Part 28 (1/2)
”They're also really happy that I'm going to graduate school. They give you all the credit for the fact that I've come to my senses.”
Rasika smiled and pressed his hands in hers.
”My parents will work out a new airline ticket for me,” he said. ”They agree that I should stay with you. They want you to get better.”
Rasika's father and Pramod were still cl.u.s.tered around them. Her mother had approached, as well, and was standing like a sentinel on the other side of the bed. Abhay leaned close and whispered into Rasika's ear, ”I love you.”
She laughed and declared, loud enough for everyone to hear, ”I love you, too.”
Epilogue.
CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN,.
AUGUST 2008.
It has turned out beautifully.” Mita patted Sujata's arm and glanced around the airy room, with French doors revealing the greenery outside. Wedding guests in Indian finery milled around the room as waitstaff cleared away the lunch plates. Rasika, wearing a gold-embroidered pale pink long skirt, blouse, and scarf, and Abhay, in a knee-length maroon embroidered kurta over calf-hugging pants, strolled hand in hand among the guests. A tall white and silver wedding cake graced one corner of the room.
”We had so much trouble with this wedding. You won't believe.” Sujata pulled her cell phone from her waist, where it was clipped to her sari. ”What could it be now? The ceremony is over. The reception is almost over.” She glanced at the screen and reclipped the phone. ”My sister in India. Her daughter has run away with some Muslim boy. So my sister is calling me every day, crying. I always told her she was giving Mayuri too much freedom. We raised Rasika so she understood that she must choose a Hindu.”
Mita smiled sympathetically and pressed Sujata's hand in both of hers. ”Yes. She has chosen a Hindu, at least. Abhay-what is he going to do now?”
”As a matter of fact, he has gotten a full fellows.h.i.+p to the University of California at Berkeley.”
”Oh. Berkeley. Very good school. I thought he was-”
”What people think has nothing to do with reality.” Sujata touched the diamonds gracing her earlobes, and put a palm over her heart. ”He has been so good to her, Mita. He stayed with us in India until we left, and then he moved back to this area-you know he was in Oregon-but he came back, just for Rasika.”
”Life is hard sometimes.” Mita patted her eyes with a hanky. ”She is completely well now?”
”That is what the doctors say, thank G.o.d.” Sujata cleared her throat. ”Rasika wanted an outdoor wedding. She has been through so much, so I didn't insist on a temple wedding, but this was not easy to arrange.”
”You did wonderful job. It is too bad Kanchan could not come. He had important meeting, he said. To look at her, no one would know all trouble she has been through. Her hair is short, but still she is beautiful.”
”Where is she now?” Sujata's eyes raked the room. ”We will cut the cake in a few minutes.” Sujata's husband was standing in a dark corner, discussing something with the videographer. Her gaze pa.s.sed over Amisha Menon Nayar, who had gained even more weight since her own wedding, and who was feeding her very fat baby with a bottle. At the next table Subhash sat with his new wife, a thin, shy girl with an enormous belly-she was about seven months pregnant. Deepti brought a bowl of rice payasam and set it on the table next to the girl, but the girl shook her head.
Past tables of Abhay's and Rasika's college friends, Sujata's eyes fell on the couple making their way toward the wedding cake, where Abhay's mother was hovering. Sujata glanced at her watch. ”I hope the icing has not melted.”
”It will be fine, I am sure. The air-conditioning is so cold.” Mita wrapped the palloo of her sari around her shoulders.
”Balu had to drive the priest here,” Sujata continued. ”We had to pay the maintenance people here to put together the mantapa. At first they did not want us to put up our own structure, but I said, it's just a temporary canopy. We must have this for a traditional Hindu wedding. And then of course there was the question of lighting the fire. At first the director of the garden said, absolutely not. But how can we have a Hindu wedding without the fire G.o.d as witness? I had to bring in an aluminum tray and show him how small the fire would be-hardly more than a couple of candles. Still they wanted extra for insurance.”
”They let you bring Indian food in?”
”We had to pay for their food, even though we didn't need it. And we had to bring in our own food. I thought I would have to pay twice, but Venika said she would do it, as her contribution to the wedding. She has gotten into catering, you know.”
”Venika made cake, too?”
”She ordered it. She does not make Western desserts, but she decorated the top of each layer with silver leaf, so it looks more Indian.”
Mita nodded her head. ”Very beautiful.”
Sujata shot a glance toward the far corner. ”I must tell the videographer to be ready for the cake cutting.” She strode off, leaving Mita standing alone.
Rasika and Abhay, at the opposite side of the hall, were talking to his mother.
”Mom, the food was amazing,” Abhay said.
”Rice was little overcooked,” his mother said.
”No, it was great,” Rasika insisted. ”You worked so hard. You must be exhausted. We are so grateful.”
”Thank you so much, Mom,” Abhay added.
Venika grasped Rasika's and Abhay's hands. ”No need to thank. I am mother of groom. I am used to cooking. We are just glad, so glad things work out for both of you.” She let go of their hands and stroked their cheeks. ”Now you both be happy together, and have good life.”
Sujata arrived with the videographer. ”Don't go too far,” she warned Abhay and Rasika. ”We'll cut the cake in five minutes.”
They strolled over to Jill's table.
”You look so tan!” Rasika said. ”Hawaii's been good to you.”
”I don't know why it took me so long to get there.” Jill stood up and put out a hand to touch Rasika's gold wedding necklace. ”Is this a significant symbol?” She fingered the pendant.
”Normally, you have caste symbols on your wedding necklace,” Rasika said. ”But since Abhay and I don't care about caste, we decided to choose an om on a lotus.”
A couple of little girls, wearing long silk skirts and Indian jewelry, raced past. The room was clamorous with loud adult voices and children's shouts. The gentle plinking of the veena music, piped through the speakers, could be heard only at moments when the noise subsided somewhat.
”I love the translation of your wedding vows.” Jill opened her copy of the program.
Abhay took it from her. ”I had no idea there was a translation. I just repeated whatever the priest told me to say.” He read out loud, ” 'With these seven steps we have become friends. I am blessed with your friends.h.i.+p. I shall always be with you. You shall always be with me. We shall live together. We shall combine our minds in our thoughts. We shall combine our hands in our actions.' ”
”That's so great,” Jill said. ”I thought maybe the two of you made up those vows.”
Rasika grasped the program and scanned the lines. ”This was a very traditional wedding-or at least as traditional as my mother could make it. But the meaning is really so modern, isn't it? Abhay, we should get someone to write this out in calligraphy, in Sanskrit and English, and have it framed.”
”Go for it. You're better than I am at decorating.” He put an arm around her waist and strolled to the next table, where Chris Haldorson and his mother were seated.
”What a beautiful wedding,” Mrs. Haldorson said. Tears were s.h.i.+ning in her eyes. ”Your mother must be just beside herself.”