Desert Rose

Chapter 17

PAYAL'S mehendi arrived on a warm sunny morning. Khushi sat on the stool in front of the dressing table mirror wearing her jhumkas. She was dressed in her dark blue and gold anarkali suit, which she had picked up during the shopping spree with Anjali and Payal earlier that week. She wore a matching gold chain and blue stone pendant on her neck.

As Anjali had mentioned a few days ago, between the two of them, they had managed all the wedding preparations. They had chalked out a plan of what needed to be done and executed it meticulously. The invitations had been sent out, decorators, caterers and photographers booked. Since the wedding was to take place in the Haveli, the venue was not going to be a problem.

Arnav had kept out of their way, being completely immersed in his work, but she knew he was the one executing everything behind the scenes, as it was his cheques that were making everything possible making it look like magic. It was like the best of the best services were available just on their command.

Her eyes kept darting toward the door every few seconds much to her consternation, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.She had hardly seen him in the past few days, though they slept on the same bed every night, a wall of pillows between them. He came to bed late, after she had slept, and was up before her,coming back into the room after she had showered and changed. Most of the times, he walked in, all sweaty from the gym, as she sat at the dressing table and dashed into the shower.

Just as she began to apply sindoor on her forehead, the object of her subconscious pondering, walked in, his eyes darkening as he took his her appearance in the mirror, accelerating her dhak-dhak to a racing speed. He flustered her further into almost spilling the small silver box of sindoor, as he took off his t-shirt, his muscles rippling as he threw the shirt on the chaise lounge. Couldn't he just take off his clothes in the bathroom like normal people? Laad Governor! Khushi muttered to herself as she left the room.

As Khushi came down the stairs, her eyes brightened at the captivating scene. The Haveli, already rich in its ethnicity, looked resplendent today with the magical artistry of the decorator's hand, with flowers and guaze drapes in yellow, orange and cream.

She went up to the kitchen to help Hariprakash and Lakshmi prepare food snacks the fifty odd guests that were due to show up for the Mehendi. These guests were relatives of mamiji who would be arriving from Katariasar and nearby towns. The Haldi had been wound up the previous day with few close relatives in attendance. But the Sangeet, which was going to be a grand affair,was scheduled for later that evening, combined with a cocktail party that Arnav was throwing for guests from Delhi, mostly associated with AR.

Soon the Mehendi ceremony was underway with Payal getting the full bridal mehendi. Though, Anjali had opted for the simple Arabian style design, mamiji had insisted on a very elaborate design for herself. The ladies had dressed in red today, a dress code they had chosen for the mehendi which Khushi had totally forgotten about.

Offering to serve some of the guests herself ,to relieve Lakshmi who had to dash home for an emergency,Khushisoon realized that some of the women had begun staring at her, making her uncomfortable. Walking toward a group gathered around mamiji, she paused standing behind a pillar, as she heard them talking about Payal.

'What sort of a family are you getting your son married into Manorama jijj?' one of the guests asked her, 'The whole community is talking about the scandal.'

'What can I do Kamala? God is playing a cruel joke on me.' Mamiji replied back with a sigh.

'I heard this girl spent the night with your nephew at the Desert Festival,' another woman said, 'Is that why he married her? Why was it done so secretly?'