Gun and My Girl

36. Stop it Tanu

Prisha

"Mumma, don't cook tonight. I will do that. I also invited Aadi's family to dinner," I informed mumma as soon as I returned and left to freshen up. I am really pissed at that Tanu. How dare she behave like that? And she always gets more comfortable with Aadi which irks me to the core.

I took a bath and changed into comfortable clothes before climbing down. I walked to the kitchen and called Bhai first.

" Bol Priyu," Bhai asked as soon as he answered the call.

"I am planning to cook today. Do you want to eat something specific?" I asked and he was silent for a while thinking.

"Butter naan with paneer butter masala," He finally decided. Bhai was the first one to taste my cooking. Papa and Mumma were always busy with the hospital stuff and I used to feed my not-so-good food to Bhai. Once I started cooking well, I always asked what Bhai wanted to eat before anyone.

"Done," I replied and was about to cut the call when Bhai interrupted.

"Why did you decide to bestow this blessing on us suddenly?" He asked, teasing evident in his tone. This man can easily estimate my mood and riles me up when I am angry.

"To show someone who's in command, now don't disturb." With that, I cut the call, not letting Bhai sprout any more nonsense.

'Are you free?'

I sent a text to Aadi. He went to the station for some important work and I didn't want to disturb him in the middle of his work.

'Hmm. We are trying to decode something.' He replied after some good 5 minutes.

'What is it Rabbit?' He asked again. 

Should I ask him or not? I mean he's working and this seems unimportant, but if I don't say he will keep thinking about it.

'Nothing important. I was planning to cook for all. Wanted to know if you want me to cook something specific,' I typed the reply and bit my lower lip as I awaited his reply. I just hope he doesn't get irritated.

'Wow, rabbit! I am going to finish my work more quickly now. And about preferences, I want to eat your favorite today,' 

After that, I didn't disturb him further and texted Dad asking what he wanted. I already heard Mumma and Bhabi talking about having Dal makhani today as they were craving it and decided to prepare it for them.

I got to work and cut the paneer into pieces. I washed them and fried the paneer while the Aloos boiled. I prepared Paneer butter masala, matar paneer, aloo matar, dal Makhani,  paneer 65 for starters, and Mango phirni for dessert. 

It took some time for the matar to soak and I got time to prepare the starters and desserts meanwhile. By the time I was done with setting the dining table, everyone was already present there except Aadi. 

He came after another 10 minutes wearing his grey T-shirt and black sweatpants looking handsome as ever with those hair strands falling on his forehead and that stubble beard adding to his hotness. 

He was about to take his seat when his phone went off and he went to the living room to take the call after asking others to complete their dinner. I volunteered to wait for him but much to my irritation, Tanu too tagged along saying we three would eat together. I tried to convince her saying it was not good for her baby but she was adamant about waiting and everyone shrugged it off leaving her to herself. They all had their dinner and moved to the lawn to have some chit-chat while I waited for Aadi to return.

"Hmm, sorry rabbit. It was important," He apologized walking to us and giving me a side hug before sitting beside me while Tanu sat across him on the other side.

"There's no need to apologize, Aadi. Let's eat?" I asked and he nodded with a smile. I served him and myself while Tanu served for herself.

"It looks yum, Rabbit," He complimented rubbing his hands and looking at the servings on his plate. I smiled at him muttering a thank you.

"Umm... it's the best paneer I had in ages," He complimented making me blush while Tanu gritted her teeth in anger.

"Stop exaggerating Aadi. It's not that good, and she didn't do something that's out of the world," Displeasure was evident in her tone and she made no effort to hide it. 

"I can't do anything if your taste is that bad, Tanu. But you can't talk like that to her. I will not tolerate rudeness while your words are directed at her, she is my girlfriend and I won't sit silent seeing you disrespect her" Aadi warned and her face lost all its color. This was what I wanted. I didn't want to create any scene but wanted to let her know whom Aadi loves so that she backs off. 

"I am sorry, Aadi." She apologized to him but never cared to take a glance at me.

"I am not the one you should apologize to," He gestured for her to apologize to me and she did so reluctantly. I decided to let it pass and asked them to continue with their dinner. 

"I will get the desserts," I got the desserts and served Aadi, Tanu, and myself. Before we could eat, Pihu ran in and took away the cup from Aadi and ran with the same speed leaving us laughing at her cuteness.

"You can have mine, Aadi." Tanu again forwarded the spoon in front of Aadi scooping a little dessert into it and gave me that bitchy look again with a snicker.

"No thanks, I will have some from my rabbit," with that being said, Aadi turned to me and opened his mouth for me to feed and I fed him a spoonful of dessert. He then fed me a bite from the other spoon and touched the spoon to the tip of my nose with a teasing smile. I wiped my nose glaring at him but he just smiled at me and fed me another bite. We both completed our desserts feeding each other while Tanu kept glaring at us all the while. 

"I will take the dishes back," Aadi got up with the dishes and shushed me before I could appose saying,

"You cooked for me and I should at least do the dishes," Saying that he walked into the kitchen with the dishes leaving me and Tanu behind.

"Tanu, stop it," I turned to her once Aadi was out of sight. I could have said it in front of him too, but I didn't want to break their friendship without giving her a chance to mend her ways.

"Stop what?" She acted clueless and I was losing my patience now.

"Whatever you are trying to do with Aadi." I spelled it out for her.

"I...I am sorry Prisha. It's nothing like you think. He loves you. And it's just my mood swings that are messing up with me," she forced the words out of her mouth.

"Firstly, I don't need your validation about how much my Aadi loves me. Secondly, trying to act romantic with a man while carrying another man's child doesn't sound like mood swings to me. I won't tolerate such behavior again. Aadi is helping you as you are his friend and a citizen and let it stay like that. Don't try to become something which you are not," that being said, I got up from my place and went to the kitchen where my man was washing plates with utmost concentration. 

I hugged him from the back and rested my head on his back while he turned a little and gave me a smile before continuing with his work.

"I am impressed, Rabbit." He said making me confused. 

"For the way you handled Tanu. I will send her away if you want me to," He explained and offered.

"Nope, I trust my man, and let's give her a chance. If she doesn't mend her ways then we will think about sending her away." I said and he nodded in reply. Once he was done with the dishes, he pulled me to the front and hugged me to his chest kissing my hair and we stayed like that for a while before joining others in the lawn.