Poles Apart

Chapter Six

Avni and I walk into the near-empty breakfast hall. Avni is quick to leave my side to find her father. I scan the room for my mother, who woke me up at 7:30 this morning without any consideration for my sleep.

I find my mother with the event-planner and quickly make my way over to her. I pull out a chair for myself and sit down opposite her, next to the event-planner.

"That will be it. Thank you, Meghana," my mother says to the event-planner Meghana, with an air of dismissal.

Meghana quickly gathers her laptop and some stray papers. She passes me a professional smile that I return, and then she walks away.

"Good morning," I greet my mother.

She nods in acknowledgement. "Go have your breakfast," she tells me, motioning to the buffet spread.

"Have you had breakfast?" I ask her, making no move to go to eat. I don't feel hungry for some reason. Well, I felt hungry, but I don't feel hungry now.

"No, I am waiting for your dad," she says.

I nod. My father doesn't seem to be around here, so I shrug it off. "What is the plan after breakfast?"

"The Mehendi is this evening, so there's no plan until then," she says. Then why did she wake me up so early in the morning? It is my brother's wedding, I tell myself. I can't be sleeping in, like that.

"Okay, then." I shuffle to my feet, ready to go find someone that will accompany me for breakfast.

My mother holds my hand that rests on the table before I can fully stand. "Sit down," she says, letting go of my hand. She shuffles in her seat a little and straightens up. "I need to talk to you." Going by her posture, I assume the deal is serious and sit down.

"About what?" I ask hesitantly. I'm not sure if I've done anything lately that could possibly spark my mother's interest in me.

She presses her lips into a thin line and takes in a sharp breath. She looks at me, apprehensively. "Lots of people have been asking if I have any intentions of marrying you off," she starts in a low, hesitant tone.

Woah. No way. I know where this is going, and I'm not my mother's property so that she can marry me off whenever she wishes.

"Absolutely not," I cute her off, before she can explain. "I don't want to hear this. Don't talk to me about this."

"Arvi," she starts.

I cut her off again, with an adamant shake of my head. "No, ma. No."

"Listen--"

"No."

"Arvi."

"No, no, no, no," I chant, trying to block out whatever she is saying. What the heck even? Marriage? Isn't Karthik getting married only now?

"Arvi," she says aloud, in a commanding tone that effectively shuts me up.

"What?" I ask dejectedly. I do not want to be having this conversation right now.

"I said no," she discloses, lifting my spirits. I look up to meet her eyes. "But when do you plan on getting married?"

When I plan on getting married? I didn't think my opinion concerning this topic held any weight at all. My parents, well, my mom always told me that she would decide when and to whom I would be married to. I could have rebelled and gone on an expedition to find a groom for myself.

Confession: I did. I didn't try to find a groom for myself, but I did date. I've had boyfriends, and they always ended with no chemistry. The farthest I got with a guy was a kiss. Only kissing. Not because I'm a prude. Which I probably am, but I never even got to the point of making out. At some point, it was so frustrating. There was no passion, no chemistry, no liking.