A Dowryless Wedding by Merlin Franco

Author:Merlin Franco
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-500-77098-6
Publisher: Merlin Franco
Published: 2018-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

“Ninety-five thousand rupees more.” Praveen, the caterer, handed over his accounts note.

I looked at the neatly written round numbers. It looked so evidently artificial and cooked up.

“It is 1,45,000 altogether and I have subtracted the fifty thousand advance you gave me,” he continued.

“How come? It looks exorbitant and unrealistic,” Mom said, unable to hide her shock.

“No, this is the right price.”

“Forty thousand for the flour? You should have ground the flour yourself,” I said.

“It is easier said than done sir. I didn’t have the time for grinding,” he said nonchalantly.

“Look, we don’t have that much money left. I don’t mind paying a reasonable amount. But what you have done is unpardonable.”

“Well, this is the fact. I need the money, not a penny less than what has been mentioned. That’s what we expect from an educated family. Usually, I don’t take catering orders from communists. Their ideologies take them nowhere and get them no money.”

“We will pay you. My communism has nothing to do with you. Give me a few days.”

“Alright,” he sighed, “I shall be back in four days. I have quite a lot of orders these days, and I hope we both would save the trouble of climbing up the stairs of courtrooms, and the nasty publicity that comes along with it.” He stepped out from the patio, slid his feet into his slippers and walked out quickly. The sound of his motorcycle faded away.

“I never had a good impression of him. His fake politeness and false manners, they only reminded me of the sly foxes that hide during the day and steal at night,” Amma sighed.

“Do we have anything left from the budget, Amma?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Antony and Akka have already contributed one lakh each. How can we ask them for more?”

“Can we ask Antony? It’s just a loan, I’ll repay it as soon as my job is confirmed.”

“I will find a way. Don’t tell your wife. It has not been even a day since you got married. It won’t look good!”

I heard Nisha’s voice inside the room – she must have been on the phone. Nisha cut the call when I entered.

“It was Mom,” she smiled.

“You could have continued talking.” I put my arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek.

“Chetta.”

“Yes,” I mumbled.

“Amma says that we should build a car shed for the car. It was under the rain the whole night and she is worried that it might rust.”

“We shall get a cover for it.”

“No Chetta, Papa also said the same. I don’t want them to worry.”

“We don’t have enough money, pa.”

She lifted her head and moved my arm away from her shoulder.

“Please Chetta.”

“Let me think, about it.”

I stared at the garlands on the wall. They were turning brown. My eyes fell on the gifts that she had received. The unwrapped, untouched gifts.

“Nish, I have an idea for the car shed.”

“What is it Chetta?”

“You remember the rings my aunts and friends gave me?”

“Yes.”

“I think we should sell them to get money for the shed.

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