nikhiloberoi

[nikhiloberoi]

Whatsapp 📲 Oberoi Cousins

Sameer: She really is quite pretty Nihal, good going man.

Sameer: Alright Nik, no issues--you'll be with me and Eva. Cool?

Sameer: Eva says hello to you by the way Sid, wants to know when you'll be in the city next?

Sameer: Next time Vaani, maybe when I get to expand to London?

Nihal: Isn’t she?? She’s been great so far from the conversations we’ve had.

Nihal: I'm really excited about this.

Nikhil: You can thank me in your wedding speech.

Nikhil: Awesome, it's been forever since we caught up. I'm glad you guys could come out here for this.

[nikhiloberoi]

Whatsapp 📲 Oberoi Cousins

Sameer: Urgency...for a plus one. Nice dude.

Sameer: You're bringing a girl? And Nik you've met her? I need details. This is the first time.

Sameer: Also Nik--you're coming, I know, but like with anyone or what?

Sameer: Gonna miss you Sid and Vaani!

Nihal: I love that everyone's so surprised.

Nihal: Yes, she's very pretty.

Nihal: [PICTURE]

Nikhil: Yeah I’ve met her. I hosted a game night and a friend from work brought her along.

Nikhil: I’m just shocked because she’s so out of this guy’s league.

Nikhil: It’s just me this time around.

[nikhiloberoi]

Whatsapp 📲 Oberoi Cousins

Sameer: Why are you using ALL CAPS? Jeez.

Sameer: Yes, you can? I'm shocked you have a plus one--better not be some researcher from the hospital though.

Sameer: Nik, you bringing anyone??

Nihal: Because this was urgent.

Nihal: No, it's not. It's a girl.

Nikhil: Yeah I’m coming.

Nikhil: Oh shit, she actually wants to go out with you??

Nikhil: Damn, I thought she was joking.

[nikhiloberoi]

Nikhil Bhaiya!

I can’t believe you didn’t come visit me in London this year. We didn’t even do our obligatory car race with cars from one of papa’s showrooms. Well, serves you right because now you can’t. Or at least you can’t race any cars with me. I’ll be in New York living my best Gossip Girl life and you’ll be in that state that rains a lot. I’m just kidding. Sort of. I only like visiting you when it snows. Your rakhi is in the envelope and I hope you like it, bhaiya. More importantly, I hope you got me something good this year. *cough* Like that gown I showed you from the Givenchy website *cough*. Love you so so much!

Xoxo

Vaani

Nikhil read the note and laughed because even as he read these words he could hear Vaani’s voice. She was definitely unique and true to her own style and Nikhil always thought that to be so genuinely sweet. When most of their other cousin sisters were getting married, Vaani was jetting off to wherever she wanted and taking those luxury cars out for a spin. Getting to visit her was a treat if only because of their little tradition, but mostly it was nice to just see her and make sure she was doing okay. While Vaani was the independent sort, marching to the beat of her own drum, she was also the kind that needed a helping hand every so often. He admired the rakhi before tying it on his wrist and smiling. He hoped she liked the gift he’d gotten her.  Maybe he’d have to make a trip out to New York and visit his cousins soon.

[nikhiloberoi]

Happy birthday Nikhil!

I know, I know…you probably didn’t want me to splurge but too bad. You deserve to be spoiled on such a special day. We’ve also got dinner reservations at your favourite place because why not?

If you blow me off, we’re not friends anymore. Waise bhi yeh bas ek chota sa taufa hai meri taraf se, and I really hope you like it and find it useful.

May all your wishes come true!

-Kavya

Nikhil looked at the gift that was on his desk waiting for him. It was 9 am on a Tuesday and someone was already giving him a gift? He lifted the lid to see just what it was and smile at the contents. He would of course be putting all these items to good use and would love to start today; tonight to be exact. As he read that note from Kavya there was a hint of a smile on his lips, the lawyer heading out of his office to find the woman in question so he could thank her personally. He didn’t even think she would remember the fact that it was his birthday today. He’d mentioned it in passing long ago, but nevertheless he couldn’t deny just how happy it made him.

[nikhiloberoi]

Happy Valentine’s Day Nikhil! 

Ab before you say this is too much, doston ke beech chalta hai.

It’s only some perfume and just some roses, I promise I didn’t splurge. 

Sending good wishes,

Kavya

It was a rather intimate gift to him and for Nikhil who was slowly realizing that he was definitely crushing on his colleague, it was the best gift ever. He opened up that cologne bottle and gave it a test spray, spritzing it on his wrist so he take in the luscious fragrance. It was heady in a good way. “Dammit... Kuch aur dehna tha usse Nikhil. Buddhu, bachon ki tarah chocolate deh aaya?” He groaned to himself, wondering if it was too late to figure out some other gift to give her in addition to the candy.

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

“Clearly,” she rolled her eyes before smiling back at him. It had certainly not been the answer she’d expected at all but it was one that made absolute sense even if it was a bit unconventional. It was clear that Nikhil was very good at what he did, and she’d honestly love to see him representing a case, whether in a boardroom or a courtroom, she didn’t think it mattered to him what size his audience was. He was definitely someone who wouldn’t really think twice before giving it like it was and that was an admirable trait for sure. But she was finding that this was a very refreshing change from the man she’d initially interacted with. When she’d seen him in the meeting with Mr. Choudary, she’d been almost sure he was a workaholic, and then he came right out and admitted it which had her wondering why she was so adamant on getting his shirt replaced and spending time with him? But that decision had paid off since Kavya definitely thought she’d found a friend from today.

“Because it’s scary Nikhil. Jaan chali jayegi toh?” She murmured before shaking her head. She did know that he wouldn’t actually shove her out of the plane, but of course he’d go the legal route with his words. “Hum dost hai, I wouldn’t sue you.” She clarified even though she sighed at his words when he spoke of a professional being right there with her. “I just…don’t know if I could take it. I worry I’d hyperventilate in the plane again or something…” she confessed softly before hearing his words about how he was adamant on everyone giving it a chance at least once. Maybe one day she would—but today was not going to be the day that she got convinced at all, no matter how hard he was trying to make it happen.

When she told him she wasn’t going to have any—she hadn’t missed that scoff and had to end up rolling her eyes before glancing down at her watch. They were getting it close to an hour and so she knew they had to head back soon—but honestly she really didn’t want to, not when they were enjoying themselves so much. Still when the waitress returned with the apple pie, and spoke about the check, she just nodded at her. “You can bring it over whenever it’s ready. Thanks,” she murmured before noting the way he was staring at the apple pie looking absolutely like a child who had found his most prized possession. “Should I leave you alone? Since you look like you’re rather eager to make out with the pie,” she chuckled before noting the way he was trying to make a big show off the pie. It’s what prompted her to reach for her spoon and take a bite, smiling at how actually delicious it tasted before rolling her eyes at his obvious reaction. “It’s quite good. Waise bhi…garam pie aur ice cream ka kuch aur hi combination hai.”

Nikhil was always encouraging people to try death defying adventure sports. Perhaps, it was because he overworked himself so much that he really enjoyed getting out there and doing unimaginably crazy things to tell people about later. He always felt a shift in himself whenever he did something outside his comfort zone and for the most part it was always for the better. Maybe if he and Kavya really became close he could convince her to give it a shot. “I’m pretty sure they work at making sure you don’t die. Pehle pehle bahot scary hota hai, but once you do it you feel like you can do anything. It’s an incredible feeling. I always come back to life with a new outlook after I do something like that. When you do something like that, I don’t know… I always feel like it clears up my mind and my priorities. Everyday life seems less scary.” 

“You know, I think you might have to,” Nikhil joked as he continued to admire the picturesque dessert. It tasted just as good as it looked too. The pastry was warm and flaky while that perfect giant scoop of vanilla ice cream slowly melted atop the golden crust. He was glad to see Kavya indulge as well. “Happy first day at the firm,” he mused with a smile, taking yet another bite out of the pie. It wasn’t long before there was nothing, but crumbs left behind on the plate. The waitress came around with the check and Nikhil really had to refrain from reaching for it. He agreed to let her pay and he was going to stand by his word, but damn was it difficult when he was very much used to being the one who paid. 

What Nikhil did do however was pitch in for a tip because as usual the diner did not disappoint. “Ab chalo wapas kaam pe,” he sighed, as they left, making the short walk back to the office in the dreary Seattle weather that the two of them apparently loved so much. He enjoyed the last hour they spent together and maybe there would be more lunches like this in the future. “Have a good rest of your first day!” he called back to her as he retreated to his office. If only he knew what he was getting himself into. Nikhil had no idea this woman was married, but something about her presence had intrigued him. On her first day alone they hadn’t many little adventures together and quite frankly he was wondering what was in store for them on the road ahead. As he settled back into work, Nikhil felt recharged and ready to tackle a day that had seemed overwhelming when it started.

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

Kavya wasn’t going to say she hated any of his picks because in her mind they were definitely the types of movies people though of when they thought of the 90’s. What made her laugh though—was how well he’d known which movies she was talking about as one time watches. “It’s the truth,” she murmured before giving him a shrug. But of course when he said he was the type of be dramatic, she was definitely eager to see this come to life. The Nikhil she’d known in these last few hours were so composed that she was eager to see this happen. “I’m excited to see it to be honest, tum mujhe bilkul bhi dramatic type nahi lagte, so I’m excited to see you prove me wrong.”

When she’d posed the question to him, she hadn’t realized it was going to be one of those that had him really thinking about his answer but she was glad he didn’t just give her an answer for the hell of it. She snatched one of the fries as he thought about the answer and when he started responding, she was grinning a bit wider than before. She had honestly not realized that her question could actually stump a lawyer. It was honestly a very surprising feeling as he tried to ‘lawyer’ his answer, she was grinning and waiting for this response of his. When he actually start speaking though, honestly—his answer was well thought out and made absolute sense. “Tum na—lawyer hi ho, paaka.” She giggled before shaking her head. “Sab kuch soch samajke jawab dete ho, but very nicely said…I can see where you’re coming from.”

Of course that thought of someone in the world being made for her—had her wondering; was her husband the one she was supposed to end up with? What about people like her who’d never found the right one? Did they have any hope left? She pushed this thought from her mind, choosing instead to listen to Nikhil as he described the feeling when he jumped out of the plane. Honestly, as much as it excited her—it was still terrifying to think about. “Na baba na, agar main tumhe saath mein legayi, toh phir tum paaka mera haath pakar ke hi jump maroge…pata hai mujhe.” Honestly who would say they barely met a few hours ago? They were talking like old friends and it was so refreshing too. She was about to say no to the waitress but Nikhil had other ideas. She chuckled when he asked for the apple pie and rolled her eyes when he acted so adorable which was so unlike the persona she’d seen in the office. “Tum akele kha rahe ho, mujhse aur kuch nahi khajayega.”

He laughed along with her, “Agar koi doubt tha toh hopefully mere jawab ne usse bhagaa diya. I’m definitely a lawyer.” He was well-known for lawyering his answers and his friends often made fun of him for it. They told him they weren’t in a courtroom and that he didn’t have to be “on” all the time, but Nikhil couldn’t help it. It was just how he rolled. This meeting of theirs turned out to be a pleasant surprise. While the initial run in had left a bad taste in his mouth, Kavya had turned things around with her apology and the fact that she kind of went above and beyond to not only get him a brand new shirt, but also offer to buy him lunch. It was awfully kind of her and he was already figuring out where to take her to lunch the next time the two of them wanted to get out of the office for a bit of fresh air. It was nice having a buddy at the firm. 

Nikhil looked at her in shock. “Why would you not do it at least once? It’s exhilarating. Plus, I can’t actually shove you out of the plane. First of all, that’s just a lawsuit waiting to happen and second of all there a trained profession strapped onto you as well. They make sure nothing happens to you.” The man was trying to figure out how he could possibly convince her to give the extreme sport a legitimate chance. “It really is something I think everyone should do once. You feel like such a badass telling people when you do.” The lawyer only scoffed because yeah right. There was no way she was going to watch him dig into a freshly baked apple pie and not want to take a couple bites herself. 

The waitress disappeared with their dirty plates and she returned a few minutes later with not only a giant slice of warm apple pie that had an equally gigantic scoop of vanilla ice cream on it, but also their check. “No rush,” she announced in a peppy voice, “Whenever you’re ready.” Nikhil honestly couldn’t be bothered with the check at that moment anyway. No, his attention was on the dessert that had been placed in the middle of their table. He was grabbing one of the spoons left for them quickly, cutting off the tip of the baked treat and swiping off some of that ice cream as well that was melting atop the warm crust. Nikhil made quite the show of enjoying the dessert, playfully tempting Kavya so that she might too indulge and share the slice of pie.   

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

She watched her phone next to her light up and smiled, glad that at least now she’d gotten his number. At this point, she really had no idea how much she was going to be talking to him and was just glad to have another friend in this city. But after her little list, she started munching on her own food and slurping up that milkshake when he pointed out that she’d picked seven movies. She really hadn’t meant to, but it got too hard near the end. “I know, I’m sorry…but also feel free to name seven, there’s nothing wrong with that.” She grinned before priding herself on his words about her movie choices being good. When he explained why it was taking him longer to decide, she only nodded, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. “Main samaj sakhti hoon, toh definitely take your time.”

Kavya herself was also someone who liked a lot of different movies depending on her mood so she wondered if they had any similarities when he presented her with his list and lo and behold, she had some favourites on that list as well. “That…is the quintessential 90’s list of films.” She chuckled softly before nodding at his words, “I mean…I’m good with like five of them—the other two were one time watches for me, ab tum hi soch lo which ones I’m thinking about.” She took another sip from her milkshake before raising an eyebrow, “but before we go forward—you have to tell me which philosophy you align yourself with more. ‘kahin na kahi, koi na koi tumhare liye bana gaya hai,’ ya phir… ‘pyaar dosti hai’?” They were both catch lines from the most romantic choices he’d presented and she was eager to get his response for sure.

She nodded at his words, after all—it was true that everyone usually thought their mother was something else and just so special so she couldn’t fault him for it. “Hopefully I do,” she smiled, aware how crazy their conversation was. They’d just met, how were they already talking about her meeting his family…it was crazy. She began slurping the last sips of her milkshake before she heard his words and chuckled softly. “Oh my god, you’ve jumped out of planes…kaisa lagta hai woh? Main hamesha try karna chahti thi, ek baar plane pe bhi bhet gayi thi…but I couldn’t do it.” She laughed before she realized he was still waiting to hear more about her story. “Acha okay, toh suno…” And she narrated the story of how her family was on a small boat, navigating the river, and they were close to the edge where some man was fishing but his line had gone way out, and since it was so thin—no one had seen it and she’d gotten tangled in it and fallen into the water. “It was…embarrassing to say the least. It was during the 4th of July weekend so there were so many people on the river, all having a good laugh at the girl who fell into the rather disgusting water.”

He really wanted to know if she hated any of the movies on his own list and of course her response had him laughing if only because he had a feeling he knew which two movies she was talking about when she said they were a one time watch. “Let me guess… Vishwatma and Mohra?” He knew they were a bit much and those kinds of action movies back in the 90’s were so over exaggerated that it might have been difficult to sit through if they weren’t something you were already into. “If we truly are friends then you’ll see how dramatic I can be and it’s all thanks to these silly movies.” In the office, he was as professional as he could be. He didn’t speak much out of turn (unless he really wanted his argument or point heard), but when he was really comfortable with someone all bets were off.

“Oh shit… Hmm... “ He really had to think about the question she asked because in some ways Nikhil believed in both those philosophies. If he wasn’t good friends with a woman and didn’t get to know her on a level where they shared an innate and deep understanding of one another then how could he possibly love her? On the other hand, he also knew that not everything was totally in his hands. There were greater powers at work that caused two people to cross paths and end up in one another’s lives. “Yaar, this is unfair. Kahin na kahin dono sahi hai, but… let me see if I can lawyer this.” Nikhil thought about it for a moment longer before nodding, ready with an answer for her. “Pyaar dosti hai… because we can assume that the ‘koi na koi’ that was made for you is the person you crossed paths with and became friends with. The same dost that will go on to be your pyaar. Boom. Lawyered.”

“Dude, taking that leap is like nothing else. The first time I did it I seriously thought ke mujhe heart attack hone wala tha, but it was just all the adrenaline rushing through my system. It’s amazing. I would 100% do it again. It never gets old. Except, I’m sure that the people who work those things would say otherwise, but I’ve only done it a couple times in the past so I’m sure it’ll feel just as wild and free as it did the first time around. If you ever decide you actually want to do it, let me know. Main bhi chalunga.” Nikhil himself hadn’t experienced any near death incidents despite all the adventure sports he enjoyed. “That’s insane... “ He munched on the last fry on his plate and sighed, “People can be such dicks.” The waitress came by to pick up their plates and asked if they wanted anything else. Nikhil seized the moment. “I’ve been eyeing that apple pie basically since we sat down. Can we get a slice?” “Of course, would you like to top it with some vanilla ice cream?” Nikhil grinned and scoffed jokingly, “Of course!”

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

Kavya couldn’t even help but laugh out loud at his words, because she really hadn’t been trying to be at all clever, but she was just pointing out the obvious. Except now that he’d mentioned it, she could see why and how he said it like that. “Haaye, c’mon Nikhil, main koi aisi waisi ladki nahi hoon.” And here was the perfect time to say she was married, so she couldn’t be that type of girl anyways but she ignored it and heard his suggestion instead before nodding and rattling off her own phone number to him. But the truth was…she had no idea at this point how intense their friendship, their relationship was going to become that they’d been wanting to talk to one another every single evening, every single weekend when they’d be away from the office. In this incredibly simple meeting—Kavya Puri had no idea whatsoever how important this man was going to become in her life.

She couldn’t help but chuckle at his words, he was right and now she was feeling like a bad Indian if anything at all but she ignored that in favour of his next topic which definitely put her on the spot. “Hey—that’s not fair, sab ki khud choice hoti hai.” She retorted but of course—he was a bit nicer than that and decided to give her top 5 instead, and allowed it to be her own choice for which she was rather grateful. “Acha—toh Andaz Apna Apna, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, and…Pardes, but also special mention to Yes Boss and Sarfarosh.” She winced as she realized she ended up naming seven movies rather than just five. “Acha ab tum kaho. Actually, pehle yeh batao, kya humari pasand isme se koi match hoti hai?”

Kavya heard the reverent way in which he spoke about his mother and it was truly so wonderful to listen to and she hoped to one day meet the woman who had clearly raised a very fine gentleman. Nikhil was chivalrous and polite and clearly respectful towards woman and she was sure most of that came from his mother. “Bahot achi baat hai yeh Nikhil, not many men can say that with so much pride.” She told him as he spoke about his father being just as stellar. “I have no doubt about that, clearly you learned a lot from him as well about how to be a pretty great man.” When she asked him for a fun fact, she’d expected something random but he told her something important once more which had her sighing as he spoke about how stiff his joints would get in the cold winters. Neither knew now but she’d be ensuring he didn’t sit for too long in those cold months, ensuring he didn’t let them get too stiff as she took care of him in the way she wanted to. “Hmmm—I was going to give you some silly fact, but now I’ll give you both. So I have a strange sixth sense, if there’s a television on in the same house that I’m in…without the volume, I can like…tell it’s on somehow.” Kavya laughed before wrinkling her nose at something else to tell him. “I once got tangled in someone’s fishing line on the river when I was out boating with my family so I fell in and thought I was going to die…the whole ‘life flashing before your eyes’ is real by the way,” she told him with a quick shrug as she stole two of the fries.

Nikhil followed suit, calling her phone number and letting it ring a couple times before hanging up. He returned his attention to his delicious and incredibly unhealthy lunch as he waited for her to tell him just which movies she enjoyed. He nodded along, approving every movie she mentioned. “Maine paanch kaha aur tumne saat keh diye. I guess I’m going to have to name my top 7 as well then. Waise, those are all solid picks.” He had to think a little outside of the box to name movies that she hadn’t already chosen. “I like so many that my favorite can really be interchangeable depending on my mood so I’m going to go the extra mile and name movies that you haven’t already.” 

He gave it a good think, but there were a couple that came to mind almost instantly. “Okay, Karan Arjun, Vishwatma… Mohra… Dil Toh Pagal Hai… Main Khiladi Tu Anari… Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and.. Hum Saath Saath Hain.” He figured it was a decent list even if it did seem a little all over the place. He loved those classic happy-go-lucky, warm and fuzzy Bollywood movies that everyone took their families to go watch, but he also loved watching those angsty movies centered around revenge. When it came to the 90’s it was usually one or the other. “Toh kaisi lagi meri list?” he grinned, genuinely curious to know what she thought of his choices. Surely she had to like a few, but would she cringe at some other picks? 

“My mom is something special man, but I’m well aware that everyone thinks that. Maybe if you get to meet her one day you’ll know I’m talking about.” He loved his mom and really thanked her for her guidance and for nurturing his love for the law and helping people. Without her, he most definitely wouldn’t be where he was right now. Nikhil finished off the last of his burger and went on to work on doing the same with the remaining french fries. His eyes however, were already on that apple pie that was on display under the glass cloche. He was always down for something sweet and wondered if perhaps Kavya might be on the same wavelength. “You almost what?” he asked incredulously, “How does that even happen? How’d you get tangled? I have so many questions. I’ve gone white river rafting and have jumped out of my fair share of planes, but I suppose it’s not the same as accidentally almost drowning.”

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

From their first meeting today, she could tell he was someone who didn’t take as much advantage of ‘free’ time or take time away from work to mentally recharge quite as often as he should. Luckily she’d do a good job of changing that part about him as the days went on because she truly believed in a life/work balance, something her husband didn’t quite understand either. “Sounds perfect,” she grinned when he spoke about sending her postcards. Kavya was an avid collector of small treasures from different places she’d visited around the world. “Whatsapp pe phote bhejne ke liye…phone number hona zaroori hai Mr. Bhatia, aur woh toh abhi tak tumne maanga hi nahi hai mujhse,” she grinned with a casual shrug as she took another sip from her milkshake with a dimpled smile.

It was nice meeting someone who didn’t love the heat and actually preferred the cooler temperatures. “Exactly na? I mean…ek toh woh sab, upar se agar zyaada garmi ho toh aadmi kar bhi kya sakhta hai? At least thaand mein tum zyaada kapre pehn sakhte ho, layer kar sakhte ho…it’s just easier.” But as he spoke about loving to just sit at home in the rain and watch Indian films, she found herself sharing a kindred spirit with the man. “Yes, bilkul sahi! There is nothing better than going back to the nostalgic films and all,” she grinned decided they had to have a movie outing or something the next time they were both free.

Kavya listened intently as he told her about his family, about how he’d gotten the dream of being a lawyer from his mother and found it heartwarming. “That’s…so sweet, aur haan thode se momma’s boy ho.” She thought it was endearing though. Being close to family, not only physically but emotionally as well was very important to her, something she still held onto with her own family back home. The reason she’d actually suggested to move away from Chicago, had been because of his overly involved family—not her own. “Wow…impressive family Nikhil. One brother a lawyer, the other a doctor…very nice.” She grinned before chuckled as he spoke about his little brother crying to him on the phone. “Main bahot hi intelligent hoon, why do you think Mr. Chaudary hired me?” She grinned before taking a bite from her own burger before she glanced back at him. “Okay…in the effort to get to know you, mujhe kuch aisi cheez batao, jo tum usually kisi ko pehli mulaqat mein nahi kehte? I mean…if you want to keep things interesting.”

He actually let out a hearty laugh at her words. How sneaky she was. “That is… a very clever method of getting someone’s number.” If only he knew that the woman seated before him was definitely married and that he probably shouldn’t be asking her for her number in this manner. Still, Nikhil wasn’t at all opposed and pulled out his own phone. “Tum mujhe apna number doh aur phir main tumhe missed call kar lehta hoon.” It was definitely going to come in handy considering how much they were going to be on the phone with one another when they weren’t at work. It was going to feel almost impossible to stay away from her and their phone calls would keep him satisfied until he saw her at work or at one of their meetings outside the office.

“Yeah I don’t understand people who like hot weather aur hum toh Desi hai. If anyone should be able to enjoy the warm weather, it’s us.” He loved the twinkle in her eyes when he mentioned Bollywood movies and couldn’t help, but take the conversation forward. “Okay, top three 90’s movies. Go.” Nikhil already had his in mind, but he wanted to know what hers were before he revealed the names. There were so many to choose from and he could honestly sit in front of his television all day if he ever gave himself the chance to have a day off.  “Actually, I’m curious to know what you would consider to be your top three in general as well… Acha, top 5. Gives you a little wiggle room.” 

His mom was always a source of inspiration for him. She had worked long and hard to get to where she was and his father was right there by her side the entire time. She went to law school and became a lawyer during a time when people laughed at the mere thought of a female attorney. His mom was always so exhausted because she was doing her best to balance being a wife, a mother, and practicing lawyer all at the same time, but she never failed to ensure that her two boys had some really wonderful memories with their mom. “I take the title of momma’s boy very seriously, Kavya. It’s a badge of honor, truly.” He managed to get a few good bites of his burger down before continuing the conversation. “Waise mere dad bhi pretty impressive hai okay? He’s a professor at the University of Portland.” He let his drink wash down his throat as he thought about what exactly he should share with her. “When I was ten I broke my left arm playing in the playground. When it gets really cold around here in the winter, I still feel my joints get stiff and ache. Your turn.”

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

Kavya found it quite interesting that he’d been to Chicago before; could fate had actually had the two of them cross paths but never realize? Maybe they’d met at a coffee shop? Or a bookstore? Or even on the street and not even known about it. But it was alright, after all—they’d met now. She listened as he spoke about the city and how much he’d want to go back and found herself smiling at his little wishful road trip. “That sounds…like a blast,” she grinned at him before shrugging. “Maybe one day you will. Make sure to send me tons of pictures of the route…deal?” She had no idea that maybe one day she would be riding shotgun with him as he did that drive, the two of them truly allowing themselves to become free.

She grinned even more as she realized the two of them had quite a few things they connected over and the rain being one of them. “Oh it’s true, mere…kuch dost hai jisko yeh baarish zara bhi pasand nahi hai. They hate it aur mujhe samaj mein hi nahi aata ke yeh kaise ho sakhta hai. It’s so beautiful and makes everything look clean and fresh.” His words had her chuckling as she shrugged; Kavya always found it difficult to talk about herself not because there wasn’t much to say, but because she just never knew what people really wanted to know. “Hmmm ab hui na baat, I’d love to hear more about you Mr. Bhatia. Tell me how you became a lawyer? Bachpan se hi ladaai karna acha lagta tha kya?” She grinned before waiting for his answer.

The food was there quickly and she was actually feeling her stomach growling the moment it was placed in front of her. It all smelt delicious and looked even better as she held up her milkshake and took a sip once he clinked their glasses together. She had been about to reach for the burger but caught him barely being able to hold the french fry which had her chuckling, “so I take it you’re an impatient man too? Sahi andaaza hai mera?”

Nikhil wished he was more stubborn about how he spent his free time. It wasn’t that he didn’t have any. It was always that he chose to spend it working even when it was probably not as necessary as taking a break. How many times had Nikhil gotten burnt out working on a difficult case. Plus, he was the rookie, the newb. The other senior lawyers had a good time giving him a lot of the paperwork and grunt work especially in that first year. “Yeah I’ll even send a postcard.” Did people still send those these days? “Ya phir WhatsApp pe photo bhej dunga.” Indeed, she would be riding shotgun with him. They would spend hours screaming their favorite songs at the top of their lungs. They would eat food that was way too unhealthy for them. They would have adventures that would stick with them for a lifetime.

“Yeah I don’t get it either. Why some people would rather live in Palm Springs or Vegas I won’t ever understand. You know what you get in places like that? Reptiles and sand storms. Nothing good ever came from either of those things. Lekin yahan toh har waqt itna khoobsurat mausam hota hai ke jee toh karta hai ghar betke 90’s ki filmein dekhoon.” Nikhil loved Bollywood movies; there was no real shock there. Most Desi people away from home did. He really didn’t understand some of the people he went to college with though; other Indian kids who rolled their eyes or scoffed at the mere suggestion of watching a Hindi movie. How was it not the perfect escape from their busy, stressful days as law students?

“Meri mom ek lawyer hai actually. Or rather, thi. She’s retired now, but she worked her ass off to become a lawyer. Watching her while I was growing up… I just knew that I wanted to help people just like that.” He cleared his throat and smiled, “If you haven’t already guessed, I’m clearly a momma’s boy. Mera ek bhai hai, chota. Woh for some reason doctor ban na chahta hai. He’s in New York right now probably studying his ass off… or crying. Usually, when he calls, it’s the latter.” He went in for another one of those fries, the taste not living up to his every expectation he had. “How did you guess?” he joked, finally going in for that juicy looking burger on his plate. 

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

It was interesting to be so casual and comfortable with Mr. Nikhil Bhatia so quickly. She hadn’t been around many men here in Seattle since moving from Chicago with her husband, but then again—for the longest time, she’d been keeping to herself so much that she forgot who she used to be. Now that she was staring a job again, she was allowing herself to go back to the woman Kavya Bhasin once used to be. Rohan hadn’t stifled her, at least she hadn’t allowed herself to think that way just yet…but he had begun expecting for her to change. It had been gradual but now that it had been over a year of marriage, she could easily look back and realize how many things weren’t in her life anymore. “Sounds good to me,” she’d opted for a cheeseburger as well without onions or pickles and knew that when their meals were brought out—she was going to be embarrassing by bringing out her tiny bottle of hot sauce; but what to do—Kavya needed her food spicy.

“Hmm, kya jaan na chahte ho tum?” She asked with a casual smile, not expecting him ask such a direct question but then again it was their first meeting, so it was allowed. But honestly, what could she tell him? It wasn’t like she was hiding the fact that she was married, it was written in her job application—but she didn’t want that to define who she was. She’d seen how married women were treated in the office workspace sometimes and Kavya wasn’t one of those woman who would be okay with being treated differently. So when he asked her again, she grinned before shrugging. “You’re not wrong, I grew up in the Midwest, in Chicago. Meri poori extended family, papa ki side ki wahaan hai, aur Ma ki back in India. I’ve completed some business admin courses back in Chicago, and moved here just a couple months ago. Surprisingly mujhe baarish kaafi pasand hai so I’m not totally sad about all the rain.” She took a deep breath before smiling, “kaafi hai, ya aur batao?”

There was more they could talk about but by then their meals were in front of them along with the drinks and Kavya was quite excited about this food since he’d praised it so much but she decided that she wouldn’t take out the hot sauce yet, or take a bite. Instead, she raised her milkshake towards his cherry coke and held it up. “To first meetings that end up with us becoming friends.” At least she hoped that’s where they were headed because someone who let her buy them a new shirt and decided to always speak to her in Hindi–had to be a friend, right?

When she asked him what it was that he wanted to know, about a hundred different questions came to mind at once. Each one was more intriguing than the next because he truly knew nothing about this woman other than the fact that she was Indian like him, beautiful, and quite possibly new to Seattle. She confirmed it as she began to explain her life in Chicago. “I love the Windy City. I’ve been meaning to go back, but work keeps me busy these days. I can never find a good moment to take some time off, otherwise I love traveling.” Thankfully, his job granted him a few opportunities to travel for work to meet various clients that didn’t live in Washington, but it wasn’t quite as often as he’d like. “I’ve always wanted to do a drive from Chicago to San Bernardino, all the way down Route 66, and then come back home.”

“The baarish is one of my favorite parts about living in the northwest. I love it. Har kissi ki bas ki baat nahin hai lekin mujhe iss mausam se bahot lagaav hai..” He laughed, “You’ve only just started and you’re already done?” Nikhil did have one burning question, but figured it would give off the wrong tone or make things awkward on the first day of… whatever this was. He was wondering if she was single. He tried to look for clues, but she definitely didn’t look like she had any of the more notable paraphernalia that a married Indian woman wore. He should have opened his mouth and asked. It would have saved him a lot of grief in the long run, but he held his tongue in the meantime. “Kuch bhi bata doh. Ya phir agar tumhe mujhse kuch poochna hai toh woh bhi theek hai. You don’t know much about me either.” 

That was the nice thing about eating at a diner. The food got to you quickly. His mouth was watering as he smelled the delicious cheesy, greasy food that was sat down in front of him. Before the server could leave, he asked for a side of ranch. Nikhil gave Kavya a grin and lifted his glass, tapping it against her own. “Cheers,” he nodded, taking a courtesy sip of his cherry coke before lifting one of those addictive french fries to his mouth. Oh, it was almost too hot to even hold between his fingers, but he blew on it as many times as his patience would allow before munching on the delightfully deep-fried potato.

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

His words made sense to her, and she was quite impressed really that he didn’t want to be that type of lawyer who did whatever he wanted for one reason and one alone—money. It was quite refreshing to meet someone with those sets of ideals but it was still early in their acquaintance with one another for her to truly believe that he was like this. “Well, it’s definitely going to be something we’ll clash on, kyunki main bhi utni hi ziddi hoon.” Of course she was still Mr. Chaudary’s assistant which meant she couldn’t really disobey Nikhil either but that would be known when the time came. What she hadn’t realized yet, is that soon she wouldn’t have to clash with him about it because he’d want to be there with her to make her happy and she wouldn’t have to be forced to pull him away from his work.

“Very good,” she grinned at him before tucking his ruined shirt into her purse as they walked up to the registers. Kavya didn’t realize it quickly enough, but Nikhil was clearly oblivious to that cashier and so maybe she hadn’t needed to be this close to him. Still, once they were out of her view, she quickly released his arm. They continued their short trek to the diner he’d suggested and was grinning the minute they’d stepped inside. She had figured they’d grab a table but the real charm of a diner was at the counter or in a booth like this and she smiled across the way at Nikhil before taking a look at her menu. “Hmm—cherry coke isn’t really my thing, so I’ll have to take your recommendation for a milkshake. Aur kya? Burger and fries?” Kavya was not one of those women who opted for salads and ensured they watched their calories at every given moment. She chose to eat what she wanted and do the exercise for it as well. And besides—today was her first day, it was a day to celebrate after all.

“Acha?” he teased, “Dekhte hai.” He had yet to meet someone as headstrong as him, but perhaps he’d met his match. After all, in the few hours he’d known Kavya the woman had decided she was going to take him out for lunch and buy him a new shirt. Even good friends didn’t just decide to do such a thing. It was clear that if she made up her mind about something then she was going to go through with it. As they settled into the booth, Nikhil gave his menu a courtesy glance, but he already knew what he wanted. He had been here enough times to try just about everything. Nothing beat the classic go to menu items though and he had his order figured out basically by the time he was settled in opposite Kavya. “Perfect, I’ll have the cherry coke then. All that walking’s got me parched. Solid choices all around though.” The waitress came by and they gave their orders, Nikhil letting her know that he was going to have a cheeseburger and fries with a cherry coke.

“So batao apne baare mein.” They had done a lot of talking about him. She was remarkably quiet where she was concerned though and he was curious to know more about her. As they sat there, Nikhil took this moment to look at her and take in just how honest to god beautiful this woman was. Everyone back at the firm was already going on and on about how drop dead gorgeous she was, but he thought they had been exaggerating. Apparently not. She was perhaps the most beautiful woman he’d ever met and Nikhil had met quite a few in recent years. “Come on, don’t keep me waiting now. I’m assuming you grew up here in the states?” She certainly didn’t sound like she moved here from India. Desi people could tell by the way they talked, but there was every chance that he was wrong.

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

“That doesn’t surprise me one bit. You give off those vibes of being someone who just doesn’t listen. Lekin I’m sure ke wohi attributes tumhare bahot kaam aati hogi courtroom mein,” she murmured as she heard his words and rolled her eyes. She hadn’t been in many courtrooms in her lifetime but that was something that would no doubt be changing now that she’d joined this law firm. When she’d met Nikhil earlier today, she’d have thought he’d be a super serious lawyer who could barely crack a smile but here he was, smiling and behaving as if they’d know each other for days—something she found was an easy feeling to have with him. It wasn’t something Kavya felt often since she was more of an introvert than anything else but Nikhil made it easy to feel relaxed and comfortable.

Kavya honestly hadn’t thought much of it when she’d stepped in front of him to adjust his collar. It had been an instinctive move, one she realized after that he may not have liked. But he didn’t say anything and so she casually completed when she wanted to do before stepping out of his person space. “Haina? I think it looks perfect on you,” she grinned before heading his words and laughing along with him. Little did he know that she’d be more than agreeable to come shopping with him and how she’d adore having him as her model man who tried on everything she’d pick out for him. “Yes we can,” she grinned as she quickly folded his shirt and kept it in her tote bag. “Dry clean karke tumhe wapas dedungi, theek hai?” She gave him a grin before leading him out of the fitting room areas towards the cash registers. She showed the cashier the tag before taking out her credit card. “He’s wearing it out—can you remove the tag and the security button? Thank you.” She watched as the woman in question held onto Nikhil’s hand a little longer than necessary before taking off the security button while Kavya inputted her pin number and took the receipt from her. “Alright, let’s grab some lunch now,” she hooked her arm in with Nikhil’s and led him away from the counter—clearly forgetting that she had no right to show this level of being displeased and just hoped he didn’t call any attention to it since she had dropped his arm as soon as they were out of view of that cashier’s.

“I don’t wanna be that person and agree, but I try to be as honest as possible to fight the stigma that lawyers are all crooked so… Yeah, I’m awfully stubborn.” It was a trait that had worked in his favor thus far and he didn’t see himself changing that any time soon. He couldn’t deny that he’d gotten much worse ever since he started living on his own. When there was nobody there to talk some sense into you then changing already embedded habits became even more difficult than it was before. However, it was going to be this woman who didn’t back down either. She would make damn sure that he did what was right for him even if it meant he wasn’t a slave to his work 24/7. She would manage to get through to him even when others couldn’t. 

He was going to refuse her offer to to have his old shirt dry-cleaned, but knew she would argue with him on that too and perhaps he was in too much of a good mood and generally looking forward to lunch to care much. “Jaisi aapki marzi madam,” he jokingly responded, following her back out of the fitting room to the cash register where she handled payment. “Finally,” Nikhil sighed in an exasperated manner, not even minding the way her arm slipped through his. He should have been curious about the closeness of her touch, but he wasn’t; not in a way that bothered him at least. If only he’d been paying better attention he would know why she’d done it, but he was rather aloof during this first day with Kavya. Looking back, he would see all the little things, but not today. They were back on the sidewalk and he was guiding her towards the diner he’d mentioned earlier. He could smell the delicious aroma of things being deep fried the moment he opened the door. “After you,” he nodded, waving his hand for her to proceed so he could follow her inside. They got situated at a booth before someone promptly came by and handed them menus. “Acha, their milkshakes are amazing. I always go for the Cookies n’ Cream one, but the cherry coke is also really great.”

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

“Acha ji? Portland jaake tumhari Ma se milna hoga, aur kehna hoga ke unka beta toh kiski bhi baat nahi sunta,” she smiled back at him before she felt him nudging her and nodded at his words. “I could be your official reminder, I mean—food is what gives you energy, unless you’re one of those avid coffee drinkers who has like 5 cups a day? Because that’s not healthy either.” Kavya pointed out before they continued their trek towards the department store. It was nice spending time with someone and not feeling any heavy baggage trailing behind them. He didn’t know her, not really—and she didn’t know him and yet they could be casually hanging out and it felt…natural. He hadn’t given any indication that like some of the men she’d known back in Chicago, that this lunch date meant more than it was—and so she felt comfortable as well—something she found rare.

“That sounds better,” she murmured before giving him another grin as they finally ended up in the store. She had noticed that the shirt he’d been wearing was plain white and while there was nothing wrong with a classic white shirt—he seemed like someone who could carry off some more interesting patterns and prints which was why she’d held up the shirt she had. “I’m positive,” she smiled at him before she watched him take it in his hand and still have a perplexed look on his face. She was about to tell him that he didn’t have to try it if he didn’t like it but he was already taking it towards the fitting room while she trailed behind him. “I think it’s a very nice shirt, aur nahi office ke liye zara bhi zyaada nahi hai. Tum phenoge toh tumhe khud acchi lagne lagegi,” she told him while he got changed while she waited outside, only grinned when he stepped out of the room. “Yeah? You see it too na? Bahot acche lag rahe ho tum, ek second…” she paused and went to stand in front of him, fixing the collar of the shirt to sit nicely under his blazer before she turned and stared at his reflection in the trifold mirror. “Well—what are your thoughts Mr. Bhatia?”

“You know, she’ll just tell you that she knows this already.” Nikhil was a rather stubborn child. He was the youngest of his siblings which meant that he was the most spoiled of the lot. It also meant that he could get away with a lot of nonsense as a young kid. Even though he was the most spoiled, it also meant he got the most scoldings as well. “I plead the fifth,” he responded in a cheesy lawyer manner. If only she knew that his record for the number of coffee mugs he could empty in a day was definitely closer to ten than it was to five, but he didn’t have to admit that embarrassing little tidbit to her. Still, it was fun to have someone to enjoy this kind of back and forth with. She was definitely confident in herself, making sure he knew that she didn’t have any issues purchasing him a new shirt or picking up the tab for lunch. They had only met a couple hours ago, but a third person wouldn’t believe that. 

Nikhil was so stunned at how good he looked in this new shirt. It was definitely an improvement on what he was wearing prior to this, but he wasn’t very used to stepping outside his comfort zone long enough to try on something like this. He was adjusting the cuffs of the shirt when she stepped before him and began working on his collar. He stood up straight as she did this, realizing in that moment just how close up she was in his personal space. He didn’t stop though or acknowledge it. She was just helping. Yeah, she was just being helpful. “I think it looks great. Shayad agli baar bhi tumhe saath mein leh aana parega,” he joked, chuckling. He was joking now, but it was going to be a reality and it was going to be one that she thoroughly enjoyed. It was going to be a win win for the both of them considering how boring he was where shopping for clothes was concerned and just how much she adored shopping for men. “Now can we pay for this and grab lunch? I’m starving.” 

[nikhiloberoi]

kavya-puri​:

When she made her comment about everyone staring, she hadn’t expected for him to laugh but she was glad that he’d explained the situation before she shook her head. “That’s not good for you Nikhil. You shouldn’t skip meals, even between some work you can find some time to eat I’m sure.” She accompanied him outside, surprised at the way she spoke in Hindi and heard his question. It was invasive, and also the perfect time to talk about how no, her husband was gone most of the time but somewhere Kavya was pushing that thought away. She didn’t want her martial status to define who she was as an individual. “Mujhe bahot accha lagega agar hum aisa kare,” she told him before chuckling at his words. “Haan haan theek hai, you’re right about that.” She really was never going to live down what she’d done on her first day in the office but at least that had broken the ice in a way between them so maybe it was a good thing.

Once Nikhil decided on a place for dinner, she was already walking with him before she heard his words and had to take a beat to make sure he was just joking or what. But she stopped him then, deciding that if they were going out for lunch, he needed to change and was glad he’d told her about the store being down the same path. “Haan haan, formality ki baat tumne abhi abhi ki hai. So yes I know I don’t have to buy you anything, lekin main chahti hoon ke main hi loon tumhare liye. Problem hai tumhe?” She gave him another dimpled smile as she waited for him to answer before tugging him into the department store and leading him towards the men’s section. Kavya Puri had one big vice, she loved shopping for men. The only problem in her life was that her husband hated her choice in clothes and so she had these bags in her closet, hidden from him whenever he showed up of men’s clothes that ultimately she’d donate or such but it was one of her favourite things to do. “Ooh yeh tumhare upar kitna acha lagega,” she held up a shirt in his direction forgetting that they were on a mission right now.

Nikhil had honestly never met someone who spoke to him like this; not around here at least. He had friends who cared about him of course. He wasn’t a complete loner, but nobody ever talked to him like that. He knew they had just met this morning, but there was almost something so familiar about the way she addressed him and spoke to him. Getting to speak with her in their native tongue only seemed to help them along in that as well. “My mother says the same thing,” he joked, a twinkle in his eyes as he nudged her playfully. “No, really though, I appreciate it. I don’t get reprimanded for my bad habits enough.” Nikhil didn’t realize just how important this morning was and just what this woman -this married woman- was going to end up meaning to him. By crashing into her in the office and her managing to spill his own coffee on his shirt, they had set a chain of events in motion that were going to change their lives forever.

She did have a point. The words had come out of his own mouth. “Koi problem nahin hai boss. Chale?” Nikhil wasn’t terrible at picking clothes for himself, but he was rather unimaginative where fashion was concerned. He picked a few solid looks and colors and tended to fly with it. So of course when he saw what Kavya was holding up he looked at her warily, not sure the print on the shirt would really work on him. “Are you sure though?” he questioned, taking the fabric of the shirt between his fingers to feel as he observed it a minute longer. “Office ke liye kuch zyaada nahin?” He didn’t want to be drawing too much attention to himself. And today of all day, Nikhil had somehow managed to do that not once, but twice, that too in Kavya’s presence as well. “Tum kehti ho toh main try lehta hoon, but I’m just saying that I’m not sure.” He grabbed the shirt and made sure it was in his size before disappearing into the fitting room. When he switched out his coffee stained shirt for the one Kavya had suggested and slipped his blazer back on over it, Nikhil was actually a bit shocked to see that it didn’t look like it was too much at all. “Okay… So I’m actually kind of surprised,” he laughed, walking out a bit so Kavya could see him as well.