"Oh God… this girl will be the end of me… She's missing since morning on the day of her own engagement. What will we do now? Did she run away?"
"No no… she's not like that," said a 40-year-old woman stepping out of the room. This was Savita Devi, the matriarch of a middle-class family. Her favorite morning activity was taunting her children. Today was her daughter Sarangi's engagement, and the girl herself was missing. Yet, she was still managing to throw jabs at her in her absence.
"Mom, seriously, stop it now! First you and then didi… I don't know what kind of drama you both enjoy so much. Your darling daughter has probably gone out gallivanting with her friend again. Because finding her a boyfriend? Not happening in this lifetime. God knows what jijaji (brother-in-law) saw in her… but good for me, at least I'm off the hook!"
"Shut up or I'll hit you with my slipper."
"Oh wow… all this scolding was for your darling daughter, but the moment I said one word, all the wrath was directed at me. Dad is right — there's no winning with you two."
Savita Devi glared at him, and he ran off to his room.
This was Rajveer, her only son. He was about to appear for his 12th-grade exams, but had zero worries, as he planned to pursue Commerce. He had no interest in getting high marks to fuel his parents' dreams of a science stream career.
"Are you listening, dear?" said Vijay ji, Sarangi and Rajveer's father, walking in.
"Yes, tell me," Savita Devi replied as she came out.
"Here are some sweets and snacks. Not many guests are coming, but the ones who do shouldn't have any complaints. It's my daughter's engagement, after all."
"But the daughter herself is missing," Savita said dryly.
"She must be at her friend's house. Why worry?" Vijay ji smiled and went off to check on the rest of the preparations.
Rajvansh House
A boy was working out in the gym with headphones in his ears, doing push-ups non-stop. His body was drenched in sweat, and when the sunlight hit it, he looked even more attractive.
After a while, he stood up, drank his protein shake, took off his headphones, threw on a t-shirt, and went downstairs. In the kitchen, a woman was working.
"Mom, one cup of coffee, please," he said as he pulled a bottle of water from the fridge.
"Yeah, of course. Your mom will make coffee for you all her life, right? Why don't you bring home a sweet wife who makes you coffee every morning?"
"Mom…" he interrupted.
"What? All my friends have daughters-in-law. They bring them to kitty parties. Whom should I take?"
"Seriously? You want a daughter-in-law just for kitty parties?" said Vairagya, surprised.
"Not just for that… I want a daughter-in-law to work with me in the kitchen, go shopping with me, watch serials with me, gossip with me, and most importantly… to play with her own little kids in my lap. I want her for everything!"
"Then hire a caretaker. She'll be with you all the time."
"So you're not getting married?"
"Not in this lifetime," he said, walking away.
"Vairagya… at least hear me out. I've found a girl — very mature," his mother followed him, but he shut the door to his room.
"This boy is something else… the moment you say anything, he shuts the door. One day I swear I'll break it," she said, walking off downstairs.
Krishna Nivas
A girl in a sky-blue lehenga was nervously pacing in her room.
Just then, someone called from behind, "Sarangi di…"
Sarangi turned around and smiled sweetly.
"Wow, you look so beautiful. Jijaji won't be able to take his eyes off you," said Manju, a neighbor's girl.
Sarangi blushed.
"Come, everyone's waiting for you," Manju said, holding her hand and leading her outside.
Sarangi slowly stepped out, her heart pounding. She somehow managed to walk out.
As soon as she came out, she touched the feet of her would-be in-laws and stood with her head bowed.
Ajit's father Siddharth said, "Shall we begin the engagement ceremony?"
Savita Devi nodded, and both Sarangi and Ajit were seated on the front sofa. Ajit's mother Muskan Devi placed a coconut, some jewelry, and money in their laps and applied a ceremonial tilak. Savita ji also did Ajit's tilak. Then the couple exchanged rings and took blessings from the elders.
Savita ji sent Sarangi to her room, and Ajit went outside. Then Siddharth ji said, "The engagement was as per your traditions. But the wedding… we want it grand. My son wants a destination wedding. You know how it is these days — social media is everything. He doesn't want a dull wedding and to be mocked at his office."
Vijay ji folded his hands and said, "Don't worry, Samdhi ji. We'll do exactly as you want. You won't have a single complaint. If there's anything else…"
"Oh no no… We're open-minded people. We don't believe in dowry," Siddharth ji said, and Vijay ji smiled.
Sarangi sat in her room looking at her ring, blushing. Manju came and hugged her from behind.
"Did you talk to jijaji?" Manju asked.
Sarangi shook her head no.
"Why not?"
"Shikha had her exam today," Sarangi replied innocently.
"But the exam was hers, not yours, di," Manju said, hitting her forehead.
"But I feel shy talking to him alone," Sarangi said as she sat cross-legged on the sofa.
"So what? Are you going to take Shikha di with you to your wedding mandap too?"
"Why not? She's my best friend — she'll always be with me," Sarangi said with a smile.
"Oh my innocent sister… best friend is fine, but are you planning to take her to your in-laws too? As your co-wife?"
"What! What are you saying?" Sarangi said, covering her mouth.
"Exactly! When you go to your in-laws, you'll have to talk to jijaji alone. Get used to it!"
"No no no… I'll only talk to him if Shikha is with me… otherwise, nope," Sarangi said, lying back on the sofa.
"There's no hope for you," Manju said, slapping her forehead as she left. "I'll bring you some breakfast, di."
Sarangi continued looking at her ring, lost in the dreams of her future.