Your Imperfections

Chapter 16

I’m awed by the interior.

Different blue designed tapestries decorate the corridor that leads inside. To my left, loads and loads of photo frames line the wall, and a small metal leopard sits at one corner, which without doubt costed thousands of dollars. I bet he deals with drugs.

Aaryaan leads us straight in the dining room.

“You guys sit here,” he nods at the chairs. “Sarah is in the kitchen helping the cook. The dinner would just be served in some time.”

I suppose Sarah is Aaryaan’s wife that we met a few weeks back. She hadn’t come to my wedding because she was sick and had a doctor’s appointment.

“Okay, I will go help her too,” I inform them.

“Kitchen is just next to this room.”

“Thank you, brother.”

With a silent prayer of not coming across their father, I will myself to get out and walk into the next room. The aroma of delicious eastern food invades my nose, making my mouth water. I had missed Mum’s food she used to make at home. I miss everything about home.

Especially my brothers.

“Oh, hello there!”

Sarah looks beautiful in her blue long dress with her hair in a tight low bun, not even a single out of place. She marches to me in her white stilettos, something different other than the trademark black ones. I wonder if I would ever change the black doc martins I wear literally everywhere. Doubtful, because it has been, like, years since I haven’t worn any other shoes out.

“Hi,” I smile back at her as she pulls me in a warm embrace. I want to cry again, because it has been such a long time since I haven’t seen or hugged Maria, and being in Sarah's arms, it reminds me of Maheen’s affection towards me. How she’d hug me all the time.

“The smell is phenomenal,” I compliment, as we both pull back. Her brows knit in the middle, and then I realize what my words probably sounded like. So, I explain, “The foods, I meant.”

She laughs. “Yeah? My husband says otherwise.”

There is a man wearing an apron and a cooks hat chopping onions to my left. To my right, another is doing something. I follow Sarah to the stove where she stirs whatever is in the pan.

“So, you like to cook?” I ask her, trying to strike a conversation.

She nods, taking a lung full of deep breath and then humming in delight.

“Liking and making good food makes a huge difference. From when I was a child, I loved to help Mama cook. With time, my passion deepened and I started my own business.”

I gasp. “NO! Really? That’s awesome! What do you do?” I am genuinely happy for her. And something about her warm, friendly dark brown eyes really makes me feel at home.

“I have my own restaurant in this city, where we live. On weekends, I become a chef, and well—“

“What is going on?” comes a voice from the doorway.

I watch Adian stride in, carrying himself with dominance. One would be mistaken he is just 20 years old. 20 years old don’t behave like 40 years old with such wisdom and understanding.

“Wanna test this, little brother?” Sarah holds a spoon full of. . .caramel sauce? If I am not wrong. He consumes it, his eyes closing in apprehension.

“Sarah, God bless you. This is the best caramel sauce I have ever tasted.”

“Yeah? Thanks, brother,” she chirps. Then she pours some more in that same spoon and holds it out to me. “Here, so you don’t feel left out.”

She is definitely not, like how I had imagined her. How can someone be so sweet?

“What? Do you want a different spoon? I thought you wouldn’t mind sharing a spoon with your hubby.” Her words take a moment to sink in.

“Oh no no no, I was just thinking something else. Here, lemme also check what the hype is all about,” I joke, eating the sauce off the spoon.

And Oh my God. I have zero words to describe what I just ate. She knows how to cook, and just this sauce told me that.

“Sarah, how much money would you take to deliver this every day to our apartment?” I deadpan, not stopping with the spoon licking.

Beside me, Adian chuckles. “I could take you to her restaurant someday. And, Aaleyah?”

“Yes?”

“I forgot to say earlier, but you look really beautiful.”

Sarah busies herself with the cooking as if Adian has started talking about some private stuff. Does this count as private? I do not think so.

I am about to say thank you, when a voice calls out.

“There is no doubt about her beauty, son.”