The Grooming

"The most important things in a relationship are caring for your significant other through good times and bad and trusting them in odds and even."

"That"s my hotel." I halted as he dropped me at Hotel Plasma. "Where are you staying?"

"Across the lane. Hotel Charisma." He jerked his head in the said direction and I nodded, rubbing my arms. "So, will we meet again?"

"Actually, I was here for a meeting. Bharat, the guy you saw in the hospital, is my friend and he accompanied me. I am leaving for Jaipur tonight."

"Oh." I slapped myself mentally for coming out as desperate. "Have a safe journey, then."

"Thanks." He whispered, looking down at my feet. "When are you leaving? This is not cured completely."

"Oh, this." I followed his gaze to my wound, "It will be healed shortly. I will leave after two days."

"Take care of that." He nodded and rubbed his hands, smiling. "Bye, then. See you in Jaipur."

"Um, wait." I stopped as he turned to go. "Don"t tell anyone about this."

"That we met?"

"That I fell."

"Don"t worry." He smiled.

"Bye." I waved and saw him disappearing in the lane after a few minutes. I momentarily forgot my foot was hurting and I smiled like an idiot.

"What took you guys so long? Why are you alone? Oh my god! Why are you blushing?" Rhea bombarded me with questions the moment I stepped in the room. I ignored her and fell on the bed on my back, grinning like an idiot.

"Will you tell me?"

"I met him." I breathed out, fiddling with my hair.

"Who?" She sat beside me. I simpered, chewing on my lip and she widened her eyes, "Abhimanyu?"

"Yes!"

"How? I mean what is he doing here in Ooty?" She blabbered and I recited the whole episode to her about how he saved me and took me to the hospital. Of course, I missed the part of surprise.

"Where are those idiots?" She raged towards Akshat, Aarti and Josh. I had to cover it up somehow. "They gave us privacy."

"Did you guys exchange numbers?" She was excited and I pouted, "I couldn"t. I mean wouldn"t it look awkward if I ask for his contact number? I mean he should ask me."

"Point!" She wagged her finger and inspected my foot. "Anyway, are you alright?"

"Yeah! Except my heart is racing fast and I want to see him, again." I answered, dreamily. She grinned like a buffoon.

***

"Shree, are you sure you are not coming?" Rhea asked for the tenth time, though I wanted to witness how Akshat would propose her but I refused.

"No, my leg is paining. You guys enjoy!"

"It"s okay, you know. We can go out tomorrow."

"No need. Just go." I dismissed and pushed her out of the room. I had had enough of the patient treatment from everyone. I fell on the bed and stared the ceiling, twiddling my thumb absentmindedly. My train of thought almost roamed everywhere and I wasn"t at peace. So many things, all irrelevant, popped up in my mind.

"Hello?" I picked up the phone as mom called.

"Hello Butu! What are you doing?"

My lips curved up in a smile, "I am lying on the bed looking at the ceiling mom. What are you doing?"

"Stop shelling in the room there. Go and get some fresh air." I rolled my eyes, "Mom...why did you call?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot. When are you coming back?" Her circumlocution made my ears prick, "Mom...do you want to say something?"

"Why?"

"Because I"ve come here yesterday and I told you I"ll stay for three more days."

"How do you guess every time?"

I laughed, "Because I do the same and you say I am your Xerox. Now tell me, what you want to say?"

"Actually Dharmesh ji called just now."

"Who"s Dharmesh now?" I sighed.

"Abhimanyu"s dad." She reminded me.

My eyes widened and I flipped on my stomach. "Oh, what did he say?"

"He said that..." Mom trailed off, making it suspenseful. "He said that Abhimanyu has nodded a yes to this marriage."

I stopped breathing for a second to process the news and a wide grin plotted on my face. I pressed my palm on my mouth to stop squeaking in the glee.

"Hello Butu? You there?"

"Yes mom. I am listening." I said immediately, still trying to suppress the excitement.

"So, what do you think?"

I wasn"t oblivious. "About what?"

"Butu! You know very well." She snubbed. I was silent for a minute. "Mom, what can I say? You guys will decide the best. I trust you."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Fine, then. I will say a no." She said dejectedly.

"What? Why?"

"Because, I think you don"t like him."

"I never said that, mom." I was quick and then it made sense, "Mommm!" I whined as I realized she was teasing me. She laughed. "I got my answer. Come soon."

"Bye mom. Love you" I cut the call and kicked the air happily.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" I jumped on the mattress and tore the pillow, scattering the cotton in the whole room. Aftermath of this act didn"t horrify me.

"Oh my God! Oh my god!" Rhea came inside squealing and I scooped her in bear hug. "Rheaaaaaa!"

"Shreeeee!" She responded and we jumped on the bed.

"He proposed me!"

"He said yes!"

"Oh my God, I can"t believe it was so romantic."

"Oh my god, I can"t believe it was so quick."

"I am so happy." We both squealed at the same time, hugging each other.

"Wait a sec," She straightened herself. "Abhimanyu said yes? Details, now." Came her demand. Cheerily, I filled her in after she told me how Akshat proposed her.

"Today is the best day for us." She grinned, "Let"s order pizza for the celebration."

"Oh my God!" Aarti gasped as she came inside when we were munching on pizza. "What the hell have you both done here? Did tornado affect this room only?"

"Don"t worry. We"ll clean the mess. C"mon, have some pizza." I winked at her, coolly.

She glared us and hopped on the bed, taking a slice. "You both better be. By the way, what calls for celebration?"

On the dinner table, I imparted to everyone that Abhimanyu was the guy who saved me and we"re getting married soon. Since, Akshat and Rhea were the new couple ergo we demanded a party from them and I made sure to stab Josh for making me startle on the hill. Though on other hand, I was thankful that he did so because I met Abhimanyu but still, there would"ve been a different scenario if he hadn"t been there.

"Shree..." Rhea called when we were about to sleep.

"Hmm..."

"You knew about the surprise, right?"

"Yah"

"Then why didn"t you tell me? Is Akshat your new best friend, now?" She complained like she used to do when we were kids.

I slapped her forehead. "Stupid! If I had told, how would it have remained surprise anymore and the reaction you gave to it was priceless."

"Yeah right!" She chuckled, "Anyway, I am very happy for you. Finally you will get married and I will attend all your rituals just like we"d decided."

"Yeah, and you"re going to stay in my home for two days before marriage, like a real stay."

"Definitely, darling!" She winked at me and we caught the night with our gossips before it spelled its magic on us, lulling us in sleep.

When life runs smoothly, time usually flutters away unlike the gloomy days where the time stops. It felt like yesterday when we were in Ooty and Akshat proposed to Rhea and I met Abhimanyu. The hours of fun were gone, the regular routine followed. Regular office. Same work. Same cubicles. Same bulldog and his daily rants.

It"s good to escape from the regime sometimes.

Two months had rolled on since the trip and one fine Saturday, Abhimanyu"s family gathered in my home to bond us with a ritual called Roka", basically they"d given me this coconut and fifty one hundred rupees much to my glee with lots of sweets, dresses and ornaments as a good omen. I mingled more with his family, albeit our equation remained same; Small and irregular. Love life of Rhea was gearing up as well, they"d been this love struck couple who could be found anywhere, mushing and cuddling. I was happy for them and they were for me.

I"d been working with penchant when another Saturday my family had this recent get together with Abhimanyu"s in their residence, regarding our marriage. Evidently, my in laws were too fond of me and my husband was a maze. We hadn"t met much after a few times. A day after their meeting, mom construed me about my ensuing engagement ceremony, pumping up my excitement and nervousness.

I"d a lot of things in my hand to do and the list rolled down with shopping, to applying leaves, to parlor settings and of course, not to forget grooming session by my veteran aunts.

Right now, I was sitting cross legged on my bed, munching on fries and flipping photographs of the albums. I"d this sudden nostalgic feeling of rewinding the memories, so I gathered all the ten albums that included childhood pictures of Siya and I and mom dad"s wedding photographs. It had all the photographs of our growing years. I crouched back in bonhomie, knitting concoction of concomitantly idyll.

"Di, get ready. We"re going to a boutique." I rubbed my face, being tranced out and getting ready. The following week had the schedule of my engagement and I was stuck in jewelry, clothing and boutique. I"d refused blatantly but ladies in charge ignored my protests.

"Check this one." Mom pointed at a certain dress in the catalogue, that had Mahogany and Crème combined net patterned work all over it.

That was...elegant but not enchanting enough. I flipped the pages nonchalantly and a piece caught my gaze. This was pre-stitched sari actually. It had shades of pink and orange with thick golden embroidery.

"I am buying this one." I finalized, exuberant. I gave my measurements and I was done with the engagement shopping, I meant almost.

I wonder what Abhimanyu will be doing?

Abhimanyu"s Perspective

"Abhi...close your laptop right now. Otherwise I will throw water on this." Mom"s angry voice boomed in my room. I sighed, shutting down the laptop and placed it carefully on the bedside table. "What?"

"Just six days has remained to your engagement and you"ve not shopped one thing yet." Badi ma chided.

"I just need to shop for my dress.

That"s it. How much time would it take?" It was hogwash! I started to feel convulsive.

"So cold!" Bhabhi twitched her lips but I refuted, "No, I wasn"t. I just stated the truth. I mean, what does a man need to shop for a wedding except dress?"

"Grooming!" They chipped in unison.

"Excuse me?"

"You need grooming. You are handsome no doubt but beauty needs sharpness." Bhabhi jumped in a professional mood. "We"ve placed your appointment in VLCC. They will..."

"No way! I am not going to the beauty parlor." I protested.

She retorted, pushing hands on her waist. "It"s called a grooming centre not a beauty parlor."

"Whatever! I am not going."

It was mom"s turn. "What"s your problem? First you didn"t want to marry? Now you want to marry but don"t want to look good."

"That"s not my thing, mom." I didn"t know how to make them understand. "What"s wrong in me and this makeover is for girls only."

"Stop preaching sexism here." Bhabhi snorted. "Shree looks far, far better than you but I am sure she will still do grooming then why not you? At least, try to match her on the engagement."

"I will think." I dismissed, there was no point of arguing.

"And, your dress?"

"I"ve given my measurements for it. Hamid will deliver the Sherwani by Friday. Anything else?"

"Here!" Mom passed me the voucher. "Appointment schedule; you"ve gotten four sitting in a week and the bill has been already paid."

Insane!!

"Fine, I will go." I was bonded. The bill was 35k for bloody four sittings and I needed to be very libelous to refuse.

***

"Hello?" I said, relaxing on the lounge with sandalwood and cucumber pack applied on my face and rosewater candela placed on my eyes.

"Where are you? I am standing outside your home." Kartik asked.

"Here in the VLCC centre. I am getting relaxed." I mumbled, careful enough not letting the face pack crack, the sittings were not that bad. The message I"d gotten here relieved my tensed muscles and the foot care was exhilarating.

Thank god! 35k was paying off.

"VLCC?" I could measure the amount of amazement from his tone, "When did that happened?"

"I can"t talk more, come here. I will fill you in." I cut the call and the marble foot message they"re providing me with, lured to sleep.

Shree"s Perspective

"No no no... I am not going to do this at all." I jumped off the recliner looking at the hot wax beautician was supposed to pour on me.

"Ma"am nothing will happen." She assured me.

I shook my head. "Nah I am better without waxing." My mind was possibly measuring the pain a boil would cause if I got burned by this wax.

ESV sniped, Only if you"d taken it before, I"d not to be afraid of the aftermath."

"Ma"am we"ve experience. Nothing will happen." The lady panicked but I was sure she must be laughing inside.

"Shree!" Rhea glowered me, making me sit in the chair forcefully. "Stop fretting. Nothing will happen; I do waxing but have you ever seen me burnt?"

"No, I don"t want to." I fidgeted, getting spasmodic. "After four days, I"ve my engagement. I don"t want to discrete my posture."

Sensing my constant protests, they both coped up in defeat. I was obdurate on my part that not a single drop of wax would touch my body.

"Fine! Let"s opt for the wax strips." Rhea suggested, and I was ready to object when the beautician chipped in. "Cold wax strips. It will remove even the smallest hair strand and you will not get burn even."

"Fine." I nodded reluctantly, though it pained. Pained, too much. More than the threading and I caught my ears that I would not even dream of getting waxed.

"Now when?" Rhea inquired on my behalf as I was done with manicure, pedicure, waxing and regular cleanse up.

"Two days before engagement."

"Thank you." I chipped, embarrassed, of course I"d behaved like a kid in hospital. I lazily plopped on the bed yawning and filed my nails. Since I was on leave for 10 days and mom wouldn"t let me work; the only thing I did was yawning, eating and sleeping like a sloth.

"Butu! Come down. The jeweler is here." Mom called probably from the hall.

Argghhh!!! Someone please save me.

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