4| Mukhtalif

🤍 Khushbuon se teri mehke har ek kamra,

Daro-deewar nahi, kaafi hai teri panaah 🤍

"Hello, mom." Kabir said as the couple welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Malhotra in the mansion. They were returning from a neighbouring state where they had gone to visit a close relative.

Kabir stepped forward and gave his mother a hug. Doing the same with his dad he said, "Welcome, dad."

"Hello beta." His mom said giving his arm a squeeze.

Child.

"Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, as you guys already know, Kiara Ahuja." Kabir said as he kept a hand on Kiara's back and gave her a mild push.

Kabir's parents have know about Kiara for a while now and her being a famous actress, helped them recognise her easily.

"Namastey, uncle. Namastey aunty." Kiara said with her hands held together and she bowed to touch their feet.

Greetings.

The couple looked so polished and good together. Mr. Malhotra was handsome even in this age and Mrs. Malhotra was just so graceful. Both of them had maintained themselves very well. Kiara noticed how Kabir looked like a younger version of his father. She had seen him in pictures before but seeing both of them in person, standing next to each other, made her notice all the uncanny resemblances.

"Aree.. beta. Hamare yahan ladkiyan per nahi chuti." Mr. Malhotra said. Mrs. Malhotra grabbed Kiara's shoulder and made her stand.

Ohh.. child. Girls shouldn't touch anyone's feet in our household.

Both of them were very impressed at Kiara's gesture. Mrs. Malhotra pulled Kiara into hug which she gladly returned while Mr. Malhotra patted her head lovingly.

"It's almost time for dinner. Shall we?" Kabir said as he gestured towards the dining room.

"Yes please. I'm famished." Mr. Malhotra said as the four of them walked towards the dining room.

Shanti appeared from the kitchen and greeted Mr. and Mrs. Malhotra. The staff had already kept their suitcases in their room and handed them each a glass of water.

"Aap kapde badli kar lijeye. Mai khana lagwati hu." Shanti said to the old couple.

You guys should change. I'll get the food ready.

"Theek hai." Mrs. Malhotra said.

Okay.

"Mai madad karti hu." Kiara offered Shanti.

I'll help you.

"You don't need to." Mrs. Malhotra said, stopping Kiara.

"It's fine aunty. I don't mind." Kiara said and gave her a smiled.

Kabir's parents went to their room to freshen up while Kiara and Kabir helped Shanti and staff.

Shortly, both the couple sat down for dinner. Shanti had prepared something for everyone on the table. They started serving dinner in each other's plate. They commenced their dinner with compliments for the food flowing around the table.

"Bhai waah. Kya khana banaya hai." Mr. Malhotra complimented.

Wow. The food is delicious.

"Thank you." Shanti smiled.

"Beta tumne abhi nayi lipstick line launch ki hai na? Congratulations on that." Mrs. Malhotra said, initiating the conversation.

Child, you've launched a new line of lipstick recently.

"Ji bas parso hi. Thank you." Kiara replied. She was already feeling a bit nervous. She has never met a boyfriend's parents before and considering how serious she is in her relationship with Kabir, she really wanted things to go well today.

Yes, just two days ago.

"Tumhara profession consider karte ye to mai nahi puch sakti k makeup line hi kyun. I assume tumhe makeup accha lagta hoga." Mrs. Malhotra continued.

Considering your profession, I can't ask why the makeup line. I assume you like doing makeup a lot.

"Ji bilkul. Mujhe bachpan se hi makeup karneka aur ready honeka bahot shokh hai." Kiara said with a smile.

Oh yes. I've been found of applying makeup and getting dressed ever since I was little.

Kabir started laughing at the mention of Kiara's childhood. The other three turned towards Kabir and furrowed their eyebrows.

"What?" Kiara questioned as she looked to her right, where Kabir was seated.

"Bachpan ka makeup," Kabir said hardly controlling his laughter.

Makeup in childhood.

"Nahi yaar Kabir." Kiara said as she hid her face in both her hands. Kabir laughed even more at that.

No, Kabir.

"Koi hame batyega ho kya raha hai?" Mr. Malhotra questioned. Both him and his wife couldn't understand what was going on.

Will anyone tell us what happened?

"The last time I was at Kaira's parent's place. Aunty shared an incident from her childhood with me." Kabir said after taking a sip of water.

He chuckled once again at the memory.

"Aree yaar." Kiara said as she smiled at Kabir.

Oh man.

"Baat tab ki hai jab ye 6 saal ki thi. Uncle aunty guests ko receive karne airport gaye the so she went into their room and stole some of Aunty's make up. When they arrived, they called for Kiara to meet the guests. She descended downstairs with horribly done makeup on her face which of course she did herself." Kabir completed the story.

When she was 6, her parents had gone to receive some guests from the airport,

"Are koi baat nahi. Bacche to aisi masti karte hai. Usme itna hasne wali kya baat thi." Mrs. Malhotra reasoned with Kabir.

It's fine. Kids do these type of things. What's there to laugh so much about it.

"Hasne wali baat wo nahi ye hai." Kabir said as he fished his phone out of his pocket and showed his parents a photo of baby Kiara with horribly done makeup on her face.

This is what is making me laugh so much.

She had applied dark brown lipstick on her eyelids like eyeshadow. Her baby pink lipstick was poorly done as well.

Mr. and Mrs. Malhotra tried stifling their laugh at the photo. After a second, Mr. Malhotra couldn't control any longer and a chuckle escaped his mouth.

"Don't laugh, Mohan." Mrs. Malhotra scolded her husband with a smile.

"I didn't mean to. Sorry Kiara." He said with a smile still lingering on his face.

"It's fine." Kiara said with a smile forming on her own face. It really was a funny photo.

"Photo kisne diya tumhe?" Kiara asked as she slapped Kabir's bicep.

Who gave you this photo?

"Aunty ne khud WhatsApp kiya." He replied and gave her a cheeky smile.

Aunty herself sent this to me.

"Meri mummy ko apni side kar liya hai tumne." Kiara said with a grumpy face.

You took my mother on your side.

"Koi baat nahi. Tumhari side mai le leti hu." Mrs. Malhotra offered Kiara.

It's fine. I'll take yours then.

"Aree mummy? Cheating." Kabir said looking at his mom.

Oh mom?

"Tu ruk. Teri bhi bachpan ki bahot kahaniya hai mere paas." Mrs. Malhotra said.

Just wait. I've got loads of stories from your childhood as well.

"Mummy nahi." Kabir said but knew he was fighting a losing battle.

No.

"Shut up. I want to know." Kiara said to Kabir, turning towards Mrs. Malhotra.

"Aunty please bataiye." Kiara requested.

Aunty please tell me.

"Hmm. Konsa kissa batau?" Mrs. Malhotra asked herself.

Which one should I tell you about?

"Woh dentist wala yaad hai?" Mr. Malhotra questioned suggestively.

Do you remember the one with the dentist?

"Aree haan. Bilkul." She said and gave her husband a smile.

Yes of course.

"Baat tab ki hai jab Kabir 4 saal ka tha. Use dentist k yahan le gayi thi mai routine checkup k liye. Doctor ne us se muh khulla rakhvaya for a minute or more. Use jaw mai dard hone laga to usne bichare doctor ki ungli ko kaat liya zor se." Mrs. Malhotra narrated the incident and Kiara couldn't help but laugh out loud.

This was when he was 4. I had taken him to the dentist's for a routine check up where the doctor asked him to keep his mouth open for sometime. His jaw started aching after a while and in the spirit of revenge, he bit the doctor's finger hard.

"Oh my god. Sacch?" Kiara asked in between her laughter.

Really?

"Haan na. The poor doctor started bleeding immediately." Mrs. Malhotra replied adding to Kabir's embarrassment.

Oh yes.

"Mai bahot chota tha tab." Kabir tried defending himself.

I was little at that time.

"Haa to Kiara ne bhi bade hoke makeup kharab nahi kiya tha. Woh bhi choti hi thi." Mrs. Malhotra defended Kiara.

So what? Kiara didn't do the makeup thing when she grew up. She was little at the time as well.

"Exactly." Kiara said and laughed once again at Kabir.

"Aap uski side pe kyun ho?" Kabir asked in a betrayed voice.

Why are you on her side?

"Meri mummy tumhare side kyu hai?" Kaira counter questioned Kabir.

Why is my mom on your side?

"Woh tumse bore ho gaye the. Tumhe 28 saal jhelne k baad when she met me, she realised that I'm better." Kabir swinged her arm around Kiara's shoulder giving her a cheeky smile.

She got bored of you. After tolerating you for 28 years, she met me and realised I'm better.

"Accha? Aisa kya?" Kiara asked sarcastic.

Oh? Is it?

"Haa to uss logic se aunty tumse bore ho gaye hai. 31 years k baad when she met me, she realised that I'm better." Kiara said the same words as him.

So with that logic, aunty got bored of you. After tolerating you for 31 years, she met me and realised I'm better.

"Aisa kuch nahi hai. Mummy batana to zara." Kabir said over confidently.

It's nothing like that. Mom please tell her.

"Aisa hi hai." Mrs. Malhotra said parting with Kiara. Mr. Malhotra let out a laugh at his son's annoyed face.

It indeed is.

"Papa, saath nahi de rahe hai par kam se kam hasein to na na mujh par." Kabir said.

Dad you're not supporting me, the least you can do is not laugh at me.

"Beta mai kya karu. Keh to sahi hi rahi hai tumhari maa." Mr. Malhotra said.

Son, what shall I do? Your mom's telling the truth after all.

Kiara and Mrs. Malhotra high fived each other at this.

"Mummy aap disloyal ho." Kabir said to his mom.

Mom you're so disloyal.

"Aur tum, iss baat ka badla liya jayega. Zaroor liya jayega." Kabir said pulling Kiara's cheek softly.

And you, revenge will be taken for this. For sure.

"Dekh lungi." Kiara said with a fake sweet smile.

We shall see.

"Tujhe se kon dare." Mrs. Malhotra said as the three of them chuckled at Kabir once again.

No one's afraid of you.

"Desi maa se zyada behtar koi roast nahi kar sakta." Kabir grumbled to himself but everyone heard him.

No one can roast you better than a desi mother.

"Aww. Poor Kabu." Mrs. Malhotra said.

"Mummy nahi!" Kabir said with wide eyes.

Mom no!

"Kabu? Awwww." Kiara fake exclaimed.

"Yaar ab ye chup nahi hogi." Kabir said as he lightly face palmed himself.

Man, she won't shut up about this now.

"So cute yaar. Kabuuuu." She said and pinched his cheek.

"Cute nahi hu mai. I'm handsome." He said as he swatted her hand away.

I'm not cute.

"Woh bhi nahi hai." Mr. Malhotra said making Kiara laugh out loud once again.

You're not that either.

"Mai nahi karta aap sab se baat." Kabir announced and continued eating his food with subdued anger.

I'm not going to talk to any of you.

The other three on the table laughed once again and continued eating their food as well.

Kiara was very happy internally as their first dinner together went very well. Poor Kabir took all the teasing and they basically ganged up on him. She didn't feel bad though as he did the same with her when he met her parents a couple months back.

She couldn't help but say a prayer of thanks to her God who doesn't leave a chance to give her the best of the best.

~x~

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