Family

Shruti checked herself for the umpteenth time in the mirror. She adjusted the pleats of her saree again before combing her hair one last time.

“Suno na suno na sun lo na….” Her mobile rang from underneath the pillow.

Shruti's heart skipped a beat as she knew who the caller must be. She rushed to pick up the call.

Arrival of a gentle smile on her lips confirmed she was right. “Hello, are you here yet?”

“Yeah, just around the corner.” Ritesh replied when someone in the background coughed.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, it’s my father.”

“What happened? Is he ill?”

“Just the usual cold and flu.”

“Oh, then you should have informed me. We would have postponed our meeting today.”

“I said the same, but he never listens. He said he wants to meet you today.”

“I hope he likes me.”

“I’m confident, Shruti, everyone is going to love you.”

Shruti blushed.

“Okay, I’m hanging up, see you in five minutes.”

“Bye.” She said and disconnected the call.

Shruti’s parents were introduced to Ritesh by a matchmaker. His looks, personality, education, his job, and pay scale were equivalent to what every girl’s parents desired these days. Fearing to lose such a good match they didn’t waste a day in expressing their interest in him. They didn’t even bother to inquire about the boy’s family and ancestral background. For them such information didn’t matter as much as the profession and earnings of the boy. Shruti’s parents even requested the matchmaker to let her daughter speak directly to the boy once. Ritesh called her and instantly their hearts connected, as if it was a match already made in heaven waiting to just happen in reality. A few weeks of call exchanges and finally they made their minds to meet officially.

Shruti kept peeking out of her room’s window until she finally saw them arrive. “Three cars?”

Without wasting a second she rushed into the kitchen. “Amma!” she entered crying out.

“Have they arrived?” Her mother asked, wiping one of the ceramic plates dry.

“Yes, but there are more than three.”

Her mother gently placed the plate down. “Siblings maybe, don’t worry, I have made extra samosas.”

“Siblings? But how many? They have arrived in three cars.”

Her mother’s eyes widened. Before she could say anything, the doorbell rang.

“Oh, no, they are here. Now, how will we manage?”

Just then Shruti's father entered. “They have arrived. Serve them some soft drinks, sweets and snacks.”

“How many are they?” Her mother whispered carefully enough to not let the guests hear her talk.

“I haven’t counted but I assume there were four or five old couples along with Ritesh. Hurry up, okay. Now I must join them.” He left.

“Order something from the food app, we will receive the delivery from the back door.” her mother said. “I’m going out to welcome them, till then you wait here until summoned.” She left, wiping the sweat off of her forehead with her saree’s pallu.

Shruti did as asked. She ordered a few snacks and sweets, this time in more quantity, and hoped it would arrive within fifteen minutes as the app claimed.

But, just ten minutes later her mother strode into the kitchen. “Shruti, forget him. We can’t let you marry Ritesh.” There was a glare in her eyes.

“Amma, what happened?”

“He is an orphan.”

Shruti was shocked. “But he always talked about his parents. How they loved him so much and all.”

“His parents died when he was just three. He is all alone in this world. You cannot marry him.”

“Then who all have arrived with him?”

“His neighbors.”

“Please leave.” She heard her father yell.

Shruti rushed out of the kitchen. Outside, there was Ritesh, and as her father had said earlier, five elderly couples. They were all in a state of shock at her father’s behavior.

“Papa, what happened?” She said in a low voice.

“Shruti, you go inside. I’ll not let you talk to them at all.”

Obeying his father, and not thinking it right to argue with him at the moment, she turned to leave.

“Shruti, wait.” Ritesh called out.

“Shruti! Go inside.” Her father shouted.

“Sir, please.” Ritesh joined his palms. “If this is the last time, I’m seeing her I want to speak to her once.”

Without replying to him, her father turned his face away from him.

“Papa, please.” Shruti requested with tears welling in her eyes.

This was the last thing her father would want. He could never even imagine her cry. He didn’t say anything but nodded, still facing away from him.

Shruti approached Ritesh. “What is it? You always talked joyfully about your parents. Now my father says you are an orphan?”

“Shruti, he is technically right but wrong.”

“What do you mean?” She scrunched her eyebrows.

“My biological parents died when I was three. I was left all alone in this world. I had no relatives or anyone who could take care of me. These are my neighbors, but I’m proud to say that they are my parents, my family. I grew up receiving the love and care of my five fathers and five mothers. They mean as much to me as much you do. Today, I’m who I’m just because of them.”

Shruti glanced toward them and then looked at Ritesh.

He continued. “I would have been sent to an orphanage and would have grown up like an orphan in scarcity. But they all didn’t let that happen. I owe my life to them.”

“You could have revealed it earlier when we used to talk.”

“I didn’t pay much attention and thought about revealing it when we met. But I didn't expect that your parents wouldn't understand.”

“There is nothing to understand.” Her father intervened. “Please, I’m sorry, I was angry.” He addressed Ritesh and his family. “But I’m a girl’s father, I hope you will understand.”

“It’s okay, sir. The fault was on my behalf. It was never my intention to hide anything from you all.”

“Then, I request you not to call my daughter ever.”

“Papa! I love him.”

Ritesh and her father turned towards her, both with an expression of shock. Shruti never expressed her love to him, and her father never expected his daughter to fall for someone so soon.

“Shruti, go inside.” He walked towards her.

“No, papa. You have always motivated me to speak my mind. So, it should be left up to me to decide whether I want to marry him or not.

Sensing the atmosphere heating up, Ritesh and his family took their leave.

Later that night, Shruti called him.

“Hello, hi Shruti. Are your parents still angry with me?”

“They have agreed.” She wished he could see her blush right now.

“What? Are you serious? I mean, how? Earlier, your father was so furious.”

“My father loves me a lot, and…”

“And?” There was a tease in his voice.

“And, I love you a lot.”

There was a moment of pause. She knew he was taking his time to absorb the sudden revelation.

“Shruti, I love you too.”

She blushed.

“But, how did they agree?”

“Nothing, I just told them I was lucky to have five fathers-in-laws and five mothers-in-laws. And moreover, I stated that if they all loved you so much that they raised you like their own son, I could only imagine the love I would receive from a family like them if I married you.”

“That’s true, I can promise you won’t regret marrying me.”

“My parents will call you and them tomorrow and apologize for today.”

“Let’s meet again.”

“We will this weekend.”

“Can’t wait to marry you.” He said.

“Me too.” She replied.