Birthday weekend in Mcloedgunj

The first Travel tale on Thursday is here :) There will be two travel tales each month. Memories, accidents, hilarious episodes, reviews of a place, wish list – it all will be part of these Thursday tales. Excited? Read on.

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My parents are pretty cool people. I found my freedom at quite an early age and have been living independently for a long time now. If ever one thing that freaks them out, it is my travel plans with friends. My permission fiasco was daringly shared as a guest post on Richa’s profile a while ago. (Read it here at http://subzeroricha.blogspot.in/2013/11/mom-actually-there-is-trip.html)

Okay, not to exaggerate it. All that freaking out is thing of past and my parents now happily accept my travel plan announcements.

So it was my Birthday in 2012 and it fell on a Saturday. Adding cherry to the cake, Friday was a holiday. Thus, there I was with a long Birthday weekend and a near perfect weather of August.

It was an impromptu plan and before we knew it we were on our way to Mcloedgunj. Mcloedgunj is a small town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is approx. 500 kms from Delhi and it is a near smooth 8 hour journey. Mcloedgunj is famous for Dalai Lama’s residence in exile, due to which the city has a lot of Buddhist and Tibetan influences.

We chose to drive down to Dharamshala via Chandigarh. We started early morning and stopped on a highway dhaba (dhaba is a hindi word for roadside restaurant) for Breakfast. Another stop to have some tea and enjoy monsoon rains, and we were in Kangra valley without any hitch.

Only when we reached Mcloedgunj, we realized how big a tourist attraction the place was. Being a small town, we expected the place to be a quiet one but the town was bustling with activities.

The town has several small hotels and inns and in summers, all are full almost every weekend. (Lesson – if it is a long weekend, make sure you have booked a room for yourself in advance). However, after two hours of inquiring in some 20 different hotels, we found two rooms and thus, began our time in McLoedgunj.

Being a tourist attraction, town boasts of several eateries serving global cuisine. Although not close in authenticity, one can enjoy an Indianised global food in the town.

McLoedgunj has several Buddhist monasteries and a very famous Dalai Lama office. While the office is not accessible, monasteries are must visit. We began the next day with visiting a couple of monasteries.

A small water fall which then runs as a stream for few kilometers before it meets Beas in Kangra valley is one of the popular tourist attractions. Crystal clear, rapid flowing water is ultimate solace when a Delhite travels to beat scorching Delhi summers. As a result, small tea shops, serving Maggie and tea open up during peak season along the stream. We spent quite some time hopping on rocks and playing with water in the stream.

For shopaholics like us, there are many shops selling keep-sakes and souvenirs. There are also specialties of Tibet to shop like shawl and bone jewellery.

Since, I am a foodie, I come back to food. One can find some authentic tibetian food in this town (remember momos and thukpa?) We relished these for dinner at a popular restaurant.

Weekend that it was, it had to end in just two days. The next day, Sunday began our long journey back home, which we completed with more than five stops on the way including Bhakra Nangal Dam.

A birthday that wasn’t like every other year was certainly one of the best Birthday celebrations I ever had.

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UBC Day 29 - Confusion - 27

Sushant couldn’t understand what Priya meant. She had just been through a lot and he didn’t want to bank upon her emotional vent out. He gave her a quick hug and left.

It took Priya a better part of the hour to comprehend what she had just been through. Just yesterday, when she had resolved to not think about Nitin anymore, he had now come and stood in front of her once again. He knew about Navya and he wanted her whereabouts. On the other hand Sushant had been more than a friend and displayed his love openly.

A million questions hovered in her head. “Was she using Sushant’s love? Was Nitin really concerned and had really changed? Was she being too strict with Nitin by not letting him to explain? Will it be wrong to Sushant if she gave a second chance to Nitin? What did her last words to Sushant mean? Was she really in love with Sushant or she was just giving in to vulnerable situation? Will it be justified for Sushnt to bear the brunt of her past relationship? What was it that Sushant looking, did he know what future could be if they were together? Why was Deepti supporting Nitin?”

She was in middle of her thoughts when Deepti came in. She was in tears. She wanted to apologize and realized the mistake she had done by agreeing to help Nitin.

Seeing her friend in distress made Priya guilty. Maybe she overreacted in front of Nitin. Maybe she became too vulnerable or too rigid to allow him to explain.

She called up Sushant for advice. He suggested that she must meet him and give a chance to explain. Upon her insistence, he agreed to come along with her to meet and arrange a meeting.

No amount of preparation could enable Priya to face Nitin calmly. Just his name reflected all the painful memories of the times she spent alone.

She gathered the courage to read the emails that he had sent. Contrary to the first that she had read couple of nights ago, the other two were full of remorse and guilt. One of the emails read, “How do I explain to you the happiness I get when I think that you actually gave birth to our child. It tells me more than your loving nature; it tells me that you still love me to search for me in our daughter.”

How wrong he was. He did not know that ever since she looked at her daughter for the second time she resolved to not search for her father’s face. She infact never thought of him and imagined him to return.

Another part of email mentioned that he was planning to begin a project in India and will be shifting soon, he mentioned about his broken engagement.

The more she read, the stronger her resolve became. Priya knew without meeting Nitin, he no longer had a space in her life.

But what about Sushant? Did he?

UBC Day 26 - Proposal - 24

Continued from Day 25 - Meeting

Priya wondered what was wrong with Deepti. The way she called and said that she wanted to meet her and it was urgent, it had worried her. But very next moment she had continued to assure that she was fine and she wanted her to meet someone.

As she got ready to meet Deepti at the café that she had asked, she thought about past few days. Sushant’s sudden declaration of his love had come as a shock.

She had stood there at the door, trying to register his words till her mother bought her inside. Priya couldn’t understand what made Sushant say so, was it actually his love or it was his pity layered with his friendship?

It took a lot of courage to take a step ahead and call back Sushant. She called up and invited him over.

Sushant was quiet for some time when he came. Priya could sense that he was nervous. It had taken a strong resolution to declare his love, but when it came to discuss their future, he was scared of losing his friend.

“Sushant about what you said yesterday…” Priya nervously began.

As if Sushant was waiting for her to begin the topic, he got up and took Priya’s hand in his. “Priya, I guess ever since I have known you I have liked you. I managed to hide my feelings for your sake because you were dating Nitin. Later when he broke your heart and disappeared, something inside me told me to tell you about my feelings then. It broke my heart to see you lost and depressed. However, I didn’t want to be a rebound or take advantage of your situation. I gave you your time. You decided to come back to India and who was I to stop. Last few times I came to see you, I couldn’t gather up the courage. In the end, I had to tell aunty. She gave me the assurance and encouraged me to talk to you. Yesterday I saw that probably you were ready to move on and I somehow managed to tell you.”

He paused for a while and continued. “I love you, but that does not mean you have to accept me too. You don’t have to say anything if you aren’t willing right now. I’ll wait. All I want you to know is that I am going to be there by your side whenever you want.” He gave her hand a little squeeze and backed away.

In that moment, Sushant’s unbound friendship flashed in front of her eyes. He had never judged her, he never let her down. He had been there with her in thick and thin. However, she could not muster up the courage to trust again.

“Give me some time Sushant. I don’t think I can answer you right now. Thank you for everything. You have been there even when I wasn’t sure of myself. But no matter how hard I try, I cannot let go.” Priya slowly tried to put her point across.

Sushant moved ahead and stopped her. “There isn’t a need. I can well understand your emotions after all you have been through. However, I just want you to think in that direction…

Call from Deepti had interrupted their conversation.

UBC Day 25 - Meeting - 23

Continued from Friends - 22

Deepti was seated against him in a café. He had called her up and requested her to meet up. Her first instinct was to deny, knowing Priya, discussing her private life without her knowledge was not a great idea. However, he had insisted that she met him and she reluctantly agreed.

Deepti wondered how he got her number, but since she had this same number for last eight years, it wasn’t a secret anyway.

She sat there with a coffee in front of her while he explained last three years of his life, his love to Priya and request that he wanted to marry her.

It was evident that he loved her. He asked her about Navya. Deepti refused to provide any details about Priya’s present life.

“What do you want me to do?” she finally asked.

“I want to meet her or speak to her.” he said.

“Why don’t you call her yourself?” Deepti questioned.

“I don’t have her number or her address. I wrote many mails, she replied to none.” Nitin replied with a sigh.

Deepti reluctantly agreed to take him to Priya’s home. He really was sorry. Looking at Priya, the way she was, she deserved all the happiness. Deepti hoped that Priya will be able to forgive Nitin and accept him back in her life.

One can never estimate the epitome of other’s pain. What Deepti didn’t understand that each of us handle grief differently. She had not understood the void that had been created in Priya’s life when Nitin left, which she had managed to cover up with smaller pleasures with Navya and her work.

She called up Priya and asked her to meet up.

UBC Day 24 - Friend - 22

“So he didn’t know. He didn’t know that he had a daughter and had expected her to move on so easily. How could Nitin be so cruel?” Priya sat in front of her computer, staring at the email that she had just finished reading and cried uncontrollably.

She had to put her laptop away, she didn’t want to read any more mails from the person who had conveniently signed her off his life. She got up and switched off her laptop.

Wiping her tears, Priya kissed her daughter and lied down next to her. She bitterly thought of Nitin who had taken the fact for granted that once he wasn’t there, she would abort.

Remembering the day at doctor’s clinic where she asked for her options, a sudden guilt enveloped her. She hugged her little princess and silently apologized. She dreaded the day when her daughter would want to know the entity of her father.

Between her sobs she let out a silent prayer for God to give her strength to love her daughter enough to make up for a missing parent, and wished that her daughter never finds out about her thoughts when she was conceived.

Next morning, Sushant’s call woke her up. It was a cold early morning. Looking at the time, she found it surprising that he called at that hour. Then she wondered that maybe due to time difference he forgot and answered with a sleepy Hello.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me that Delhi is this cold in January?” Sushant’s voice boomed through the speakers. Priya could clearly hear teeth chattering.

“What? What are you doing in Delhi?” Priya tried to get up while making sense of what he was telling.

“Nothing. I will tell you, you have one hour, I am coming to your home. Ok bye for now, I need to get in the cab to get out of this cold.” Sushant finished his part and ended the call.

That was so typically Sushant. Priya annoyingly thought about his lack of planning and got out of the bed. In the kitchen, her mother seemed to be in good mood and was preparing her favourite mother. The smell of butter over her favourite paranthas replaced annoyance with a smile, and Priya got onto helping her mother with setting up the breakfast table for themselves.

Sushant was home, just in time for breakfast. His chirpy self was gone. He was serious and seemed tired. Priya served him breakfast and announced that he wasn’t going to the hotel and staying with them. However, this time he was sure that he wanted to.

He was ready to leave after breakfast. Priya went to see him to the door. However, he stopped in his tracks.

“What?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I have to tell you something.” He replied.

“Go ahead.” She walked ahead and opened the door for him.

He stepped out and turned. “Priya, please listen to this peacefully. I am here in Delhi to see you. We have been great friends, but I don’t know when I began loving you. I know all about you and your past, but if there is one person I want to marry or settle down with, it’s you. Please call me if you think you can talk to me about this. I’ll be waiting.”

With these words, he turned and walked away to waiting taxi, leaving Priya stunned and cold in Delhi winter morning.

UBC Day 23 - Email - 21

Priya was working till late that Friday. She had taken a day off because of Navya’s fever and had gotten no time to work the entire day. She finished her work around 12 am, and put her file to attach in her mail and went to check on Navya. Upon finding her sleeping peacefully, she came back and sent the mail across.

Having finished the pending work, Priya stretched on the chair. Sleepless, thanks to a large cup of coffee that she consumed, Priya idled around at social networking sites for a bit. She checked her Facebook, changed a picture there, updated her Linkedin profile and accepted some new requests. She decided to watch a movie online, but before that she planned to open her personal email account and check mails that she hadn’t checked for months.

Priya began to scan through some five hundred plus unread mails. Some Junk, some updates from sites that she had subscribed to, she scrolled further down. Her hands came to a sudden halt. There was a mail from Nitin. It was marked as Reply, and she instantly knew there was more than one.

She launched a search and came across all mails from Nitin.

Mails from the time they dated. Love messages, which they wrote to each other while at work. Then there was that one mail where he had broken up with her. Then there were three emails that were un-read.

Priya shifted in her chair. Fighting back the tears, she opened the oldest.

Recipient – Priya Gupta

Sender – Nitin Kumar

Date – 5^th October, 2012

Subject – Engagement

Dear Priya,

How are you? I don’t know if I reserve the right to write to you or not. I won’t apologize and tell you that I was wrong. But maybe, my method was.

I hope you have moved on from me and found love in your life.

Priya, as you know when I was with you, I had no other priority other than career. You were there in my life, and you provided the support I needed.

I cannot explain how I felt when you announced your pregnancy. I was happy, and I was scared. I was relieved when I got to know that you didn’t want the baby. It felt immoral somehow, so I tried to convince us that we should not abort, and to my surprise you suddenly agreed.

Your sudden excitement regarding marriage and baby made me nervous, and then you went.

You said that you’ll be gone for ten days, after which I was to meet you but you extended that to three weeks.

In these weeks, you weren’t available on phone or otherwise and my life turned upside down. I was offered a position in Hong Kong and was asked to move immediately. This was a new opportunity, a dream come true situation for me.

If you remember, I tried to talk to you about the baby and marriage, but you were always in rush. Priya I just couldn’t continue. I knew you will understand why I left, and left without saying much.

I was hopeful that you will see some sense and move on.

And even today, I hope that you have moved on and have found someone else in your life.

Priya, I wanted to tell you, that almost nine months later, I have found someone whom I liked. At this stage, I am settled in my career and want to start a family. I will be getting engaged on next Sunday.

Nitin

UBC Day 22 - Moving on - 20

The evening went completely opposite to what Priya had imagined.

When Sushant came in, Priya thought that she will warn him about Deepti’s situation. However, by the time he settled down, Deepti was already there. She seemed to be in no mood to discuss her problems in front of Sushant.

In the end, the trio ended up having a lot of fun, playing pranks and cracking jokes at each other. Priya was so relieved to be around her two favourite people.

She felt bad that she couldn’t speak to Deepti about her issues but in a way was happy that her friend had an evening away from her miseries.

In coming days, Priya spent a lot of time, showing around new places to Sushant. Since, she took a couple of days off from work; they spent time with Navya and her parents.

When it was time to go, Sushant told Priya about Nitin’s engagement. It felt as if someone had dropped a bomb on her. Somewhere, she had kept the hope alive that one day when he will hear of their daughter, or see her picture on facebook, he will realize his mistake. But this new found information killed the last bit of hope.

Crying over her loss, was something Priya was over with long ago. She took the information with a pinch of salt and moved on.

Days in office weren’t as pleasant as before. She had been good friends with Harsh and the problems with his relationship made her distance herself a little further.

Priya spent more and more time with her daughter who was about to be six months old now. She had moved on.

Deepti decided to carry on with her work and separated from Harsh. She moved into a new apartment against her mother’s wishes. Priya made sure that she coped up well with the new void that had been created in her life.

UBC Day 21 - the other side - 19

Continued from Day 20 - Affair

In coming weeks, Priya could see Deepti sinking in. She didn’t want Deepti to get into the phase where she was six months ago. The girls met over drink one day, and they couldn’t discuss anything but Deepti. Priya strongly felt that Deepti should move out and had voiced the same.

However, She tried to talk to Harsh over lunch one day. After a while of trying to avoid the conversation, Harsh started with a detailed account of their relationship and the current situation. He explained that they were two very different people and Deepti herself acknowledged the same. He admitted that he wasn’t one of the easy people to live with and he understood Deepti’s efforts to try to live up to his expectations.

He explained his liking to his colleague and confessed that the gossip was more than what was true. He agreed to support Deepti in whatever way he could and it would be solely her decision to move out or stay back. He promised that he wouldn’t cross his limits till she was there with him and he would try to work it out between them once more.

The humility and sobriety on Harsh’s part confused Priya. Each time she tried to put the situation in black and white and thought about Harsh’s wrong, his clear arguments and determined commitments to his relationship stood strong, leaving her confused about him.

Determined to help her friend, Priya called Deepti to her place on a Saturday for a night stay. Deepti agreed.

Priya decided to order some great food and put Navya to bed early. With only weekends at her hand, she was so busy with her daughter and her parents that when she picked up the phone there were several missed calls, out of which most of them from Sushant.

She called him up to find his number switched off. Then she called up Deepti to check the time she was arriving. She was on her last call, when Sushant called again.

Before she could even say hello, Sushant started, “Hey, I have been trying to call you since morning. I have just reached India, now give me the address to your house otherwise I will have to go to search for a hotel.” Priya stood listening to what he said, trying to make sense of it all.

A minute later, it all came back, the mail that he wrote explaining that he was coming to Delhi for some work and since his parents no longer lived in Delhi, he needed her help to find accommodation for a week or so, and she had written him an elaborate reply, scolding on searching for an option when he had her house to stay at. He had asked her for the address, and she forgot to reply.

Sushant voice bought her back, “So madam! What happened? Are you giving me the address or you are coming to pick me at the airport?” She smiled at his joke and gave him the address and direction.

Priya didn’t know how to handle this new problem. Sushant was excited to see her and Navya, and Deepti was stressed. How would she manage it? She thought of asking Deepti to cancel, but that wouldn’t be right.

As usual, her mother came to her help. She calmed her nerves and explained her to let it be, maybe it was happening for a reason.

UBC Dy 20 - Affair - 18

Priya found it difficult to work with Harsh any longer. She had seen a different dominating side of him when she visited his house. She had seen the sadness and anxiety in her friend’s eyes. On top of it, this new found information was something that she couldn’t handle.

“Ignorance indeed is bliss”, she thought to herself as she tried to push it away from her mind but her thoughts seemed to have been stuck there.

She had never made anything out of office gossip, but when the grapevine revealed that Harsh and one of their office colleagues were having an affair, she couldn’t ignore it.

On their way back, she tried to speak to Harsh about it, but she couldn’t. A part of her brain told her that it was none of her business. Another reasoned that it was about her best friend’s life.

“What is wrong with you?” Deepti tried to cajole some information from Priya.

Four of them sat at the bar. It had become more of a routine now. They were all chit-chatting but Priya found it difficult to digest the information that would shatter Deepti’s world. She tried to delay the news till she could and shrugged at the question.

However, her thoughts wouldn’t leave her. When on their way home, Deepti questioned the same thing again. Priya got serious.

Slowly she started, “Deepti, I think I have a bad news.”

Looking at Deepti’s expectant face, she continued. “I have got to know a few things about Harsh through office gossip. I don’t know if they are true. I don’t want to judge him, he seems nice. But you know, they say that he is having an affair…” her voice trailed off.

Deepti looked down and a silence stretched between the two. After a while, she said, “I know about that. I know that girl too.”

Priya was stunned. Her best friend, who had been such a big support to her, had been taking all her pain and hiding it away. She took Deepti’s hand in hers.

Deepti continued, “It has been going on for a month or so. I somehow sensed it. I had met her at one of office parties last year. I have decided to speak to Harsh about it. I want to get separated.”

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This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda. We give out a creative writing theme each weekend for Indian bloggers.

Linking it to my 30 part story for Ultimate Blog Challenge

UBC Day 19 - Dinner -17

Continued from Part 16 - Job Hunt

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Deepti had always measured her life in black and white. There wasn’t any space for greys. She had always known the difference between the right and the wrong.

She had thought her married life to be the same too. She tried to put things that were wrong and things that were right in two different parts of her mind. She made sure that there was a balance between both the sides.

But Harsh seemed to do everything that she couldn’t categorize. He pampered her to extreme ends. Showering with fancy gifts and dinners at the places she didn’t know existed. He was a hopeless romantic case who loved everything from flowers to candles. But at the same time he picked on smallest of things like mismatched cutlery or extra salt in gravy. He would fight with her if her dress was a bit loose or a bit tight, if she gained weight or lost a bit. His arguments weren’t wrong. He did it to correct her, to improve her, to make her more presentable than she was. But she couldn’t take it. When between friends, he would correct her with the right way of opening a wine bottle, she swallowed her tears. But the very next moment, when he would pull her closer and tell her that the wine was perfectly chilled, she forgave him once again.

Of late Harsh’s nick picks had been too much for her to handle. However, knowing his short temper, she kept quiet and took it all. Harsh was a perfect man. But one does not need a perfect man to make a perfect relationship. How she craved to find little imperfections in Harsh, so she could love him deeper.

Today Priya was supposed to come over after work. Deepti had taken extreme care to bring the food and the table to perfection. Knowing her best friend and her knack for perfection, she didn’t want to be cornered in front of two perfectionists.

Harsh and Priya had been colleagues for almost a month now. They were working on a project together and Deepti had called Harsh to ask Priya over for dinner. He kept her on hold while he asked her. She could hear a denial, but after a bit of persuasion she had agreed. On their way back from office, they would pick Navya from Priya’s home and bring her too.

In last one month, Harsh had couple of times mentioned about Priya and her intelligence. She was happy that Priya was finally doing good for herself. However, the judgemental part of Harsh could still not accept her child and her decisions to come back to India. Deepti had tried to reason it with him, but he was too strong on his arguments. She eventually had to let go.

She was in middle of her trail of thoughts and double-checking everything, when the doorbell rang.

UBC Day 16 - Reunion - 14

Continued from - Married Life - 13

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Priya had met Ritika at Deepti’s wedding but had not got any chance to talk. She was meeting Shriya for the first time that day. She was a bit annoyed to see two new people when she hoped to sit and talk to her best friend.

The conversation on the table was mainly around Deepti and her new married life. Her both friends seemed rather nice. Their care for Deepti showed. Priya slowly forgot her own set of issues and joined them in teasing Deepti.

They coaxed her into details of her life and teased her over minor details. Priya laughed till she had her tears in her eyes. She was grateful to these girls for she did not remember when she had laughed like this last.

“Common Deepti, tell us more about your married life” laughed Shriya.

Deepti blushed. “There isn’t much to tell.”

“Oh yes madam!” the duo teased and all of them burst out laughing.

It was after about one hour when Ritika and Shriya left. Girls promised to meet more often and hugs and kisses later parted ways.

Deepti dragged Priya to a nearby coffee shop and asked her about her health. Priya had told Deepti all about her pregnancy and her fall out with Nitin. Deepti was the only person who understood her position and supported her.

The girls sat there in absolute silence. Priya didn't have much to tell, and Deepti didn't feel like talking about herself.

After a while, Deepti broke the silence. “What next?”

Priya framed the sentence before she spoke. Then she started in a slow voice. “The baby is due in a month and a half. I will be home till then. Akash, Shailja aunty’s son wanted some help with his CS exams, so I agreed to teach him for a small amount. Just yesterday he said, that one of his friends wanted to join too. So for now, at least next four - six months, this will be all. Then I will have to look for a job. Mom is pushing me to get married, but I am not ready.”

Deepti sighed. She didn't really know how to respond. They were best friends. Sisters that neither had. They had been through everything together, but today when life was a bed of roses for Deepti, it seemed the thorns had been picked and laid in Priya’s way. She didn’t know if it was her own happiness or Priya’s problem that made Deepti feel shallow and vain.

They drove till Priya’s home in silence. Parting ways, Deepti said, “let me know if I can help in anyway.”

Priya hugged her friend and comforted her. “You don’t need to feel sorry. I am fine. Especially now that am back, I am doing quite good. I will let you know if there is anything you need to do. Otherwise, for now your support is all I need.” With these words she opened the door and walked up to her house. Deepti started the car to park it two houses away and then realized she had to go to her new home, to Harsh.

UBC Day 11 - last minute jitters - 10

This post is continued from coming back - part 9

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“Are you sure about your decision?” Priya asked.

“Frankly, I don’t know, but now it’s too late.” Deepti meekly replied.

“Are you mad? Do you know you are taking a lifetime decision?” Priya asked.

“We can’t help it. It’s India my dear. You know what will happen if I even think about it. Plus it is not going to be bad. He is a nice guy, it’s just that he want things his way and that can’t be too bad.” Deepti said touching up her make up for the next ceremony.

Deepti had requested everyone to leave once Priya reached her room. She was nervous and she had five minutes to talk to her before she went ahead. She told her about her experience of six months of courtship and Harsh’s need for perfection on her part.

Deepti had always been average. She wore simple clothes, ate simple food, though she was updated but it wasn’t as though she could talk on all subjects. Whereas, Harsh wanted his wife to be perfect. He loved to flaunt her and wanted her to take care of her appearance. He constantly corrected at her pity wrong grammar and gave his inputs on other things like her dress or her shoes.

She knew they were for her own good, and a part of her reasoned that she will learn to accept his comments gracefully. But the rebel in her argued. She had always loved herself the way she was and did not want to change.

For maybe a hundredth time, Deepti let out a silent prayer for her married life as she got up to go.

Just at the door she stopped. She hugged her friend tight.

“How many months more?” she asked with tears flooding her eyes.

“Four” Priya replied.

“I have to talk to you. You have been through a lot in these months, let’s meet once before I go for my honeymoon. When are you leaving?” composing herself, Deepti asked.

“Don’t worry. And smile! Everything will be okay for you. He is a great guy. I’ll pray, and yes we’ll meet soon. I am here only, not yet decided when to go back. Common now, let’s go, you can’t be late for all the ceremonies in your wedding.” Priya said and walked her to the hall.

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Don't you hope that all is well with the girls? Read more on Day 12 of UBC.