Her Mr. Right

Her family 👪

Clad in a purple tank top and white shorts, Neha was cooking dinner for herself. With her ebony black hair tied up in a messy bun, she was humming her favorite tune and frying the onions for the gravy of vegetable pulav, when her phone rang.

She was happy despite the goose egg on her forehead because she had admired Arjun’s caring gesture. “He maybe a pervert but atleast he is not difficult to work with", her brain had told her and she had realized that the new manager was actually giving her opportunities to add laurels in her career by letting her speak in the boardroom without any qualms.

Her phone rang breaking her reverie and a smile crept on her lips looking at the caller ID of the video call. It was none other than Piya, her elder sister. Piya was a perfect housewife and a doting mother of six year old Navya and a four month old, Aditya. Her husband owned a steel factory in Ambala and he was a diligent businessman. Piya always tried to be an obedient daughter-in-law however, her mother-in-law had never liked her perhaps, because she had a little dusky complexion.

However, Piya’s husband Amit loved and respected his wife a lot. Thankfully, two years ago, Amit had purchased a new house and finally Piya was away from her joint family where she hogged of all the household work day and night without being acknowledged.

Switching off the flame, Neha received the phone call and was greeted by a lovely smile of Navya along with her mother.

“Hey, how are doing?”, asked Neha looking at her tired sister while Navya had gone to bring her drawing file to show the new sketch she had drawn in the school. Navya was the only niece of Neha and the duo shared a lovely bond.

“I was doing good until today when my mother-in-law told an alliance for you", Piya informed Neha earning a sigh from another side.

“Reject him. He is amongst those guys who ruin everything they get in silver platter.” Piya told Neha who was zoned out. Neha despised the ordeal of meeting new guys especially after Rahul. She was hyperventilating as she knew her parents would call her up and instruct her to accept all his demands meekly like a docile girl and she was anything but submissive.

“As if Ma will let me make an informed decision", muttered Neha clenching her fists. With a whirlpool of emotions inside her, she was anxious of the reaction of her parents on the prospective marriage alliance when they were already blaming her for calling off her engagement with Rahul.

“Neha, I am proud of you. I am happy to see you where you are. Amit and I appreciate you for rejecting Rahul. I want you to take a right decision and stay happy.” Piya assured her sister who nodded absent-mindedly.

Arrival of Navya with her art book decimated the thick tension over the call. As Neha was listening to enthusiastic Navya who was telling how her teacher had praised her sketching skills, the little Aditya had woken up. Cute antics of cranky Aditya and Navya's cheerful smile eventually brought a smile on Neha’s lips thereby, relaxing Piya who could understand the turmoil of her younger sister but was helpless in front of the norms of the patriarchal society and their orthodox parents.

After a short conversation, Neha finished cooking her dinner. She had just served herself when her mother called her. Anju, on the other hand, had eaten the dinner along with her husband, Ramesh who was overwhelmed with joy. After all, a reputed business class family was ready to consider Neha as their prospective bride despite Neha’s engagement was called off few months ago.

Neha’s face lost its colour when she saw her parents were making a video call. Hurriedly, she rushed back to her bedroom and took out a white kurti from her almirah. Quickly she wore the full-sleeved tunic and wrapped a dupatta decently in her neck before receiving the phone call.