Deciphering His Love

53 | The One With The Haldi

"Madhu baby, careful! You'll fall!" Lakshmi says as Madhu rans past her.

"Sorry Bhamma!" Madhu yells excitedly as she goes to the garden where Shree's haldi ceremony was happening. Madhav's haldi ceremony was happening at the same time in the backyard, near the kullam. She was wearing a green blouse and a red skirt, with her signature pigtails.

"Chill, Ma!" Ahaana says laughing as her twins: Parth and Pranaya chase after Madhu. "She's excited because her parents are getting married, and like us she's not just in the bride's side, she's in the groom's side too!"

"Yeah and if this were my parent's wedding, then I'd be high like a kid with a sugar rush." Ashok shrugs.

"Plus, this is our Madhu, she's half Shree; she's bound to get to excited." Devi adds as she and Ahaana secretly swallow another Thokkudu Laddu that Lakshmi made.

Madhu was tired as she ran from the backyard to the garden several times. Meow too followed Madhu as she ran back and forth.

"You called, Mumma?" She asks as she sits on the divan next to Shree, who was dressed in a yellow sari and had the turmeric paste smeared across her face, arms and legs. Madhu 

"Show me your hands." Shree whispers as she scoops a handful of turmeric paste into her palms. She smears the paste on Madhu's little soft palms. "As discussed, okay?"

Madhu gets up and quickly runs back into the house, and into the backyard. Madhav was seated under the shade of the mango tree, on a wicker armchair. He was wearing a crisp white veshti and a white shirt. He too had turmeric paste smeared on his face, arms and legs.

Madhu breathes as she sits on Madhav's lap.

"Have you been running too much?" He asks and she shakes her head.

"Mumma, wanted me to give you this." Madhu says as she shows her hand that was smeared with turmeric paste. He smiles and Madhu extends her arms to smear the paste on his face.

"That's so sweet of her!" He says smiling. He applies a palm full of sweet-smelling turmeric paste to her little palms. He pulls out a rose from the big bouquet Ahaana and Ashok brought for him. He tucks the rose behind her ear before Madhu takes off again.

"Nanna, gave you this!" Madhu says excitedly as she smears Shree's face with turmeric. She sighs and rests her head on Shree's lap.

"Ashok, be a good boy and get me a glass of that mixed fruit juice!" Shree asks and looks at Madhu. "Baby, why are you running up and down like this?"

"You and Nanna are getting married. Not every baby gets to be at their parent's wedding. And I want to be with you as well as Nanna." Madhu says. "I don't want to miss a single second."

"Alright alright!" Yashoda says as she walks towards Shree. She was wearing a splendid red sari. "Now can we conclude this ceremony? Where's that bucket of warm water?"

"It's in that big central open space thingy inside the house." Devi says. "What do you call it akka?"

"Nadumuttom." Shree says.

"I'll go get it." Devi says.

"Also, take this!" Ahaana says giving Devi the brass bowl of turmeric. "Take it before my twins rub it all over their chubby faces."

"And darling there a brand-new stainless-steel sieve near the bucket. Bring that too!" Yashoda tells.

As Devi walks towards the Nadumuttom of the house she sees Shyaam walking towards her. He was wearing a cream coloured sherwani with a pair of yellow baggy pants, the smell of his aftershave lingered. His hair, which had grown to reach his shoulder was left a mess.