Lot Like Love: A Bengal Romance ✔

Chapter 4

I look at the mirror and it reflects a navy blue sherwani* with golden trouser. The gel has done a great job as I have combed my hair backward and have trimmed my beard to the edges.

"Hey, Aditya, knot my tie yaar. It's so confusing!" Barun says as I roll my eyes. Since school, he can't knot a tie.

It's 7:00 pm in the evening. And the groom has worn a dhoti and panjabi* while the rest of us wears our best wears for the evening. The marriage schedules at 9 p.m. so we have enough time.

"Are yaar, how I'm gonna handle the dhoti?" Angshu shouts, frustrated with the clothes as it keeps entangling with his legs.

"Damn! It's cold and I can't even wear a sweater!" He complaints.

"Where's Amit, Jatin and Kingshuk?" Asks Abhishek while wearing a shirt.

"They have went to buy drinks for tonight," I answer while spraying deo.

Angshu looks at me with a frown while Abhishek and Barun pause what they are doing and slowly turn raising their eye brows. However, their eyes are sparkling with bliss.

"Are you guys going to drink tonight?" Angshu asks his voice has a hint of hurt, "without me?"

I chuckle, "No! We're all gonna get drunk. They have gone to arrange while Dev will bring *chakhna."

"How am I going to drink when I'll be with Bratati in *Basor-ghor?"

"We'll manage that," I wink casting a sly grin at him as he narrows his eyes. He has some questions in mind but I don't have time to explain.

"All right! Barun, get Angshu ready in a few minutes as the band-parties have already arrived," I say and put on my watch, "while I inform everyone and see if they are ready, yet."

The females need a lot of time to do their make up and if I don't rush them, they'll take forever. I have seen my Trayi to spend hours just for her face. Then comes the hair. But I have to praise their artistic skills that can even hide a dead body.

I leave our cottage and go for the next one where our family is.

I am about to enter when I hear aunties are talking about Agni. Seems, she's damn famous even in our house. I heard she's a famous writer but haven't searched the web. As it gets interesting I decide not to enter and hear what do they have to offer.

"Poor girl! I didn't know she went through a lot," my mom's voice comes from behind the door. Occasionally, she's sighing at whoever 'poor-girl' it is. 

"I know. I asked their neighborhood and they even said the family wasn't good." The thick voice is Aunt Sulekha's, the gossip queen. Nothing can be kept hidden from her hawk eyes and dog ears. She can smell any news if it can spark an interest in her.

"I'm glad she became established and now her sasurbari* will regret it." That is aunt Shibani, Barun's mother. She's not a gossip-kind but a suggestive type.

Thinking may be they are talking about someone else, I open the door as the time is wasted enough. But what catches me in my spot is when my mother says, "It was a good decision Agni divorced that man. He didn't worth a jewel like her. She maybe has...err...tattoos on her and that weird hair colour, but she's an amazing person." My mom says with a cheerful tone, "She even taught me how to make pizza!"

My feet freeze and it takes a few more moments to register and clarify whether I have heard it right or my ears are ringing.

Agni is divorced?!

***

Whole groom's family and guests have already started dancing with the beats of the song 'Chahe koi mujhe Jangli Kahe'¹ and dhak while Angshu is in the car, slowly arriving at the bride's house behind us.