‘Are they OK?’ Rajji mama said, looking at Duke’s parents.
‘Don’t worry, misunderstandings happen. We don’t have to spoil a lifelong
relationship,’ Duke’s uncle said as he signaled for all others to stand up.
‘Everyone , please enjoy the snacks,’ Duke said. It was enough cue for his
relatives to jump at the waiters. It is cruel to keep Punjabis away from their food
at a wedding, especially when most of them had no stake in the car anyway.
Our side of the family hugged Duke’s parents. They didn’t hug back, but at
least they didn’t push us away. Rajji mama brought a box of mithai and fed
Duke’s parents a piece each in their mouths. The sugar rush improved their
expression. The DJ started the music. The wedding was back on.
One girl stood back until everyone vacated their sofas and went to the stage. It
was the South Indian girl who had come with me all the way form Chennai.
‘What did she say to him?’ Shipra masi asked me. She took her bag back and
redistributed the ornaments. I shrugged my shoulders.
‘Very wise girl,’ Kamla aunty gave Ananya a hug. ‘Thank you, beta. You kept
our izzat.’
‘But tell me one thing, you earn twenty-five thousand?’ Rajni aunty asked the
question everyone wanted to ask.
My mother came and gave Ananya a smiling nod. Even though my mother
didn’t say anything, I knew it meant a lot.
‘She’s not that bad,’ Shipra masi told my mother during jaimala.
‘You’ve scored girl, you know you have,’ I said to Ananya as we tossed flower
petals on Duke and Minti.
nora
(Nora)
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