101 ways to repel a marriage

Chapter 30

The smell of hot Thalassery Biriyani was in the air. It mixed in a perfect proportion with the aroma of Roasted beef.  Shahma's stomach roared. She looked at it and then took a quick scan of everyone around as she patted on it, silently begging it to not make anymore noises.Thankfully, everyone were busy and no one heard it.

Shahma's ear was getting worn out by the loud chit chats and she wanted to listen to the Mappila song being sung by some men from the men's section. The men's section which was in front of the bride's house and the woman's section which was behind the house was separated by a white curtain only but no matter how much Shahma tried she could not concentrate on the song.

A woman wearing a silk saree pushed Shahma aside as she went ahead with a big tray of hot biriyani. She smiled apologetically at Shahma before hurrying to an empty table. The place was packed with people. Some eating, some serving and others waiting.

The bride was eating at a table with many girls of her age. She was very fair and beautiful. She was wearing a red Saree and a lot of gold. Her forearms were filled with bangles and the necklaces and chains left no space for the upper half of her bridal dress to be seen. Though happy, she looked very tired.

Shahma thought that she would not look that beautiful on her wedding day. The golden ornaments never matched her skin tone, it made her look even darker but she knew that nobody was going to support her if she proposed an idea off being a bride without any golden ornaments. Well, golden ornaments or not she knew that she would definitely feel suffocated if that many people came for her wedding.

Shahma did not actually like the idea of  attending her Neighbour's cousin's wedding but her mother was lazy to cook lunch only for her and she was even lazier to cook for herself but the waiting was making her regret her decision to attend the wedding.

She felt lost by being among a lot of people without her mother or sister beside her.  Though there were a lot of people chatting around her, it was only her thought that she could hear properly and it shouted at her for not choosing the comfort of her home. Her sister had left them when she saw some of her friends and her mother was helping others in catering.

Shahma simply wanted to eat the food, call Sushi and leave the place as soon as possible. She was starting to feel sick.

"This is my sister, Shahma. Stay here. I will find your umma and come"

Shahma turned when she heard Shahana's voice. Shahana simply walked away without even acknowledging her sister. She looked a little tensed as she squeezed herself through a group of ladies who were blocking her way to the house.

Shahma then noticed a girl beside her, staring at her with teary eyes. The two year old looking girl had curly oily hair which was imprisoned by a hair band. A string of jasmine flowers was also pinned to her small head. Her white  frock looked dirty and she looked tired. Her eyes teared up even more when it met Shahma's.

"Umma..." The girl started crying.

Shahma looked around for a source of help but everyone were really busy. She extended her arms towards the little girl and the girl walked towards her with widened arms. Shahma picked up the girl. She sat on Shahma's arms without any hesitation but her crying did not stop.

Slowly, Shahma became the center of attention as many people started looking at the crying cute girl. Some of them even asked why she was crying and extended their arms towards the girl but each time someone did it, the girl hugged Shahma even tighter and cried even louder.  Shahma felt it awkward when some ladies asked her about the girl's name. The askers looked quizzically at her when she said that she didn't knew the girl's name.

Shahma felt it good to be embraced by a small girl. However, it was such an ordeal due to attention it was attracting and Shahma wished if Shahana would be back soon.