Facing the World

Chapter 41

Trying to avoid a person you really wish you didn’t have to was turning out to be a tough job. Every time I’d bump into Rey, I would have to re-collect my thoughts and pretend I didn’t know this guy. I know my friends were trying very hard to get us back together but this time it wasn’t happening. Three years in a big corporate company and I still couldn’t find myself a decent guy. I thought my parents would finally start looking for a guy for me but seeing how Disha and Sharon were both happy with their choices even Daadi agreed it was in everyone’s best interests to let us pick our life partner.

I disagreed.

I’m an indian girl, living in India. I won’t be marrying just my husband but his family as well and this fact remains intact. I don’t know how Disha was able to just blend into Sami’s family, knowing how much issues he was having with them.

I was chucking flower petals on the newly wed couples heads as they did their saat phere. Rey was standing on the opposite side of the mandup and his eyes would not lay off me. I tried my very best to not make eye contact but he was smiling and just staring at me.

“Jai, what’s his problem? Doesn’t he know that I’m off limits?”, I asked Jai furiously.
“Then stop staring back at him. His clearly still not over you”.
“But I am over him!” and with that I stomped outside the mandup area and went to check up on the food arrangements. As soon as the wedding is over, all the guests would be lining up and everything here needs to be set by then.

“Hey bhaiya, Where’s the signs for all these foods? Quickly put them up!” I started delegating each of the cooks and waiters.

“Do you need any help?”, oh not Rey again.
“No Rey! Please just leave me alone. It’s getting annoying now”.
He looked at me lost. “But I haven’t done anything…yet”
What does he mean? I wish I had a device that would allow me to read his mind.

“Whatever! Since you’re here, can you please get any of my uncles for me. I need to arrange the payments for the cook”.  I turned around and saw he had already walked off without saying a single word.

The wedding was finally over and everyone except Disha’s parents looked happy.

“What’s wrong kaki? You should be happy, your daughter is finally  married and is soon going to begin a new chapter in her life. Please smile”. I tried to cheer up Disha’s mum while she tried to stop her tears from rolling down her eyes.

After a while, one of my uncles came rushing to me. “Disha beti! So have you sorted the cooks payments, I wasn’t going to pay them until I got a proper review of how they cooked today. The guests better be happy with how the food tastes”. Typical indian. We don’t pay until we get a good sample.

“It’s fine uncle, I tasted the food myself. Tastes just like home food. The guests will love it”.

In all the arrangements of trying to get everything perfect, I had forgotten to congratulate the newly married couple.
“Hey Radz, Have you seen Disha and Sami?”
“Yeh, they just went inside with Sharon”.

I went inside my house and saw the two were seated next to each other smiling ear to ear.
“aww look at you both. Such a lovely couple. Better not be smiling too much, if Daadi sees you, she’ll soon demand a grandchild as well”. Sharon started laughing as I went and sat next to Disha.
“Don’t laugh too much Sharon, your turn is next. Remember your promise to Aunty Roop?”
“What promise is this?” Disha asked me curiously.
“You don’t know? Well Sharon laid out a clause to her parents asking if they could wait for her promotion until she got married. That big promotion happened months ago and she still hasn’t updated Aunty Roop about it”.
“Oh, that’s a tough one. You better let them know. I don’t think Jigar Bhai here can wait any longer”. Sami joked and tapped his hands on Jigar’s shoulders.