Agape & Eros

The Wedding II

Priya picks up the phone. 

Priya- Hello

Ram- Hello, Priya. Have you arrived at the venue? 

Priya- Yeah. We have. Where are you? 

Ram- We are near a street. Something called... Ek second I'll ask my map... Priya, It's saying babu something road. 

Priya- Kumbhalkar road? 

Ram- Kum... what? 

Priya- Babu jagjit kumbhalkar road. 

Ram- Yeah... that Babu road.

Priya- That's in Mallad. 

Ram- Achha. So, according to the map, it'll take about 20 mins.

Priya- Ok.

Ram- I thought I should let you know so that you don't have to worry. I mean people do worry about when the groom is going to come. 

Priya finds comfort in this smallest act of care. The sadness she felt due to her father, the nervousness she was feeling about the wedding, the tension about the venue- she forgets all about these at the moment. Priya doesn't like to depend on someone. Whenever she depended on someone, she has been deceived, denied, and taunted. Life has compelled her to be hyper-independent. But at the moment, she felt even if she depends on this person, everything will be alright. 

Priya- Thank you for letting me know.

Ram- You sound stressed by the way. Is everything alright? 

Priya- Yeah, everything is fine but a minor inconvenience. 

Ram- What? 

Priya- Nothing much. 

Ram- We are friends, Priya. If someone else was going to marry you, and If I were by your side just being your friend, wouldn't you tell me?

Priya was about to say something when the manager came to them shouting. 

 Manager- Everything's sorted. They'll only take 45 minutes to empty the hall. 

Everyone tries to stop him including Priya. After shushing him Priya resumes talking to Ram. 

Priya- Ha, Mr. Kapoor. Yahan sab thik hain, aap aajaiyen. 

Ram- Ok. 

Ram cuts the call. Judging from his reaction Priya assumes that he hasn't heard anything.

Sara- Has he heard anything? 

Priya- I don't think so. He didn't say anything. 

Meera- Where are they, Priya? Did he say anything? 

Priya- They are in Mallad. It will take them 20 mins to come. 

Meera freaks out and turns to the manager.

Meera- How will we manage now? My daughter is getting married into the Kapoor family. They are an affluent family. Where am I going to make them sit now? How am I going to welcome them? 

Priya- We are going to be embarrassed in front of them. 

Manager- Areh, mam. Why are you so tense? You have so many daughters, you should know.

Priya- What do you mean? What should she know? Just because she has daughters does that mean she always has to be subservient? 

Meera- Priya, he didn't mean that. Shant ho ja bachhi. 

Priya- Then what did he mean? He meant exactly this. As you have daughters you must be used to hearing bitter taunts from others.

Manager- Ma'am. Please. I didn't mean like that. You shouldn't cry. Please stay happy. It's your wedding day.