by P. G. Van
“Hardly interesting. When Roy was three, he fell forward and his face landed on a broken piece of glass from the water glass he had in his hands. The scar was barely visible when he was little but now it runs for a few inches,” Reetu said smiling.
“That explains the perfect curve of the scar,” I said smiling at Reetu.
“Oh, he is calling me again,” Reetu said looking at her phone and said, “Rhea, I got to go so can you put the jewelry in a case for me to bring home with me?”
“Oh, sorry Reetu. These designs are still in pre-release so I will bring the jewelry to you on the day of your wedding,” Rhea said in her professional voice.
“Wow, I had no idea. I was really looking forward to trying these on and having them handy when I shop for my wedding outfit,” Reetu said trying to convince her.
“Sorry, rules are rules,” Rhea said shrugging her shoulders.
“So, is it okay if I like something elsewhere, and that I am not compelled to buy these from you?” Reetu challenged Rhea.
“Absolutely. If you find something better, go for it. It’s your wedding and you shouldn’t have to compromise. Mrs. B has been our customer for years, and it’s no mystery as to why she prefers to purchase from us. She gets access to the exclusive designs before any of our marketing and sales teams have seen them,” Rhea countered.
“Good to know,” Reetu said in a snotty tone and added looking at Ann and me, “We should check out one of my friend’s jewelry store also sometime this week. I will see you guys later.”
Ann and I looked at Reetu in awe as she left the lounge area without glancing towards Rhea or thanking her for her time.
“What just happened here?” I asked still in shock at the way Reetu left the store.
“She just tried to play the oldest and the dirtiest trick in the book on me,” Rhea sneered and added, “Let’s see if her friend’s jewelry store offers her the same design.”
“Sorry about that Rhea,” Ann said apologetically.
“Ann, don’t worry about it. We have known you guys for so long that a comment from a B like her won’t ruin our relationship.”
“Rhea, don’t call her that, she is Sam’s fiancée,” I warned.
“It doesn’t matter. This girl is not a good fit for the family,” Rhea declared.
Ann and I looked at each other, and I shook my head and said, “That was the last thing I was hoping to hear about Reetu. Why do you think she is not a good fit?”
“Sam, it’s the vibes you get when you meet a person and then as soon as she got here, her requirement was to look at the top of the line most expensive jewelry pieces,” Rhea said and added, “I get it that people want the best, but her main criteria was resale value.”
“Technically there is nothing wrong about asking what the resale value would be but you are right, thinking of the resale value of your wedding jewelry is weird,” I said shaking my head.
“I can’t believe you fell for her tears to get Nick’s permission to make the chain replica,” Rhea snapped, and I felt as if someone splashed a bucket of water on my face.
“That’s exactly what I was telling Meera when Reetu was in the rest room,” Ann said laughing.
“About the chain replica, don’t even bother asking Nick, and if you still feel compelled and you ask him and if he magically agrees, please remind him that we need to make all three at the same time and there is no way we can do that before the wedding,” Rhea said in an elevated voice.
“Why three,” I asked curiously.
Rhea thought for a second and said, “I think he said he needed three more in ten years for your kids.”
“You guys want three kids?” Ann asked smiling at me.
“Well, that’s what we hope for,” I said smiling back at Ann and said, “I told him one night when I was a little buzzed that I want two girls and a boy,” I said giggling and added, “A boy just like Nick, one girl like Nate and the other girl like you, Ann.”
Ann put her palm on her mouth and said, “That is just ridiculously sweet,” she reached to her side and put her arm around me.
Rhea excused herself to grab some necklaces that Nick’s mom wanted Ann to look at and went into the safe room.
“If I have a girl, I am going to pick a name that starts with S like her aunt and if it is a boy, I am going to pick a name that starts with N, just like his uncle,” Ann declared laughing.
It was my turn to be surprised and hug her dearly and whispered back, “I can’t wait to find out if it is a boy or a girl.”
“Ann, these are for you and Sam. Pick one of these chains,” Rhea said placing two trays of sparkling jewelry in front of us.
“Rhea, did mom ask you to show these to me?” Ann whined.
“Yes, and she was pretty sure you would like those earrings,” Rhea said with confidence as Ann was looking at a pair of earrings.
“Try them on Ann. Sam, did you pick out a chain you like?” Rhea asked looking at me scanning the tray of the black beads chains traditionally worn by married women in the northern part of India.
“I like this one,” I said pulling out a black beads necklace with a delicate diamond pendant and added giggling, “I won’t need it until I get married.”
“What?” Ann and Rhea said in unison.
“I meant my Rajput wedding. Nick has to put it around my neck. I can’t just get one and put it on myself,” I teased.
“Yes, you can. Do you like that one?” Rhea asked taking the necklace from me and said, “This will be our wedding gift to you, Sam. Nishi, Chloe, and me.”
“What? No,” I objected and added, “Only Nick can buy me that, and it’s a ceremonial necklace, Rhea.”
Rhea laughed and said, “I know you don’t want us to buy you anything and you are making excuses.”
“No, I am serious,” I declared and added, “I will have Nick buy that for me. Save it for me, please.”
“Ok, if Nick is going to buy it, then I am okay with it,” Rhea giggled and added, “I am sure he will buy you anything as long as you wear that red dress.”
“Girls, easy. That’s my baby brother you are talking about,” Ann said laughing.
“Cut it out, Rhea,” I said as Rhea burst out laughing.
“Rhea, I will get these earrings,” Ann declared after trying on a dozen of them and declared cheerfully, “I am all set for the wedding.”
“Let me know if you guys need anything else,” Rhea called out as Ann and I left the boutique.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Nick, I really need to talk to you before I go to bed,” I urged as Nick looked at his computer screen intently.
He looked up at me smiling and mocked, “What do you mean by ‘I have to go to bed’, couples go to bed together?”
I had debated all morning about Reetu’s request the night before about having a replica of Nick’s chain made for Sam. As per Ann’s suggestion, I had not brought it up with Nick the previous night or that morning.
It was right after lunch that day that Reetu had messaged me with a random question and the conversation eventually ended up with her asking if I had asked Nick about the chain. I had thought about it all afternoon and all evening and finally decided to ask Nick about it.
I shook my head and leaned against the table next to him, facing him and said, “Reetu wants a chain for Sam just like yours as a wedding gift. She asked Rhea to make one, and Rhea went on and on about some design patent and pissed Reetu off last night.”
“And,” Nick prompted, putting his arms around my waist to run his fingers over my waist chain.
“I felt so bad when I saw her in tears that I told her I would ask you if she can have one made,” I asked scrunching my nose and added, “I had decided against asking you, but she has been messaging me all afternoon like crazy.”
“She can message you all she wants,” he said slowly taking his lips to my waist and ran his tongue over my waist chain and added, “There is a reason why I filed a design patent on that, and
it doesn’t matter if it is Sam or Ann, we are not making another one for anyone other than our kids.”
I twitched at the intensity in his voice and whined, “Nick, she got all emotional last night at Rhea’s boutique.”
Nick looked up into my eyes and said, “If she wants to get Sam a chain, it can be any pattern, why does she need an exact replica?”
I looked at him and said, “I don’t know.”
“Well, aren’t you glad you are married to a smart and reasonable guy who doesn’t melt at the first sight of tears,” Nick taunted.
I glared at him in silence and he said laughing, “I know I wasn’t there, but it is pretty obvious that Reetu is playing you, and I am surprised that you fell for her trick.”
“Nick, don’t patronize me. I only offered to ask you in hopes of building a good relationship with her,” I said annoyed.
He stood up to take my chin between his thumb and index finger and said, “It takes two people to work on building a relationship, and if she wants the relationship, then it will build automatically. There is no need for you to go out of your way to please her,” and took his lips to mine and said against my lips, “you just need to please me.”
I placed my palms on his chest and pushed him away gently and said giggling, “Get back to work Mr. Bhatia, you need to pay for you wife’s jewelry for the wedding.”
“Really? The wife that didn’t buy anything after spending hours in the store,” Nick said laughing.
“You talked to Rhea again?” I said shaking my head and added, “I did put aside a necklace for later.”
“I am aware,” he said smiling moving slowly towards me as I started to walk away from him with my eyes on him.
“Nick, stop. I am sorry I interrupted, please finish up your work,” I said looking at him as he approached me.
“I can take a break to put you to bed,” he said in a soft voice.
“Really?” I tainted and said, “Okay, let’s go.”
Nick got in under the covers next to me with his head propped over his elbow looking at me as I settled into a comfortable position.
“I need you to stop worrying about being best friends with Reetu,” Nick said running the tip of his index finger along my jawline and added, “So, my brother is getting married and it is going to be the Rajput style wedding, and you know I need to grow a mustache for the wedding.”
“What? Really?” I asked sitting up in bed.
Nick lay down flat on the bed laughing and said, “Not just any mustache but the kind that I can twist up or down on the ends and maybe a beard to go with it.”
“Nick, you know I am not a fan of facial hair unless it is a nice fiery stubble,” I said running my finger along his chin.
“I will tell you I have had women tell me that facial hair looks great when I tried it out for Ann’s wedding. I am telling you right now that even if you fall in love with my mustache, it is not staying,” he said smiling at me.
“You have nothing to worry, I will shave off your beard and the mustache right after the wedding,” I said giggling and added scrunching my nose, “and I am not kissing you with all that facial hair.”
“Not an option, and I am going to show you how to kiss a man that has facial hair,” he teased pulling me to him.
“I am not doing it,” I giggled.
He put his palm on my cheek bringing his lip for a gentle kiss and said against my lips, “I will be very cranky if you don’t kiss me.”
I chuckled against his lips and pulled back to look into his eyes and said, “I am sure you looked hot with a beard, and I can’t wait to kiss that hot man.”
Nick smiled and said getting off the bed, “Good night, love.”
“Nick, did mom talk to you about the plan for Friday and Saturday?”
I asked looking at him as he stood up.
“You know she doesn’t talk to me about anything after you showed up in the house,” Nick teased.
“Really,” I mocked and added, “Sam and Reetu will be performing a ritual on Friday afternoon before we head to northern California to meet the priest who is going to pick the auspicious date for the wedding.”
“Easy there, babe,” Nick said shaking his head and added, “I am not going to see the priest.”
“Nick, this is a family event. We all should go,” I insisted.
“Sweetheart, I have a day trip planned for Friday, and I may not return until Saturday morning. You should go if you feel like seeing the priest,” Nick suggested in a flat voice.
“I am not going if you are not going,” I declared and said, “I can chill at home or go to Nate’s place for the night if you are going out of town.”
“I am not entirely thrilled with the idea of you being at home all by yourself,” Nick said smiling at me.
“I guess you will figure out a way to be back home on Friday night then,” I taunted as I rolled onto my side in bed.
“Yes, love. I will,” Nick said as he left the bedroom to go back to work on his computer.
“Nick, wake me up when you are done working,” I called out as he left the bedroom.
Nick stopped short at the bedroom door and turned to look at me with a mischievous smile on his face. He started walking back to the bed as I looked at him with a deep hunger for him.
“I don’t want to keep you waiting, baby,” he said as he got into bed next to me.
I giggled and said against his lips, “Waiting makes it sweeter, doesn’t it?”
*****
I woke up alone in bed on Friday morning. Nick had left for his business trip without saying bye to me. I reached for my phone as I was sure I would have a message from Nick sent at some odd hour.
I smiled when I saw the message with a timestamp of four in the morning.
Nick: Heading out love. See you later tonight.
Nick: Please don’t ditch me for the priest.
Me: I have to ditch you because you didn’t say bye before u left
Nick: Good morning baby…you can be mad at me but it’s sadistic to wake someone up at 4 in the morning to say bye
Me: When will you be back?
Nick: As soon as I can.
Nick: what time will you be back from work?
Me: My day off Nick
Nick: ??
Me: Mom needs help with Sam and Reetu’s ceremony later today
Nick: Don’t get sucked into my mom’s stuff…she will start freaking out about the wedding starting today…
Me: that’s just mean…u won’t help and you don’t want me to help?
Nick: Just don’t pull me into the drama….I will be your passive supporter…
Nick: GTG babe…later…
Me: Love you!!!!
Nick: You know I do too...lot more
I put away my phone smiling and went about my daily morning routine. I went downstairs an hour later in a comfortable breezy cotton tunic paired with cropped leggings to find Nick’s mom exactly how he had described in his text. It was very obvious that she was freaking out about the wedding.
She was in the kitchen pacing around with PammiMa sitting at the dining table with her morning tea.
“Good morning, lovely moms,” I said cheerfully and put my arms around Nick’s mom and said, “Mom, can we sit down and talk? Your energy is all over the place.”
“Meera, aren’t you going to work today?” PammiMa asked curiously.
“I took the day off. I wanted to hang out with you guys and help prep for the ceremony,” I said as I sat Nick’s mom down and sat in the chair next to her.
“You really took the day off for us?” Nick’s mom asked sounding surprised.
“Yes, but I need to eat something before we start talking about the ceremony and the wedding plan,” I whined and asked, “What did Rahul cook for breakfast today?”
“I got it, Meera. I will make you something you like,” PammiMa said and got up from the table to fix breakfast for me.”
“Mom, look at me,” I said in a firm voice smiling
at Nick’s mom and added in a stern voice, “When Ann got married, I wasn’t around so you had to freak out about everything, and I totally understand but now you have me and I got this. I will plan this wedding like I would plan my brother’s wedding, but I need you to stop freaking out right this moment.”
Nick’s mom looked at me in awe and asked turning to look at PammiMa, “Pammi, did you hear what Meera just said?”
“Yes, Mrs. B. She is going to plan the wedding. That’s really good,” PammiMa said encouragingly.
“Pammi, she said she would plan the wedding as if it were her brother’s wedding,” Nick’s mom said placing her palm on my cheek and smiling at me.
I smiled back at her and said, “I grew up without brothers so Srini and Sam are like my brothers even though they are technically my brothers-in-law.”
“How did this angel fall for Nick, Pammi?” Nick’s mom asked shaking her head, and I burst out laughing at her comment and made a mental note to tell Nick about it.
PammiMa made me her signature Aaloo Paratha, a layered Indian bread stuffed with flavored mashed potato.
“This is just amazing, PammiMa. You are the best,” I said relishing on the freshly made food.
“So, mom. Give me your top five wedding related things that you are most worried about,” I said as I finished my delicious breakfast.
“There are so many things to take care of…” Nick’s mom started to say and her voice trailed off when I held out my palm with my fingers spread out and said laughing, “Top five only, Mom.”
She looked at me and took a deep breath and said, “We need a wedding coordinator, need to send out invitations, need to buy jewelry, need to buy wedding clothes and gifts for everyone at home and immediate family, and chose wedding locations because I don’t know what Sam and Reetu have in mind.”
I took a deep breath and said, “I got this. I have a friend whose sister is a wedding coordinator. I will take care of sending out the invitations myself, and I will make sure Nick does most of the work. Rhea will make as many trips as she needs to until we have all the jewelry we need. Nate and I are going to take care of the wedding clothes and the gifts part. I will talk to Sam and Reetu and will get them to decide the location by end of this weekend, and if they don’t, I will pick a place and tell them that’s where they are getting married.”