The Wedding Tonight

Chapter 11: The cooking 🍲

The guests were just due in two days when Sohail informed me. I googled and YouTube a few cooking videos but I couldn't use them in the kitchen in front of Aunty Laila, she wouldn't like it.

I wrote a few recipes down on the paper and with a deep breath I walked down the stairs and went in the kitchen. "So what is my beautiful daughter in law cooking today?" 'Burning' would be the word she shall rather use instead of cooking, I thought to myself.

I smiled. "Well, I was wondering if I cook biryani, karahi and some macaroni for the kids?" I offered.

"I think we need two more things, a sweet dish and something fried."

"What about fries as in the fried food category and jelly as sweet dish?" These were the easiest I could think off.

"Jelly would be perfect for the kids but the ladies would like something different. May be we could make them a kheerni." I knew her suggestion weren't suggestion they were things that must be done and I wanted the earth to take me in.

For the sake of my impression on her, and as I punishment for not coming here on my wedding night I agreed to whatever she said. So ladies, never go to your parents on your wedding night. It can turn disastrous.

"Yes Ma'am," our maid appeared.

"Oh I called her here for your help. Do you want her help or are you an alone worker?" She asked. I wasn't even a worker, LOL.

"I'd rather be alone." I said, the maid felt relieved and walked away. Aunty forced a smile and walked into her own bedroom. I had taken another day of from work because I needed to start from 9 in the morning. The guests were coming over for lunch.

I took out my papers and looked at them. Biryani and kheerni were the two things that were time consuming so I started off with them. I grabbed my phone and called Mom, she answered on third bell. "What is it Samreen?" She said in her deep morning voice, I must've woken her up.

"Mom its an emergency! I was suppose to tell you this yesterday but the day at work was hectic. Now! I need you. I have guests coming over at 1pm, the lunch must be served at 1:45pm-"

"And my stupid daughter doesn't know how to cook right?" I nodded and fake wailed on the other side of the phone.

"My mother in law already hates me for not coming here on wedding night. This is my only chance to win her and I can't lose it." I told.

"Aww my daughter sounds like a grown up." She grinned.

"Mom be serious, I don't have time for this..  tell me before she comes here again." I said.

"What is that you're cooking?" She asked, I told her the list of things and soon she started guiding me, I pot the pot on stove filled in some water put rice inside and boiled them with salt and separately put karahi for Biryani and on another pot I poured a gallon of milk for kheerni and kept it on boiling too.

Proceeding further with my cooking I sliced tomato for karahi, and also chopped onion which made me cry my eyes out. I added some spices to the chicken on stove, pinch of salt before putting the vegetables inside as mom kept guiding me over the phone. "Make sure the onions are in small chunks and also slice tomatoes carefully, do not lose their juice." I nodded and just noticed that we were on the phone from past hour.

"Mom, I'll call you later. I think someone is coming. Allah Hafiz!" I put my phone down and because of the water I spilled over the counter, my phone glided down into the sink and splashed inside water.

I immediately pulled it out but it wouldn't work and little did I know, I had lost my last hope. No Mom and No YouTube. Life must be kidding with me? I didn't know how I would mix half of the karahi in biryani, the video I had seen wasn't very helpful.

The door to the kitchen opened and there walked in my handsome husband. His eyes wandered on my wild, messy look with my hairs tied up in a messy bun, my clothes had splashes of tomato and my eyes were full of tears because of the onion, I don't know if onion was the only reason behind those tears.

"Salam, what are you upto?" He greeted and walked inside. He placed his hands on the counter and was about to hop on it but I held him from doing so.

"Wait, I spilled water! And a bit of oil too.." I grabbed a napkin wiped the counter and then let him sit. "I thought you were at work." I said while stirring the rice.

"Yeah! Mom asked me to come up early so I rescheduled the meeting." He explained. I nodded and kept stirring with my back facing him. "So what's on the menu?" He asked and hoped down the counter as he sneaked inside the pots in stoves.

"Biryani, Karahi and.."

"Samreen the milk that you kept on boiling is burning from inside, can't you see how viscous it has gotten?" He asked and turned of the stove, put the pot of milk on the counter and sighed.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't.. my phone went off and.." Real tears started to brim inside my eyes and I just wanted to weep like a baby.

"You don't know how to cook?" He asked. I shook my head as he heaved a sigh.

"But please don't tell Aunty, I promised her to serve the guests all by myself. She already doesn't like me-" I reasoned but bit my tongue.

"What time is it?" Sohail asked, I walked away peeked into the clock.

"Its 11:30pm already. They will be here by 1." I whinned.

"Just keep an eye on the door, don't let Mom come inside okay?" My heart swelled with happiness upon his words. I sheepishly nodded and walked over to him, my eyes boring into his as I couldn't contain the happiness that brought relief.

"You know how to cook? Are you going to help me?" I asked excitedly.

He nodded with a small grin on his face and meanwhile shifted half of the karahi in biryani and and then gave another layer of rice over it and kept on steaming. There was a long fifteen minutes silence as I hoped on the counter and saw him work. The way he worked was so neat and professional. I must say, he was my saviour and was definitely a better option than me cooking for the guests.

"I learned cooking when I went abroad for masters and PhD. A few of my friends lived there with their families and when I was invited to dinner I was supposed to invite them back as well. I was the only one in my apartment so I'm kinda used to cooking alone. I haven't cooked from a long time now, Mom never let's me." He started off with his story and I carefully listened. "I would watch recipes on YouTube and then follow them step by step. Practice is what's makes a man perfect, rewatching the videos wouldn't." He added.

"I appreciate what you're doing for me." I sincerely thanked him, if it weren't for him I must've been wailing on the floor with burnt food. Sohail gently placed the pot of kheer back in stove. "Its okay, no problem. Just pass me a few boxes of milk." He poured some down in the pot and continued further. I couldn't help but watch him how he did everything so perfectly.