The Guy with the Handkerchief

XXII: The Dinner

21:00 Hrs, Shreya's House.

People at Shreya's place were very jolly. Probably everyone were enjoying the festivity of the ceremonies. Arindam got introduced to all the members of Shreya's family. However, they were not alone. It turned out that even Manav and their parents were invited at the Family Dinner. The terrace was decorated with lights and sparkles, and there sat a huge dining table with around twenty chairs around .

Arindam was standing in the corner watching everything get set up. People bringing in the dishes, people chattering around in smaller groups. Among all the music and chit chats, Arindam was feeling bored. He was observant of every people in the room.

"Why so serious Bhaiya? You seem lost.", Neha suddenly spoke up from behind and startled Arindam.

"Oh its you. I got scared.",Arindam jumped in shock.

"He is always like that, quiet. He speaks little and only when he feels the necessity to talk", Shreya commented from behind.

"Hey Shreya, Neha, the groom is here.", somebody shouted from downstairs.

Neha rushed downwards to welcome Manav. Shreya stayed back.

"Listen Shreya, if you don't want to, you don't have to meet him. You can sit back in your room. I can bring you your dinner there.", Arindam suggested.

"Why would I not want to meet him. He is one of my oldest friend.", Shreya hesitantly spoke up in a subdued voice.

"You sure?", Arindam confirmed.

"Yeah, just be by my side.", Shreya requested.

"Roger that Madam, Your cover is protected.", Arindam joked about it to which Shreya gave a dead pan look.

"WHAT!!! Just kidding.", Arindam clarified.

Shreya started walking downwards, Arindam followed her. Manav and his parents were talking to Shreya's relatives downstairs and Neha was standing by his side.

"Manav", called out Shreya.

Manav looked up to find her standing a couple of yards away. He got himself excused and came running towards her.

"Shreya! What a pleasant surprise.", Manav hugged her. Shreya hugged her back. "What a mind blowing surprise. You know for a second I thought you wouldn't come. But now I believe that I was right to think that you could not have missed this occasion for your life.", he continued.

"Sure, how could I have missed your wedding. I mean come on.", Shreya replied with a smile. Girls I tell you, they are the most confusing creatures the God has ever created. You really can't tell if she is actually smiling or if she is faking it. "Oh by the way Manav, meet Arindam. Arindam this is the Manav I was telling you about all this while.", Shreya introduced me to Manav.

"Hey Man, nice to meet you. Have heard a lot about you. Wish you a very very happy married life.", Arindam greeted him with a similar smile as Shreya. Well I have to say, Arindam too was a pretty good actor. He too didn't do what I was frightful of him to do. He handled it quite well, at least till now.

"Nice to meet you too Anirban", Manav greeted back.

"Umm... Manav its Arindam not Anirban.", Arindam clarified.

"Yeah yeah sorry. It's great to know that Shreya told you about me, but I never heard about you to be honest.", Manav boasted.

"Well as it turns out Manav, probably you hadn't spoken to her since the day she shifted. Did you?", Arindam cross fired.

"Neither did she? Did you Shreya?",Manav turned to Shreya once again. His eyes had some sense of jealousy visible to Arindam.

"It's a funny story actually you know Manav, She...", Arindam started speaking when Shreya intervened.

"Well do you think I should have? Anyways congratulations on the wedding. Would love to see who is getting married to you.", Shreya cut Arindam in the middle and started speaking herself.

"Oh you surely will. She would love to meet you. Actually she was asking me if she could meet you before the wedding. I would inform her today that now she surely can.", Manav spoke with pride. "Oh by the way,", Manav whispered to Shreya's ears, " I expected better than a grumpy and nerdy uncle."

He then continued his journey upstairs. I went to Shreya, where she stood stunned. "This guy is unbelievable. I am glad I broke up. I can't believe I had thought of marrying this guy one day. This guy is such a pain.So arrogant. So Self Centred.", Shreya started fuming with anger.

"Calm down girl. Calm down. Come let's have dinner.", Arindam suggested.

Both of them went up back to the terrace where Neha had reserved 2 seats beside her. They sat down, Shreya still pissed. Suddenly all of them stood up to welcome the eldest member of the family, Shreya's Grandfather. Shreya's mother carried him on a wheel chair. He was nearly ninety years old and didn't have the strength to walk around. Arindam thought, "Oh this man is weak enough not to kill him." He sighed a sigh of relief. His eyes scanned the room, and probably came to a standstill looking at Shreya.

"Oh my little angel is back. Come here, give dadu a hug.", he spoke up in a commanding voice.

Shreya ran up to him like a small child, with tears of joy falling from her eyes, "Dadu!!!", She hugged him and sat down on the ground.

As she had already responded to what he had to say, his eyes continued the scan through the crowd. He saw me sitting beside Neha.

"Shreya stood up to give a peck on her grandpa's cheek when he suddenly spoke up, "You, young man! What's your name?".

Arindam stood up in attention. "M...M...Me... Ummm... g..g...goo..good evening Uncle.... Dadu... S..S..Sir. Good Evening Sir. I...I...I...", Arindam stammered like hell. All his fear had come up to the surface.

Shreya introduced, "Dadu, this is Arindam. He is a good friend of mine, from Kolkata."

"Yes Sir, fr..friend.", Arindam nodded.

"Why are you stammering son?", he asked back.

"He is kinda afraid of you.", Shreya whispered onto his ears.

"Afraid of me?", He announced to everyone and everyone around the room started laughing, "What am I am ghost? Ha Ha Ha.. But you should be. Everyone here in this room had been through this phase at least once.", he continued and everyone's laughter got silenced.

"What happened? Why did everyone become so serious? Enjoy. This should feel like a marriage ceremony at least.", he made the crowd relax again.

"Dadu, he is the one who saved me that day.",Shreya informed.

"Oh really! I can't thank you enough for the kind gesture son. People like you are not easily found these days.", he said.

"Don't you think it is pretty obvious why he was helping her?", Manav spoke up.

"Some people have genuine goodwill within them, not everyone is as selfish as you", Shreya intervened.

"Aunty, the food is delicious I must say.", Arindam tried to change the topic eating everything on the table.

"You like it, then eat as much as you want.", laughed Shreya's mother and everyone else around the table.

The tension was there yet invisible to people who had no idea about what was going on. Arindam was unsure if it were to go up or downhill from here.