Bridal Interview.

Tension of family over the shoulder of one young lady.

Oh God its 2pm..
I'm late Bindhu, can you please drop me home?

"I'm sorry honey, boss will be angry, I need to deliver this package to his wife, he ordered."

Its okay, I'll go myself, see you. Mom will so furious, she told me to be home in time, schedule is heavy I forgot her words. My phone is vibrating...

"Hello Rekha, where are you? I told you to be in home before 1:30pm, what is wrong with you? Do you want us to get embarrassed? Where have you been still working in that stupid cabin with coffee?"

I'm sorry I had work so...

The other side sister took the phone, " Its okay Rekha, fine just bring some sweets and flower, I have prepared snaks for guests and a lot of drinks is in fridge, only short is sweet better bring it from sweet shop. Delhiwala has pretty good sweets so choose yourself anyone, no matter it'll be good and fresh. Don't worry I'll take care of here including mom, be cool."

I forget the thing that I have an interview in home, I'm just a nerd and not interested in it at all, but family never supports me in this. Mom, OMG she'll never stop her tear until I say, 'I agreed'. Such a punishment for doing nothing. Interview means trail for girls, there comes a lot of tradition, I have to wear saree, comb hair neatly and flower is mandatory. In a way or two its just a cattle business because they scrutinize the girls, her left hand will be seen its called rekha reading, they watch us from head to toe. They can ask and check whatever they want, what about boys? I'm so tired of it. They are out of these examinations. God help me, I'm in need of an auto but its saturday, its not easy to get in here.

Whow, how can I forget Rahim chacha? Such a stupid I am. I have phone in hand and contacts....
Hello Rahim chacha I need to go home soon could you pls help me?
"Zaroor beti, where are you?"
I'm near to my school only.
" Okay I have passangers and your chachi is here, so you got to adjust with them."
Sure chacha.

Finally I got the transportation thank God. I come to the main road so that chacha can see me easily, well he finds me even in scarf. Its summer everyone wears scarf to protect from sunrays, today I forget my handglouse and socks, I had no time to wear today. Whenever I take headbath I get less time to cover the things and work to be done, I have very long hair which takes minimum an hour of time to clean up. In summer it becomes a tuffest task to manage, itself hair take a lot of time to get dry and hair dryer is not working today, but this swet makes my hair to get wet again.

Its an auto, hmmm chacha's. Hi chacha how are you?
"I'm fine beti, how are you and how about bhai jaan and bhabhi?"
Yeah everybody is fine chacha, oh chachi how are you? By the way you have gone to town?
"Yes, Shabana's villege her baby is now of 5 months."

Shabana is my childhood friend and we were neighbours, she is also a teacher but in her village, before that we worked together in our school only. She teaches social studies and I teach science.

"Why you need to go home soon beti, any reason?" Chachi asked.

I have an interview.

"Oh this is the matter, beti you need to take anything else for that?" Chacha inquired.

Yeah, I need to take sweets the rest is made in home only and flowers. My face is swetting because of scarf, its okay in 10 minutes I'll be in home. I thought to open it but the guy next to chachai looks eager to see my face, but I don't like to show him. Fine its Delhiwala sweet shop, I don't know what to take? Uncle which one is fresh among these?

"Oh ho dear, all that here is fresh, how is your father? He hasn't been here few days, what about your interview, Doodpedha, when you will give me a huge order for your marriage."

Don't know uncle but now I'm taking for that only, wish me luck I have an interview.

"This is the matter Doodpeda, arey bring me pedha here."

Uncle took a pedha and put it in my mouth, saying good luck. He calls me Doodpeda since I'm a little child, till now he treats me like that only. As a kid I was chubby and fair. I took flowers and finally reached the home, mom may be angry. When I enter the home, sister told me to be gentle and cool, mother is tensed, just give her a hug and a kiss, everything will be fine.

Hi mom, I'll be ready in 5 min please take it easy, I hugged her and place a kiss on her cheek. She is tensed, everytime I have interview, she looses her strength, her only concern is my marriage. My sissy got married when she is 22, I'm 27 after a month it'll be 28 a woman now, after two years a spinster. For me age doesn't matter, what matters is person. I'm in confusion whom to choose, I have no firm imagination for my future husband, all that I want is to be loved that's it. Not that I have ugly face, I'm pretty good to see with good qualification, the problem is my heart. It keeps quite until I see the guy, after that there will be a war only regarding acceptance or non-acceptence.

My heart rebels if I find no interest in guy, that looks like I'm showing arrogant attitude towards guys, my family feels it that way. Indeed nothing like that, myself I find no reason to reject the proposal, let me see what happens. This time mom chose me a pink zari work sari and I wore it, sister commented princess is ready to rebel like a bull. My mother with tear in her eyes tried to convince me to accept this proposal.

In my solitude I feel like there is no stop for such interviews there is no exception to my life, until I knot in a marriage bond. I have to stop it, I got to convince my heart nothing lasts forever and tell it to move on with the life. Should I say yes, today? What I need to do? First let me see the guy, later will be decided Yes or No. Father said coming hurrily, only two guys came to see Rekha, just him and his friend.

So this time no cattle business fine, let me know what the guys will do alone. Sister arranged plates of snacks and my sister's daughter is with me, telling jokes about how the guy looks in green shirt, and his friend is looking smart in lavender color shirt. Have I seen that shirt today? I think I saw in auto who sit by the side of Rahim chacha and green... yes the guy next to chachi wore green shirt only, are those guys came my home to see me now?

I'm called by my father, with me Srusti is there, my sister's daughter. When I see him, I'm shocked, yes this is that guy only, we all came together in auto. Its okay he hasn't seen me as I'm in scarf. I just see his shirt not him, I have attended many interviews, yet I haven't seen a single guy directly. My father asked him a few questions just formal, about his designation, whereabouts and his name, his name is Kiran. Lavender shirt guy got a call so he has gone outside to take the call, I'm suppose to leave the hall that guy asked my dad to talk to me in privacy. My father said yes and leave us alone.

He said hi, I gotta see his face, I mean I have to face him to say hi back. He is okay, not so good not so bad, he asked where I completed my education, where I'm doing my job, my aim, dream and expectations. I'm really amazed when I heard all these questions, its like my heart is happy and let me give him a smile. We talked a little I feel I should leave now.

As soon the guys left the home, my parents, sister came to my room to ask about my decision. "Is he okay? Do you agree? What he talked..?"
Please give me sometime to think about it, I have headache. Everyone left the room in dispair. I don't know what to say, I have soft corner for that Kiran, is he okay? That I couldn't decide. I fall asleep its noon, at evening mom woke me up, she needs to know about my decision. She is hasty, father gives my space to think. Then we gotta a call to landline, its from Kiran's house saying yes to this proposal they asked for our decision too, dad took time.

God tomorrow is sunday punishment for me, always my decision creats storm in everyone, they will be surely against to it, if I say no. I took a nap at noon and there is a tension in mind so I couldn't sleep all the night, my decision has no time if once sunny comes out. Its 10am nobody woke me up, why? I just opened my eyes fully I see all the famiy sitting next to me to listen my Yes. Good morning everyone, I said. Srusti said aunt Rekha, everybody is waiting for your answer, well guys I don't know what to decide but its okay, I mean I feel okay.

"So its a okay, its a yes." My mom said.

I haven't said my firm okay or yes but she starts to dance in happiness. Should I stop her, no let her to continue, I have no option, have to get marry one day today or tomorrow, I feel Kiran is okay and feels him a little responsible. Day simply passed of that okay, have I done anything wrong or its a right decision.?

Its monday my rountine is as usual, I go to school, I'm damn sure Bindhu has lot of questions to ask, I have no choice but to answer.

"Hi Rekha, whats the story?"She asked.

As expected, Yes is there.

"Wow, congrats its party time." in excitement she said.

Yeah sure, I feel he is okay, his name is Kiran, he runs the business of textile, I have no more information.

" Its okay, it doesn't matter, what matters is your 'YES'. I'm really bored to see your 'NO' since college days. I don't know what spell you have had on guys that all fell for you only and you were always ready to break their heart. I think you had never realised how it feels when you broke their fragile heart. Let it just how many proposals you got in college days. I and Shabana might have one or two not more than that, what about yours?"

Its just past let it Bindhu, its all done now and its all are closed chapters now. I almost forget what happened in college. Well how is your fiance, tell him hi on my behalf.

"Hello, book warm and nerdy girl I know your memory storage is good, you don't have any escape. Don't dare to change the matter."

I have 17 stories to tell its not a day story to tell.

" Fine we have free lunch hours, so everyday you'll tell one story, if its too long then also it'll be covered in a month only. My marriage is after two months."

Okay, if you wish to kill your precious time means, I can't help it.