Ardaas- For A Family

Aishwarya Poddar, or Ash, as she was called by most of the people, was a rich, sophisticated and strong-headed woman who valued her time and efforts. A principle that was being compromised as of now.

She had entered the restaurant at dot 8 and made herself comfortable on the reserved table. Now, five minutes later, she was still waiting for the man her grandmother had set her up for a date with!

When two more minutes ticked by, she stood up and walked towards the restroom in a bid to contain her irritation. She looked into the mirror and a smirk formed on her face. Her make up looked perfect and she looked flawless. Even a blind man would fall for her.

But the real question wasn't whether Yash Jindal would like her; it was whether she would like him. From what she had gleaned from his social media profiles, he seemed like someone who fit her type perfectly, a man who kept to himself, not overly engaged with others, and certainly not the kind to meddle in every aspect of his partner's life. After all, he was a busy man.

Just as she finished adjusting her lipstick, Aishwarya caught a glimpse of the time again. Ten minutes past eight. She turned on her heel and headed back to her table, annoyance written all over face.

Finally, the door swung open, and she spotted him entering the restaurant. Her irritation softened slightly as she took in his tall frame and muscular body. He didn't have his outer coat on, unlike the pictures she had seen on the social media. His black shirt coupled with only a black waistcoat accentuated his muscles, making him a sight to behold.

 She realized with a start that he looked even better than his photos with the sharp features and air of authority that he carried around himself. But then she noticed something that made her smile falter.

A little girl holding his hand.

Kids? Oh kids! She hated them with a passion. Those little humans who needed to be taught everything from scratch. Their infuriating whine, high-pitched voice and ever-sticky fingers... ahhh! she felt disgusted.

Yash would have walked to a different table if Kuhu didn't give his hand a tug and pointed at Ash. He guessed that she was the girl, mentally berating himself over forgetting to look at the girl's picture.

"Sorry for the delay. Certain prior commitments held me back." he said in a not so warm voice.

She nodded crisply, the faded smile slowly turning into a scowl. Neither of them offered to shake hands, one too proud and the other too indifferent.

Yash pulled out a chair for Kuhu before sitting down himself. She settled down with a nervous smile, her fingers drumming the table top.

Ash looked at her fingers which were uselessly touching the table, sending her germs all over the place. She quickly picked up her handbag and opened it to make sure that she had some wet wipes and sanitizer with her. She internally sighed in relief when she spotted them.

Neither of them said anything for a while. Usually that was enough for Ash to storm out of a date. If the man wasn't sure about how to start the conversation then he was of no use to her. But this one didn't seem unsure or nervous. He was indifferent and that interested her.

"I am Aishwarya. Aishwarya Poddar." she said. For the first time, she introduced herself.

Yash nodded at her. "Yash Jindal."

"And I am Kuhu!" she said when silence once again prevailed.

Ash looked closely at her, not returning the smile. "And who exactly are you?" Her voice was cautiously soft but had an edge to it.

"She is my sister." Yash answered for her. "Due to certain unforeseen reasons, I decided to bring her along." That was it! No more explanations.

No courtesy at all, Ash thought to herself before speaking up. "That's not a problem unless she sits separately."