"Ishita tu kahan rehgayi thi? Janti hai tune aaj kitna achha scene miss kardiya"
Simmi exclaimed seeing Ishita. She and Rinki were watching a movie when Ishita returned from the Iyer house late in the night.

"Kaisa scene? Kounsi movie dekh rahe ho tum log?"
Ishita asked them.

"Arey movie chodo. Hum toh live telecast ki baat kar rahe hain bhabi"
Said Rinki.

"Tum log kya bol rahe ho? Mujhe kuch samajh me nahi araha"
Ishita was confused.

"Tu pehle idhar aa baith"
Simmi dragged her to the sofa and made her sit.
"Abhi sun kya hua aaj. Waise sunne me itna maza nahi aayega jitna hume live dekhne me maza aaya. Par phir bhi you can't give it a miss"
Simmi gave a solid build up.

"Sahi kaha Di"
Rinki gave a high-five to Simmi.

"Ab tum log build up hi karte rahoge ya bataoge bhi ke hua kya"
Ishita was curious.

●○● Flashback ●○●

Shagun changed into a beige netted saree with a nude coloured off shoulder blouse, painted her cheeks with the soft berry blush, darkened the colour of her lips with maroon matte lipstick and let out her hair in soft curls at the end. She served out the baingan ka bhartha in a stylish ceramic bowl, wrapped a few parathas in aluminium foil, put them on a tray with 2 plates, 2 champagne glasses with a scented candle in between and ascended the staircase that led to Raman's room making the click-clack of her stilletos echo in the hallway.

"Ye kya tha?"
Rinki gasped in shock behind Shagun's back.

"Mujhe toh laga kamre se koi model bahar aayi hai, par ye toh waitress nikli"
Romi commented making his sisters laugh out loud.

"Par ye khana leke bhai ke kamre ki taraf kyun gayi hai?"
Romi asked.

"Tujhe nahi pata? Bhai ne aaj madam se baingan ka bharta banwaya hai"
Simmi remarked.

"Ewww....baingan ka bharta. Bhai ko pasand hi nahi hai baingan"
Romi made an ugly face.

"Wahi toh twist hai. Kuch toh chal raha hai Bhai ke dimag me"
Rinki suspected.

"Par in madam ka kya karein jo ye samajh baithi hain ki bhai ne inke sath dinner date plan kiya hai"
Simmi rolled her eyes.

"Khoob jamega rang jab mil baithenge 3 yaar - Bhai, Shagun aur Baingan ka bharta"
Romi sarcastically remarked and giggled knowing some tadkedaar drama was to unfold.

On the other side, Shagun was met with disappointment as Raman was not found in his room. She then came to know that he was with the kids in their room. When she went there with the tray, Raman asked her to wait for him in the dining area.

When Raman came out after a while, the Bhalla siblings muted themselves and geared up to watch the live drama.

"Raman! Aao na"
Shagun invited him to the table flirtatiously.

She opened the lid of the bowl and displayed the dish in front of him.
"Oh wow Shagun! Tumne itni jaldi khana bana liya. Mujhe laga tha itne saalon me tum khana banana bhool gayi hogi"
Raman commented.

"Of course not. Mai culinary queen Poornima Prakash ki beti hoon. Mai toh sapne me bhi khana bana sakti hoon"
Shagun boasted.

"Happy realisation Shagun!"
Raman clapped "Par ab se sapne me nahi, real me khana banana shuru kardo" he said.

"Anything for you Raman"
Inebrieted in her delusion, she missed the taunt that was directed towards her.

"Not for me, but for yourself Shagun"
Raman bursted her bubble.

"For myself? But why?"
She threw her hands in air.

"Is ghar me bahut log rehte hain jo ghar ke kaam me ek doosre ka hath bataathe hain aur jo bhi khana banta hai, use mil baant kar khaate hain. Agar unhe kuch aur khaana hota hai toh bananewale ko kamre me baithkar order nahi bhejte balki pyar se request karte hain. Aur jab manpasand khaana ban jaata hai toh bananewale ko thank you bhi kehte hain. So Shagun agar tumhe doosron ke hath ka bana khaana khaana hai toh yeh basic etiquettes toh follow karne hi honge. Warna tum khud apna khaana bana lo, toh hi tumhare liye behtar hoga. I hope I am clear"
Raman stated.

Chewing her teeth mercilessly, Shagun fumed "Ye sab us Isheeeeeta ki wajah se ho raha hai. Usi ne tumhare kaan bhare hain na"

"Oh please Shagun! Ishita ko in sab ke beech mat kheencho. Mai andha nahi hoon, mujhe dikhayi deta hai ki is ghar me kya ho raha hai. And by the way, thanks to you, Ishita mujhse baat bhi nahi kar rahi"
He gave back.

"Oh now I get it. Tum Isheeeta ko impress karne keliye meri insult kar rahe ho"
Shagun said.

"Oh really"
Raman cupped his cheeks pretending to be surprised "par jahan tak mujhe pata hai is policy pe toh tumhara copyright hai. Yahi toh tum karti aayi ho zindagi bhar. Pehle Ashok ko impress karne keliye meri insult, aur ab mujhe impress karne keliye Ishita ki insult. Sorry I can't stoop down to your level Shagun"
He slammed her.

"Is ghar me meri koi izzat nahi karta"
Shagun began to wail loudly.

"Can you save this drama for some other day please? You are unnecessarily wasting your energy kyunki is waqt Adi tumhari awaaz nahi sunnewala. For your kind information, woh headphones laga kar video game khel raha hai"
Raman knew her tricks well and had planned everything in advance.

"Now please enjoy the exotic candle light dinner" he taunted and walked away.

●○●○●

"I swear Bhabi, Shagun ka chehra dekhne layaq tha"
Said Rinki.

'Oh shit! Raman ne isliye ye sab kiya. Aur mai unhe hi galat samajh baithi'
Ishita felt ashamed for doubting him.

"Achha hua humne pehle hi apne liye pizza order kardiya tha, warna aaj raat hum saare bhooke hi reh jaate. Zaleel aurat ne sirf 2 hi logon ka khana banaya tha"
Simmi said.

"Waise bhi uske hath ka khaana koun khaata Di? Mai toh choothi bhi nahi"
Rinki stated.

"Raman ne bhi pizza khaaya?"
Ishita asked concerned.

"Nahi toh. Bhai toh kehke gaye the ke aaj Amma ke yahan Madrasi dinner karenge"
Rinki informed.

"Ayyooo"
Ishita held her head and rushed to the kitchen to prepare some food for Raman.

"Lagta hai bhai khaane ki jagah taane khaakar agaye"
Rinki told Simmi.

"Tabhi toh Iyer house se loutthe waqt unka moo kam aur pet zyada shor kar raha tha"
Simmi winked.

Though Ishita felt bad for keeping Raman hungry, a smile did not leave her lips while she hurriedly prepared the dinner. Raman had unknowingly plucked out a fresh leaf from the plant of insecurity that had grown inside her.
This time with a sense of assurance,
she hummed
Tu mere paas toh hai na!