-----------------------------------------------
2 weeks later...
'Mann yeh sahebji jane hai sabji phir bhi na samjhe ishare....' as my phone belts out this recent popular Sufi song in the middle of the office, everyone turns around in their places to see where it's coming from. I find myself swearing under my breath at that point, as I struggle to find my phone in my overstuffed bag.
"Hello!".....All I get to hear is an excited rumble which closely resembled my mother's voice.
"Ma, What's wrong? I cant make out anything at all"
"Arey, a wonderful proposal has come for you. The Boy stays in US. He's a computer Engineer and the youngest son of a retired Air Force Wing Commander. His elder brother is married and works in Delhi. The family's absolutely perfect. We have already spoken to them twice over the phone. They want to meet you today in the evening. Their younger son is in Kolkata for a few more days. So they don't want to waste time," my mother manages to gush out all this in practically a single breath.
As I am left reeling under all this information overload, my mother orders me," Visit a Salon before coming home and do something about your hair.....and the phone goes click indicating the end of our conversation.
What happened to the fact that it takes years to find the perfect match?
..............................................................................
Precisely at 8.00 pm sharp we arrive at Calcutta Club to meet the groom and his family.
We seat ourselves comfortably and wait for them to arrive. I have dressed myself in a simple salwar kameez much to my mother's dismay. But i wanted to feel comfortable, after all this was my first meeting with any potential 'Boy's Family.' Hence i didn't want to dress up too much and feel out of place. For me being comfortable and at ease is very important specially when there's an interview about to be conducted soon. My hands feel clammy before every interview, so i am guessing this time too it will be same as well.
As i resign myself to the inevitable that fate has dealt out for me, I find my sister suddenly whispering fervently to me and pointing at someone behind me. I turn around in my seat and end up looking directly into the eyes of an Indian version of an Adonis.
"Didi, it's them" Anisha tries to point out to me.
"Yeah Right! Good Joke....Why on earth would..." my sentence trails off as I find my parents getting up to greet the same group which had Mr Adonis in it.
"Good evening everyone, this is my daughter Aditi," I hear my father saying this to the group.
And in the next second I find everyone staring at me. I somehow manage to let out a weak smile in their general direction as I keep praying that this is not some kind of joke that my fate is playing on me. I mean how can a guy this gorgeous even agree to meet me? Aren't they supposed to reject females like me in a heartless way???
Just as I try and calm myself into thinking that probably Mr. Adonis was just maybe a cousin and the actual guy is outside attending a call or maybe couldn't make it, when my father clears his throat to bring me back to the present ( I hadnt realized i was staring in at him open mouthed while these thoughts were running at the speed of 1GB/second through my mind)
"Aditi, this is Rohit Bose, the guy your supposed to meet"
I turn towards the direction where my father was pointing while introducing and find myself sinking into the depths of his dark eyes again.
I suddenly have this weird sensation and feel myself falling into darkness....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Didi, are you alright?" The anxious face of Anisha peered over me as I realized I was lying prostrate on a sofa with my head on her lap. As my conscience returns a bit more clearly, I notice the face of several people all looking at me with various sets of expressions.
"OMG! Did I actually faint in front of these people?" Shit! Talk about embarrassment. Not to mention that i had fainted right in front of this Greek God! I then totally felt like becoming Sita Mayya so that the earth could open up swallow me completely!.......Oh well atleast it will get me off the hook.
......................................................................................................
I was so sure after the unintentional debacle on my part, these people would totally turn tail and run as far as possible. But I suppose it was just not my day.
So the next thing i know, I was asked to show him around the club. In other words, I had to get to know him.
What I just couldn't understand was why was I being made to feel so inferior to this man purposely, when in the end he would say no in any case? And my confidence level was already quite fragile when it came to men like him! Giving in to the worst that might occur, I followed him through the door which led to the portico.
Man! I could totally feel the heads turning wherever we were going. Naturally they were looking at him. I was practically invisible next to him. This was the man I was supposed to marry??? What were my parents thinking??
Hang on? Have I described my 'might- be beau'?....Oops sorry!
Rohit Bose is 5'11.5. Fair. Has an air of supreme success about him. Can manage to look like a model even in a plain kurta pajama. So far he has displayed nothing but impeccable manners. Apparently has a degree from IIT and then Stanford. Works in one of the biggest blue chip companies in US. He is also the youngest achiever in his company and has got 2 quick promotions within 3 years of joining. Has his own 4000 sq ft flat overlooking the city gardens(complete with a chauffeur, valet and cook). Loves sports of all kind. Oh and can cook the most amazing pasta dishes!
This brings me back to my original question....what is he doing here with me??
Dal main zaroor kuch kala hai!
Am sure he is one of those people you read about in the papers, who marry sidhi sadhi Indian girls to use them as maids in US and most of the time they are usually already married to a firangi but agrees to take on an Indian bride just to please their parents.
But main bhi apni baap ki beti nehi if i don't first tell him a few home truths about marrying a girl for the wrong reasons! Huh!
