Chapter 2

"Is everything good to go?” the director, Samaira Verma asked her crew in the studio set of Lifestyle channel. 

"Yes, everything is good to go", the cameraman said after looking into all the minute details. 

"Let's begin", Samaira said looking at Adhyayan who just smiled in return and wore his apron before moving to the kitchen of the studio. He was ready for preparing the third dish back-to-back and was beyond tired. Well! Anyone would have got tired after preparing a delicious risotto and a lip-smacking pasta and Adhyayan was no different. Standing in the studio set, Adhyayan was shooting for his cooking show, 'Hi Foodie'. His recipes were scheduled to be aired from Monday to Friday at 4 PM every day and hence, he gave his shots on two days every week.

As the director signaled him to begin, he smiled and greeted his expected audience. He hated recording the episode for his cooking shows but he loved the satisfaction after people complimented that they get inspiration to cook from him. When compliments come with money, no one denies the offer so how could Adhyayan do that? 

Adhyayan was featured in lot many channels worldwide in his exceptional career and Lifestyle channel was indeed, one of the best channels featuring cooking shows in the nation. 

"Good evening everyone. It is 4PM and here, your favorite celebrity chef, Adhyayan Joshi is back to you with an amazing recipe." Adhyayan said cheerfully smiling at the camera addressing the crew. Samaira gestured him to keep going. It had been three years, Samaira was working with Adhyayan and on every Monday and Wednesday. She was amazed at his energy and spirit to bring up new recipes for the people. She waited for these two days every week to have a glimpse of this handsome celebrity chef and taste delicacies made by him. Notably, Adhyayan completed his weekly shoots on these two days. No doubts, the show was a hit and so was Samaira's heart. 

"Today we will be making scrumptious cheese starters that would be loved by all your guests in any get-together. So let's begin with this amazing, easy-to-make recipe." Adhyayan said as he began with his recipe that was scheduled to be aired on Wednesday. 

Over these years, Samaira had indeed developed a crush for the great chef, Adhyayan Joshi and the dishes prepared by him but she had chosen to stick to their professional relationship. Though she wanted him to cross the boundaries yet the man who was cooking in front of her never did so, and she respected him, admired his friendly nature and loved his authoritative aura. 

"We will marinate our cheese cubes for twenty minutes and in the meanwhile we  will dice onions, bell peppers and tomatoes", said Adhyayan smiling at the camera as he worked on the chopping board. 

Samaira wanted to rake her slender fingers in his ruffled hair and drown in his dark brown eyes while he sautéed the vegetables. She admired him working in the kitchen. She was busy admiring his chiseled jawline, broad shoulders and big, masculine body when the cameraman and her friend, Nitin, patted on her shoulder. She turned around with bewildered expression, when he chuckled said, "Samaira, would you like to taste the starters, baby?"

"Ar...are we done?” she stuttered to which Nitin smiled and said, "Yes, and stop drooling at him like a mad woman".

She flustered at the comment and said, "It is nothing like that".

"Why are you red, madam?” Nitin sang in a girly voice. 

"Wh..why is it s..so h...hot here?” she spoke in a confused tone to which Nitin murmured, "He is hot and so are your cheeks. My studio is not hot, dear".

Adhyayan who came towards the director Samaira after completing the shoot heard her stuttering. He mentally chuckled at her state. It is not that he enjoyed her state but he wondered what he had to attract so many female fans. He wondered he was just a simple man. "If a six feet tall man with attractive physique, chiseled facial features, dark brown eyes, brownish-black hair and amazing cooking skills is simple, you are definitely simple", his inner conscience mocked at him.

Keeping aside his thoughts, he formally shook hands with Samaira and moved out of the studio packing up after the shoot. Getting inside his car, he drove towards his luxurious penthouse in Lutyen's Delhi as his mind drifted towards his thoughts of the past. He hated Mondays and Wednesdays, because he had terrible shoots for his cooking show scheduled on these two week days after a hectic schedule at his restaurants. Nevertheless, sharing the joy of cooking with others was indeed enjoyable for him. This joyous satisfaction came with hefty cheques and filthy popularity so, cooking shows were not a bad choice for him. 

Turning the key in the keyhole, he opened the door and entered inside. Slumping himself on the tanned brown couch after a hectic day, he realized he had indeed come over a long way from Dehradun to become a celebrity chef. He remembered after completing his school education, he moved out of his house leaving his family behind to fulfill his goals. He completed his higher education from the eminent institution, National School of Hotel Management in Mumbai. A faint smile swept across his face as he reminisced the cold breeze at the Marine Drive and those unforgettable moments when he began his job at the impeccable Hotel Taj. Since then he never looked back. He had showcased his exotic culinary skills at the International Food Festival and had won several culinary competitions in his career of six years. Having travelled all over the globe, Adhyayan enjoyed the taste of success. He worked with the distinguished hospitality groups all over the world and became a celebrity in no time. He made a choice to settle in Delhi over Mumbai to be close to his hometown Dehradun. He surely missed those days when he gawked at the snow-clad Mussoorie Hills on the chilly winter mornings from the terrace, however, he knew reliving those days was not easy. 

He was lost in his mesmerizing memories of his hometown especially the long drives at Old Mussoorie Road in the drizzling monsoon rains along the row of lychee trees on both the sides which he enjoyed with his sister, Parisa; when sleep engulfed him decimating his tiredness and a void in his life, a void he ran away from, a void he never acknowledged and a void that existed since six years.