The green chiffon saree suddenly seemed a bit too much for the informal meeting Ihita was heading to. She pursed her lips, her eyes narrowed at the reflection that stared back at her. Shaking her head at her own indecisiveness, she picked up the kajal pencil and slowly traced the black tip along the rim of her eyes. Tousling her dark brown hair, she pinned the front pieces back with a simple clip and nodded to herself.
Deciding that this was the best she wanted to do, the young woman closed the visor mirror and stepped out of the car, shivering at the cold wind that breezed around the café. The soft chatter of the quaint café immediately gave a sense of comfort for Ihita as she stepped in. She looked around and caught sight of a lone booth concealed by shadows and headed over there, her sandals clicking against the hardwood floor.
She sat down and gazed around at the homely place. The small diner was coated in rustic hues, with fairy lights hung around aesthetically providing a warm ambience. Accents of emerald peeked from the corners and alcoves, providing everyone a semblance of serenity.
It had been just over a couple weeks since she came back to Mumbai from Connecticut, USA. Her childhood was spent in India but her teenage years were spent with her maternal grandparents and her twin, Eashvan in Italy. After a brief visit to her family in India again, she left for America for her Bachelor degree that had soon turned into a Masters and a PhD before she returned to her homeland.
While traveling to multiple countries had taught her the ways of the world, it had also strengthened the estrangement she felt from her eldest brother. Before her train of thoughts could take a particularly nasty curve, a small clearing of someone's throat made her look upwards.
A woman dressed in a beige suit had a pleasant smile on her face and Ihita immediately recognized the person as Nurvi Dave, the fiancée of her elder brother. She stood up and the corner of her lips curved upwards, "Ms. Dave." Ihita inclined her head politely and the two sat down.
An awkward silence ensues between the both of them before Nurvi spoke up, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Ihita." She greeted, extending her right hand out while her appreciative glance scanned the younger woman's attire.
Ihita laughed weakly, remembering exactly why she was terrible at making polite conversations and by extension, friends. She used to have a tight-knit group but after-, nope, I am not going there. "Actually, woh kya haina-- I'm Vasav's sister but you know that." She chuckled nervously. "Voh, he doesn't know--You're getting married right? I just returned from US, Eashvan knew--He talked with you?"
Ihita's words were all over the place, stuttering before she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "I'm the only one in the family that didn't get a chance to know you so I wanted to meet you but Bhai doesn't know." Ihita rambled and paused and laughed softly, shaking her head. "Marriage, he's getting married. Un-fucking-believable." She whispered under her breath.
Nurvi's smile never wavered, as she observed the girl in front of her stammering with her sentences. How different these three siblings are, Vasav and Eashvan are confident in their stance and comfortable in their skin. And yet Ihita--Ihita was a stark contrast to her siblings in every way possible.
"Ihita," She calls out gently yet firmly, giving her a sweet smile. "This is not an interview, you do not have to impress me. I'll marry your brother either way." Nurvi teased, her eyes filled with warmth. Calling over a waiter, she turned to Ihita and asked, "Would you like something to eat or drink? Perhaps a pastry or a coffee?"
The twin sister of Eashvan shook her head, giving a pursed smile. "I'm afraid I don't do well with sweets." Turning to the waiter, "I'll have a black coffee and a grilled cheese sandwich."
"I'll get the latte with a chocolate pastry and some scones on the side." Nurvi requested, waving the waiter off politely. Resuming her attention on Ihita, "It seems as if you siblings do have one thing in common." She laughed.
The sound of Nurvi's laughter was like soft bells chiming to Ihita, her very presence soothing and serene. It was no wonder Vasav had fallen in love with her. Perhaps she brought a certain sense of order and quiet to the chaotic soul of the crazed businessman. "Not liking sweets? Yes, I'm afraid the Haldar family has never been fan of sugary things." Ihita nodded, her trimmed nails drumming against the table.
Before either of them had a chance to speak, a melodious song began to play out and Ihita dug her phone out from her purse. Giving an apologetic look to Nurvi, she swiftly answered the call without taking a glance at the caller id.
"Hello?"
"Ihita?"
"Aarav." Ihita answered flatly, any traces of a smile disappearing from her face.
"Oh my god Ihita!" The man on the other side exclaimed, relief seeping into his voice. "Maa, Baba--Ihita uttaara dila!"
(Mom, Dad--Ihita answered!")
Ihita frowned, slightly confused at Aarav's words. "Shotti? Phōnaṭā dā'ō, āmi ōra sāthē kathā balatē cā'i. Ihitā bēṭā, tumi ki jānō katadina dharē āmarā tōmāra sāthē yōgāyōga karāra cēṣṭā karachi?" Aarav's mother's voice filled the phone, her tone excited and slightly reprimanding.
(Really? Give me the phone, I want to talk with her. Ihita beta, do you know how long we've been trying to contact you?)
Ihita sighed frustratedly, pinching the bridge of her nose in anger before her eyes caught sight of Nurvi who was looking at her curiously. Giving a smile that she was sure looked more like a grimace, she hissed into her phone. "I don't know how you got my number Auntyji, but if someone hasn't been calling you for the past six years--Perhaps it means that they do not want to talk with you. Please don't try to contact me again, if I had wanted to converse with you, I would have done it long ago." Her voice softened at the end, weariness overtaking the irritation she felt.
She opened her mouth but closed it again, not wanting to further the conversation. Ending the call, she closed her eyes and set the phone back on the table. Taking a deep breath and leaning back in her seat, she looked at Nurvi tiredly. "I'm sorry about that Ms. Dave, I should have looked at the name before I accepted the call."
Nurvi restrained the sympathy that threatened to be visible in her eyes, she somehow doubted Ihita would be very happy with that gesture. "No need of formalities, you can call me Bhabi or Nurvi, whichever you like." Ihita shrugged at this and Nurvi continued. "It's alright, I have my fair share of people who's calls I dread." She joked, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. "Want to know a trick to avoid those calls?"
The woman sitting across her nodded, a furrow between her eyebrows. Nurvi leaned in, her eyebrows raised conspiratorially as if she were sharing a huge secret, "I put a ringtone I hate for the people I don't like so I don't answer those calls ."
A laugh slipped from Ihita lips and she covered her mouth delicately but her shoulders still shook. The other woman relaxed, satisfied with herself for breaking the tense atmosphere. Silence shrouded the two of them again but this time, it was companionable. The waiter returned with their orders and both of them started to eat quietly, having sips of their drinks occasionally.
"So Ihita, tell me this. You know how calculative Vasav is. A very tough nut to crack." Both of them giggled softly at this. "He hasn't told me much about you other than you're his favorite member of the family." Nurvi paused at this and observed Ihita's reaction. It was the truth of course, a secret revealed during one of the many late-night conversations the two lovers shared. But since Vasav's fiancée knew of the estrangement the brother-sister shared, she wanted to glean how Ihita would feel at this statement.
And the latter did not disappoint, her hand froze in mid-air, holding the sandwich near her mouth. Slowly setting it down, Ihita's eyes widened and her lips parted, it was almost comical and Nurvi would have laughed if it weren't for the serious situation they were in. Then, the youngest of the Haldar's did something the elder woman would have never expected.
Ihita snickered in amusement, doubling over while she wiped tears from her eyes. Even in this strange situation, Nurvi had to admit there was a pleasing lilt to the sound of Ihita's mirth. "Oh god, this has got to be the funniest joke I've heard in a long time." When she returned her gaze to the female seated opposite of her, the realization that it was in fact not a joke slowly dawned upon her.
"Wait, you're serious? You're actually, fully, a hundred percent serious? Vasav truly said that I'm his favorite in the family?"
Nurvi nodded slowly, unsure of what to make of this particular response. She had expected many outcomes but this was not even in the list of them. "Gods, you really are serious." Ihita mumbled, the hilarity in her expression fading away. She hesitated for a minute before speaking up again.
"Ms. Da--Bha--Nurviji." Ihita finally decided on an endearment. "You are wedding my brother soon which is why I don't see the point in hiding this. You said Vasav didn't really tell about me so think of it as an introduction."
Poor Nurvi was going through the five stages of bafflement, sincerely hoping that her soon to be sister-in-law put her out of her misery and cleared the perplexing questions that roamed her mind.
"When I was around three years of age, my Nona and Nonno took Eashvan and I back with them to Italy. The only contact I had with my family was video calls. I used to video call Vasav and Ezhil and my father," A bitter taste filled Ihita's mouth at the word but she shook it off and continued. "My father and step-mother would occasionally visit Italy but that stopped once they divorced. Vasav took over the reins of Haldar Enterprises and the calls halted while my father had a third marriage and moved away to Uttar Pradesh where only Narayan knows what he's doing now. But I'm sure you know all of this."
At the sight of Nurvi's nod, Ihita continued, "Eashvan and I finished our schooling in Italy and returned to India for a brief visit. Eashvan started to help out Vasav in the business and decided to stay back here and continue his education while I got accepted in New York University. I stayed there and finished my Bachelors, Masters and a PhD with very little contact with my brothers. The only person I was close with in my family was Ezhil but she was busy in her own career as a director and opening an old age home."
"Ihita, dear," Nurvi started gently. "When I said Vasav didn't tell me much about you, I meant that he didn't tell me how you were as a person. I know the background of your family."
Ihita smiled wryly, "Aah, but what you don't know is we had a huge falling out when I was 21." The younger woman sighed, rubbing her forehead and looking down at the now cold plate of food. "Vasav and I weren't completely estranged, we spoke at least once a month and we both knew what was going on in each other's lives. Perhaps we weren't the closest of siblings, but we were at least friends. I was still in touch with my family."
Fiddling with the silver bracelet on her wrist, Ihita gazed out the window but the look in her eyes was distant as her mind was flooded with the memories of the past. "We had a huge falling out after I completed my Bachelor's degree, with Ezhil and Eashvan taking Vasav's side. I was extremely hurt and filled with fury and lots of words were exchanged."
A bitter laugh sounded from Ihita and she shook her head, looking back at Nurvi who's expression was empathetic. "Vasav would never tell this to anyone, not even you Nurviji, but I uttered a lot of foul words at him. I was actually in India at the time, and I screamed and raged at him. He took it all silently, not even attempting to defend himself while Ezhil and Eashvan fought back with me. They broke all ties with me and out of grief and fury, I ended my relationship with them and Vasav."
Nurvi grasped Ihita's hand in an act of comfort and the sister of Vasav smiled back ruefully, wiping away stray tears. "I flew back to America and threw myself into studies, not even contacting them once in those six years. But here I am now, back in India. I originally came here for work but instead, I got a surprise that you two are getting married. So I decided to at least meet the new addition to our family, if you can even call it that" Ihita chortled mockingly.
"This was after-?" Nurvi's voice trailed off and Ihita nodded. The former exhaled tightly and shook her head, stunned by the revelations. "I was working for Vasav during that time and got into a relationship soon after when he told me all of this but he never told me that you two had a--disagreement." She worded politely.
Ihita snorted, "It was a war between Eashvan, Ezhil and I. Vasav never said a word against me." She corrected the young woman. "The other two kept saying that I didn't know anything and after all this time, I wonder if they were right. Perhaps there was a reason that Vasav wasn't there when I needed him. But I was too overcome with sorrow to know and he never told me either. Part of the blame is mine but I can't know until he tells me."
Waving her fingers airily, Ihita patted Nurvi's fingers. "The point is, I'm not his favorite member because I said a lot of words that were utterly cruel and he didn't deserve those words. What you also have to understand is I'm a raging bitch when I get mad." She laughed, trying to slice through the gloomy tension in the air.
It was Nurvi's turn to grimace, "Happens to all of us." She said lightly and Ihita looked as if she didn't believe it. Even Nurvi seemed as if she had a hard time trusting her own words.
"Well, my job here is done. You needed to know the last member of the family and now you do. A word of advice though, if you haven't met my father." Concern was etched on Ihita's face and Nurvi shook her head. "I haven't actually, is there anything I need to know? Vasav told me a bit but considering how you told me he hid the most important part of a story, I don't think I believe him too much."
Ihita frowned at the overwhelmed features and slightly sick expression of Nurvi's face, perhaps she had revealed a little too much in her storm of words. Better to know now then be surprised later, she assured herself and forged on with her words. "Vasav was probably making sure you didn't run off after hearing about her family."
Nurvi forced a smile on her face, "Every family is dysfunctional. You should hear about mine, it would make you think yours is practically heaven."
Ihita snorted again, "I highly doubt that. Point is, my father's third wife is a hippy woman but much better than his previous wife. It also means that she has a couple of screws loose and my father has no screws loose because I doubt there are any left." She hesitated before the rest of her words tumbled out, "Just don't talk too much with him alright? He's manipulative."
Standing up, she pulled out a few bills and placed them on the table. "And by this, I have successfully revealed whatever Vasav wanted to hide and that brings me sadistic pleasure. I have also finished my quota of words for a week but it was truly a pleasure meeting you. I have a feeling you'll be good to this family."
Nurvi laughed weakly, unsure of what to say but her future sister-in-law tapped her forehead. "I almost forgot," She dug out a small box covered in white wrapping paper and a card, placing them near Nurvi. "A small gift to welcome you into the family and my address, if you would like to meet me. It was genuinely charming to speak with you and I would love to get to know you more."
All traces of indecisiveness left Nurvi and she smiled warmly at the younger woman, standing up and enclosing her in a gentle embrace. "I would love to do that. Ezhil and I have been friends for a long time but it would be delightful getting to know you." Drawing back, she placed a motherly hand on Ihita's cheek and the latter grinned back.
The older woman was suddenly struck by how young Ihita seemed. She was only a year younger but at that moment, she seemed so carefree, a sharp difference to how she seemed at the start of their conversation. Nurvi knew Ihita grew up before her age so it was possible that moments like these when she was carefree were few and far between. An abrupt question spilled out of her lips, "Wait, how did you get to know that Vasav and I were getting married?"
The smile on her face disappeared and a sour look took over, "Take care Nurviji." Ihita waved a slender hand and made her way out of the café, turning back to give one last smile before making her way into her car and driving away. Nurvi sat back down and thought long and hard about their conversation, drawing connections between the story she knew and the story Ihita had told her.
Minutes passed and her thoughts traveled to how Ihita slowly opened up to her, which was something Nurvi didn't think the young woman did very often. She seemed like a bright and lively young girl whose dreams had been crushed by the realism of her life. The death of her lover and estrangement from her family could not have done much to help her.
Her eyes glanced down to where the small white box lay and she hesitantly picked up, gently tearing open the paper. Lifting the upper half of the box, Nurvi gasped when she saw what was in it. Two rose gold rings were nestled in the velvet cushion, the slightly thicker ring with vine design and the thin ring with a leaf design. The leaf ring was obviously meant for a woman and the leaf was traced in glinting diamonds. The vine print of the man's ring was similarly engraved in diamonds and the only thought running through her head was that they must have cost a fortune.
Picking up the rings, she admired the delicate beauty before her gaze caught sight of a slim folded paper. Gently unfastening the parchment, she skimmed the words written on them.
Dear Vasav and Vasav's Future Wife,
I am not sure to which one of you I will give this gift to so I am addressing it to both of you. I am writing this during my Robotics lecture (My Master's Degree). I bought these rings a couple of days ago after saving up for quite a few months. Vasav's fiancée/wife, I am sure that he must have told you about me. If not, I am Ihita, the younger sister of Vasav.
We had a falling out a couple of years ago and this is my way of apologizing. Vasav, if I have given this to you or if you are reading it with your partner : I am sorry Bhai. Sorry is not a big enough word to even compensate one eighth of what I did. You always say that I should express my apologies through actions and not words so here is the beginning of my repentance.
These rings are customized, engraved with an old Sanskrit mantra that is chanted during the wedding. It is supposed to be auspicious and I hope they bring only happiness to you.
If I am giving this to you, future sister-in-law, it means I have not yet met Vasav and spoke with him.
Bhai, if this letter reaches you, it means that you have accepted my wrongdoing and are willing to look forward to our relationship.
If it reaches both of you, then I have most probably delivered this present to you via courier and it means that I have still not mustered the courage to see Bhai face-to-face. It also means that I have gotten to know news of your marriage through father (Eashvan, Ezhil and I still refuse to talk with each other). If this is indeed the case, then I seek your forgiveness Bhai and will probably not meet you for a long while still.
I wish you both a happy married life,
Your Loving Sister/Sister-In-Law,
Ihita
Nurvi read through the letter again and again, her mind nearly memorizing each word of every sentence. Looking at the rings that shone merrily, she pursed her lips and wondered whether to give this letter to Vasav or not. Deciding he had a right to know (it was from his sister after all), she shot off a text to him, asking to meet her as soon as possible. Standing up, she finished the last of her cold coffee and left, the meeting leaving her with questions and random thoughts than she came with.
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