Fear & Love

Twenty

Gita, her mom and her aunt - Ami's mother finally reached Anand's family house. Gita came to know that his aunts had asked Gita's mom to call all their close relatives for jewellery shopping but her mom refused and only brought Ami's mom with them. She also called Ami but she was busy to accompany.

Anand's house was in the rich part of the city. The clean hilly roads with tress surrounding and the birds chirping around. It felt so distinct from the city. The busy city and street sounds long gone and only silence greeted the roads now with a bit of honking on roads.
The gates of the house opened for them and then they reached the Thackeray Villa. It was an old house built decades ago, when Daddu was in his 30s. It had the old touch to it and since they were architects, there was no doubt in the design of their house. It was truly worth looking. What amazed Gita was they could afford to build a proper mansion and so much facilities with the acres of land around it but it was a big bungalow and lawns with a swing far away. Gita felt that this would have been a perfect location for her engagement. So intimate and personal.

She entered their house and was surprised to see Anand's father. She greeted him with a namaste and he kept his hand on her head as a blessing. She looked around for Isha. It was strange that she didn't came running down the stairs.

"Gita, she is not home today. She will come later." Anand's father said. Anand father was a warm person who didn't talk much, like his son. Even when they had come to ask for Gita's hand in marriage, he had spoken only the necessary things but unlike Anand, this man didn't reek of rudeness. He was just quiet.

Anand's aunts came to greet her. They all sat in the living room. It was their ancestral house and the design of the living room totally showed it. From the design of the walls, the sofas to the carpets, all were vintage. Gita could only recognize the aunt from the engagement who came into feed her every fifteen minutes. The only knowledge Gita had was that these females were the children or wives of Daddu's siblings.

Daddu (Anand's grandfather) had many siblings and most of them were in close contact with them. Now, his siblings are barely alive or had already left them years ago, but their children and grandchildren are still favored by Daddu. Anand's father has also never treated them like cousins. Though he was Daddu's only son, he didn't interfere when Daddu showered his cousins with equal amount of gifts as him.

It seemed that their house didn't have the three most important people today. Daddu was gone away for some meeting with a minister, Isha was out and Anand must have been at his office. The atmosphere was a lot relaxed today. Not the authority of Daddu, not the loudness of Isha and the stern gaze of Anand.

Gita, her mother and her aunt were seated on one couch and other one was occupied by his three aunts. The single couch was were Anand's father sat. There were no doubt about the hospitality of this rich family. They were served with beverages and atleast three dishes along with a desert.

"Gita, you have a lovely smile dear. I hope you pick out outfits that match your grace. Which designer are you going to hire?" Asked one of Anand's aunt - Kavita. Gita was not ready for such a question. She had not decided a shop let alone a designer. And with her father's deteriorating health, she didn't know if she wanted to go for a designer. She would rather save some of it and keep it for his medications.

"Thank you aunty. But I have not decided anything. I might take Isha's help and even my cousins. They know better." Giya politely answered and dodged the question.

"What? Your wedding is few months away and you have not decided the outfit? Beta, what are we here for? You can call us and we will bring you the best outfits from top notch designers. Or don't tell me, you won't be going for a designer outfit?"
This was another aunt - Seema. It seemed like they both won't leave her till she decides an outfit.
Till the time Gita or her mother could reply, Kavita aunt continued, "Please dear, buy a designer outfit. I don't know what they wear at your weddings but now, you are going to marry Anand. You have to keep upto that standard."