Happy Makar Sankrankti/Uttarayan and Happy Pongal.
May the sun radiate peace, prosperity, and good fortune into your life.
-N
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Avan's POV
After many attempts, I successfully managed to convince my parents not to marry me to yashasvi. They even asked me if I have someone in my life,
which I obviously denied.
So now my mother again started bride hunting. She's a simple lady, even though my grandmother never liked her before my birth because she came from poor family and my grandfather gave "very less" dowry. But after my birth things changed. So my mother kind of promised to herself that she'll give her daughter in law all the freedom and always try her best to make her feel at home. And my father always supported my mother, after knowing that her father gave dowry, he asked him to take everything back. He even never took my mother for pre natal gender screening. You can see where my communist ideology is coming from. They are my ideal couple and I'll treat my wife the same way my father treats my mother.
***
Currently I'm in school and teaching maths to class 10th. Today I'm just not in mood to teach. Eagerly waiting for bell to ring.
After bell rang, without wasting any time, I quickly went out to staff room. Mrs. Shraddha is leaving as she's pregnant and apparently her in laws don't want her to work after having baby. So sad that such a qualified teacher have to quit her career just because she's going to bring new life in the world. We all bid farewell to her. Then I went to have my lunch with Rajeev. I'm an ambivert person. I can accompany introverts as well as extroverts, but the comfort I get with rajeev is what I never get with others. He's my brother who knows everything about me.
After lunch, I came to class 12th. As I come in class, everyone stop talking, not because I'm too strict but because they know that I can recognize voices without seeing their face and if I hear any of them, I take their quiz about my previous class's topic. So they are kind of afraid to give quiz.
I started taking attendance.
Ajay, "present sir" Chayan "absent sir" daksh "present sir" darshna "present sir" Dharini ".." Dharini ".." This time I said louder and saw Tanvi nudged her. Dharini "p..present sir" are you day dreaming? I asked in serious tone
"N...no sir I'm sorry" ok and don't stutter while talking. I told her.
Soon I took attendance of whole class and started teaching.
Dharini's POV
Tanvi nudged me and I realized whole class is looking at me..but why? Oh sir is taking attendance.
p..present sir I said. God I stuttered.
"are you day dreaming?" He asked in not-so-good-mood tone.
N...no sir I'm sorry, I tried to say confidently but stuttered again. "Ok and don't stutter while talking." Holy beans! Why? Why can't I talk confidently like others. It's so embarrassing.
****
Scene at Dharini's home
Doorbell rings
"Coming" her mother called
"Oh Nalini, come come" Devyani, Dharini's mother said.
"Hello Devyani, how are you? You are not seen these days, not even in the temple." Nalini said while sitting on sofa.
"Oh...no, I have started going to the temple a little early these days." Devyani said from kitchen
"So how are all?" Nalini asked
"Everyone is fit and fine. You say?" Devyani replied while forwarding glass of water.
"How is Dharini? Are proposals coming for her or not?" Nalini asked while taking a sip of tea.
"We've just started looking for prospects" Devyani said. Hesitation is clear from her voice.
"I heard that Kaamini came here with her son Gulshan and they rejected Dharini" Nalini asked
"They didn't reject her, Dharini's father did. Gulshan was already saying that he'll abuse Dharini if she ever did anything wrong. We got scared that if he's openly saying this, then what will he do behind closed doors?"
"Oh my God" thank God, Dharini is safe. Nalini replied.
"By the way, you know my neighbor? Kamla Shastri? She told me the other day that her masi's (aunt) daughter is actively looking for suitable prospects for her only son. If you give me a photo of Rini, we can send them proposal."
"Who are they? What their son do? How old their son is? Where do they live?" Devyani asked in one go
"They are farmers, they have elder daughter who's married and live in Aurangabad, while their son is reputated teacher. I don't know his age but he's 25+ and they live in our neighboring village while their son lives in our village." Nalini released her breath.
"Wait, let me bring Rini's photo" Devyani hurriedly went to her room and started looking for best photo of Dharini.
"Take this"
"Wow, Dharini is looking so beautiful in saree"
"Yeah, we got it clicked this Diwali.
By the way do you have the boy's photo?"
"No Devyani, but I'll ask them and bring it next time for sure"
As soon as Nalini left, Devyani prayed to God. "Please God, make this boy a suitable one for my Rini. All I want is my daughters' happiness. Please make it work." Saying this, she again went to kitchen to resume her work.
In afternoon, Rajesh came to home for lunch break.
"Suniye, (listen) today Nalini came.."
"Who?" Asked Rajesh
"The woman, who became my friend at temple, remember I told you about? Who helped me when I accidentally skipped a step on stairs and sprained my ankle?"
"Yes..yes I remember"
"So she came and told that her neighbor's aunt's daughter's son is of age"
"Wait wait wait..who exactly? Rajesh asked confusingly asked
"Oh ho, Nalini's neighbor's cousin is looking girls for her son. And today Nalini was telling me that they are good people. They are farmers, live in our neighboring village, while their son is a reputed teacher in a very good school."
"How old is he?"
"25+"
"How much he earns?"
"That I don't know"
"Name?"
"I don't know because Nalini first came to me and when I gave her Rini's photo, she said she'll talk to them and bring all the details of the boy"
"Ok. But don't tell anything to Rini before we get all the information about the boy. This time, I'll personally find out about the family. If the family is good, then the boy would be too. I don't want to see my daughter's tears. It breaks me everytime I think what would have happened if we got our Rini married to that Gulshan. Also, don't tell Drishu too, as she can't digest any secret."
"Ji"
****
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