Once I was at a wedding at one of my ma's relatives' place... I was around seven or eight...
All the women my ma's age were housewives, save this one cousin sister of hers who was working..
(Yeah, we Indians call them cousin brothers and cousin sisters... deal with it)
1/n
I didn't know her
Suddenly this beautiful beautiful woman stepped in..She was wearing a white saree with a narrow blue border and chunky turquoise jewellery and a blue bindi
I had never in my life seen someone this beautiful..her thick black curly hair was plaited loosely..
2/n
... she had the sweetest voice...
As she stepped in and came towards my ma, she told me this was her cousin and a mashi to me... shy as I felt of this glamourous woman, we soon started talking..and then she moved on to talk to other people at the wedding...
3/n
It was apparent even to a little girl like me that she was a huge hit amongst my uncles and other men... everyone wanted to talk to her...bwhy wouldn't they? I did too!
Things got interesting now
I sensed the women around me murmuring and whispering in a disgruntled manner
4/n
"Who does she think she is?"
"Wearing white to a wedding!"
"And no Shidur (vermillion powder) whatsoever!"
"Wait, I will show her!" said a bettle nut chewing fat, elderly matron...
And in a piercing voice she called out to the lady in white...
5/n
"Ki ray! Aei durghotona Kobe ghotlo?" (Hey you! When did this misfortune happen?)
The pretty lady looked at her questioningly
So the matron further explained,
6/n
"Tor shada kapor, mathai shidoor nei, tai bhablam tor borer Kichu hoyeche."( Your white saree, vermillion powder devoid forehead made me think you must have lost your husband)
Some of the matron's minions sniggered at this...
7/n
I was at that moment sitting quite close to her to see her swallow her breath and blink back tears...
Some people, (all men btw) protested half heartedly..and brushed over this unpleasant bit with impending ceremonies...
8/n
The rest of the day passed without any glitch until someone called out to her, " aei tor bor esheche" (hey your husband has arrived)
I jumped from my seat and ran to the door to see the husband of this beautiful woman...
9/n
Whole day I had this image of a strapping young man... tall, handsome, strong who must be wedded to this princess of a woman...
Imagine my dismay when I saw a bald, stocky, short, bespectacled man with a very pronounced paunch walk in...
10/n
I think I almost cried at what seemed the gravest injustice to me...
As he came in, sat down, was offered snacks... I let the whole thing sink in... he had gotten chocolates for me and also a tinkle comic book, probably cos that was the first time we met... 11/n
But that was small consolation... he was a nice person but damn it he didn't deserve that beauty for his wife...
We got to talking, cos, well, I was always a talkative person.. I remember him asking me about what I was reading then...
12/n
It was an abridged version of The adventures of Tom Sawyer..he went on to tell me how he had adventures with his friends just like Tom when he was a little boy... I started liking him, grudgingly, as an uncle... but as prince to that beautiful princess sitting across from us 13/n
NO NO NO...
When dinner was served to us family members inside the house, the hateful matron was back again...
I saw him touch her feet...
And then she was all sweet, insisting on serving him herself...
But of course sooner or later her nastiness had to come through.. 14/n
"Tomar bou aajke bhalo bhoi dekhiyeche aamader, oar besh bosha dekhe bapu aamra toh bhebechi tumi gecho, Sorge."
(Your wife scared us today... by the way she was attired, we thought you were dead)
He contemplated this quietly as he deboned the piece of fish on his plate.. 15/n
And then looked up and smiled...
"Tai? Bhoi peyechile na ki aamar bou j eto shundori tai hingshe hocchilo, mamima?"
(Really? Were you scared or were you jealous of my wife's incredible beauty?)
16/n
There was a roar of laughter from the men gathered around... the women just rolled their eyes in tacit disapproval...
The princess blushed...
The prince looked at her and smiled...
17/n
And I understood some knights in shining armour, didn't come riding horses, wielding swords, or in armour; for that matter...
18/n
#ShortStory
#GenreAutobiographical
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