Chapter 21: Chapter 21

The Next Day

"Hey!" Sanaya was making breakfast when she saw Clara. With a yawn, Clara said, "Good morning..."

"Wait, what's this smell? You are making breakfast?" Clara ran to the kitchen excitedly. Smiling, Sanaya nodded her head. She got up early in the morning today.

"Oh my God! I am going to miss your cooking. Who will cook delicious foods for me when you will leave?" Clara made a sad face and sat on the counter. Putting a plate on the breakfast table Sanaya patted on her shoulder as she suggested, "In that case, how about you going with me?"

"With you?"

"Yes. Go with me, I will pack you in my luggage and take you with me." Hearing her Clara laughed, "Yeah I will be your rabbit then..." Then they both laughed.

After breakfast, Sanaya was about to run to her room to get ready for work when Clara's question made her turn towards her. "Are you going to get ready now?"

"Yes as usual." Replied Sanaya. Clara widened her eyes as she questioned, "Even today?"

Giving her a confused look Sanaya said, "Why not?"

"Oh seriously, did you forget it, gurl?"

"What did I forget? I remember there's no event today, it will be tomorrow. So I c..." Interrupting her Clara strode towards her, saying, "Wait till noon."

"Noon? What will we do in the noon?", Sanaya asked her. Clara answered Sanaya, "You will see."

Sanaya got no answer but stay in the dark. She clearly told Nick that they were not going to do any rituals today. Sanaya was alone there, she did not want to trouble Clara. When she did not have any family how could she just celebrate Ashirbad - the blessing ritual? Yes, she wanted to but it could only be in her dream. If her family would be there then they could do it but...

**

It was noon, Sanaya was playing guitar sitting on the sofa in the living room when Clara was working sitting on the couch.

Suddenly Clara said, "Let's go. It's time now."

"Go where? And what are you talking about?" She questioned.

Clara pulled her off the couch and pulled her into her room. Confused and surprised Sanaya stared at Clara when she said, "I am going to put a blindfold on your eyes."

She was about to but Sanaya grabbed her hand and looked at her confusingly, "Wait, what's going on?"

"It's a surprise." Saying so Clara put the blindfold around her eyes.

Sanaya could guess what the surprise could be but she knew that only Nick knew about her tradition and culture like some of what she told him. And she remembered Nick told her that he had some business meeting to attend. So there was no way he would explain everything to his family and in such a short time they would be able to arrange everything.

Sanaya could feel what Clara was putting on, but not on herself. Clara was helping her to wear saree? She guessed.

As the blindfold was taken off her eyes Sanaya rubbed her eyes. "What were you..." She was about to say something when Clara touched her cheeks and made her look at the mirror.

Sanaya was super surprised. Covering her mouth she smiled. Then she said, "Wait, this..."

"Yes, my gurl. Today, it's your day. Now give me your permission, I want to do your make-up." Clara said. With a smile, Sanaya nodded her head. After thirty minutes when Sanaya was sitting in front of the mirror she couldn't stop smiling.

"Let's go. They are here." Holding her hand Clara took her out of the room. As Sanaya walked out of her room she was more surprised.

Not only, Nick's parents but Raina, Maxwell, Maxwell's parents, and five people more were there. Sanaya looked at Clara when Clara bobbed her head.

"You are looking so beautiful, my dear." Nick's mom hugged her. Sanaya was wearing a gold silk saree, looking absolutely marvelous.

Then they started the blessing ritual. Sanaya was surprised how they knew it so well. They blessed her using dhan (rice) with the husk and trefoil leaves. By the end of their blessings, they gave her gifts too. Then they joined for lunch.

Sanaya felt like crying, she did not have any idea that this would happen. Clara did give her a great surprise. Sanaya was sitting on the couch when Maxwell appeared in front of her suddenly.

"Bawdi, smile please." Maxwell clicked a pic of her saying so. Sanaya was out of her trance, she could not even pose.

"It's boudi (Sister-in-law), not bawdi." Hearing Clara Maxwell cleared his throat. "I tried pronouncing it but it seemed a bit... Tough."

"Anyway, I am going to send these pics to my bro. He might want to see her but poor him, he can not. So I am going to help him out as his best brother." Maxwell clicked another pic of Sanaya. "Him? But..." Sanaya was blushing. This was the first time Nick was going to see her in a saree.

Nick just walked out of the cafe when his cell phone beeped. Taking it out of his pocket, he looked at it. Maxwell has been sending him photos of Sanaya.

Letting out a sigh of annoyance he was about to put his phone in his pocket when his eyes caught on Sanaya's photo. He looked at it, she was looking beautiful and cute with her hand on her cheeks. Unknowingly a smile left his mouth. He kept looking at her photo with deep attention. Suddenly hearing Kyle's coughing he put his phone back in his pocket.

"Boss, I have heard Bengalis pre-wedding rituals are awesome and so colorful. Won't we... I mean you..." As Nick stared at him Kyle lowered his eyes and did not dare to say anything anymore. But what Nick said next made Kyle shocked. He could not believe what he heard.

"You can join if you want. But you know what you should not do. If you don't utter a word I can let you join in those rituals where boys can join too." Nick announced.

Kyle felt like touching the star. He has researched on Google. He did not think that Nick would let him...

"I won't. Sanaya is..."

Nick looked at him coldly. Kyle smiled sheepishly and said, "Miss Sanaya."

"Miss Sanaya is marrying you on her own choice. I can assure you I will not say anything to her to ruin..."

"That's good." Saying so Nick walked in his car and Kyle followed behind.

**

Sanaya was lying on the bed and looking at the roof. Now, she could think of only one thing, her future life with Nick. How dreaming today was! But so lovely. She hugged her teddy and hid her face in it. She screamed happily against it.

When she was smiling continuously her cell phone rang all of a sudden. "Hello..."

Hearing Nick's voice she jumped and sat on the bed. "Hello." She said in a low voice.

Nick was lying on the sofa while his one feet touching the floor. "Were you sleeping?" He asked.

Sanaya answered, "No. Ahh, how about you?"

"Lying on the couch."

"Ohh, how was..." Sanaya could not finish her words when Nick said, "Did you enjoy today?"

"Hmm. Thanks for the surprise, I couldn't be happier..."

"That's good..." Both were silent for some minutes. Then Nick suddenly cut the call and put his phone on the table. Closing his eyes he sighed.

"Hello? Hello..." Sanaya looked at the phone screen. The call was cut. "Maybe battery died..." She thought.

The Next Day

Sanaya was surprised to see all her favorite dishes on the supper table. She looked at Clara with surprise, "These dishes..."

Sanaya saw Raina and some more girls to stand behind Clara.

"You all..." Sanaya was surprised.

"Yes, we don't know if we have cook perfectly but we have tried to..." Hearing Clara Sanaya's eyes became teary. She smiled with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you so much. It means a lot to me. Surely they with be delicious, I am sure." Sanaya hugged Clara when Raina smiled. She did not expect them to cook Indian dishes for her. Clara had planned it and Raina volunteered to help then some of their friends joined happily.

Sanaya could see Bengali delicacies like rice, Channa Dal, Chingri Maach (prawn curry), Kosha Mangsho, tomato chutney, Aloo Posto, Payesh, Roshogolla, and a lot more.

Sanaya ate with full of satisfaction. Except for Clara, everybody had Bengali delicacies for the first time and they could not believe they could cook them so tastefully. They enjoyed the food.

**

Nick was reading a mail when his cell phone lightened up all of a sudden. As he looked at it he saw he got some pics. When he saw Sanaya in those pics he could not stop looking at them. She was wearing a saree, traditional bangles on both her wrists made up of conch shell – shankha – and red coral –pala.

He did not meet her these days. Not like he could not live without seeing her. As someone knocked at the door he put his phone down and looked at the computer, pretending as if he was busy working.