Chapter 4

Marybarton

@Marybarton

Part 3:

Aryan stood by the door welcoming the guests with his mother and sister. He had made sure that all the dignitaries working at Imlie's new field were also invited.

Didi: Nice of you to get all the ambassadors.

Aryan: It's important for her career that she's seen. It's politics. She needs to be seen to be picked.

Didi smiled: You thought of everything. And what happens if and when she's picked?

Aryan: She might get better government postings, as she deserves. What the...?

The Tripathis were at the entrance. Aparna Tripathi led the way.

Aryan's mother bid her greetings.

Aparna: Namaste. Bohot himmat karke aye hai hum. Ab Imlie toh hamari bahu nehi rahi, but we came to wish Imlie as our daughter, izzazat hai? (Greetings, we came despite our hesitations. Imlie is no longer our daughter-in-law, but we wanted to come wish her as our daughter. Will you permit it?).

Ma looked at Aryan, worried.

Aryan: Aapke bete aur bahu bhi saat hai? (Did your son and daughter-in-law come with you?)

Aparna looked away: Nehi (no).

Aryan: Toh, ayeea. Swagat hai, aap saabka (Then, come in. Welcome to you all). Imlie is in the main hall just behind you, she will be happy to see you all.

Aparna walked in with the family: Thank you, beta. Tumhe hire ki kadar hai. Humesha khush raho. (Thank you, son. You know a diamond's value. Blessings to you).

Later in the evening...

The performances by the kids from the anath ashram continued as sangeet carried on along with mehendi. The giggle and chatter was at its height as people enjoyed the food and henna tattoos.

Aryan went over to see how the bridal mehendi was progressing.

Imlie looked up and saw Aryan. She grabbed his hand with her free one and dragged him down on the cushion next to her.

Aryan: What!?

Imlie, conspiringly: You invited them?

Aryan: They came uninvited.

Imlie, thoughtfully: Well...it was nice to see them.

Aryan looked around: Are they still here?

Imlie: No, they left quickly after wishing me, but I insisted that Rupi Didi at least stays for the festivities. She's getting her mehendi with Arpita Di over there.

Aryan: You should invite them, if you want to.

Imlie: I will just ask Rupi Di. I don't think the whole family will come. They just wanted to wish me. But I want Rupi Di here as my sister. Wait...where is your mehendi?

Aryan, gruffly: Mujhe thori hi lagana hai (I don't have to apply it). It's for you.

Imlie: Hello? I am not getting married alone. You have to have it too.

Aryan started to get up: I don't want to, it looks unprofessional.

Imlie glared at him: Sit right here. Didi, aap kisi aur ko bulaiyye na? Inko bhi lagana hai. (Sister, please call over someone else? We want to apply henna on him too).

Henna artist: Yeh dulha hai na (he's the groom, right)?

Imlie sighed sarcastically: Haan...unfortunately. Yehi mila mujhe. One piece. Koi rang nehi hai inme. Bas, ek hi mauka hai aaj, inpe rang lagane ke liye. (Yes...unfortunately. Just got him. Unique. He has no color. Now is my chance to add some color to him).

Aryan: Excuse me?

Imlie: Zaara dur jana...wahan baitho aur mehendi lagao. Jao. (Please go sit a little further off and apply henna there. Go).

Aryan, annoyed: Kyun (why)?

Imlie: Because I told you so. Yeh naam lekhenge mere haat toh mein ab. Tumhe nehi dekhna. (She is going to write your name on my hand now. You can't see it).

Aryan: Oh, please. Woh toh mujhe hi find karna hai na? (Oh please. I am the one who has to find it eventually).

The henna artist smirked: Haan, lekin suhaag raat mein, abhi nehi, Bhaiyya. (Yes, but on your wedding night, not now, Brother).

That shut them both up and they avoided looking at each other for a considerable part of the evening.

Sattyakam eventually came with tons of presents for Imlie and Aryan. Amma and Sattyakam sat by her for most of the evening - looking at her with eyes full of hope and pride.

Sattyakam gave Aryan "ek sikka" (one penny) telling him that it represented his luck, in other words, his daughter, and Aryan was to take good care of her. He thanked Aryan for seeing Imlie's worth and not judging her. Aryan assured him that he knew Imlie long enough to know that she could do no wrong.

Imlie barged in: That's what I always say. But you never tell me I could do no wrong.

Amma: Imliya!

Aryan: Oh, there's plenty you do wrong, just not the ones that matter.

The guests eventually filtered out as the night wore on. Aryan walked some of the senior guests out himself and accepted their congratulations as Imlie sat back awkwardly holding her arms out in the air.

As the last of the guests left, the staff closed the door and the parents retired for the evening.

Aryan groaned: I can't believe people volunteer for this punishment.

Arpita Didi: This is what social people do. They hang out. Meet people. Eat. Party. That's how weddings go. Aab toh baas shuru huwa hai. Kitne functions abhi baki hai. (It's just the beginning. There are so many events left).

Aryan looked at his palm: It's exhausting.

Didi: You think this is exhausting... Go look at Imlie's state. Bechari (poor girl) has been sitting like that for hours getting the henna on. Now she has to stay like that most of the night to let it take on it's full color.

Aryan: Are nehi nehi. Koi zaroorat nehi hai. (No no, there's no need for that) I will go tell her to wash it off.

Didi pulled him back by the collar: You will do no such thing. It's accha shagun (good luck) to have a deep mehendi color.

Aryan: But she can't sit like that all night like a puppet with her hands in the air.

Didi: Oh ho! Itna pyaar aa raha hai? (Feeling the love, huh?)

Aryan looked away: Di, please.

Didi smiled: Concerned hai, toh pyaar zatana bhi seekh le. Help karna chahata hai uski? Toh mere saath chal. Tu nimbu pani lagane me madath kar dena uski. (If you are concerned, learn to show the love. You want to help her? Then, come with me. You can help her by applying the lemon juice).

Aryan: Haan? Ek aur rasam baki hai? (What? There's one more ritual left?)

Didi: Rasam nehi hai. Woh mehendi ki color set karne mein madat karta hai. Aur mehendi tabh dry hoke hurt nehi karti saari raat. (It's not a ritual. It helps the henna take on color. And the henna doesn't dry up and irritate the skin all night).

Imlie had dozed off on the cushions as things went quiet around her. But now, a strange warm sensation on her hands reminded her that she was supposed to be alert...

Imlie scrambled: He Sita Maiyya, mehendi mess ho geyi!!! (Oh goddess, my henna got messed up!!!)

Aryan sat back: You startled me! Kuch nehi hua hai (nothing happened). Go back to sleep.

Imlie squinted: What are you doing with that cotton ball? Don't mess up my design!

Aryan, gritted out: I am NOT messing it up! It's drenched with warm lemon water, to help with the coloring. It's supposed to soothe the dryness.

Imlie: Itna saab kuch pata hai tumhe? Kaha se sikha hai? (You know all this? Where did you learn it?)

Aryan, seriously: It's common knowledge. Now, sit still, I am going to go around you and apply it on your arms.

Didi clicked a few pictures of Aryan applying the lemon water with a huge smile on her face and quickly went to upload it online. If Aryan knew about his soft-side going on display, he would never let her do it. She had to be fast.

The next morning...

Malini opened her Instagram and was bombarded with the same pictures over and over on her newsfeed. The worst one was of Aryan Singh Rathod sitting with a dozing Imlie between his legs, applying some kind of ointment on her arms with great concentration. Malini's blood boiled seeing Imlie land on her feet like that. Imlie had a career in government now. She had graduated at the top of her class and now she was getting married to the wealthiest man in the region. Damn it! Did no one care that she was an illegal village girl?

Malini looked at the comments. "Lucky girl!" "Haye, kaash koi hume e bhi itna pyaar karta (wish someone loved me this much)..." "Yeh larka kitna cute hai (this boy is so cute) smiley42 " "Groom of the year! smiley27 " "Jealous of this girl. smiley31 He cares so much!" "Lovely couple! Makes you believe in love again. Nazar na lage, thu thu thu (hope no bad looks befall them, spit spit spit) " "Cuteeeee.... smiley28 "

Malini threw the phone on the couch, narrowly missing Aditya typing on his laptop. He was looking more miserable than usual, no points for guessing why.

Aditya glared at Malini and got up to leave in silence.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Some of those comments are from actual Arylie posts.

Index (thanks to SundariP)

Part 1

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/159734452

Part 2

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/159745711

Part 3

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/159754967

Part 4

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/159763228

Part 5