1. "Find yourself some prince"
The team’s ringtone once again reverberated against her eardrums, bringing a sense of annoyance. Her eyes went to her laptop, and a sigh escaped her lips, realising even though it was 6 p.m, she could not leave the office.
“With such a low salary, how do they expect one person to do the work of four? I know everything, but they wouldn’t become smaller if they showed a little appreciation.”
Her eyes went to the paint brushes along with pencils, which were only wallpaper.
“No, Rivaa—you will make a comic one day, and you will publish it too.”
She ensured herself, after which the laptop was closed, and it was shoved into the bag. Before her hands could even touch the straps of the bag, her eyes noticed the phone flashing. The coldness struck against her hand, and the call was lifted.
“Hanji, mumma. Yes, Mumma.”
“Rivaa, I left my shawl at home—bring it. And yes, I’ve kept your velvet lehenga on the bed, wear that.”
“Okay.”
“Come quickly.”
“Yes.”
The call is disconnected, following which she slid it into her velvet kurti’s pocket. Indeed, winter had finally arrived in Chandigarh.
“Aur kitna wait karwayegi, yaar. How much longer are you going to make me wait?” Pakhi complained, inhaling sharply, still leaning her back against the pillar, awaiting her cousin-friend to finally arrive so that they could go home.
“Aaja aab. Come now,” she almost slid down, tired of standing. Her legs refused to lend her any support.
“Yes, just one email was left.”
Her fingers quickly typed it on the phone, but her eyes narrowed when she found that line still being there.
Sent from Android.
She quickly deleted it, and the laptop was once again taken out. For a moment, Pakhi felt like throwing her neck pillow at her.
“Jaldi kar, yaar. Viaah vaaste late ho jawange pher saareya di gallan suno. Hurry up, yaar. We’ll get late for the wedding, and then we’ll have to listen to everyone’s taunts.”
“Nhi, sunaniyan pen giyan chill kar, yaar. Mummy, Papa aage hi viaah dee magar paye ne. No, we’ll not have to listen to them—just relax, yaar. Mom and Dad are already after me about the wedding.”
“Te kar le na. Then just get married.”
“Kise naal vi chuk ke viaah karla? Jinu jaandi nhi pehchandhi nhi kive karla udhe nal viah. Should I just pick anyone and get married? How can I marry someone I don’t even know or recognize?”
—------------------------------
The grand canopy of golden fairy lights cast their ethereal glow upon Rivaa, who was decked in the phulkari velvet lehenga. Her long hair flew in the air, and the payal chimed with every step advancing to her parents.
“Mumma, here you go.”
She handed over the shawl, but before she could go to Pakhi, her mother caught hold of her wrist.
“Your father has found someone.”
“What was lost? Who did he find?”
"Rivaa, you’re 26 now. After 30, it becomes difficult to get married.”
“And this is the right time for marriage,” Malini said, taking the attention back.
“But how can I just marry anyone like that? How can I marry someone I haven’t even met? What if he doesn’t respect me? What if he doesn’t respect my parents? I will try my best to understand him—in fact, I will understand him—but what if he doesn’t understand me? I have some dreams… what if he doesn’t let me fulfill them? What if he finds my comics strange after reading them?”
Her thoughts paused when his voice struck her ears. He sat in front of her, and soon they were left alone in the garden as the Phere were being done inside the hall.
“Namaste,” Rivaa greeted, joining her hands and curving her lips into a smile.
“You don’t even know how to say ‘Hey’!!” he chuckled, making fun of her, which formed creases in the middle of her brows.
“In our culture, we greet with ‘Namaskar’ or ‘Namaste.’ If you’re too angrejified, that’s your problem. It’s an individual’s choice how and to whom you want to offer your greetings,” she rebuked, holding a sarcastic smile.
“What do you do?”
“I’m a software engineer at Telenovtal.”
“Yeah, I’ve never heard of it, but I’m in H.R.P.”
It was her dream company, but she knew she would get there. If not today, then some other day, she will get what she wants. The tone in which he said it was as if he was attempting to make her look low.
“Nice. What do you like? What are your hobbies?”
“Not really, at the moment. What about you?”
“I…”
She is on the brink of telling him about her passion for comics, but the words remain within her throat. Indeed, it was her little secrets that only she and her parents knew.
“Even I don’t have one.”
“My parents want the marriage to happen soon—I mean, this year itself. And yes, why don’t you apply for a remote job? Your company could allow it.”
“I prefer going to the office.”
“Okay, we’ll adjust.”
“But I don’t want to get married right now—I mean, how long has it even been since we met? Just a few minutes? Can we get to know each other first?” she spoke out, wishing only for some time. After all, it was not he who was moving out of his house but rather her, for whom everything will change.“We can get to know each other after marriage.”
He slid his hand towards her, but she jerked it back instantly.
“You’re not understanding what I’m saying.”
“Then explain. That’s how arranged marriages work.”
“You respect me, I’ll respect you. You respect my parents, I’ll respect yours. You understand me, and I’ll understand you.”
“What is there to understand in that? In our house, everyone addresses their husbands as ‘aap’.”
“Then you should address me as ‘aap’ too.”
“That’s not how it works. Anything else?”
“I won’t change my name after marriage.”
“Why? What’s wrong with our name?”
“You won’t take my surname after marriage, right? Then how can you expect me to do something you wouldn’t do yourself?”
“Then go find yourself some prince who’ll keep you on a pedestal.”
