The Unsaid

Chapter 5 - Preparation

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 Terms and their meaning 

 Govinda: Name of a Hindu God 

 Rajni Kanth: Famous South Indian Actor 

 Lungi: A rectangular piece of cloth that south Indian men use as casual wear. 

 Mahesh Babu: Another top south Indian Actor 

 Aishwarya Rai: Top Bollywood Actress 

 Masala Movie: A movie with all the spicy ingredients to make it a blockbuster. 

 Boondi Laddu/ Kaja : South Indian sweets 

 Kaarap Pusa/ Chakkalu: South Indian spicy snacks 

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---Enjoy the melodious song from 'Anand' as you read this -------------->

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“What? Are you serious dad?” Karthik’s voice roared on the speaker phone. 

Surya replied, “Yes. Pallavi’s marriage is fixed.” 

“Why was I not consulted? I had narrowed down two great matches for her. Why… why would you want her to settle for that guy in a remote town? She will not be happy there! You cannot force her!” He screamed. 

The call went on for the next few minutes in angry exchanges, until Pallavi intervened. 

"Anna... I really like Prithvi." That's all she said to silence her brother. She sensed how much pained and hurt he felt.  She add a soft, "Sorry Anna." His uneven breathing was audible to her. This was one of the rare occasions when she apologized to him. When he was living with them, there was no way she would apologize, even if she was the culprit. Even with the age difference, they fought fiercely for everything including attention from their parents. Her mother sometimes reminisced and laughed about the days when she was three and he was thirteen and both were extremely jealous of each other. Yes, she was only three when she had marched out of the house and pushed his brand new bicycle with her tiny hands. The cycle fell and the handle got twisted. Karthik was so infuriated that he ran inside, grabbed all her toys and threw them out in the porch. 

"Are you sure Bangaaram?" She heard her brother whisper. 

She smiled and replied, "Yes Anna!"    

~ 

Prithvi threw the briefcase in the backseat and sat in his car. He started it with the right hand while swiping the sweat off his forehead with the other.  It was peak summer and the heat was brutal. His car was parked on the side of a narrow road in the heart of Guntur. Buildings of all shapes and sizes stood on either side of the road and not a single tree was visible in the vicinity. Vendors with carts filled with clothes, toys, cheap electronics etc. occupied the sides of the road.  

His mobile rang. 

"Yes mom." 

"Prithvi, did you have lunch?" 

"It's 4 mom. What do you expect? Of course I had my lunch," he replied slightly irritated.