Chapter 26: Thief

"Aapko itna gussa nahi krna chahiye tha."

(You shouldn't have been this angry.)

"Aur tumhe itna rona nahi chahiye tha."

(And you shouldn't have cried this much.)

"Shourya."

"Meera."

Meera frowns at him as he plays with her jhumka. Is this man bipolar? Abhi itna gussa kr rahe the.

(He was angry just a few minutes ago.)

"Tumhare saamne mujhe gussa krna aacha nahi lagta. Tumhe daarana nahi chahta mein."

(I don't like being angry in front of you. I don't want to scare you.)

"Pata hai, pr mujhe aapse daar nahi lagta hai."

(I know. But I'm not afraid of you.)

"Aacha?"

(Really?)

"Hmmmmm, pr aapke gusse se lagta hai."

(Hmmmmm, but your anger scares me.)

They look at each other before bursting into fits of laughter.

"Accha, although you absolutely breathtaking in this but you should change into something else." Shourya grabs her by her waist, pulling her closer and giving both her cheeks kisses. All of this is new for them, they haven't gone much further than kisses on the cheeks, well only he would give her kisses.

"Shourya, aap chodein ge toh hi toh mein jaa paaongi."

(Shourya, I'll only be able to go if you let me go.)

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It had been a week since they had returned and Shourya had decided that he would take Meera over to the Rao's, they haven't been since her pag phera. They would go over for lunch and dinner, Shourya wants her to spend as much time with them as possible before they get into a work routine. Today was also important for Meera because she was going to be cooking something sweet today, it was her pehli rasoi.

"Shourya, please help me. What should I make?"

"Jo tumhe pasand ho woh bana lo."

(Make whatever you like.)

They were standing in the kitchen, and she was stressing because she didn't know what to make. She was pouting at Shourya for not helping.

"If you don't have any suggestions then you can leave." She holds his arm and walks him out of the kitchen, "Aare Meera, please."

But she wasn't having any of it. Once he was out she started making kheer, can't go wrong with kheer.

Meera was garnishing her dish with cashews, saffron and cardamom. She had put some of the kheer in a smaller dish to serve and the rest was still in the vessel in the kitchen. The kitchen aides and cook had prepared the rest of the breakfast.

Just as she finished setting the table, the rest of the family came in. "Kheer! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Aarav fist pumps the air three times before doing his happy dance. Riya gives his head a smack when she passes him to sit at her place. Meera's nervousness was at its peak when everyone sat down with her and started their breakfast.

Once everyone was done, Meera stood up to serve them her kheer. "Pr pehle bhai taste krenge. Unka haq banta hai!" Riya teases, causing Aarav to pout.

(But first, bhai is going to taste it.  It's his right!)

Meera watches her husband take a spoonful of the dessert, and wink in her direction before moving the spoon towards his mouth. Meera's hand fists the end of her pallu when she sees him chew the spoonful with a drool-worthy smile. It's all magical for her until suddenly he starts to cough.

The spoon drops from his hand as Meera rushes to his side, pouring him a glass of water before rubbing his back. Once he was calm Raj asks, "You okay, beta? Kya hua?"

(You okay, son? What happened?)

"Ji dad, everything is fine." Shourya looks up at Meera with a faint smile.

"Toh!? Kesi thi kheer?" Riya asks.

(So!? How was the kheer?)

Shourya stiffens, clears his throat before fixing the collar of his polo.

"Ummmm. . . . it was. . .uh" Meera waits for a response, she had tasted the kheer before, and she knows it was good.

"Bhai, aap bohot time le rahe hai. Bhabhi ne banai hai toh acchi hi hogi. Chalo chalo sab khana shuru karo!" Aarav says. Shourya tries to stop them, but it's too late when Reema spits the food out of her mouth.

(Bhai, you're talking a lot of time. Bhabhi has made it, I'm sure it's good. Let's go, everyone eat!)

"What is this? Suman Bhabhi, aapki bahu ko kuch aata bhi hai ya nahi!"

(What is this? Suman bhabhi, does your daughter know anything or not!)

Meera flinches at the tone and looks at her confused, she looks around the table, the only other person who had tasted the kheer was Aarav. And the look on his face suggests that he wasn't sure if he should spit it out of swallow it.

"Rohan, ewww. Iss kheer mein toh namak hai. Chi. Rohu yuck!" Priya whines to her husband. Shourya holds Meera's hand, who was standing next to him.

(Rohan, ewww. This kheer has salt in it. Eww. Rohu yuck!)

"Nahi, maine toh shakar dali thi."

(No, I added sugar.)

"Meera! Don't lie." Reema says to which Meera shakes her head.

"Beta, galti ho jati hai. Koi baat nahi." Suman tries to console the now teary Meera.

(Child, mistakes happen. It's no problem at all.)

"Na-nahi maa, I had ta-tasted it before. Kheer me-meethi hi thi."

(N-no maa. I had ta-tasted it before. The kheer was sw-sweet.)

Shourya rubs her palm with his thumb to soothe her.

"In-in fact I have some in the kit-chen, mein w-woh wali le kr aati hun." Meera rushes over to the kitchen and get some kheer out of the vessel in another bowl and brings it out.

(In-in fact I have some in the kit-chen. I'll get th-that one.)

Raj takes a spoonful out of the first dish and tastes it, cringing at the salty taste. Then he takes another spoonful out of the bowl Meera just bought out, his face stills as he looks at his daughter-in-law. "Yeh toh meethi hai. In fact it's delicious. Pr aisa kese?" Raj's question remains unanswered as the group sneak glances at Reema and Priya.

(This is sweet. In fact, it's delicious. But how?)

Meera shakes her head, before taking the original dish away and returning with kheer served in bowls for everyone. She graces everyone with a sweet smile as she serves them, she made sure to have enough for all the workers too. Shourya smiles at his sweet little wife as she serves them too, Raj and Suman glance at each other with a look of satisfaction knowing that Meera is perfect. Almost too perfect.

"Meera beta le lo, shagun hota hai." Sunita Devi says as she forwards the small present towards Meera.

(Meera, child, here take this. It's for you.)

"Haan mera bacha, le lo. Aur phir chalo, mere saath, mujhe kuch baat krni hai." Suman says, she takes Shourya and Meera over to her room and sits them down.

(Yes my child, take it. And then come with me. I need to talk to you.)

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"Beta, mujhe aapse kuch baat krni hai. Woh darasal, mein chahti hun ki Meera bete aap apne keemti gehne aise bahar mat rakho. Kisi ko bulvake aapne wardrobe mein chota sa locker lagwa lo."

(Child, I need to talk to you. Actually, I don't want you to keep all your jewellery out. Call someone and get a small locker put in your wardrobe.)

Shourya and Meera glance at each other before Shourya says, "thik hai maa, yeh toh mein bhi sach raha tha. Pr aap itni tension mein ho kr kyon keh rahi hain?"

(Okay maa, I was thinking the same thing. But why are so worried as you say that?)

"Woh isliye, kyunki mene Priya ke gale mein Meera ka ek diamond ke haar dekha. Woh mene hi liya tha, muh dikhai ke liye. Aur mene tumhare bed pr hi rakha tha, lekin jab Priya neeche aai toh uske gale mein tha."

(That is because, today I saw Priya wearing Meera's diamond necklace today. I had bought it, for today. And I left it on your bed, but  I saw Priya wearing it when she came down.)

"Maa, are you sure? Wohi haar tha?" Shourya asks.

(Maa, are you sure? It was the same necklace?)

"Haan beta, mere paas uski ek picture bhi hai. Riya ko behji thi. Aur usme rubies bhi thi, isliye pehchan mein aaya."

(Yes son, I even have a picture of it. I sent it to Riya. It had rubies in it, that's what helped me recognise it.)

Shourya and Meera glance at each other again. Meera looks at Suman as if confused as to what to do now.

"Meera beta, Shourya, mujhe lagta hai ki Priya ke irade acche nahi hai. Pata nahi kyun lekin jab se woh aai hai tab se hi, mujhe kuch sahi nahi laga raha." Shourya turns to Meera, "Jao, humare kamre mein dekho kuch aur toh missing nahi hai. Hmmm. Aur maa baba ko phone kr dena ki hum kisi aur din milne aayenge."

(Meera, Shourya. I think Priya's intentions are not right. I don't know why, but ever since she has come it just doesn't feel right.)

(Go to our room and see if there is anything else missing. Hmmmm? And call maa and baba that we'll come some other day.)

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"Shourya! Maa!" Meera runs to Suman's room, "woh maa baba ne mujhe meri dadi ka ek kundan ka set diya tha. Mene hamare wardrode ke drawer mein hi rakha tha, lekin aab nahi hai."

(Maa and baba had given me my grandmother's kundan necklace set that I can't find. I looked in our wardrobe where I had kept it, but it's not there anymore.)

Shourya pulls Meera inside the room and closes the door. "Aur aapne side table pr envelope rakha tha, jisme paise the. Woh bhi nahi hai. Aur mujhe aapki nayi watch bhi nahi mil rahi. Jo Neel chachu ne di thi." Shourya gives a kiss on the frantic Meera's forehead.

(And on the side table you had put an envelope with money, it's not there anymore. And I couldn't find your new watch either. The one Neel chachu gifted you.)

"Mil jayega, sab mil jayge. Okay?" He turns to his mother, "Maa, aap bhi ek baar aapne kamre mein dekhko, mein dadi aur Riya ko keh kr aata hun. Lekin is baat ka kisi ko pata nahi chalna chahiye." With that he leaves the two women to search his parents' room.

(We'll find it. We'll find all of it. Okay?)

(Maa, you check your room once too, I'll go tell Riya and dadi as well. But no one else should find out about this.)

So, this is the last update for today!!

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