Page 52 of Shattered

“I thought you hated greens?” Reyansh remarks, raising his eyebrows at me, more of a statement than a question.

I turn to him with a smile. “But if it’s made by Mom, then I know I’ll love it, even if it’s green.”

“That’s my baby,” Reyansh’s mom says with a grin, pulling my attention back to her.

Before I could respond,a deep voice echoes from the other side of the room.“Son, I need your help with the grill.”

“Coming, Dad!” Reyansh yells back before rising to his feet. He looks down at his mom with a smile. “Be good to my girl; no unleashing the ‘mother-in-law’ claws anytime soon,” he teases, causing my cheeks to redden.

Reyansh’s mom chuckles, “Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behaviour.”

Reyansh grins back, “I trust you, Mom. Just don’t scare her off!” He then turns to me and winks, “Call me if you need me or want me to whisk you away,” he says,leaving me wide-eyed and at a loss for words.

“Will you go now before your dad loses his patience? We’ll have a lovely time,” Reyansh’s mom says,shooing him away.

“See you, ladies,” he gives us both a smile before joining his dad.

“Try this? I baked it for you in my signature style, with extra walnuts,” Reyansh’s mom says, holding a piece of cake to my mouth.

My eyes glisten, and I have to blink back my tears as I open my mouth to take a bite. “This is yummy,” I say between bites as the sweet flavour bursts in my mouth.

“I am glad you like it,” she says warmly before picking up a plate of chocolate cookies. “Now, how about these?”

I smile, feeling a gentle warmth spread through me. It’s moments like these that make me reflect on my own mother and the void her absence has left. I can’t help but wonder how similar or different she would have been to Reyansh’s mom. Memories of her bring a bittersweet mix of happiness and longing, as she was the one to always bring laughter and light into our home. But now, she is no longer with me.

“So, when have you two decided to get married?” Aunty’s question interrupts my thoughts,catching me off guard. I freeze, mid-bite, and almost choke on my cookie.

“I... we...” I stammer, unsure of what to say.

“You do like my son, right?” she asks gently, sounding a bit confused.

“I do,” I reply,my cheeks heating up. “We just… haven’t really spoken about marriage yet. We’re still giving our relationship a try,” I add quietly, looking back at her.

“His mind is made up, dear.You just need to catch up!Very soon, you will be a part of our family,” she states with such confidencethat a tiny shiver runs down my spine.

“We’re back,” Reyansh announces before I can fully compose myself. I glance up to see Reyansh and his dad heading in our direction.

“Hello, dear. I can see my wife has already got you all emotional,” Reyansh’s dad says as he kisses my forehead and takes a seat on my other side while Reyansh reclaims his previous seat.

I smile warmly at Reyansh’s dad. “She’s just being kind and welcoming.”

“Well, blame me all you want, but we’re just having our mother-daughter fun talk,” Reyansh’s mom quips.

“Alright, alright, wife,” Reyansh’s dad smirks. “You’ve had your turn hogging her time. Now, it’s my turn to spend some quality time with my daughter.”

Reyansh’s mom narrows her eyes at him in mock annoyance. “Excuse me, I am not done yet!”

My eyes well up at their endearing banter as they playfully vie for my attention. Sensing Reyansh’s gaze on me, I lift my head to meet his eyes. He silently mouths, asking if I am okay. I smile and nod in response.

The rest of the evening flows effortlessly, filled with laughter, easy conversations, and delicious food.Time seems to fly by, and before I know it, it’s nearly ten o’clock. Although I didn’t want our time together to end, I had to get home. Half-heartedly, I bid Reyansh’s parents goodbye with a promise of meeting again soon before slipping into Reyansh’s car.

A smile lingers on my face as he drives me home, cherishing the memories of a wonderful evening with his parents.

“Did you have a good time?” Reyansh asks, glancing at me briefly before returning his attention to the road as he drives.

“I did. I absolutely love your parents,” I tell him with a smile. And it’s not a lie. I genuinely adore them; they are my definition of a perfect family.

“I’m really happy you enjoyed yourself, and I am even happier that you like them,” Reyansh replies, placing his hand on mine in my lap and giving it a gentle squeeze. “And they love you just as much as they love me, you know,” he adds, making me smile even more.

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