They went back, my parents asked, “What you think”?
I replied, “I am ok with him”.
My parents were thrilled and ecstatic.
They said let us call them right away to tell them our decision. I denied and said, “Do not let them feel that we are desperate, that would reduce the weight of your prestige”.
My dad replied, “You are right, but honestly I am so happy.”
I was not feeling anything, but it was more fun when I was pulling Prakash’s leg.
It felt he is a nice guy.
In the evening, at around 7 PM my dad’s phone rang, it was his dad.
My dad picked up and then put the call on speaker.
He Said, “Agarwal sahab! Kaise hai? aur betiya ko kaisa laga Prakash?” means, “Mr Agarwal! How are you? How did your daughter find Prakash?”
Dad immediately said, “We were just going to call you, Reema liked Prakash, it is a yes from our side.” To that he said, “Prakash ko v Reema bahut pasand ayi.” means “Prakash also like Reema a lot.”
He added, “Toh deri kis bat ki agle somwar ko achi tithi hai, roka krwa dete hai.” Means “In that case, without delaying this further let us plan ROKA coming Monday (A ceremony that happens before engagement, which means both the girl and the boy are now blocked for each other )” can you imagine?
And Dad without asking my consent said yes.
The time when he said yes, my heart literally sank.
It felt as if you snatched the favourite toy from a toddler while she was playing with it.
It felt like you are thirsty and someone took away the last bottle left in the world.
I could not hear the rest of conversation, neither did I want to.
But there was no reason to be unhappy, Prakash is a nice guy, well settled in his career, a perfect husband material and more than that someday I had to settle, I could not have run from this for my entire life. (Well for a middle-class Marwari family this is the ultimate goal of life, else my parents would live in this guilt for their entire life.)
I went inside my room, Mom came and asked me, “Are you ok?”
I said mom, “I am feeling strange, as if something is stuck in my heart.”
Mom “Ary beta gastric ho gaya hoga, mujhe v waisa hi lag raha, samosa k wajah se, mai Ajwain ka pain lati hu pi le fir thoda walk kr lena chat pe, gas nikal jayegi dakar se” Means “Dear, It must be acidity, I am feeling the same, I think Samosa (An Indian Snack) is doing its work, let me get you the water of Carrom Seeds, after drinking that just take a brisk walk on the terrace, the gas formed inside would come out in the form of burp.”
You must be thinking Eweeee gross. Honestly, I felt the same. But if you would know a middle-class Indian parent, you would relate to it.
Never mind, I went on the terrace to get some fresh air with a cup of strong ginger tea.
I was scrolling my Facebook, when I got a WhatsApp notification tangggg. It was a “Hi” from Prakash.
Stay tuned to know what happened next……………………………….