The Compromise I Don't Regret

Chapter 1. The Reunion

Sameera's POV

I don't know why but this time I don't feel the same excitement and enthusiasm I had felt during  all the previous vacations. I've always been on cloud 9 even by the planning of our family get together but now, just an hour away from the favourite part of my life, I have a totally different feeling, a feeling that its going to be a disaster. Our huge family gets together for less than a month in our ancestral house, 'Darul mansion' in Delhi at least once in a year. But since several years,  there had been a break in our plans because according to Dadu (paternal grandfather) and Dadi (paternal grandmother) every member should be present or else we would not have the 'family spirit' they say. And surprisingly our schedules happen to be so mixed up and incompatible that it almost became impossible to continue with our tradition. All thanks to the different jobs and different places we live in. Sometimes, after these many years, even I get confused of who lives where and who is related to whom. Can't blame me; there are fourteen of us, the cousins and we in groups belong to five couples who are the wonderful kids of Dada-Dadi. Luckily my maternal family is way simpler with my mom having only one brother and my sweet Nani (maternal grandmother) who lives with Mama and his family since Nanu 's (paternal grandfather) demise, ten years ago. Since they live in Mumbai as well, it's a regular thing that we meet. I can't help but wonder how families work when they don't even get opportunities to spend time with each other; it's sad how modern world works, with complete alienation and an attitude that people have nothing to do with each other. Its sad how- "Are you even listening?" Noora's voice brought me out of my thoughts. Oh shoot! I absolutely forgot that she was here. "Oh!... Noora I'm so sorry, I was thinking about something. What were you talking about?" I asked because I had obviously missed out the part where she was talking. "Well, I was saying that I still don't feel like this is a good idea. I know I agreed and was excited about coming to Delhi because lets face it my parents were never going to let me go somewhere alone if it wasn't for you but... What if your family doesn't like me? You know it's a family thing and I shouldn't be you know...interrupting it. I'm kind of nervous....and..." she trailed off. I knew very well when she was uncomfortable after all we have been together for three years. I know her inside out and she knows me. "Come on Noora don't be silly. My family is going to love you and you are going to love them as well. After all its only till we complete the damn project and I'm really sorry for putting you through this mess. I would have stayed back and completed it if it wasn't that important.You know it's more than a vacation right? Trust me if you are not comfortable we can make some other arrangements and I'll try my best to finish it within two days" I said all in one breath. "Look who is being silly here... you don't have to be sorry Sam. This is what best friends are for. I'm fine it is just that I don't know anyone there." She sighed. At this I really got excited because I always loved to describe my family "Oh wait till you see them but before that I'll give you a brief description of them but it probably is gonna be too much to remember.... anyways as I've told you it is my paternal family and my Dada-Dadi have five kids and first kid is my Abu (dad) who married my Ammi (mom) and have three kids that is Sameer bhayya (brother), Samar bhayya and obviously me. Both my brothers are happily married which you are aware of. Then comes Sulekha Phuphi (aunty) and her husband's name is Ashraf and they have three kids as well, Amaan, Zara Didi (elder sister) and Thamanna. Zara di is married and is now expecting and Thamanna is only thirteen, she's the youngest of us all. You'll love her and there's Amaan who is a jerk. He is elder than me and all but we are not really fond of each other so I just call him by his name ugh. Then comes Hameed Chachu (uncle) who married Shabnam Chachi (aunty) who are the only ones with two kids, Aisha di, married with two kids and Anas bhai a happy bachelor at twenty three. Too much information? " I paused. "Nope it's interesting. I'm getting a hang of it." She said and leaned forward as if she is interested to hear more. So I continued "Hold on we've got two more groups, Sahiba Phuphi weds Asif Phupha (uncle) " I said while opening an imaginary banner in the air. "They brought to life the only twins in our family Aliya Di and Ali Bhai, both twenty....um seven yeah twenty seven, both happily married with two kids for Di and one for Bhai, and their younger brother Amar, he's in school. Last but not the least the youngest family Hanees Chachu and Afra Chachi have three kids Anwar, Ameen and Mohamed, all three are teenagers and the...........end!." I finished. "Wow....now that's what I call a family. Do they all live in India? It must be fun living together" she commented. "Now girl you don't want to know that. Each one of them live in different places, you'll go mad. And yeah it is great fun but most of them are married now so there isn't much fun nowadays. Now every time we come someone gets married off. Last time it was Zara Di, poor thing she had no idea, heck, none of us had. Well no surprise there that's how all of them were married. Dada-Dadi decides and we obey but it always turns out good so we never hate them. It's like our family have set their own set of rules when it comes to marriage. The girls get married at twenty one and the boys are married when they turn twenty five. So we always know when one is coming. They say its our family tradition. It was 18 for girls initially but my grandparents are lenient enough to spare us till 21. Getting bored already?" I asked seeing her skeptical looking face. She slowly nodded in negative. "No I was just thinking......." She trailed off. "Thinking what?" I asked not being able to guess what she could be thinking about. "I was just thinking....if it's a thing that girls in your family gets married off at twenty one....um...aren't you twenty one again?" she hesitantly asked and soon it dawned upon me like a thunder bolt. I dd turn twenty one few months back. How did I even forget that?! It all made sense now; Ammi getting me the designer dresses and constant pressure to learn cooking, marital advices, Dadi's frequent calls, above all my instinct, I knew there was something wrong.