Marry Me

Chapter 32 - Ceremonies and Complacency

Some things you should know before you start the chapter.

Haldi ceremony is a ceremony in India, where you apply turmeric paste on the face of bride for good luck before marriage ceremony.
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Nani was the centre of attention in the circle everybody had made around her.
My friends were not so amused when Nani took one look at their faces and sneered on Ayan and Rohit's face, "Boys."

Since then they had taken her reaction as a challange and were continually propelling her with their jokes.

"You look so young, I think it's bit unfair to call you'Nani'" Ayan was saying. 

"You can call me sexy Nani, I don't mind." She sniggeres, "That is the reason all the ladies are too jealous of me." She waves her hands as if it was the most general fact in the world. "And you," she points a finger at me. "You marrying that monkey. You thought we didn't know. I told you." she says turning her Vulcan eyes to my parents. "I told you they weren't friends." she hisses, "God knows what what they did in the disguise of being friends."

"Mom!" My mother pleaded, her face blotched red with panic, she looked around asking for help.

My grandmother found her next target, "And you," she points to my Papa, "why did you take so long to bring her home. A bride isn't supposed to stay out of her home before her marriage. You all will make me mad." She grumbled to herself. "Let me go and see Tanya. First my daughter and then you. You all don't even know anything about any wedding rituals. Everything is upon this old head." And with that she made her way out of the circle and headed towards her another target.

"Your Nani seems interesting " Prisha comments and everybody surrounding the big dinner table bursts into laughter.

"What are you all laughing about?" Nani yells.

"Nothing ma!" My mother yells and her eyes meet mine.

I give her a slow smile. Over the days since we had a fight and the big talk. Ma and I are trying to cover the space little by little, we have had left over the years.

"Was she calling Kiyansh monkey?" Kritika asked distracting me from my thoughts.

"That's their tagline for each other." My mother said.

The table was quiet suddenly. And suddenly I had a panic attack imagining my mother's version of the isolated businesswoman appearing. But then she stepped up to my friends and smiling, said, "I am Aisha. And I have heard about every one of you. Nice to meet you all."

Kritika shook my mother's hand with star-struck eyes, "I am a big-" She shook her head, "Sorry I am Kritka."

"You are big what? Sheldon? Big-Bang?" Rohit teased and Prisha slapped him on his arm.

"I have given all of you the upstairs bedroom okay?" My mother said to us after the introductions. "It's away from the most of the relatives staying in the house. You all can have fun but please, please for the love of family Shanvi," she looked at me, "don't let mom know that your male friends are your bedroom neighbours. "

"Okay"  I laugh.

"And...." She says in a soft voice stepping close to me tentatively. "Come downstairs soon okay? I have the costume ready in your bedroom, your friends need anything just tell me. Okay?" 

I watch from my periphery as everyone else looks away giving us privacy. "Okay." I give her a wobbly smile.

"Can I hug you?" she asks.

My instincts tell me to say no, right there on the spot. But I nod my head a little.

Her eyes shine as she smiles and her arms come around me. "Thank you." She whispers in my hair, hugging me softly.

I put my arm around her carefully and hug her back. "Thank you ma." I whisper, my heart spasming inside my chest.  
                             *****

I stare myself in the mirror, standing in a yellow kurta and white salwar, grateful that I argued with the make-up artist who wanted to put make up on my face when my phone rings. I check the caller-id to find it's Kiyansh's mom and smile and pick up her phone as I hear buzzing sounds of people coming from downstairs. "Hello."

"Oh Hi Shanvi beta how are you?" Kiyansh's mom says cheerfully from the phone. "I hope I didn't disturb you, I wouldn't have called if it wasn't an emergency. "

"I am good, and it's totally okay, I am not busy. What's up?" 

She takes an exasperated breath. "Oh it's Kiyansh as usual. As per the traditions we are supposed to send you 'Haldi' from our home, but he is saying he wants to take it to your place."

"What?" I laugh.

"Yeah. Exactly." She says in an annoyed but amused tone. "Apparently he is saying, he is your bestfriend, so it's his right to be in all of the ceremonies.

"I mean I can send him but you know your Nani and her ritual of not letting the groom see the bride. No one can argue her. Maybe you'll talk to him?"

"Okay I will." I say controlling my laughter. "Bye."

"Bye Beta. Send me pictures."

I cut the call and there's a knock on my door. I turn around to find my parents stepping inside..

"You look so beautiful" my mother whispers holding onto my father's arms while he stands speechless.

"Hello Papa." I smile at him finding the pinstripes of his Kurta matching the patterns on mine. "I see that our Kurtas our matching."

And then he starts sobbing.

"Hey! Wait." I say hurriedly moving to him and taking his hands away from his eyes. "You can't cry like this."

"When" he hiccups, tears flowing down on his face. "When did you grow up so fast."

My eyes burns as I wipe tears away from his face.

"Come here." I say throwing my arms around him. "I will always be there okay?  You will always be my favourite person in the world. Like favourite. No one can take that." A lump forms in my throat. "And I will never stop clowning you, I promise."

My father gives a muffled laugh as mother smiles at us.

I open my right arm for her. "You can join in the hug too."

And she cries so hard. That I start crying. And then we three are a crying and hugging mess.

And then to distract them, I say, "We have a damage control situation right now. Kiyansh vs. Nani is coming soon."

And they both groan.

And I laugh.

And it feels so good. That I can't believe this is my life.