Salt To Taste (Namak Swaad Anusar).

We have a chosen a girl for you.

A handsome dusty green bike enters the enclosure of a company running its wheels smoothly over the paved area. Owned by a tall built man wearing a dusty green helmet the wheels of which soon glide into silence making the bike pause at its place. Men around are unable to unsee the marvellous bike while the women stand agape drooling over the man who stylishly pulls off his helmet and shakes off his shoulder-length hair to unentangle them and they fall puffy framing his round yet sculpted face.
Some miss their step and some are enjoying the view from afar as the man ties his hair into a half bun and entered the massive whitewashed building with green bushes at times standing at its elegance. His blue suit matched with a peachy t-shirt is making the passerby turn their gaze towards him, while he gently tugs his side bag and flashes a smile to the receptionist and enters the lift ready to go towards his office on the further floors.
Little did he know that there was someone already waiting for his arrival.

Neil's POV

"Sir the rent of this month is filled and you have your appointment with MR Gupta, apparently they need a tiny car for their grandson."
As soon as I enter my office located on the fifteenth floor of this lavish building situated amid Dharwad city my employee informs me about my daily schedule.
I run a small startup business that aims in producing customised automobile products. Our warehouse is located in the outskirts so all we need is this entire floor for my designers to design, do a bit of 3d model and then bring it to life in the warehouse.
I soon feel a sense of uneasiness appear on her face as she hesitates to tell the concerned.
"What is it?"
I ask sternly like I always do. Always remember, keep a tough front in front of your employees! Cause this is the only way I have learnt to keep my female employees in strict business relation.
"Sir, you happen to have guests waiting in your cabin."
Okay, that wasn't difficult to ask so why make that face. Tugging on my cuffs to straighten them to perfection I enter my cabin and drop my bag on the side while hearing light whispers coming from my workspace. My office is divided into a waiting space and my workspace, and my company employees know that I only allow my family into my workspace.
And my family means.....
I hear soft voices of my grandma addressing my grandpa
"He will come Re (a word used to address once husband) I am sure about it. Just act natural dont get carried away as soon as you see him okay?"
"It's you who is all excited, I am sitting in my calmest pose possible.
Stop commanding me what to do I have handled greater deals than this."
"Augh! There you go again treating everything like a business deal. I should be awarded for being wedded to a person like you for the past fifty-eight years."
Hmm, so my granny is mocking grandpa as usual which means everything is normal at home. I have left my home for about a month tired of my grandparents mocking me to get married. I even ignored their phone call and the result of which there is all the way here at way workplace. Just kill me my grandma will not leave me alone till I get children. But Neil you must go in my boy, be brave and face the day!
Motivating myself I square my shoulders and walk into my workspace making them go silent and they are smiling at me with hopeful eyes blinking like a child.
I dont know what's up on their sleeves this time.
"Hello, Grandpa, hello grandma."
"Oo, come here my baby, my Rajan (a sweet way to call grandkids) where have you been all these days you know how difficult it was for your grandma and her old heart.
Stop being childish henceforth okay?"
"Okay, Grandma."
She pulls my cheeks like always and I settle myself on the sofa in front of them. I slowly move my gaze towards my grandpa who now has a scroll on his face. And that is a symbol of danger, my dear readers!
"Stand up you punk!"
He hits my calves with his stick making me jump in pain and I stand there rubbing my leg.
"I am not done scolding yet.
How many days has it been since you last visited us?
Are you even concerned if we are alive or dead! Ha!"
"Sorry, grandpa. I was busy with work."
I say with a sheepish smile trying to escape his angry radar with my sweet smile but he cools down only after two more smacks.
"Crazy punk!"
"Stop it Re the kid is all grown up now."
Thanks, granny. I stand still in my place while my grandpa rests his weapon on the desk and looks at me with angry eyes.
"Sorry, Grandpa. I will do anything that you wish for, please dont be angry."
"Okay then get married to the girl we have decided for you."
"Yes, Grandpa as you say.....wait...WHAT?!"
"Yes, your grandpa is right. You know how unwell your dad has been these days, we even had to set up the hospital equipment in our house, the doctor says he has fifty per cent chance of survival.
So a week ago your grandpa and I went to the high priest of the temple to ask him about your father's health issues."
Okay, and how is this connected to the girl I am marrying to? Is she a nurse or something?!
To clear my confused brain cells grandpa jumps in and narrates the further story.
"The priest says that he has a big loophole in his horoscope and daughter or a daughter-in-law can only fill it."
Thank god he didn't mention anything about a grandchild doing this thing.
"But I am not seeing anyone right now."
"I never asked you to see anyone your crazy punk!"
Grandpa again lifts his stick to my worst fears and I stay stiff on my spot praying in my heart that he lowers it as quickly as possible.
"Stop scaring the child RE!"
My grannies authoritative voice booms in my office making even the machines go silent for a split second. That was even scarier.
"I know Neil you are not seeing anyone and that's a good thing. Cause granny has found a beautiful bride for you. Who will not only lighten your life but can also save your father."
I am one hundred per cent sure that she is a nurse.
"Why? Is she a medic?"
"No! She has the perfect horoscope that wishes for a long life for her in-laws!"
What?! Reading my shocked expression my granny says.
"You see Rajan your horoscope is quite twisted and from one thousand horoscopes of women, this girl has a perfect match for you with thirty-two qualities matching with your horoscope out of thirty-six. And believe me, my marriage with your grandpa is surviving on twenty-six matches and we are doing great!"
I hear my grandpa scorn at her words and she glares at grandpa making him go as quiet as a mouse.
"I see how wonderful your marriage is going, but I wish to marry someone who I love."
"Believe me Neil you are bared of the age of falling in love. Stop playing games like kids and get married to the beautiful girl we have chosen."
My grandpa's words stab me right in the heart. Well ya, I never had any relations so what! Even guys can be conservative you know. Clearing my throat I look at them with stern eyes and say.
"Grandpa, grandma, it's my life and I get to...".
" if you going to do that meaningless speech about your life your rules then just pause it here cause I dont its gonna be just your life.
Do you even realise how important this marriage is for us, for your father? You marring that girl will save my sons life.
And like your grandpa said stop dreaming about a love life at this age! If that handsome face of your's couldn't fetch you a girl I believe your fate was waiting for this day!"
"Granny! Twenty-eight is not eighty-two I am quite young to find myself a girl you know."
"Ya, ya, find a girl and then she will ditch you after giving birth to a child, then drown yourself in alcohol, later fall for another girl, no less but a divorce, and then finally find out that you had a liver failure and rot with medical equipment just like your father is doing!"
My grandpa says in a calm voice silencing the lively atmosphere of the office.
"You will marry the girl we arranged for you and not the one you choose. If your father had the same years ago he would have led a healthy life and a balanced family like others."
"Stop bothering my child."
Granny whispers to grandpa silencing his gloomy face and turns to me with a smile saying
"You will marry Pallavi Avasti Neilmeghasham and that's decided."
"Granny please dont call me by my full name I go by Neil in here."
"Ya, ya,whatever!"
"But only after I meeting her once."
.
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