Dilbaro
Today was the day.
With a wide grin, Imarti adjusted her dupatta so that it didn't slip off her head. With her middle finger, she carefully pressed it underneath her eye to collect some kajal. Smiling, she applied it on the side of her neck.
"Kissi ki nazar na lage tujhe Imarti." She spoke to her reflection.
"Tyaar hogi?" Her mother called, opening the door and walking in.
"Haanji." Imarti answered, turning around.
"Haaye, kissi di nazar na lage." Her mother exclaimed, swiping her own kajal.
Imarti laughed. "Mein nazar uthar chuki aa already."
"Haan pher ki hoya. Mein ni laa sakti? Aa ithe." Her mother beckoned.
Imarti happily leaned forward. Her mother took a moment to lovingly rub a hand over head, and admire the beautiful child who was to be solely hers for just a few more hours.
"Ufho Mama, tussi na hon emotional na ho jayeo." Imarti said, turning around to face the mirror once more.
"Kyun na hova? Dhi da vyiah va. Aaj emotional ni hongi phir kehdo hongi?"
"Mere jaan toh baad. Mere honde huye koi hanju ni digne chayde." Imarti answered sternly.
"Changa, hon aaye moonh na bana." Her mother requested, adjusting her own bindi.
Imarti grinned.
"Oh Imarti di maa. Kudi tyaar huyi aa keh nayi?" Her father called, standing outside the door.
"Andar aa ke dekh lo." Imarti stood up, walking towards him.
He froze for a moment. Seeing his child dressed as a bride made things all too real for him. His little Imarti was now all grown up. So much so, she was going to go away from him forever.
"Aa ki Papa." Imarti wiped her father's cheeks. "Ron kahto lage."
"Tu.." He choked.
Off to the side, her mother sniffled as well.
"Mama hon tussi na shuru ho jao." Imarti rebuked. "Chalo, mein na ek kam kardi aa. Mein shaadi cancel kar deni aa."
Her parents were stunned.
Stammering, her father asked, "Kyun?" Then with a slight edge to his voice, he asked, "Oh Hanuman ne kuch keh tenu?"
Imarti was stunned. "Come on Papa. Oh meinu ki keh sakte aa. Mein tha taa kehni aa," She stepped forward to fix his pagdi, "kyunki mein ghar vich kahto jaa va, jera mere Papa nu inna rulave?" With a smirk, she raised her brows.
"Chal hat." Her mother swatted her joke away with a hand. "Eh hi ji galan uthe na karn lag jayi."
Imarti laughed. "Hor koi advice? Nayi hon das do. Aa hi sayi time aa na eh cheeja dasan da."
"Hadh aa. Tussi ehnu kuch kehnde kyun ni?"
"Mein ki kehna?" Her father retorted. "Meri kudi aa. Sartaj Chautala di." He puffed his chest and spoke with pride. "Ehnu saara paata va."
"Haan haan, ghar vich mein hi nikami aa."
"Eh hon tussi keh va, mein nayi." Imarti's father said, raising a hand.
Her mother glared at Sartaj while Imarti tried to hide her laughter behind her hand.
"Ni suno, time hogaya." Imarti's massi informed.
"Aane aa." Sartaj answered. "Thoda sabar rakh."
Imarti's heart quickened. In just a few hours, she will be a transformed woman. She looked at her father, eager to go but stopped. A strange stillness had descended upon the room.
"Papa, tussi teekh ho?" Imarti quietly asked, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Haan." He sighed with a shaky breath.
"Keve teekh ho ge?" Her mother countered. "Thodi dher ch tu sanu chad dena. Sadi sari rang ronak, tere naal chal jaogi."
A heaviness fell on Imarti's heart. "Tussi eh da kato kehne aa? Mein aandi jaandi raongi. So tussi please aa rona chad do."
"Teri baut yaad aao gi Imarti." Her father broke into a sob.
Imarti's eyes stung. She immediately grabbed him into a tight embrace, and tried to stop her own tears from falling.
"Oh sambalo ji." Her mother came forward and collected him from Imarti's arms. "Kudi nu hone rula do. Sujia hoya moonh leke jaa ve avde sahure samne?"
"Aur nayi tha ki. The tussi jandi hi ho Papa. Police wale aa. Uthe hi saari questioning karn lag jaoge." Imarti reasoned, wiping away his tears. "Thanu pata meinu ki lagda. Hon tha aapa kudian nu puchan lag gaye ki oh vyiah vase tyaar aa keh nayi. Par koi kudi de pyioh nu vi tha puch le. Oh tyaar aa avdi dhi nu avde toh dur pejan vase?"
"Pher ta hogaya vyiah." Sartaj said, earning a wet chuckle from Imarti.
She hugged her father tightly, knowing that the next time she did it, it won't be as just his daughter.
"Chal." Her father patted her on the back. "Chaliye. Time hogaya."
Imarti smiled. With both her parents by her side, she walked out the door and towards the future that awaited her.
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