Abhaya Bhairavi #Wattys2020

Chapter Ten

A/N
The photo of Bhairavi's lehenga is given above👆

Next morning, Bhairavi and Namma set out on their shopping expedition. Their goal, to find the perfect outfit for the engagement as well as a suitable gift for the lucky couple. On the way Namma kept asking questions to narrow down their options, "So Mayuri is not a Bengali, right? That means you can wear almost any Indian outfit you feel like. Any preferences?"

Bhairavi wrote in her notebook, 'Definitely not a saree. Maybe a lehenga?' Since she had lost a lot of weight after the accident, her tummy was in, which was a first as she used to be a loyal food lover.

"Ah yes. Since you have become so thin and don't eat anymore." Namma scowled at that while Bhairavi squirmed in her seat with guilt, "We can put that to good use".

Nodding at that, Bhairavi looked out of the window. She had been cooped up in their locality for so long that she had almost forgotten how beautiful Kolkata was, especially during autumn, with only a month to go for Maa Durga's arrival. Namma's voice broke her train of thoughts, "Do you have any color in your mind?"

'What?' Bhairavi signed absentmindedly.

Namma sighed and repeated, "Do you have any color in mind for your lehenga? Reds or peaches, or maybe yellows?" Bhairavi shook her head, she had not gotten that far. Truth be told, her mind was busy anticipating a session with Samanya.

Nervousness sprouted in her belly, how would she even ask him out for the party? They were just friends and Samanya had never made a move towards her, for which she was grateful in a way, but on the other hand she did enjoy his company and liked seeing his dimpled smile with slightly protruding fangs, his red eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Bhairavi? We have reached. Come on, stop daydreaming now. We have lots to do."

Getting down from the Uber, Bhairavi immediately got jostled by two fat ladies while three shopkeepers immediately started to call out to her and show her their displays of bags, high-end makeup dupes, and selfie sticks, all at the same time.

Grinning, she held Namma's hand and breathed in the vibrancy of the place. She might hate crowds and not belong, but this place, a treasure trove of everything ranging from exquisite precious jewelry to oxidized-silver roadside ones, from professional salon items to homely, affordable ones, was visited by the rich and poor alike. For this, was S. S. Hogg Market, or more popularly known, as New Market.

Three hours, five bags, and two mango shakes later, they gave up. They had found the perfect Air Fryer to gift Mayuri and Rakesh, as the couple loved eating fried food. But, they had not had much luck with Bhairavi's lehenga. Either it was not to their taste, or it was ridiculously expensive, or the material was chaffing her skin red.

Since one can never go to New Market and leave only with what they had intended to buy, be it man or woman, they had bought loads of junk jewelry, some cloth materials, some baking utensils and tools for the cafe, and two bottles of wine. Yeah, diverse as hell.

Since they were hungry, and Bhairavi was craving for Italian, they decided to get off the Uber near their cafe 'Fudge You'.

Namma told her to go and take a sit at the Italian restaurant nearby while she kept the shopping bags inside. Bhairavi was about to enter when her eyes fell on the display of Madhavi's Creations and she stopped. Namma found her gawking, and after taking one look at the displayed lehenga, pulled her along to enter the boutique.

It was a beautiful soft peach lehenga, the choli top had an asymmetrical neckline which was neither inappropriate nor boring, and when Bhairavi tried it on, Namma stood awestruck. Her Bhairavi, her baccha had grown up into such a beautiful woman.