Chapter 3: chapter 3

Mowri stood in the middle of the courtyard of her house and just stood there with her mouth wide open. It looked as if someone was getting married with all the decorationsthat were being put into place. Her house was a typical Punjabi haveli with wide courtyard in the middle and the house Wrapped around it. There were two main entrances. One a huge wooden door that opened to the main road and a small arched open entrance that took you to the courtyard.There were two swings and various seating arrangements. In pleasant weather they all sat together in the courtyard and spent timehaving morning or evening tea sometimes even meals. The main sitting room was off to the right. The bedrooms were mostly upstairs except for two rooms which weredownstairs. One was biji's room and the other was a guest room. However there were three guestrooms upstairs too. Each room opened to a porch that surrounded the courtyard so in other words it didn't matterwhich room you were in the door opened to the courtyard. It was a big, traditional house with terraces and balconies and porches. She loved it here. No matter how many peoplecame to visit there was always room without feeling crunched.Anyway, now that she was here she couldn't see any of her family menmbers. She decided to pay biji a visit first. She knocked onthe door and entered. Biji was sitting on the couch and talking over the phone with someone. As she entered Biji looked at the clock and shook her head in disapproval.What? Mowri thought. It was only one and it wasn't her fault the train was late. She made a face and sat on the other couch. Biji's room had an extra sitting room attached to it.This way when she was resting nobody could see into her private space. And every time she hada visitor they would sit here and not on her bed. One of the walls in the room was lined with lots of photographs. The top row had photos of the ten gurus of Sikhism. Thenext were the photos of their ancestors. And the third row were photos of various sizes. Biji's kids, their wedding photographs, hergrandkids and the latest was of Kuldeep's wedding from last year. Quite a family tree biji had for display in her sitting room.Mowri heard a clank. Biji had put the phone down."You are late," she said in disapproval.Mowri rose and hugged her grandmother."Blame it on the train. It was late," she said."I am glad you are here," biji said in a no nonsense tone, "now come I have to tell you about the boy," she said, "did you meet anybody else on your way in," she asked as she rose and walked into her bedroom.Mowri followed seeing no choice."No," she replied."They must have gone into hiding knowing you were coming," biji said with a sly smile."I don't care what they are up to biji and about that boy." Mowri said, "I came only because you asked me to, I am not saying yes and if possible I don't want to see him either,"she told her grandmother."Nonsense," biji said as she sat down on her bed and adjusted her pillows, "every girl wants to know who she is getting married to," she said."I am not getting married biji," Mowri said exasperatedly.What would it take to make bijiunderstand? Agreed life moves on andone must move with it and she had, in her own way she was just not into being in a relationship. Whatever had happened all those years ago was in the past and she was not a fool to think othervwise but she just couldn't bring herself to accept a man in herlife. Her trust had taken a beating and she hadn't forgiven anyone over it. At least not yet."Nonsense," biji said as she sat leaning back on her pillows and facing her, "every girl wants to get married," she said and just as Mowri opened her mouth to protest that statement waved her off with her hand,"they have reached Ambala and will be here around four same time as Sameer's parents will be arriving so be ready. I have asked Nimmi to take care of your appearance todayand there is not going to be any argument over this. She will make sure you and Kulraj are ready on time and are looking your best now beware of a few things before I tell you about the boy." she said. "First thing you willnot wear your bathroom slippers like the other time, two you will behave in a decentmanner and not grill the boy, three don't use that sharp tongue of yours to intimidate him, four don't harass the poor fellow so he leaves here in tears, five if you are asked a question respond nicely keep your sarcasmto yourself, six keep those claws sheathed and dont make fun of the guy, understood,"biji said.Mowri nodded. Was she being givena choice here? This was SO not fair."Oh, and I don't want the boy to comerunning with a pitcher on his head," she said as if she had just remembered."Biji he was asking for it," Mowri saidannoyed, "who in the first meeting says his parents had spent their entire money for his education so how am I going to compensateit? Besides his Ernglish was atrocious," she said defensively."Okay, the rules I just listed, follow those no matter what he says," biji said, "but he won't say anything of the sort and that fool was your mother's choice not mine. Trust mine and you will never regret it. Now, about the boy, he is thirty three years old, in the army and is currently posted inPathankot. His father is a retired Brigadier but he does some consulting job Sarla told me, exactly what I can't recall. He has one younger brother who is in Bangalore andmakes computers," she said and Mowri raised an eyebrow 'makes computers' she thought,"Sarla, the mother was a teacher before she left her job some years back. In all very nice and progressive people. I have seen the boy he is polite and very good looking too," shesaid with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes."What will I do with his looks if his brain doesn't match up," Mowri replied, "and why do you keep calling him a boy he is thirty three that makes him a man," Mowri Corrected."And I am eighty one years old that makes me ancient," biji retorted, "he is a boy compared to me," she said, "as for his brains you don't have to fry them but for your consolation he has plenty" she said as if tiredof Amrit's fuss.Mowri wasn't sure. Army people lived by different rules, their lifestyle was totally different even if he was a nice man and under pressure she did say yes which was highly unlikely then how would she adjust. And her nature. How much could she really control who she was or what she had become? She looked at biji who waswatching her."Does he know about my past?" she asked."I don't know if his mother told him but she knows and despite that she has accepted this alliance. As I said they are progressive and they are the kind of family where you wouldthrive Amrit," biji said and caught her hand in hers, "I will never deliberately send you in a family where I know you will never be able to adjust," she said gently, "just trust me on this one," she said, "and as far as pasts areconcerned we all have one it just depends what holds weightage for you," she said smartly.Mowri didn't know how to respond. Thiscould be one of her grandmother's tricks but as she looked into the older woman's eyes she knew biji was serious. She sighed andnodded."Alright then," biji said in her usualbrusque tone, "off you go, I will ask Sukhi to send your lunch to your room and inform the others you are here. Eat and then get ready, it is already one forty," she said. Mowri rose from the bed and shook her head.One just never could be sure about biji. Just a second ago her tone was all gentle and kindand coaxing and now that she had agreed she was back to being herself. Hitler."What is the name of this gem you have found for me?" Mowri asked as she was aboutto go out the room."Arnab Malhotra," biji said and smiled.Damn, if she would ever be able to get as good as this woman. She picked up her bag and went upstairs. She just hoped she could trust biji because after what had happenedthe last time she wasn't sure what she would do if that trust was broken again.**********