The Arrangement

Chapter Thirteen: Laid Bare

At least Vivaan was getting somewhere. He'd started to train with Darshan, learning the ropes of the family business. Darshan wasn't paying his son yet, not until he was sure Vivaan was in it for the long run. Vivaan assured me he wasn't, that he'd keep doing what he really loved- painting- and leave the business when everything was more stable. But I was afraid he would cave in and continue doing it for the rest of his life, bound by duty to his father.

Farhan was at the wedding too. We couldn't really leave him at home. 

I hadn't seen either men since we arrived. Kunj had taken Darshan, Farhan and Vivaan to give them a tour of his business. Apparently, Kunj had some kind of business in making explosives, which I found unsettling. Who decided one day that they wanted to create something so destructive?  

While 'the men' were gone, Kunj's wife gave us a meager tour of their mansion. It was bigger then our place, and beautiful too, with white marble floors and a great big chandelier in every room. His daughter, Sanjana, had hung with us too. Seeing how quiet she was, I had decided to try and get her to open up. 

"Excited?" I'd asked while Kunj's wife showed us the little spa room she had. 

Sanjana lifted her head. Her big, round eyes met mine. I couldn't determine how old she really was, and something about that bothered me. 

I'd just wished I'd asked sooner.

She had smiled, though it looked more like a cringe. "Of course."

And that was it. Kunj had mentioned that he'd 'found' a boy for her, so it was obviously an arranged marriage. Maybe she was nervous like I had been in the beginning, closed off from everyone as she was lost in her thoughts about the marriage. 

In the present, I tore my eyes away from the lehenga. There was still several hours before the event. Tonight was just going to the sangeet, where the bride and groom are blessed by their elders before a night of songs and dancing was followed. 

I left the room Vivaan and I were staying in to find Jayanti. She was sitting in the lounge with the other aunties. I didn't want to hang around all of them so I went outside to help with the decorations. Sanjana's marriage would take place at home, in the spacious yard they had. 

Garlands of red flowers streamed down the side of the house, flower petals were thrown into the three water fountains. Lights were wrapped around the trees and along the mansion. A makeshift stage was being set up at the back where the bride and groom would sit, it would then be turned into an altar during the day of the ceremony. 

Carpet was being rolled out across the grass and I went to help when I heard my name called. I turned and saw a man standing a few feet away. I didn't recognize him but I must've met him at some point when I'd gotten married. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

I gestured to the servants rolling the carpet. "I'm helping."

"No, no." He frowned and made shooing motions at me. "Leave this job for the men. You go inside and sit with the women."

I felt my mouth twitch. And then, because I was an idiot who hated being told what to do, I grinned and said, "Don't worry, Uncle. I can work just as well."

I moved to help again, and noticed Sanjana sitting by the stage, a garland of flowers being weaved together in her hands. She looked up when I spoke, and after gazing at me for a few seconds, she tilted her head and grinned. 

After that, Sanjana came to help us as well. All of the relatives had gone inside, leaving me, her and the servants working outside. It was a busy and pleasant atmosphere, and it got the two of us talking.