Their Married Life

THREE

Manasa

I sat in front of the dressing table mirror and looked at myself, I was dressed up in Amma's saree, why? Because the groom and his family are coming to see me today. Are they coming to see me for real? This is the first question I got when I saw his photo. He is so handsome and I am an average girl-looking girl. Will he like me? By seeing his biodata, I confirmed it is impossible

Mom is busy in the kitchen cooking lunch for the big day, along with both of my aunts (father's sisters) who are here with her husbands who are talking with Dad and Srishti watch her favorite show Shinchan, basically my favorite too. Any other day I would have joined her but today I am sitting in the bedroom with anxiety. What should I talk to him about? What is the process for this? What will he ask? What should I ask him? God! I will die of nervousness.

Amma walked into the room and stood next to me, I looked up nervously at her.

"Don't worry manu, just be yourself and take a decision with your heart" Amma said cupping my face

"Even did you feel like this when you met Dad for the first time?" I asked Amma, I want to know if is it just me or if everyone feels the same nervousness.

"I was, initially, and then I was okay," Amma said smiling maybe remembering that moment

"Because you felt as if dad is the one?" I asked as my reader's brain got into its fictional word

"No silly, actually he was good and very well-educated but what made me feel good was his assurance that he would look after me through all the thick and thin of life." Amma paused for a while and then again continued

"Be realistic manu, this is life, not any book you read. Here you won't feel "the ones" and "sparks all over". Here you feel trust, comfort, and lots of assurance." Amma said making me think deeply of what she said.

"Dad is calling you amma, they are here" Srishti said as she rushed into the room and looked at us. Amma immediately left to receive the guests leaving me and Srishti.

"Okay, I am also going" saying she was about to leave but I held her hand "Stay with me" I whispered as I was hell nervous and I want someone by my side.

"Why?" Srishti asked as she sat on the bed accepting my request

"I don't know, I am afraid," I said looking at her. She continued to look at me and then nodded her head as if understanding me.

"Srishti" Dad called and Srishti got up and went out leaving me all alone to deal with this. After a few minutes, I saw one of my aunts along with Srishti walking into the room smiling

"He is so good-looking Manu," my aunt said adjusting my pallu again for the umpteenth time from the time she arrived at our house today.

"I liked him" my sister whispered to me surprising me. My sister Srishti doesn't get along with people so easily and here she is saying that she liked him is quite surprising.

"Come," my aunt said and I got up and for one last time looked at myself in the mirror to make sure I was okay

As I got out of the room I could hear an elderly man's voice talking, I looked up to see the man speaking and next to him a lady listening to the man and finally him (Dev) listening to the man. As If feeling my gaze on him, he looked up with his light brown eyes, holding me captive, but I quickly looked away seeing everyone's eyes on me. As I reached the people in the room, my dad gestured for me to sit next to him so I sat next to him and smiled politely at his parents who returned the same, they seemed soft-spoken people.