Chapter 5

Marybarton

@Marybarton

I translated all the Hindi in the last part, if anyone wants to see it again. This is for Manal as it was her request for translations.

Part 4:

Aryan felt the luxurious weight of Imlie against his chest. She sleepily leaned on him as he applied the lemon water on her arms. Her hair smelled so nice...

Vrrrrrrrrr....!!!

He squinted at the noise coming from a distance. Where was he?

Butler: Oh! Sorry, sir. We didn't know anyone was here in the hall. We were just cleaning up from last night...sorry sir, sorry!

Aryan rubbed his eyes and peered around: It's alright, Manjeet. Take...take your time. Let me just get her first.

The butler clasped his gloved hands and quickly stepped back with the vacuum.

Aryan looked at Imlie lying against the cushions next to him, deep in sleep. Her arms out in both directions, poor thing.

Aryan smiled looking at the state of her disheveled hair against all the glittering decadence of her lehenga. He picked a glittering Imlie up in his arms.

She awoke a little.

Imlie murmured: Euh...gila haiiii...(it's wet...)

Aryan smiled: Ab tak gila nehi hai (the henna is not wet anymore). You are all done now, let's get you sorted.

Imlie: Nehi...mehendi (no...henna).

Aryan: Mehendi gila nehi hai ab tak (The henna is not wet still). You kept it all night. Let's wash it all off now.

Aryan held her hand under the warm water of the tap and lightly scrubbed off the dried henna paste.

Imlie groaned, trying hard to stay up.

Imlie: It's a lot of work.

Aryan: You can say that again. Now, let's see how it came out...

Imlie snatched her hand back, splattering him with water: You can't!

Aryan sighed: Ok, right, I won't read it. The color looks very nice. Did you do your feet too?

Imlie, sleepily: Nehi...hamare yaha atla lagate hai (No, we put alta where I am from). You know? The red red sa paint?

Aryan, concerned: Oh, did someone get that for you?

Imlie pouted: No, I forgot to ask.

Aryan: Ok, we will go get it after breakfast. How do you feel? You feel up to it?

Imlie: Mujhe kya hona hai? (What should happen to me?) I am fine.

Aryan: But you slept on the ground last night. I should have taken you to your room. Are you sore?

Imlie laughed: I am fine! You think this is the first time I slept on the ground? (She smirked) It was YOUR first time on the ground! Wasn't it?

Aryan looked straight at her: I have been in the army boot camp, madam. I can rough it.

Imlie: Oh right, I forgot. Who can forget your bootcamp-inspired lessons?

Everyone was seated at the table waiting for them at breakfast when Imlie and Aryan finally walked in, dressed in white...

Ma exclaimed: Oh, Imlie! Your mehendi! How beautiful it look!?

Amma beamed: Sach mein, bohot accha rang charha hai! Bohot acche shagun hai. (Really, it came out so red. That's very good luck.)

Arpita: Ana hi tha! (Had to happen). Don't you know how Aryan sat up all night taking care of her?

Everyone burst out laughing. Aryan and Imlie looked around puzzled.

Imlie: What's so funny?

Daddah shoved a smartphone in her direction: Yee dekho (look at this), you two are famous now!

Imlie's jaw dropped: What...?

Aryan grabbed the phone, livid: DIDI!!! How could you post this!?

Arpita shrugged: I just did, UNB, what will you do about it?

Aryan looked angrily from Arpita to his mother: Ma! You can't encourage this! I didn't even know when this picture was being taken!

Ma, cluelessly: Toh kya hua...(so what...) you both look so cute in it. Aur kitna likes hai iss mein. So many likes!

Aryan, frustrated: This is a violation of my privacy.

Arpita mocked: Violations of my privacyyyy... So sue me.

Aryan looked at Imlie: I am sorry about this.

Sattyatam: Sorry kis baat ka, babuwa? (Why sorry, my boy?) It's a nice picture. Arpita beti didn't mean any harm.

Amma: Comments toh dekhiye (look at the comments)! Everyone loved it.

Aryan looked wearily at Imlie for a reaction. Did she mind? Being pictured this intimately with him? That too for the world to see on social media?

Imlie: It's a nice picture. What's the big deal?

Aryan, surprised: You...you don't mind?

Imlie, perplexed: Why should I mind?

Aryan cooled down, unable to find support at his table: Okay...next time, ask me first, Didi.

Arpita made a face: Ha! As if I need your permission to do anything.

Ma: Ok, behave, both you! Our new family not use to your fights.

Arpita and Aryan: Sorry.

Amma nodded, smiled and sipped her tea. Sattyakam hesitated.

Ma: Something wrong, Sattyakam saab (sir)?

Sattyakam: If you give permission, Samdhanji, hum dono Imlie or Aryan babu ka haldi ki kaapde dena chahenge (we would like to gift Imlie and Aryan's haldi attires). It probably won't be as nice as what you are used to...but we would like to do a little something for our daughter's wedding. If you don't mind...

Ma, apologetically: Nehi nehi, don't say that! Of course. Aapko joh thik laage, aap dijiye. Hume koi aitraaj nehi. Hai na, Arro? (You give whatever you feel like. We have no objections. Right, Arro?).

Aryan suddenly felt guilty about the difference in status that was causing this hesitation: Of course! I will be honored to wear whatever you see fit.

Imlie smiled, noticing her new family's thoughtfulness and respect for her parents. She knew this was not easy for her proud Daddah, he and Amma really must have wanted to do something special, but were hesitating because of the vast difference between their ability and Aryan's family's. If the difference between her modest background and Babusaheb's was a world apart, this was galaxies apart. She hadn't given that much thought. This family never made her feel out of place.

Daddah: Imliya come with me, I will give you the gift and you two can go pick your own outfits. Imlie got up and left with her Daddah.

In the guest room...

Daddah: Will this be enough for two outfits?

Imlie: Enough? This is more than enough! Why do you have to spend so much? Just give me half this and I will manage outfits for everyone in the family from Sarojini market!

Daddah: Nehi! We want to give you both something decent. Aryan babu is a big guy, we don't want to embarrass him unwittingly. Don't worry about everyone else's. Your Amma got your sister-in-law and your mother-in-law handloomed saris from Pakdandiya. They are very beautiful. And don't go to the budget market. Get something nice for you and Jamaibabu, thik hai (all right)? Don't shrimp! I know we can't afford designer things like them, but there has to be a middle ground somewhere...you know best, bittiya (girlie).

Imlie got teary at Daddah's humbleness and hugged him hard: You must have worked so hard for this.

Daddah: Of course I did, it's my only child's wedding.

Imlie: I am happy you are out, Daddah!

Daddah: Well, that's thanks to you, Ms. Magistrate. So thank you toh banta hai, hai na? (Thank you is warranted, isn't it?).

Imlie nodded through tears and hugged him again.

On the way to the shopping mall, Aryan drove the car as Imlie talked non-stop with Didi at the back...

Imlie turned around from the passenger seat to look at Arpita: So what if we did a two-color theme!? Yellow and lilac.

Arpita, animatedly: Mustard flowers of your village with Aryan's favorite lavender! YES! Oh...(she clutched both hands together) this is brilliant!

Imlie pouted: But won't it be short notice for the events manager?

Arpita: Don't worry about that. I will double the pay for any last minute changes, if they come up.

Imlie smiled sadly to herself. Rich people really could have anything they wanted without the slightest pushback.

Arpita: Imlie? Where are you lost?

Aryan interrupted: She's thinking how spoiled we are...

Imlie blushed: No, I am not!

Aryan smiled: Don't lie. Your your face is looking guilty. (He shrugged) We may be a bit spoiled, you are not wrong. Ma tells us that all the time, how easy we had it growing up compared to her.

Arpita: Sorry Imlie, if that was insensitive.

Imlie: Nehi Didi, don't apologize. You didn't say anything insensitive. I am just not used to...getting everything like this.

Arpita beamed: We intend to spoil you rotten for your wedding, so get ready.

They arrived at a modest showroom that Imlie looked up online. It was a good bit busier than Arpita and Aryan were used to, but they didn't utter any complaint or even give any indication of being uncomfortable.

Imlie requested and picked some outfits for Aryan to try. Arpita was about to help Imlie select some lavender colored lehengas.

Some girls screamed: Oh! It's her!

Imlie and Arpita looked around, hoping to spot a celebrity.

Aryan walked out pulling at the beige prince-coat: What do you think?

Arpita, slowly: I think there is a celebrity in the market.

Aryan: Huh?

The girls screamed again, ran over and surrounded Aryan and Imlie: He's here too!!! The groom! Oh, is it really you two!?

One of the girls took Imlie's hand and saw the fresh henna color: Yes, it's her! Didi, can we have a selfie?

Imlie, confused: I think you have us confused with some other people...we are not famous...

One of the girls shoved an Instagram picture in their direction: This is you two, right? #IndianBrides? The mehendi wale couple from last night!? You two went viral! So cute! Bhaiyya aapse kitna pyaar karte hai! (Bhaiyya loves you so much!). It's all over social media!

Arpita giggled as the two of them turned beet red. Aryan glared at her, feeling trapped.

Arpita: I made you two famous!

One of the girls: You took the picture, Didi? It was so nice! I shared it with all my friends!

Arpita smiled: Thank you, girls.

Girls: So, group selfie?

Arpita: Sure.

The girls surrounded Aryan and Imlie from both sides, giving them little choice in the matter. They all looked at the camera as the flash went off.

Back in the car...

Aryan, annoyed: I cannot show my face in public again. Thanks to you.

Arpita: Oh please, it wasn't so bad.

Imlie giggled: I feel like a celebrity.

Aryan, frustratedly: That was humiliating! Now those teenagers will place those pictures online too. What will people think? What will my business associates think?

Imlie rolled her eyes: They will think you are human - for a change.

Arpita nodded: That's right. You didn't mind, did you, Imlie?

Imlie smirked: Oh, I love being notorious!

Aryan: That's enough now, let's go get the outfits somewhere remote. I want to get back home as soon as possible and not run into anyone else.

They ran into Aditya at the next mall.

Write to me, please. I like hearing from readers.

Index (thanks to SundariP)

Part 1

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

Part 2

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

Part 3