"I'm sorry Tania...."

"Screw your fake apology! I wanted to take everything away from you.... I wanted to crush every ounce of your pride and destroy that pretty face of yours so I...." Tania paused abruptly and cover her face shocked at what she just admitted.

Huda on the other hand was frozen to the core, horror struck on her face and eyes trembling with sadness and fury as realisation hit her.
"So u....attacked me and....scarred my face.....that night, it was you who...."

Now that she was caught, Tania tried to run away but Huda leaped towards her yanking her back by her hair.

"How could you?!" Her trembling voice echoed throughout the cafe.

"Huda.... Huda calm down!" Saqib searched for her desperately but she was beyond his reach.

"I thought you were my friend but you back stabbed me like that?! You ruined my face...you ruined my life.... I'll kill you u bitch!" Huda was yelling loosing control of herself. The humiliation, the fear and depression she had felt all those years overwhelmed her, raising her temper.

She slapped her hard cursing and yelling at her and soon both the woman were engaged in a deadly catfight while poor Saqib helplessly tried to break them off. Once he even got pushed on the floor and Huda got even more mad at Tania pulling her hair as she too was hitting Huda and pulling at her hair and stuff.

Eventually.... the cafe owners had to call the police to break them off and save thier cafe.