Once Upon A Mr. Goody Two Shoes

Chapter 6.

As soon as I reached home that night I threw my bag on a chair and slumped down on the couch, trying to settle my nerves. It was too much to take in. The past days...today...Abeer... it overwhelmed me. I didn't usually like addressing things in life that made me uncomfortable. I liked denial. You refuse to admit to things out loud, because then they become real. Palpable. And had to be dealt with. Something I didn't like. 

I decided then and there and I needed a distraction. At least for the night. I took my phone out and scrolled down to find a missed call from mom. Home sickness took over me as I hurried to dial back. It was 10.30 PM, meaning they must have got ready to go to bed.

"Have you decided to forget us?" My mom's booming voice greeted me after three rings. I smiled despite the snide remark.

Classic mother.

"Hii mumma! How are you? How is papa? And I have not forgotten you it's just a lot of work here. Chaudhary bohot paka raha hai aaj kal, mom!"

"I hope its just your boss. And we're fine. Will be better if you care to call us more," mom replied, making my heart ache.

"What do you mean by 'I hope its just your boss'?"

"How is your Neel guy?" I guffawed uncontrollably, to the point that I struggled to breathe. I could faintly hear my mother in the background, relentlessly questioning my maniacal behavior.

"Neel guy like cow in Hindi, how could you not understand the pun? It was so funny," I giggled, trying to rein in the cackles.

I was skeptical that she knew what pun meant but before I could ask she had already jumped on another topic.

"I was asking if he was doing well. He is your mami's distant relative. Remember I had told you about him? He is very smart and simple. The family is well-endowed and respectable as well. It is good that you're working with him. How do you find him?" I groaned internally. I could smell the matchmaking vibes all the way from Mumbai. I wasn't a fool or an amateur to not realize the ulterior motives lingering behind innocent interviewing. So I retaliated.

"What did aunt tell you?"

"Your mami? About what?" I rolled my eyes, not buying the ignorant act my poor mother was trying to put up. I was exhausted to continue the cat and mouse game. So, I pounced.

"Is she trying to set us two up? If that's the story, then please, don't get your hopes high, mom. He's...let's just say he just isn't as charming and all as mami has probably told you. Look, we just have a professional rapport, and I would like to keep it that way. I know aunt has put this thought in your mind, thus the interrogation." My mom bristled. I just knew how this would end.

" I don't need your aunt to tell me stuff. I'm your mother, Aashi, don't use that tone on me. You are almost twenty eight now. Many of your friends are already married!"

"Mom, let's just not compare their lives and mine now. They have a completely different background story as to why they got hitched in the first place. Let's just not go there," I sighed. 

They married out of love - had their boyfriends/girlfriends, their own love stories - and it was useless to point these out to my mother. It would lead to another round of lecturing from her, and I wasn't in the mood to take it without bursting out in frustration. Things like these weren't preferred in my family, to put it mildly.

"Look beta, we just want you to be happy. Its your decision whom you want to marry. You choose the guy."

Yes, out of the marwari guys you approve of.