chapter 12
335 Words
Prerna and Saurabh’s engagement ceremony resembled the coronation
of a prince in a small kingdom. Held in New Friends Club, it had a budget
of fifty lakh rupees.
‘No, no, absolutely no' Saurabh said. Ramesh had presented him with a
set of keys. Were they really offering him a Volkswagen Jetta? And was he
really saying no?
‘You explain to him' Ramesh said to Saurabh’s parents. They just
smiled, as if touched by their only son’s generosity. Deep inside, they
wondered what the hell Saurabh was doing. Sometimes it is not dowry, it is
love, isn’t it? Especially when it involves a Volkswagen.
‘She is all I need' Saurabh said, pointing to his new fiancee. Prerna wore
an orange lehenga, which had cost two lakh rupees. She’d got her make-up
and hair done by a professional, which had a separate bill of fifty thousand
bucks.
The couple sat on two thrones in a hall in the club. Guests took turns to
bless them, one at a time.
I stood near the couple, wondering how strong the stage was to take the
weight of so many overweight Punjabi relatives.
My parents had come to attend the engagement from Alwar as well.
After blessing the couple, my father and mother made for the dinner buffet.
My mother came up to me.
‘You should also consider settling down' she said, plate in hand.
‘Not for me' I said.
‘What do you mean?’
'Nothing. And sit and eat properly, Ma. Why are you standing? Go,
Saurabh’s parents are sitting there' I said.
After my mother left, Aditya tapped my shoulder.
‘Bored?’ he said.
‘Huh? No, I’m fine.’
‘Come, let's hang in the back garden' he said, and signalled for me to
follow him.
Anjali sat on a bench under a tree in the backyard. She had a glass of
whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
Ah, the best man arrives' she said when she saw me with Aditya.
‘He was looking lost' Aditya said.
- Writer
