Uncomfortably, Riddhi smiles and asks, "What does it say?"
Dadi signals her to keep quiet. She's clearly enamored by the drama unfolding in front of her. The mystical aura in the dimly lit room. Shweta grins at Riddhi who smiles back nervously.
"A lot is coming for you in the future. It's all good, don't worry darling. At least most of it. I see that you are going to be doing something tough; engineering or perhaps medical science? It's all good, a bit trying at times, and maybe slightly tough. There is a bit of distraction in the middle; I can only sense it not explain it. A some-what feminine influence that shall lead you to a better path, perhaps. That's all I can say. You will excel but it requires effort." The lady Veenaji says and smiles at Riddhi.
This time, Riddhi smiles back genuinely.
*****************
Three days later, Dadi has set off for her worship tour and the peace has been restored in the household.
Seema is, of course, still infuriated about the visit to the Jyotish and keeps grumbling about it.
"Nonsense. I'd like to slap a case on Veena if the court proceedings weren't so lengthy. Claiming that a ring is going to bring back her period! What idiocy!"
Shweta had of course described the visit in great detail and had gone to lengths to imitate the woman's voice. Seema had assumed that the visit to the Jyotish would just entail reading her daughter's cards or whatever but much to her utter outrage, they had tried to interfere with her ovaries. When she heard the description of the ring, Seema nearly threw a fit. Dadi, had tried to reason, but taking her daughter's gynecological problems to an astronomer had offended every cell of Seema's. And it would be a while before she managed to forgive her mother-in-law for this little stunt.
But today, as the sun streams in, it's a pleasant Thursday evening. Shweta is curled up on the couch with a Sociology book but her heart is fluttering elsewhere. Vaibhav hasn't called in quite a while- it must have perhaps been a scare for him. But she had no way of knowing either. Her mother had taken her cell phone. She had wondered if she ought to contact him but then decided to give him some space. She didn't like the awkward situation her pregnancy scare had put them in, however, she had no choice but to wait. Maybe she would give him a couple of days more before calling him. But then again, he wasn't her boyfriend now, was he? He had technically asked her out, but that didn't mean the same thing as asking someone to be in a relationship, did it? People in movies went out on ten dates but they still claimed to not be in a relationship, didn't they? Mila Kunis in Friends with Benefits didn't call the five-date scumbag surgeon her boyfriend now, did she?
She chews thoughtfully on her lip. Her mother's wrath about her sexual relations has subsided greatly so far and Shweta is relieved. She doesn't know what exactly she would tell Vaibhav if she were to call him. Their last conversation had unsettled her greatly and she was desperate for some form of contact. She had had enough with the drama and was also a bit scared of risking her mother's trust again. She decides to not contact him for a while and stay a bit away from drama. Her heart aches silently for him but she isn't quite willing to acknowledge it. She misses him more than she's letting herself believe and the absence of his voice has made her feel a little lost and empty. She knows she wants him but the depth of her wanting for his surprises and scares her. Was it okay, that her heart rate sped up when she thought of him? Was this how she was supposed to feel about a casual, almost-relationship? Where was the rulebook when you needed it?
She wasn't sure and for now, she didn't want to find out. She wants to call him and laugh and pretend that nothing so serious has transpired between them. But the way his voice had deepened when he had said, "I'll stand by you." It was almost as if he were hoping for the same things as she was. She commands herself to stop her wishful thinking but she still cannot help but wonder about the thousand and one what ifs- which if they were answered in positive would make her squeal with joy.
She sighs as she wonders how her elder sister managed to be solved. She'd never seen Shruti sit down and ponder about things the way she did. While both of them had a bit of a rebellious streak, Shweta's ran far deeper and got her into more trouble. Shruti had always been calmer and a bit more practical than the headstrong and impulsive Shweta.
"A rupee for your thoughts," Shruti says as she taps her sister on the head and sits down next to her.
"Just thinking. About you. You've got a long life, I guess." Shweta smiles.
"We say people have long lives when you're talking about them and they appear. Not thinking." Shruti says and then adds, "Besides, what were you thinking about me?"
"Just. All this pregnancy drama. I was wondering how you managed to be so sorted. You walk around like you've got your life figure out. And I'm here, making one wrong decision after another. Sometimes, sometimes I wish I were not like this. More like you or Riddhi. You both are so balanced and I'm just a mess." Shweta says, the words falling out in a rush, her exhaustion and aggravation making her say the last few words very loudly.
"Whoa, take back your thoughts, I'll keep my rupee." Shruti jokes.
"No really, tell me." Shweta insists.
"I'm a demi-god, queen of the planet material, Shweta. Why you are such a dimwit to have not figured it out, until now!" Shruti says, dramatically.
"Shruti!" Shweta exclaims and smacks her hard on the belly. "The one time I ask you for advice and all you can do is blow your own trumpet."
"Fine, fine." Shruti relents grinning. "Tell me what you want to know, kid."
"Okay. What would you consider one of your most wrong decisions, assuming that you do make them sometimes?" Shweta asks inquisitively.
"I've made more than my fair share of mistakes." Shruti mutters darkly, "But I suppose Kota would be on the top. That was one bitch-ass year."
"Really?" Shweta asks, a bit surprised and a bit guiltily. She'd never asked Shruti what was going on in her life. But then Shruti had always been so guarded, so unwilling to let her guard down even with her own sister. This was in stark contrast to the pushy, dominating stance she adopted when it came to Shweta and Riddhi's lives. She was always aware of what was going on in their lives, sometimes smacking her on the head unhelpfully but doling out good advice at times as well.
"I mean, yeah." She says, rolling her eyes at Shweta. "What did you think it was like? A party? Like the lame one, they throw for the students who scored an under 1000 rank after the result declarations? Can you even imagine what kind of party that would be like?" She says spitefully.
"Lame, I agree." Shweta nods her head. "But the party is probably not the only reason why you hated the place." She pushes, wanting to know more.
"Well, yes, duh," Shruti says, but the sarcasm seems more like a defensive stance to not let Shweta know exactly how much Kota had affected her. "The pressure is insane. It seems nuts to me, now with the relaxed schedule I have. Did I ever tell you how they actually promote studying for twelve hours a day; they say that's the least you can do!"
"No kidding!" Shweta says, her eyes widening at the mention of a twelve-hour study session.
"Yeah, it's really unnecessary pressure. I mean if you're a good, rule-following student that'll work wonders for you. But I've never been like that." Shruti says, sighing, the regret lacing her voice. Regret that she never seemed to be able to differentiate; was it the typical cliched regret stemming from her inability to score a decent grade or was it more of an apologetic regret? An apology to herself for having subjected herself to the endless days of mental anguish simply on the basis of what her eighteen-year-old self-thought was the path to glory?
Shruti had then joined a Liberal Arts college and was doing a double major course in International Relations and English Literature. She had taken up photography as well and photography, in turn, had taken her to places. Places being the remote outskirts of the city, her college was in. She had been exploring the city, going on adventures on her own, and living her life on her terms. Surprisingly, her grades had increased dramatically and she was happy as well. Which couldn't be said for the time that she had been in Kota.
"Yeah." She muses. "You've never been like that."
"You cannot put me into a box, you know. The stuff inside here goes batshit." Shruti says, hitting the side of the head with her palm rather harshly.
"Well, you're happy now and that's all that matters," Shweta says, placing a hand on top of her sister's.
"All's well that ends well," Shruti says, the words sounding more like a reminder to herself. "Which reminds me, are you and the Vaibhav kid over for good?" Shruti looks at her sister.
"No!" Shweta says, rather hotly causing Shruti to raise an eyebrow at her. "We were never an exclusive couple. Just um, he kind of asked me out. And I said yes. But after that maa took my phone so now there's nothing substantial and everything is hanging in the air." She lets it out.
"You are bottling in a lot," Shruti smirks at her. "What is this? Some sort of odd foreplay that you have going on until you get him to release it for you?"
"Shruti!" Shweta yells, sounding appalled.
"What?" Shruti asks, chuckling. "I mean, I'm not interested in whatever is it that you do with him, but you really need to talk to someone. And who are you going to talk to? It would be a crime to mess Riddhi's good little head with thoughts like yours."
"My thoughts are wonderfully clean and fine!" Shweta mutters sarcastically.
"Just when I thought my little sister was getting interesting. Finally graduating out of the batman boxer-shorts and rooting for Undertaker during the wrestling matches." Shruti says with a dramatic sigh.
"Shut-up." Shweta flushes at the mention of her wrestling-obsessed phase.
"Didn't you beat up a boy in school because he wouldn't give you his Undertaker wrestling card?" Shruti grins and Shweta closes her ears humming a loud tune and pretending to not hear Shruti.
"Can you not make fun of me for a second?" Shweta glares after Shruti is done laughing.
"As a matter-of-fact, the elder sister code of conduct forbids me from doing so. The moment of your birth led to the division of our parents' affections. And that is something I'm obliged to remind you about every-day of your existence." Shruti says in a monotonous, droning voice that makes Shweta actually wonder if there really was An Elder Sister Code of Conduct. What if there really was something going on like how babies were all secret spies belonging to a Baby World in the movie Boss Baby?
"If you'd remove your face from your hands and stop groaning and actually ask me what you want help with, maybe I'd be able to do it." Shruti says, grinning as she adds, "Vaibhav isn't here you know, you can get over the shy-bride pose."
"The thing is, did he really ask me out because he wanted to or because he felt like he had to?" Shweta says, ignoring Shrutis jibe.
"Why would he feel like he had to?" Shruti asks, confused.
"Well, because of the entire pregnancy fiasco, you know." Shweta mumbles.
"Wait. He asked you out when you told him you were possibly pregnant?" Shruti asks, gaping at Shweta. And then she thumps her on the head.
"Ow!" Shweta exclaims. "What was that for?"
"No guy, I know would ever do that! And that too at eighteen! I'm telling you, Shweta he's heads over heels in love with you even if he doesn't know it himself. And I cannot believe you were actually in two minds about it!" She says.
"You really think so?" Shweta asks, putting aside her initial reaction which had been to deny it. The rosy, girlish hope rising within her and making her feel the world was coated with a Snapchat filter with a tiara made of hearts perched atop her head.
"I know so," Shruti says confidently.
"You seem to have a lot of experience.." Shweta drawls, leaving the insinuated words hanging in the air, teasing Shruti.
Unabashed and unapologetic, Shruti grins at her. "Oh, you don't know the things I've been up to."
A/n: What do you think of Shruti? With short hair, startling green eyes, and deeply tanned skin- I think she paints a rather bewitching picture. But that's just me talking!
Oh, what do you think of the fortune teller? Have you ever been to one with a crystal ball? My grandmother visits hers often (minus the crystal ball) but never with me. My mother is very skeptical- much like Seema. But I do think that it would be interesting to see a crystal ball once! Let me know your thoughts and I'd love to hear your experiences as well!
Quite intrigued,
shortgirlbigbook â¤ï¸.