For part 1 of this story go here
She slammed the door shut. Standing outside her house; a place she hadn’t lived in for years; she contemplated going in. She wondered what was going on. So many people going inside. Some coming out. Music. Dhol. That was the dhol. People carrying trays of colorful drinks. Trays of food. Her house. The place that had been her home. It was unrecognizable.
Chaos.
A wedding is always chaotic. However organised one is during the various planning sessions, it always ultimately seems frenzied. Perfect is not the word used by parents organising their daughter’s wedding.
Things go wrong. That is the nature of weddings.
Her sister’s wedding. She was here for Nandita’s wedding. She had stopped calling her di when she turned 16. Nandi. Shiv’s Vaahan.
She could see her mother. Maybe she would approach her. And shake hands.
“Mrinu! My dear” her mother screeched while wobbling towards her daughter. It was difficult, with the saree.
“Stop hugging me! I don’t like it.” Mrinalini pulled away from Leena, agitated.
“Oh, sorry sorry. Sorry beta. It’s just that I have seen you after a long time.”
‘Yes. Okay. Fine.” Mrinalini looked away. Then exclaimed-“Ha”
“You’ve cut your hair? “ Leena suddenly noticed Mrinalini’s cropped hair.
“Yep. Did it myself.”
“Why?” Leena was aghast.
“I like it”
“It’s so short! Like a boy’s cut.”
“Yeah. It was too long and curly. I like it now. Can’t we go in mom?”
“Yes beta. Come, come. “
“You don’t have to hold my hand, I am not 5. Do I know all these people?”
She slammed the door shut. Standing outside her house; a place she hadn’t lived in for years; she contemplated going in. She wondered what was going on. So many people going inside. Some coming out. Music. Dhol. That was the dhol. People carrying trays of colorful drinks. Trays of food. Her house. The place that had been her home. It was unrecognizable.
Chaos.
A wedding is always chaotic. However organised one is during the various planning sessions, it always ultimately seems frenzied. Perfect is not the word used by parents organising their daughter’s wedding.
Things go wrong. That is the nature of weddings.
Her sister’s wedding. She was here for Nandita’s wedding. She had stopped calling her di when she turned 16. Nandi. Shiv’s Vaahan.
She could see her mother. Maybe she would approach her. And shake hands.
“Mrinu! My dear” her mother screeched while wobbling towards her daughter. It was difficult, with the saree.
“Stop hugging me! I don’t like it.” Mrinalini pulled away from Leena, agitated.
“Oh, sorry sorry. Sorry beta. It’s just that I have seen you after a long time.”
‘Yes. Okay. Fine.” Mrinalini looked away. Then exclaimed-“Ha”
“You’ve cut your hair? “ Leena suddenly noticed Mrinalini’s cropped hair.
“Yep. Did it myself.”
“Why?” Leena was aghast.
“I like it”
“It’s so short! Like a boy’s cut.”
“Yeah. It was too long and curly. I like it now. Can’t we go in mom?”
“Yes beta. Come, come. “
“You don’t have to hold my hand, I am not 5. Do I know all these people?”
…………
Uday. A vision at 5’11”. Chiseled looks and what charm. The groom’s colleague from Delhi. Woman hovered around him. Even the forty year olds.
He was instantly drawn to Mrinalini. Sitting on her own, not talking. Her eyes never rested at one place. Her face was pale. She looked child like with the salwar kameez flowing over her billowy figure. There was something about her eyes. Lost, brown eyes.
He looked around. The lawn was filled with people. Everyone was busy celebrating. Someone called out for the food to be laid out. Giggling girls were flitting everywhere. Jewellery adorned ladies whispering loudly. Mrinalini, aloof from it all was just sitting there. Quietly staring.
Uday pulled up a chair beside her.
“Hi, Uday is the name.”
She didn’t say anything. Dreaming, he thought.
“Hi” he said, this time louder.
Her eyes shifted. She looked at him.
“Uday” he repeated.
She just laughed and went inside.
Bewildered, he looked at the shadow she had left behind.
He was watching the girls dancing. Her eyes followed each of his movements. When he raised his hand to wave at one of them. When he doubled up in laughter at a joke uncle said. When he walked to the bar to get his 1st drink. When he went again with friends, for his 2nd and 3rd drink.
Every movement was watched.
And then he turned. She was behind him.
“Hello” she said quietly, steadily.
“Hey! You look gorgeous!” he smiled at her.
“Hmm. Do you know my name?”
“You are Nandita’s sister babe. I know. Mrinalini is a beautiful name. It suits you. “
“What do they call you?”
“They call me many things. Uday is the name though.”
“Hmm. Uday.”
“Yes. I told you in the morning. Why did you ignore me then?”
“When? I didn’t ignore you…”
“You did. I introduced myself. You didn’t speak a word.”
“I know I didn’t talk.”
“And?”
“There’s a difference.” Mrinalini paused. She looked around, feeling restless, then continued as an afterthought. “Between ignoring and not talking.”
He was instantly drawn to Mrinalini. Sitting on her own, not talking. Her eyes never rested at one place. Her face was pale. She looked child like with the salwar kameez flowing over her billowy figure. There was something about her eyes. Lost, brown eyes.
He looked around. The lawn was filled with people. Everyone was busy celebrating. Someone called out for the food to be laid out. Giggling girls were flitting everywhere. Jewellery adorned ladies whispering loudly. Mrinalini, aloof from it all was just sitting there. Quietly staring.
Uday pulled up a chair beside her.
“Hi, Uday is the name.”
She didn’t say anything. Dreaming, he thought.
“Hi” he said, this time louder.
Her eyes shifted. She looked at him.
“Uday” he repeated.
She just laughed and went inside.
Bewildered, he looked at the shadow she had left behind.
…………
He was watching the girls dancing. Her eyes followed each of his movements. When he raised his hand to wave at one of them. When he doubled up in laughter at a joke uncle said. When he walked to the bar to get his 1st drink. When he went again with friends, for his 2nd and 3rd drink.
Every movement was watched.
And then he turned. She was behind him.
“Hello” she said quietly, steadily.
“Hey! You look gorgeous!” he smiled at her.
“Hmm. Do you know my name?”
“You are Nandita’s sister babe. I know. Mrinalini is a beautiful name. It suits you. “
“What do they call you?”
“They call me many things. Uday is the name though.”
“Hmm. Uday.”
“Yes. I told you in the morning. Why did you ignore me then?”
“When? I didn’t ignore you…”
“You did. I introduced myself. You didn’t speak a word.”
“I know I didn’t talk.”
“And?”
“There’s a difference.” Mrinalini paused. She looked around, feeling restless, then continued as an afterthought. “Between ignoring and not talking.”
…………
For Part 3 of this story go here
yoohooo...so what happened next?:-D THE Story Express ran out of steam?;-) Rising fuel costs and all that??:-D Get your back into the story gal..your readers maybe waiting....:-P
ReplyDelete:P Got busy with Slutwalk Kolkata. Part 3 posted. Check it out.
ReplyDeleteSlutwalk?It happened today?Or is it tomorrow?How did it go?
ReplyDeleteIt happened on the 24th. I was one of the volunteers. It was amazing! 300 people turned up. Google slutwalk kolkata and check out the stories.
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