Indian food is famous for being spicy.... the restaurant chosen was Mirch Masala. Dot at 5 pm Kir and family entered the restaurant. While they just sat in a 12 seater already booked by Bali, a phone call came, Kir stood up while answering it and looked towards the door. A few people entered the dining. Unma was too excited. She saw a middle aged man and lady, a handsome boy, a woman in her thirties, a girl in her teens and a man in his early forties.
Ador was tensed, she did not look up once also. Her heart was beating frantically. Since she never had a boy friend, she was too scared to look up. College friends who were boys were not so good in studies nor were they so dashing to the eye, hence Ador was busy with her life, keeping up to her promise to her Mom , Ita, that she would do well in her studies and come out with flying colours.
After a formal greeting, Bali introduced his family to Kir. Kir then introduced his nuclear family of four. Ador still did not look up. She just nodded her head when she was introduced as the bride to be.
Hoping to hear Ador's voice Gopi started the flow of the conversation, all targeted towards Ador.
"What's your name?" Gopi asked and came and sat beside Ador.
Ador answered softly. Gopi was amused. She said she was hard of hearing and to be a bit louder. Ador told her name again. Gopi loved to tease people, since she used to attend all kitty parties of the Coal industry and women used to flock beside her to garner her attention. Next Gopi asked was, " What does Ador mean? "
In India, all regular names have a meaning to it.
Ador told, the meaning is "to be loved".
Everyone was quietly listening to the tete a tete with the future mother- in -law. Ita was too tensed. In order to ease the atmosphere, Ita suggested why not they start with a little of refreshments.
Then Gopi, got the hint and started asking Ador about her work, her likes and dislikes, her culinary skills , her knitting abilities, her daily routine, her work and how she goes to work.
Ador was too sincere with her answers. She said she goes to work via public transport, she does not know an iota of knitting and that she can make tea, scrambled eggs, omelette and Maggi (ready to eat noodles), since she used to live in her hostel during college life.
Bali saw that Gopi's questions were non ending so looked at Ika. Ika got the hint and started talking with Unma, as to how was her college life. What does she think about her future and so on and so forth. Jay was busy listening to both the parties attentively, while his daughter Ash was enjoying her milkshake. Dev on the other hand was enjoying the conversation and smiling with satisfaction at the straight forward attitude of Ador.
Bali took the average looks of Ador and was not impressed much, frankly. He wanted it all to finish fast, so that he can go home and see to other candidatures in the prospect of marriage.
Kir, seeing that all was running smooth, ordered dinner. The dinner was simple- chilli fish, butter naan(Indian bread), fried rice and mutton korma.
Dev asked the most vital question to Ador, when dessert was served of Gulab jamun and rabdi( Indian sweet dish).
"Will you continue to work, post marriage? "
It was the first time Ador looked up to him. She never saw a handsome face with curly locks of hair, jet black eyes that twinkled and a super classy smile, that added genuineness to his query. She felt her heart flutter and then she replied, directly, looking straight at his eyes, "yes.... " It was like he asked her out for a date and she agreed.
She was brought back to the realm of dinner, when Gopi got up from her chair and started touching Ador's hair tucked in a huge bun. Gopi asked... "is this hair bun natural or like u have done..... " Click came a sound, of the hair clip opening and down came a cascade of hair up-to the knees. Everyone was awestruck with the look of Ador. She looked like a deity, who came from the sky above, with thick hair, all wavy ending up to her knees. Ador excused herself and went to the washroom. Gopi was satisfied. Her all questions were answered either by words or by her naughty action, a few minutes ago, when she opened the hair clip knowingly.
Ador came back with a pony tail, she could not tie back her hair to a bun, as Ita had taken a lot of toil in creating the bun and had secured it with a very strong pin.
Who thought would be mother-in- laws would be so curious?????
Unma in the meanwhile was talking all praises of Dev to him and extracted his contact number.
Kir, said to Bali, since the meeting seemed good, if he could share a photo of Dev with him, he could show the photo of Dev to Ita's mother, Didun and see how things go from there on.
Bali agreed. He gave a photo of Dev and took a photo of Ador in return. He did not like Ador and had considered of looking for the next would be match for his handsome son.
The meeting ended with a goodbye and all left.
The eagle eyes of Jay was ready to go home and give a conclusion of the entire ordeal.
Ador, after going home, looked at Dev's photo time and again and slept peacefully with Dev under her pillow ,and in her dreams. Unma noticing this small action of Ador, thought , it would be the first thing she would report to her mom, early in the morning. Kir and Ita thought, it was a fruitful evening and went to sleep with all smiles.