Priti was livid “Why did you ambush me? Some warning would have been nice!” She was seated in the drawing room facing her parents.
“You wouldn’t have agreed, you never agree. You need to start thinking about marriage, we don’t want you to be left on the shelf.” Mrs Singh responded leaning forward. She picked up her tea, and then sat back in the love seat and turned to her husband who was sat beside her. “Isn’t that right? Every time we suggest a suitable boy, she throws a tantrum.”
“Listen to your mother, we don’t want you to go past your sell by date.” Her father said with a cheeky smile, humouring his wife.
“I’m not a piece of fruit! you don’t need to worry about me going off. I’m a human being.” Priti sat back in the armchair, deflated. “You should have told me they were coming. It must have looked soo rude. I walked in and was so overwhelmed that I was barking instructions at the poor guy. If you had warned me, I could have been dressed accordingly, I could have spent a minute talking to his mother. This whole thing hasn’t gone well at all.”
“Priti did you like him?” Mrs Singh asked hopefully. “We did mention him to you last week, and tell you that they would come and visit.”
“And I told you then that he was completely unsuitable. There is no way I’m moving to London! My business is here, you guys are here, my brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, uncle, aunts, friends are all here!”
“Then if he’s unsuitable, why are you so upset. It’s not the first time we have had a boy over without you knowing. but it is the first time you have been this upset by it.” Mrs Singh said almost dancing with glee.
Priti took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She was frustrated. They should have warned her, she looked a mess. What must he have thought? “I thought he was nice. He was smartly dressed and well mannered. But he doesn’t live here.”
“This is the first boy ever that you have said was nice. Don’t you think that maybe you can’t have it all. What’s wrong with living in London? You spend half your life there anyway.” Mr Singh didn’t tend to get involved with women chatter but this time he felt it was important he have a say “Your mother went to college with Mrs Gupta, they’ve known each other a very long time. Dr Gupta is highly respected. They are a good family.”
“The boy is a catch. You know the Chaudhury’s went and visited them the day they arrived, obviously trying to set Aarti up with him. but they came here to see us!” Mrs Singh said happily. “Don’t misunderstand me, Aarti is a very nice girl, and she’s studied medicine, so obviously she has that going for her, but she hasn’t got your bone structure or your polish. We paid a lot for that English boarding school, and now our hens are coming home to roast as they say.”
“Its “chickens are coming in to roost” and it’s the opposite of what you're trying to say. It means that there will be consequences to your actions. I hated boarding school. I hated the British weather. I hated being away from home.” Priti exhaled loudly. “How do you know Aarti’s family have already been to visit?”
“The maids have a WhatsApp group. Aarti’s met him as well. Apparently they hit it off.” Mrs Singh’s maids liked extra pocket money, and Mrs Singh liked to stay informed so their arrangement was a good one.
Priti sat back and got comfortable “How close are you with Mrs Gupta Ma?”
“She was my best friend in college, and she was the one to call and suggest that you and Raj meet. She said that they are only here a week and that nothing would make her happier than if I and her would change our relationship from friends to family.” Mrs Singh had initially been doubtful that Priti would agree and had told Mrs Gupta that her daughter was hard to please. But Mrs Gupta had been insistent. She’d explained that Raj would definitely be someone Priti would like and that if she refused, their friendship would not be affected.
Priti decided brutal honesty was best. “I told him I wouldn’t marry him.”
Mrs Singh was in shock “Why would you say that?”
“Because he lives abroad! And I have my business here and it’s going so well.” Priti argued.
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