shoulders defiantly. Who cared what he
thought?
“You don’t need to worry, you know,” said Mrs. Dewan gently
to Mira. “I will look after your sister. I won’t overwork her.”
Mira’s face flushed. “That’s not what…” she began clumsily,
then defensively, “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we tend to over-protect Reema because
she’s the youngest. I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right, beta , I understand that. I like to
see a bit of family feeling. It’s good. But let Reema be now. She’s a big girl
and will handle my work quite efficiently, you’ll see, haina Reema?”
Reema nodded, breaking into a shy smile.
“Since you are here, why don’t you take some time off and
take your sister shopping?” cut in Ranbir. “She needs some new clothes if she
is going to go out with Dadi. And, please, Mira, smart and casual, and not
these fluttering draperies both of you seem to love so much. Pick up some
evening wear as well.”
Mira looked at him indignantly, eyes flashing in anger.
“What do you mean fluttering draperies? Just because we’ve been brought up to
wear traditional Indian clothes…”
Mrs. Dewan interrupted her tirade. “Why do the two of you
fight so much? Ranbir, beta , Reema is looking perfectly nice in her churidar - kurta ,
why does she need new clothes? She looks just like a girl her age should look.”
Ranbir gave her a meaningful look, which Mira caught and
spurred her to greater fury. “Dadi, I thought a few Western outfits would be
good for when you two go for a formal dinner.”
“ Theek hai ,” said Mrs. Dewan, acquiescing. “I don’t
have too much work this morning anyway. Mira, I’ll tell you where to go. Remind
me to give you money. Arre haan , while you are about it, get a couple of
outfits for yourself as well. There might be times when we’ll need you as
well.”
“But I have a meeting with Dhruv at 11.30.” spluttered Mira.
“I’ll tell him you’ll be in later,” said Ranbir, giving her
a wicked look.
Dadi smiled after him as he walked out. “ Mera beta ,
he thinks of everything,” she said fondly.
Mira looked dubious. She was not sure that was such a good
thing.
***
Some days later, Mira and Reema were at dinner with the
family.
“Maji,” Meenu Chachi said to Dadi, “I had called Panditji
today for the havan you wanted conducted for Tarun’s twenty-fifth
birthday.”
“ Haan beta , were you able to decide on a date?
It should be in the week of his birthday.”
“We have decided on Tuesday, on his birthday. Panditji says
that is the most auspicious day.”
“But Amma, we’re having a party on Tuesday!” protested
Tarun. “My friends will be most upset.”
“The havan will be in the morning, betaji, so
don’t worry!” said Chachi, laughing at her son’s dismay. “Plenty of time for
dancing-shancing and all that loud music I’m sure you will want!”
“Dancing-shancing, Amma?” asked Vasu, with a wicked glint in
her eye. “Are you planning to join in? Like last time?”
“And why shouldn’t she?” asked Ranbir. “My friends all
enjoyed dancing with her. They thought it was extremely sporting of her.”
Meenu Chachi glowed rosily at the compliment.
“Well, that’s settled then,” said Mrs. Dewan, looking around
her. “Reema, I shall want you to help Meenu in the preparations for the havan .
Meenu, I think you can let her make the prasad this time.”
Reema looked up in surprise. Meenu Chachi also looked
startled. “But Maji,” she remonstrated, “the prasad has to be made by a
member of the family!”
“Reema is as good as part of the family. Let her make the prasad !”
Dadi could be imperious when she wanted to be. Chachi kept quiet, only the
mutinous look on her face revealing her feelings. Dadi turned to Ranbir,
“Ranbir, I hope you’ll be in town? I want both you brothers to take part in the havan .”
“Yes, Dadi, I was supposed to go to Mumbai, but this rascal
made me change my plans.”
“You
thought?
“You don’t need to worry, you know,” said Mrs. Dewan gently
to Mira. “I will look after your sister. I won’t overwork her.”
Mira’s face flushed. “That’s not what…” she began clumsily,
then defensively, “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we tend to over-protect Reema because
she’s the youngest. I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right, beta , I understand that. I like to
see a bit of family feeling. It’s good. But let Reema be now. She’s a big girl
and will handle my work quite efficiently, you’ll see, haina Reema?”
Reema nodded, breaking into a shy smile.
“Since you are here, why don’t you take some time off and
take your sister shopping?” cut in Ranbir. “She needs some new clothes if she
is going to go out with Dadi. And, please, Mira, smart and casual, and not
these fluttering draperies both of you seem to love so much. Pick up some
evening wear as well.”
Mira looked at him indignantly, eyes flashing in anger.
“What do you mean fluttering draperies? Just because we’ve been brought up to
wear traditional Indian clothes…”
Mrs. Dewan interrupted her tirade. “Why do the two of you
fight so much? Ranbir, beta , Reema is looking perfectly nice in her churidar - kurta ,
why does she need new clothes? She looks just like a girl her age should look.”
Ranbir gave her a meaningful look, which Mira caught and
spurred her to greater fury. “Dadi, I thought a few Western outfits would be
good for when you two go for a formal dinner.”
“ Theek hai ,” said Mrs. Dewan, acquiescing. “I don’t
have too much work this morning anyway. Mira, I’ll tell you where to go. Remind
me to give you money. Arre haan , while you are about it, get a couple of
outfits for yourself as well. There might be times when we’ll need you as
well.”
“But I have a meeting with Dhruv at 11.30.” spluttered Mira.
“I’ll tell him you’ll be in later,” said Ranbir, giving her
a wicked look.
Dadi smiled after him as he walked out. “ Mera beta ,
he thinks of everything,” she said fondly.
Mira looked dubious. She was not sure that was such a good
thing.
***
Some days later, Mira and Reema were at dinner with the
family.
“Maji,” Meenu Chachi said to Dadi, “I had called Panditji
today for the havan you wanted conducted for Tarun’s twenty-fifth
birthday.”
“ Haan beta , were you able to decide on a date?
It should be in the week of his birthday.”
“We have decided on Tuesday, on his birthday. Panditji says
that is the most auspicious day.”
“But Amma, we’re having a party on Tuesday!” protested
Tarun. “My friends will be most upset.”
“The havan will be in the morning, betaji, so
don’t worry!” said Chachi, laughing at her son’s dismay. “Plenty of time for
dancing-shancing and all that loud music I’m sure you will want!”
“Dancing-shancing, Amma?” asked Vasu, with a wicked glint in
her eye. “Are you planning to join in? Like last time?”
“And why shouldn’t she?” asked Ranbir. “My friends all
enjoyed dancing with her. They thought it was extremely sporting of her.”
Meenu Chachi glowed rosily at the compliment.
“Well, that’s settled then,” said Mrs. Dewan, looking around
her. “Reema, I shall want you to help Meenu in the preparations for the havan .
Meenu, I think you can let her make the prasad this time.”
Reema looked up in surprise. Meenu Chachi also looked
startled. “But Maji,” she remonstrated, “the prasad has to be made by a
member of the family!”
“Reema is as good as part of the family. Let her make the prasad !”
Dadi could be imperious when she wanted to be. Chachi kept quiet, only the
mutinous look on her face revealing her feelings. Dadi turned to Ranbir,
“Ranbir, I hope you’ll be in town? I want both you brothers to take part in the havan .”
“Yes, Dadi, I was supposed to go to Mumbai, but this rascal
made me change my plans.”
“You
Similar Books
