I could see the spirals of steam wafting from the top of the golden brown cookies that had spread beautifully. He took out the sea salt that I had bought and lightly sprinkled it over the cookies. The flecks of salt lodged into those pools of melted chocolate chips. My mouth watered.

He turned to me and smiled triumphantly. I decided to go back to the living room, now that there was no need for me to bake.

‘Have one?’ he offered, dusting his hands as he placed the next round of cookie dough balls on the sheet.

I shook my head. ‘No, thanks.’ I started to walk away.

‘Ananya, wait!’ he called out.

I stopped at the kitchen door.

‘Um, Ma needs me,’ I said.

‘My mom is with her. Stay here for a bit, no? I thought we had stopped being weird around each other or do I need to break another egg over your head?’ he joked.

The happy feeling that had been running through me dissipated. I was confused, but I didn’t want to make a big deal out of anything.

‘I just showered. And looks like you need to too,’ I told him, pointing to the flour on his hair.

‘Oh man, I keep forgetting to check my hair,’ he muttered. ‘I’ll shower once I’m done.’

He picked up the cooled cookies from the sheet and put them on a plate. I marvelled at his efficiency and how quickly he’d cleaned the kitchen. When I mentioned it, he smiled.

‘I still remember the dressing down I got from your Ma when I messed up her kitchen in that old apartment you used to live in.’

I rolled my eyes, my stomach clenching at the memory of those days.

Raghu continued working and I tried hard to ignore him. But he wasn’t having any of that. He was constantly talking as his hands moved busily, and I found myself replying to his questions, finding that I couldn’t stay annoyed with him. My anger had evaporated when I hadn’t been focusing on holding on to it.

‘My mother,’ he said dramatically, shaking his head and picking up the plate of cookies, indicating that we should walk out, ‘does not understand what I want to do with my life.’

I remembered Aunty V being upset about his plans. What irked me was that he had plans, while I had no clue what I was going to do.

I didn’t respond and we walked to the living room where Ma and Aunty V were talking softly.

‘I smell chocolate chip cookies!’ Ma said, her face brightening and her eyes lighting up.

I rolled my eyes. She was behaving like she hadn’t had cookies in a decade.