Dosa and Tomato Chutney

Nirali's heartbeat fluctuated like temperature in a desert as Parth's eyes shifted to her face for a brief second. Although he retreated his gaze immediately, a second's gaze from this man was alone enough to make her heart flutter. Why not? He got looks, he got craze, he is whip-smart, and all in all, he is from a prestigious and wealthy family like her.

It's been twelve years since Nirali had crushed on Parth, finding every excuse to come to this house as she recalled her childhood. Getting a glimpse of Parth's face was difficult, let alone speaking to him. He always buried himself in his room with his gang of friends during his free time. Nirali hated those pestiferous friends who clung to him all the time.

Although Parth's mother never liked her coming to this house, his father was fond of her, often calling her his daughter-in-law, making her feel bashful.

Nirali wondered how Parth fell for this skeleton casting away all the beautiful women who went crazy for him. Like a chameleon that changes colours, Nirali's face went green with envy from elation after seeing Anjali, who was busy studying Parth's face, lost in his world. Her face shrouded in bitterness. Parth was hers, the luxuries Anjali was enjoying, and this home she was standing in was supposed to be hers, but this woman snatched everything away.

Seeing Parth standing in the living room, Nirali forgot everything around her. Without waiting for Anjali's permission to enter, Nirali stormed into the house, pushing past Anjali, causing her almost to fall on her back if not for Parth's reflexes. "Anjali!" His legs moved faster and instinctively, locking an arm around her waist, and caught her back into his embrace.

"Are you hurt?" Parth swiftly turned Anjali around, his heart on the edge of anxiety.

"I_no_"

"You give me a heart attack one day, which I know it." Parth cut his wife's thoughts in the middle, not giving her a second to catch what had happened around her.

"I am fine, Parth. You worry too much about me." Anjali locked her hands with his assuring him. She was so involved in studying her husband's expressions that she forgot a shrewd cow was advancing towards her. "You caught me in time." She knew Nirali's intentions towards Parth from the start, but he didnot give her a chance to feel insecure. He drew a line, and it was not with Nirali alone.

"You could have hurt your back if I was a second late. Where do you keep your eyes?"

He is going to continue his lectures for the whole day. Anjali sighed.

"Rolling at my back to see if my genius brain can find your handsome face." Anjali sarcastically said, in a way to cool him, only to get a glowering stare from him for pulling pranks in the heat of the moment.

Unbeknownst to them, Nirali was glaring daggers at Anjali, seeing the couple not offering her attention.

Pulling her into his embrace, Parth haughtily glanced at the woman standing ten steps away, looking at him with moistened eyes. Putting up a fight with this Emami balm[1] was the last thing Parth wanted. The radium colour dress was already giving him an early morning headache. She must have inherited this ghastly fashion sense from her mother. "What's with you the morning?"

Biting her lips, Nirali clenched the box, hurt by his tone and offended by his disdainful stare. Anjali must have pulled this act intentionally, playing the victim so that Parth would sympathize. How dare this woman!

Nirali pushed out of her thoughts as Parth snapped his finger.

"I_I made your favourite breakfast. Dosa and tomato chutney." She remembered Parth told her during their college days that Dosa and tomato chutney combo was his favourite breakfast.

"It's not my_"

"Dosa with tomato chutney!" Anjali's face lit up a thousand watts. She snatched the box from Nirali, much to her astonishment. She opened it. Crispy at the edges, yet melted into Anjali's mouth as she took the first bite.

Parth's face softened, forgetting all his worries watching his wife happily eating. Dosa is not on his favourite breakfast list at all, but it has a special spot in his heart. A smile plastered across his face recalling that day.

"I never knew you were a great cook, Nirali," Anjali said. Parth chuckled, wiping the tomato chutney from the corner of Anjali's mouth with his index finger. "Is it that good?"

"Hmmm.... it's heaven, albeit a little spicy! Want to taste?" Finally, one good thing the pesky neighbour has done, Anjali thought.

Nirali hatefully watched Anjali shamelessly gobbling the food that she had made.

Her mother informed her that Anjali had gone to her maternal home, returning only by next week. His parents are also not at home. So, both believed this was a perfect time. Nirali got up early in the morning, prepared Parth's favourite breakfast, and wore a bright radium-coloured dress that accentuated her bust, handpicked by her mother.

After pressing the calling bell, Nirali pulled her dress down her breasts so he could get a good glance at them. She knew what kind of bodies Parth liked. Voluptuous and Busty, just like her curvaceous figure. She waited for the door to open, all set to seduce him, but she was not in for this surprise. At least, Nirali thought Parth would see her in a different limelight today but didnot glance at her face for a second, let alone the place she wanted him to ogle.

Emami Balm: An ointment for headaches.