Daastan [#MissionDesi]

Chapter 19

Two days later...

We were waiting for Rama in the living room. Vinayak who was sitting on the sofa, one leg hoisted up over the other, flicking the screen of his cellphone, blew a shrill whistle.

I looked up and there she was, wearing a designer saree, looking absolutely gorgeous! Her eyes were touched up with kajal and eyeliner painted around the edges of her eyes, bringing out the sparkling shine in them. She wore a bindi placing it between her tweaked eyebrows resembling the outline of mountains. Gajra made of jasmine flowers were pinned around her chignon. Gold necklaces, she wore around her neck.

Vinayak acted as if dropping on the floor, drooling at his wife while Rama stood there blushing which accentuated her high cheekbones.

We started dancing around her in a circle as if performing a tribal dance. Hiya kept on giggling.

The door bell rang. I went to open the door. My heart skipped a beat. Her misty coaled eyes held a certain softness. I didn't know what to say or do. I just stood there, one hand on the doorknob, neither of us could enter nor escape.

"Arvind, don't keep our guests at the door. Let them in," Vinayak cut into my thoughts.

"Oh of course!" I said and let her through.

Rama came ahead to greet her while Hiya went to hug her and kissed her on her cheeks.

"Happy Anniversary!" Sujatha's voice registered into my consciousness and the clouds parted to let the sun shine through.

My heart leaped out but it stopped in the tracks on hearing someone clearing their throat.

"Happy Anniversary!" the man said and Vinayak shook his hands, thanking him.

"Oh thanks a lot Anil," Rama said enthusiastically, but as her eyes caught mine, she looked away.

All of us got into the car, Vinayak driving, me riding shotgun while Rama and Hiya took the passenger seats. Anil and Sujatha were following us in Anil's car.

"OK Arvind, before you blow off your whistle, we just want to tell you that I had invited Sujatha. Anil invited himself," Rama said, looking at my eyes in the rear view mirror, trying to gauze my reaction.

I took a deep breath and said, "Sure. Lets be adult about this, shall we?" and smiled. It was more like comforting myself rather than Vinayak and Rama.

Our venue was a banquet hall inside Hotel Westin. Glass windows ran from ceiling to the floor opening up to the breath taking view of the city. With Vinayak, it was always everything or nothing at all. And for their thirteenth Anniversary, it was everything resembling a wedding. Ofcourse everything was pre planned by Vinayak, Hiya and I.

Little feet ran across the floor, skipping and hopping, running around wildly. They would be hushed by the eyes looking over their glasses, gently admonishing them. Smiling and laughing faces added positive vibes to the atmosphere, glasses clanked, raised in cheers, fragrance of jasmine flowers wafted into the hall. Rows of tables with silk cloth draped over them with beautiful pink and white laces stitched to their edges, above which empty jam jars of different colours held tulips, daffodils, bright orchids. Rangolis, the thin sand of glittering particles in different colours had been sprinkled over the floor in designs to welcome the guests.

Ladies looked beautiful in vibrant, sarees of all colours. They came all decked up from styled hair to the golden glittering sandals on their feet as they sashayed the aisles, looking over to see if anyone interesting caught their attention, throwing off attitude in the direction of men.

All of us were in the room applying Haldi (turmeric powder mixed with sandalwood and milk) to Rama and Vinayak, starting from their feet, then legs, hands and then face. "The bride is beautiful. Let the tall, dark and handsome groom shine too," the ladies giggled at their own jokes.

The couple were left to get ready for the wedding ceremony, the bride getting her face done, a new Kasavu saree (Kerala saree) gifted by Vinayak wrapped around Rama, her face beaming like that of a new bride. Vinayak stood with us outside looking smug in his red salwar kurta.

Rama was surprised by the flow of guests pouring in, the decorations as she peeped out of her room. Vinayak wanted his daughter to witness their marriage, to give her a chance to participate and to set an example before his daughter what true love means. Ofcourse he would be constantly making fun of Rama, irritating her but there was a deep understanding, faith, loyalty and love they carried in their hearts for each other. He was one hell of a man, that I never doubted.

Vinayak's parents greeted their son and when I turned around, I saw Amma jerking her head away and walking away, ignoring Sujatha who seemed to have taken aback by Amma dismissing her gesture of touching her feet as a form of respect.

I went over to Amma and she said, "What is she doing here?"

Sujatha was within ear shot and upon listening to Amma, she walked towards the exit, Anil trailing behind her.