The Arranged Marriage

Part 11

"Maa, late agardhu maa, variya illai naan pogattuma?" he said, as he was getting ready to leave for work. She yelled from the kitchen, "irungo orey oru nimisham vandhutten." She hurried with the lunch bag and quickly stepped into the swami room to get the chandanam. She ran to him and applied the chandanam on his forehead saying, "poitu varen nu sollungo." She had slept in a little and the morning had been a rush. She was clearly tensed about getting his lunch ready on time. She was trying to blow the annoying hair that was tickling her face while holding the lunch bag on one hand and fixing the chandanam on the other. He smiled at her and with his finger, slowly pushed that hair off her face and said, "inniki oru one hour permission pottu varen. Market ku polaam." She blushed at his touch for a moment before realizing what he said. Then she smiled and said, "ippo thaan late aachu nu oora kootinel. Ennoda mudiya naan odhikikaren. Edhukku market ku porom?" He smiled and started taking the flight of steps down when she again asked, "Kekaren le. Sollungo". He looked back and her and smiled, "Salwar Kameez vaanga" and ran down the stairs.

She was shocked. She really didn't think he had meant it. She ran to the big window when he was just exiting out the building and she yelled, "Nejama va sollarel?" He turned around and nodded, then he waved at her. She stood there smiling till he turned the corner before giving her one last glance before disappearing. She smiled and told to herself, "Sivu nee romba kuduthu vachirukke. Unnoda 5.11 aalu sokka thangam." Just then the annoying hair bothered her face again and she said to herself, "avar odhikki vidarche oru madiri kulu kulu nu thaan irukku" and she giggled.

The market was a little away so they decided to take a rickshaw. The roads to the market had a lot of potholes. It was almost like a roller coaster ride. It is only when they reached the market did she realize that she was holding his hands really tight. She let go of his hand shyly and said, "enakku bayama ellam illai" and he laughed. They went in to a nice store with all kinds of clothes from frocks, skirts, bell bottom pants. Skivi tops to beautiful salwars and chudidaars. Sivu's eyes widened at all clothes that were there when she realized that the man behind the counter was talking to her, "kee dekhbe?" (What do you want to see?) Sivu looked at Achchu and he answered for her, "Salwar suit aache? Ektu dekhabeen?" (Can you show us some salwar suits). The man nodded and pointed at the shelf. Achchu looked at Sivu and said, "ange paaru maa. Unakku edhu pudichirukko eduthuko. Unakku enna color venum? Nee paathundu iru naan idho ippo vandhudaren" and he stepped out while she was looking through the one's the guy was pulling out for her. Those days the kurta were just above the knee and the buttoms were tight in the ankle. The bottom matched the dupatta. She grabbed a beautiful yellow kameez with tiny lavender and pink flowers. The bottom was plain lavendar and the dupatta matched perfectly. Just then Achchu returned to the store. She looked at him for approval and he smiled and said, "eduthukko. Onnu poruma? Innonum vaangikoyen." She smiled and nodded, "Illai vendaam. Aasaiku onne onnu." He turned towards the man and said, "eita pack koroon. Kotho hollo?" (Pack this please. How much?" He paid for it while the man handed the bag to her. Achchu smiled looking at her beaming like a little child who has just bought his/her favourite toy. They stepped out of the shop and walked towards a photo shop, where he stopped to buy a camera roll.

She became curious and asked, "ennadhu idhu?" He said, "roll maa camera la podardhu ku. Naaliki namma ooru ellam suthi paaka porom illiya? Appo photo edukardhukku." She was excited. "Ungalukku photo edukka theriyuma?" He smiled proudly and said, "Hmmm... ennoda hobby ye photography thaan. Nammathula locker ulla camera vachirukken. Naaliki namma seekirama kelambanum maa. Car vara soleerken. Naraya eduthukku ponam. Naraya photos edukanum." She clapped in glee. Just then a rickshaw zipped by really close to her, almost hitting her. Achchu pulled her towards him. She closed her eyes in fear and held on to him tightly. He glared at the rickshaw guy who apologized but zipped away. He patted her shoulders gently and said, "onnum illai maa. Seri vaa namba aathukku polaam." She nodded but was still a little shaken. He wanted to make her feel better so when he saw the famous sweet shop he told her, "unakku oru special Calcutta sweet vaangi tharen vaa." She forgot all about the rickshaw encounter when she heard the word "sweet". She followed him inside the shop and her mouth was watering while Achchu asked the man for, "mishti dhoi". The man packed something which was in an earthen pot. Achchu also grabbed a couple of "Shingada's" (samosa)

Sivu's mouth was already watering. They caught the next rickshaw back home. As soon as they reached home she went and grabbed two plates. They sat on the floor with their backs resting on the sofa and opened up the KC Maithi bag of the hot shingada with the mint and date chutneys, which were out of this world but mishti dhoi was something else. It was still cold in the tiny earthen pot. She took one spoon full of it and went, "mmmmm....aahaaaa....ippidi oru sweet naan saaptadhe illai. Idha dhenam vaazhka fulla saapadalaam pola irukkey." He couldn't help being amused by her. While she was happily finishing it up, he noticed a little bit on the corner of her mouth. She was happily licking away every corner of her mouth and then said something that made him laugh, "Indha kutty paanaiya naan alumbi idhula chedi vekka poren." He then cleared his throat and said, "Seri andha Pudhu dress pottu kaami". She smiled and nodded.

While she went in to change to her salwar, Achchu pulled out the camera to fill in the roll. She slowly opened the door but was reluctant to step out. "Vaa maa. Eppidi irukku nu paakattum." She, still hiding inside said, "Ayyo enakku vekkama irukke. Seri varen aana Neenga enna paathu kindal panna maatele. Ennada indha pattikaadukku idhu venuma nu?" He smiled and he said, "Sathiyama appidi nenaikka maaten maa. Nee vaa." So she slowly stepped out in the salwar, covering her face with her hands. Just then she heard a "click" sound. He had clicked her first picture. She looked up and said, "photo eduthela? Naan eppidi irukken?" He looked at her lovingly and said, "en pakkathula vaa sollaren." She slowly walked towards him. He pulled her towards him and her hand touched his chest. She could feel his heart beating fast. He whispered in her ears, "heroine madiri irukkey." She blushed and was about to pull away from him when he removed something from his pocket. It was the Bengali kangan (bracelet). He slipped it in her wrist, "Pudichirukka?" She said,"hmmm... pudichirukku." Then she pulled herself away from him and said, "Valaiyal mattum illai, adha pottu vitta aalaiyum pidichirukku" and she disappeared into the room giggling.

Brinda Subramanian