Sonali's Suitors - Bharati Rose (free children's ebooks online txt) 📗

Chapter Eleven

The next 24 hours following my meeting with Gautham was spent turning over his proposal in my mind. The simple truth was that Gautham and I both wanted and needed our own time to prepare ourselves for wedlock and his plan could very well give us that opportunity, even so, I had some doubts. To be honest, I was mildly worried that if I agreed to the engagement, it might very well end in marriage. Our families were quite close as it was with Chandrika as the glue to bind them. The only person I could trust to help me was Neelu. Except for his assistance, Gautham and I were pretty much on our own in handling our parents. Given we did go through with the engagement, what was the likelihood that we could extend the wedding date for long? If we succeeded in that, how were we to break the betrothal when the time came for either one of us to move on? Would that even be an option? I was exhausted from the strain of considering various scenarios that could play out. I decided that I wanted Neelu’s counsel and called him.

Instead of a reply, there was a far too familiar grunt that sounded from the other end.

“Neelu I need your advice.”

“Hm.......”

“Neelu!”

“What?”

“Wake up you idiot. I need to talk to you.”

“Call me again in the morning. Now let me sleep.”

“NEELUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!”

“Alright, alright. Darn it Sona, you could have easily damaged one of my eardrums with your howling. I’m fully awake now. Are you satisfied?”

“Yes.”

“So what’s troubling you so much that you need to seek counsel at 1:00 in the morning?”

“Well I met with Gautham yesterday.....”

“..and.....”

“...and he made a proposal.”

“What sort of a proposal? Does the ignorant and pitiful fool actually want to marry you?”

“No. Yet he wants us to get engaged.”

“Is the guy using, like on crack or heroin? That’s the only reason I can come up with. Why would he want to be engaged to you of all people?” I heard a warm chuckle.

“Haahaha. Laugh all you want. The thing is, the engagement would be a ploy to buy us some time from this alliance seeking frenzy our parents are engulfed in.”

“I have a better idea. Only say yes to this guy if you plan on tying the knot with him. Otherwise, do away with these stupid ideas and go do something more productive.”

“I don’t think the plan is so bad.”

“Of course you don’t, because you’re oblivious to how others around you will react. His parents, not to forget your own, will be crushed if they find out you’ve been playing them.”

“We’re doing this to spare their feelings.”

“Are you? So you think you’re hurting them less by blatantly lying to them, then by expressing to them how you really feel about getting married in the most heart wrenching manner possible.
The decision is ultimately up to you Sona. I’ve given you my perspective, but you hold the reigns.”

“Oh shut up. You sound like some sage or something. You know you’ve been no help whatsoever. Thanks for nothing pal.”

“Right. Sona, don’t mind me saying this, but all the masterminds in this world, put together can’t help you. Not because they don’t have solutions to offer, but you’re unbelievably difficult! Poor guy! That dude doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into.”

“Go to hell asshole.”

“After you my darling cousin. Give respect and take respect.”

“I pray that you don’t get an ounce of sleep tonight.”

“If sleep eludes me I’ll just down a sleeping tablet dimwit. Know that this entire universe is always on Neelakanthan Naresh Iyer’s side.”

“Neelu I really doubt your dream of directing and acting in your own film will come true. A piece of advice you should leave screenplay writing to another. Your own attempts at making a heroic punch line are exceptionally outrageous. I meant outrageously funny. You might want to change your dream to being a comedian. It’s an exceptional public service. Your face is enough to make them laugh. Don’t you think so? Anyways, I'm tired of talking nonsense. I’m getting sleepy. Tata.”

“You witch! You ruin my peaceful slumber completely and now you’re going to sleep. I hope all sorts of bugs and mosquitoes come bite you at night.”

“Ewwwwwwwwwwww. You know I hate anything creepy-crawly. Now I’m gonna be paranoid the entire night. Thanks a lot!”

“My pleasure! Aite, back to sleep. Hmmm.”

I heard the dial tone and placed the receiver in its cradle. I looked around my dark room and shivered. I got off my bed and shook out the bed sheets just as a precautionary measure against bugs. I knew there weren’t any, but once when I went to my aunt’s house in Pondicherry I had crossed paths with an exceptionally large cockroach and had been paranoid ever since. This was going to be a long night without sleep.

Publication Date: 11-05-2011

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