everyone has a story to tell.
akansha's has something to do with snowflakes, a little bit to do with what's written in the stars and a lot to do with fate.
Dedicated to my mother - for being the inspiration she is to me
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No one can glare like my mother.
My mother, Samyuktha, my other sister Deepika, Stefan and I were all seated in the small living room. Well, Stefan was standing but the rest of us were seated.
"Would you like some more tea?" My mother's soft voice contrasted with her hard expression.
Stefan declined politely and I sighed in exasperation.
"Ma, that's his sixth cup. Besides, he doesn't even like tea!" I pointed out.
"Why didn't you just say so?" Sam asked.
"Because British people are too polite," Deepika said, looking away from the TV.
Stefan chuckled at that but said nothing.
"I think we should address the matter at hand," Ma said stiffly. "What do you have to say?"
"What I've been saying for the past half an hour, Ma. I'm sorry about the hotel room incident. I didn't mean for it to happen."
"And I've told you I understand that numerous times in the past half an hour!" Her hot-tempered side was stirring awake. "I meant what's going on with you and..." She looked at Stefan who was forcing his tea down his throat. "What's your name, aiya?" she asked, using the fonder term for boy in Telugu, my native language.
"Stefan Castellano, madam."
"Yeah, Stefan. Akansha, you are my daughter who I have raised for twenty-four years. Other than my obvious disappointment that you kept your relationship a secret from me and the necessary anger about the hotel incident as you call it, I have no ill feelings. I do want to know where this conversation is leading to," my mother said, her voice tender.
My throat was dry and by running my tongue over my lips, I found them to be chipped. I honestly didn't know how to say what we were all thinking out loud but Stefan took care of that.
"I'm in love with your daughter, madam, and by some miracle she loves me too. If you give is your blessing, we shall get married. Based on all that Akansha had said about you, I'm sure after some deliberation you would realise you wouldn't be able to find a more perfect groom for your eldest daughter other than me." Stefan said it all in a calm and composed voice without even breaking a sweat even though inside, I'm pretty sure his organs are rearranging themselves.
I wet my lips and chugged down the water from the glass I was holding. As soon as the water moisturised my throat, I opened my mouth to say whatever Stefan said but in a way that didn't sound overly confident.
My mother cut me off and surprised me by saying, "Why didn't you say so? I am still upset over all the secret-keeping but I am glad that you didn't decide to elope. Like your cousin did," she said with distaste.
Then she started rambling about how my cousin broke my aunt's heart and disgraced our family but I didn't really take notice of what she said. I was still processing what she just said.
My mum noticed the look on my face and said, "Don't look so surprised. I knew you were going to bring home a white man when you said you were planning to study in the UK." She patted my head fondly and smiled at Stefan. "Now if you can excuse me, I'll get some coffee for you." She stood up and walked over to the kitchen.
I caught my new fiancé eyes and laughed silently. He simply smiled but his green eyes were bright. "I love you," he mouthed.
I couldn't help but smile back.
I guess somewhere along the way, fate decided that I deserved a happy ending after all.
