Bombay Romance ♡ COMPLETED

[ 07 ] Boy Hunt? ■

'Baby, do you want to get married or not?'

'Mom, please. I really can't have this conversation today.'

Gauri has had a harrowing time with wax strips peeled off her skin at the parlour that evening. The client cancelled the meeting and she managed to leave the office at three in the afternoon. She also got a new golden glow peel facial and is all set for her friend's wedding tomorrow.

It is one of those few days in a month, presently a lazy Friday, where her parents are home (a three-bedroom apartment in the sleepy residential lane of West Bandra). Her father hasn't opened someone's ailing heart and dug deep into it, and her mother isn't busy performing a complicated C-section delivery.

Gauri and her father, Mr. Kailash Hegde are seated on the sofa. The box television sits atop the teakwood stand in front of them. Her mother, lounging near the dining table, looks solemn.

Dr. Kailash nudges his daughter. He points his chin in his wife's direction and looks at his daughter questioningly. Gauri glances at her mom before shrugging.

'Dad, can we finish Brandy Brunch now?' She gets up, and shuffles through some video cassettes on the shelf. 'Just two episodes left in season four'

Video cassettes are rented from the famous, hot-in-demand Shri Shambu Hollywood Video Rental Store, a small dingy place lined with cassettes from ground to ceiling on huge wooden shelves. They rent out Hollywood movies, legal and pirated.

'Do have any plans of getting married?' Her mother, Mrs. Kalpana Hedge, repeats patiently.

'Dad' Gauri turns to her father. 'I got Shobha Aunt's letter from Dallas yesterday. Apparently, there's a new sitcom called The Cosby Show on NBC and it's totally hilarious.'

'Gauri, stop ignoring me or I'll tear up your precious posters' her mother warns.

The wall opposite her bed is filled with posters of Hollywood stars.

'You won't,' Gauri says confidently.

'Yes, I will. Who's that Hollywood hero on your wall?'

'Tom Cruise,' Gauri says dreamily.

'Everyone sees pictures of God when they wake up. This girl sees some Tommy.'

'Tom!'

'Listen to me now.'

'What happened Mom?' she asks finally, knowing there is no escape route.

'When exactly do you plan to get married?'

'To whom?' Gauri asks logically.

Somehow, Mr. Kailash finds this funny and laughs, but duly quietens down looking at his wife's infuriated face.

'It's time you get serious about this, Baby. Kailash, I had made her meet Pavitra's son at that party last week. Perfectly nice boy. He has studied engineering in Bangalore and works in some company. But your princess rejected him. Tell, tell your Dad why.'

Gauri looks at her father wearily. 'He said he studied in BMS College aaf Engineering. Who says aaf, Dad? Come on!'

Her father snorts. Mrs. Kalpana glares at them.

'What? Is it wrong to expect standards, Dad?' Gauri asks genuinely.

'No, not at all, not at all' Her father says.

'Your grandmother's letter came today' Mrs. Kalpana holds out a pale blue, opened Inland letter. Gauri reaches out to it half-heartedly.

Kalpana,