"You might have to learn too Kushi," Anjali suggested, taking another generous serving of rasam over hot rice. "They will charge you an arm and leg for everything, once they know you are an outsider."
She looked up from her meal, hearing Harsha let out a snigger. "The way she looks, she will be an outsider di."
She coughed taking in a sip of water and saw Harsha's face turn the hue of embarrassment. "I mean, if she looks like that - fair skin and all, notwithstanding her language skills, she'll always be an outsider." Harsha managed, inviting more attention from his friend, and had him turn his way with a raised brow. As weariness removed Anjali from the conversation, Kushi searched her husband's face for any offense and found him conceal a mocking smile with the bandaged hand, the act confirming his friend's ingenuousness.
Harsha raised his eyebrows, a glint of surprise in his eyes over his spectacular slip.
"But there are worse evils than being overcharged at the market place," Harsha picked up from where they had left, recovering from his trespasses. "You tell them you are his wife - there are a few, who won't sell you anything to begin with. People either love him or hate him."
He caught on, in a mild attempt to retaliate against his friend. "And you tell anyone you are with ACP Harsha, they might beat you up, to get back at him, for all times he's offended them, verbally or otherwise."
Even as Harsha was readying himself for the retort, the sound of footfall wading into the dining room, caught everyone's attention. Harsha's face was overcome with a sudden stiffness, while her husband, held a pleased smile at her appearance and waved at the woman walking in. With her large headphones, still playing a loud tune, her severely chopped off hair in a crew cut and her knee high shorts, gave her the airs of a grown-up tomboy, who was reluctant to embrace her womanhood.
And yet, her absorbing presence exuded the sense that she was of another class of women, who would always stand to defy any definition that came their way.
"And what about me?" she chirped, winking and mouthing a quick hello at Anjali.
"Oh! forget the people," Harsha snorted, "the government will have to get involved then and deport you out of the country."
Their new guest, rolled her eyes in mock contempt. Arnav shook his head, as if it was an everyday scene he was already tired of.
"Chup!" Anjali chided, as if they were all only noisy children. "Its only her first day here. And do you all intend to make her feel she's made the biggest mistake of her life, by marrying into this household?"
She broke into a smile, just then, but as her husband caught hers with an appraising eye, she quietened.
"It's a little late for such regrets, don't you think di?" he said, smiling, giving away none of that pronounced sarcasm in his tone.
She held his gaze for a moment longer, before returning to her plate, pretending that his ridicule was only that - a joke on being newly wed.
After a quick exchange of pleasantries between her and the guest, who introduced herself as Nina and that she was Arnav's friend from college, she went to stand next to her husband. "You can eat later, Arnav," she commanded. "Let me do your bandages quickly. I need to get back to the hospital," she said, opening up her backpack to take out a small first-aid box.
50