Chapter 6 World's Best Grandpa

• Outside the W. S Mall, Christian gave the car keys to the valet and followed Mishka inside the Mall. He saw her widening her eyes in excitement, “Oh my god. it’s so beautiful.” She exclaimed. “I am coming to such a big mall for the first time!! I’ve never been out of my city in India.”
• She started roaming in random directions praising the beauty of the mall and Christian was trailing behind her, but a few minutes later, he held her wrist to stop her and she turned to look at him, narrowing her eyes.
• “Now let’s do the work for which we are here. What do you think?” He asked, and she nodded her head in approval.
• “Sorry, I got a little excited. Let’s go.” Mishka apologised for her childish behaviour.
• “It’s okay, but we really need to hurry,” Christian said, and held Mishka’s soft hand in his giant one, dragging her inside the vintage store.
• “I think we should buy this emerald green coat for grandpa. What do you think?” Christian asked and looked at Mishka for her opinion, but she was in her own la la land.
• He poked her in the arm because he knew that if he failed again to take her name properly, she will surely get mad. So, until he gets her name right, he will always poke her arm to get her attention.
• “What?” Mishka asked, glaring at me.
• “You were supposed to help me out here, but you are in your own goddamn world,” Christian rolled his eyes, sitting beside her on the couch.
• “I am hungry!” She said, pouting her lips and Christian looked at her, widening his eyes.
• “We just had dinner an hour ago and you are hungry already?” Christian asked in disbelief.
• “There was beef and steak in most of the dishes. I thought I would eat an apple before going to bed, but you brought me here,” Mishka said, sitting back on the couch comfortably and closed her eyes.
• “Will McDonald work?” Christian asked, and she flickered her eyes open and stood up from the couch. “Please lead the way.” She said, beaming with a smile and Christian chuckled, looking at her childish behaviour. They went to McDonald’s, and she got into the ordering queue while Christian stood next to her, checking his mails on the mobile.
• “Two chicken burgers, chicken wings, chicken nuggets, diet coke, and Choco lava cake.” She ordered and turned to Christian. “Do you want anything, Christian?” She asked, and the latter tore his eyes away from the mobile screen and looked at her in disbelief.
• “Will you eat everything you have just ordered? I thought you have ordered for both of us.” He said.
• “Noo… I just ordered for myself. How would I know what you want to eat?” She asked and Christian nodded his head, trying to control his laughter pursuing his lips.
• “Fine, just order diet coke for me as well. I am sitting at the last table there.” He said, pointing to the table near the window, and she nodded her head.
• “Cool.” She responded.
• ***
• Christian was busy typing some important messages when someone poked him in his arm. He looked up and saw that Mishka brought all the food to the table. “Why did you poke me?” Christian asked, raising an eyebrow.
• “Because you poked me earlier!” She answered, placing the tray on the table. “Anyway, where is the washroom here?” She asked.
• “Go straight from here, then take the first left.” Christian gave directions and Mishka left, nodding her head, but exactly after two minutes, she came back running.
• “What happened? You are behaving as if you have seen a ghost.” Christian giggled, looking at her expressions.
• “A couple was making out inside the ladies’ washroom. That’s so disgusting and you know, when that girl saw me standing at the door, she smirked.” Mishka made a disgusted face.
• “That’s common here. You should get used to this. Anyway, start eating your food because stores are about to close.” Christian sighed, glancing at his wristwatch.
• “Yeah, okay, and you can also eat. I was kidding back then, I have ordered for both of us.” Mishka smiled.
• ***
• They started roaming in the mall again in search of the perfect gift for Leo, but they liked nothing that seemed interesting to them. Both were tired, but then suddenly Mishka clutched Christian’s hand and pulled him to a gift shop. “What?” Christian asked, annoyed.
• “Look at this,” Mishka pointed at the trophy on which “World’s Best Grandpa.” was written. Christian picked the trophy in his hand and started laughing looking at her.
• “Why are laughing?” Mishka asked, placing her hand on her hips.
• “You know how many trophies Grandpa has won in the business world? Seventy-nine! That too of pure gold, studded with diamonds and precious stones and you want me to gift him this cheap artificial trophy? He will laugh at me in front of all the guests. I have to buy something expensive for him.” Christian kept the trophy back in its place.
• “Chris, trust me, he will love this trophy. He must have won seventy-nine trophies in the business world, studded with diamonds, but there was no emotion in those trophies. There is an emotion in this trophy. There is recognition in this trophy. This will prove to him you recognise his love, his support, and the sacrifices that he has made for you in all these years, and trust me, no twenty-five hundred-pound emerald coat will bring that happiness to him as this trophy will.” Mishka said. Her big brown eyes were twinkling and Christian stared at her.
• Mishka waved her hand in front of his face to bring him back into reality. “Christian?” She asked and Christian nodded his head, coming out of his trance. “So, what have you decided? Are you going to buy this or we are going to roam in the mall again?”
• “Okay, let’s buy this! But if this idea failed, I will tell everyone at the party that this was your idea, not mine,” Christian said, folding his arms over his chest.
• “Trust me, when you will give this trophy to him, you will only receive applause from him and the guest,” Mishka said, patting Christian’s back. “Now please, let’s just go back home. I am really exhausted after a fifteen-hour journey and this outing.” Mishka yawned, and Christian nodded, walking towards the payment counter.