chapter 31

“Diiiiiiidiiiii…”, Mita woke up to the sound.Pihu ran towards Mita and hugged her, “Ohh my dear Didi, I missed you so much!!!”“I missed you too my sweet sister,” Both sisters had happy tears in eyes and smiles on their faces. Bhaiyya, Papa took out the luggage from car. Mita was about to enter the main gate. That’s when she heard,“Thamb, tithech thamb, aat pay nako taaku,” (Wait, stay there don’t enter).Everybody was surprised and turned their heads towards the voice. It was Mita’s grandma, coming with a piece of a roti and water in a glass.“Kay he Aaji tu pan. Ghabarale na mi!! Ajunahi tu ashi drusht kadhates?? Kahi nasate g nazar vagaire ” (Ohh Aaji, you?? I was so scared!! Do you still follow all these rituals?? I don’t really believe in these stuff) Mita.“Baala, tu vishwas thev kinva nako thevu. Tyane satya badalat nahi. Mala maze kaam karu de, drusht kadhu de,” Aaji (Grandma)(Dear child, you believe it or not, the fact remains the same. Let me follow my ritual, let the evil eyes run away) Grandma.Grandma circled a piece of roti 3 times around Mita, said some mantra and then she washed Mita’s feet with water.“Ata tu aat yeu shaktes bala” (Now you can enter my child), Aaji.Mita touched Aaji’s feet and took the blessings. Aaji put her hand on Mita’s head and stroked it.“Ata tuze lagn honar, tu navari honar, kuthe gharabaher padayche nahi pudhache paach divas” Aaji gave her instructions.(Now you are going to be a bride. Don’t roam here and there. Just be at home for next 5 days, ok??)“Ohh Aaji, then how will she prepare for her own wedding??” Pihu.“Tila baher jayachi kai garaj ata? Tayari sagali tari tumhi keli na? Aaji.(Why there is a need for her to go out? You already did all shopping for her, isn’t it??)“Ohho Aaji, what about beauty parlour?? She has to look the best at her own wedding, isn’t it?” Pihu.“Tya parlour wali la ghari bolava. Pan Mita ata ghara baher janar nahi, samajale??” Aaji.“You call that beauty parlour lady at home but Mita wont step out of the house, got it??” Aaji warned.Everyone nodded their heads.Mita remembered something is missing. She realized her phone is not in her handbag. She was going towards the main gate.“Ag ata tari bolale mi baher jayache nahiii” (Hey, where are you going? Didn’t I tell you just now not to go out???) Aaji.“But Aaji, my phone…my phone is in the car,” Mita was desperate to get her phone.“Pihu, jaa, tu gheun ye Mitacha phone car madhun,” Aaji told Pihu to get Mita’s phone from the car.Mita’s house was duplex with 6 rooms. Living Room, Kitchen, Mumma-Pappa’s bedroom on the ground floor and Mita, Pihu, Bhaiyya’s room on the first floor. For job, Mita and Bhaiyya were not staying there now but used to visit home on long weekends, festivals.Mita went inside. She was seeing her home after long 8 months.“Wow, I love this new colour combination. But why did you repaint our house?”“Beta, we have a wedding function in our family after long time. Repainting house gives nice vibes to our home and the sacred ceremony,” Mom.“That’s right Mom, our home is looking prettier,” Mita hugged Mom.****Mita freshen up herself, had some food, chatted with family for sometime and then went inside her room. She lied down on her bed that’s when Pihu came,“Di, take this, your heart,” Pihu.“My heart?? Ohho Pihu, that’s my phone,” Mita laughed.“Yes, but I know u must be waiting for Jiju’s call, isn’t it??” Pihu.Mita blushed.“Di, seriously, you are blushing??? My God, you have changed a lot. If love can change us like this, even I want to fall in love,” Pihu.“Yes Pihu, it is a beautiful feeling. Cannot be described in words,” Mita.“Ok Ok, you try describing it to Jiju, I am going downstairs, I have lots of work,” Pihu winked her eye and left.Mita was still blushing. She took her phone and saw Jay’s message. She smiled again. She dialled his number.“Hello,” Jay.After hearing Jay’s voice, Mita’s smile widened.“Hellllllooo,” Mita.“So, you reached??” Jay.“Yes!!!!!” Mita.“What’s up then,” Jay.“Nothing. So, you ate masala dosa for breakfast??” Mita.“Yes, what about you??” Jay.“I had Poha :D,” Both started laughing.Mita gave up*/dates to Jay on what all she did till now.“So, what’s the plan??” Mita.“I am going out for shopping,” Jay.“Oh really? Shopping?” Mita started laughing.“Madam, your shopping is done all by Mom and Pihu. I have to do it for myself and I have just 5 days left for my wedding,” Jay.“Really? I didn’t know that. Thanks for the information! So, Mr. Jay, what are you going to buy??”“I don’t know. I will just enter the shop, check some clothes and then buy whatever is good for me,” Jay.“What? You don’t know what are you going to buy? Haven’t you prepared a shopping list?” Mita.“No, why is that needed?” Jay.“Oh Kanna, you should plan it well, it helps a lot and saves our time too,” Mita.“hmmmmm,” Jay.“What hmm….??? Let me prepare a shopping list for you. Let’s start from your clothes, tell me, how many dresses you need?” Mita.“mmmm, I don’t know,” Jay.“Ohfo Kanna, tell me na,” Mita.“mmm.. I will buy a shirt and a Mundu,” Jay.“That’s it??? See Kanna, here anyways the wedding going to be by our rituals. So Mundu you can wear for our reception, Ok??” Mita.“Ok, makes sense,” Jay.“See, we have Mehendi ceremony, Bangles ceremony, Haldi, Sangeet and then Wedding,” Mita.“My God, so many ceremonies? But we don’t have such ceremonies here. For us, it is just a marriage day,” Jay.“Ok, that’s fine. So, for wedding day, you buy nice sherwani, for Haldi ceremony buy simple kurta pajama set and then you can buy one blazer,” Mita.“When will I wear blazer?”“On wedding day itself. After all rituals you can wear that for photoshoot,”“But I don’t want to wear blazer.”“Okk, then let’s skip that. So, you need to buy 3 sets of clothes. 1 for Reception and two for wedding,”“Ok Madam, what else?”“Apart from this, you can buy couple of nice shirts and T shirts to roam around if any such plan,”“You mean honeymoon plan???”“Oh no Kanna, you started again? We decided already that we will not go for honeymoon here and spend most of the time with family,”“Hmm, I thought you forgot that, so was just trying my luck!”“Mr. Jay, I only have made that plan then how can I forget, huh??”“Ok my planning queen. What else??”“Nothing, now you go, otherwise you will be late for your shopping,” Mita.“Ok boss, bye..muuaahhh”Mita was about to say “Ummaaah” but she noticed that her aunt had come to meet her and was standing at Mita’s door. Mita smiled and waved her hand.“Okkk, bye,”“Bye?? I said, Ummaah,” Jay.“mm, yeah, I know, I heard that, now byee,”Mita.“No wayyyy, that’s not fair,”“Ok Ok, now bye,” Mita disconnected the call.“Whatt?? How could she cut my phone without giving me Ummah” Jay was surprised.“Hi auntie, how are you??” Mita hugged her aunt.“I am fine beta, tell me how are you and how is your Jay?? Huhh?? Tamilian?? Tell me your love story na, I am so curious to know,” Auntie.Mita was blushing. And started chatting with auntie. She secretly messaged Jay, “Sorry love, auntie came. Ummaahh, happy shopping!!!” To be continued….