“You are looking so beautiful!” Madhuri gushed, looking at Juhi. Wearing a pastel pink salwar kameez that complimented her peaches and cream complexion, Juhi looked ethereal.
“You look beautiful yourself,” Juhi replied, hugging Madhuri. Madhuri returned Juhi’s hug before turning to look back at her reflection in the mirror. Yes, the mustard yellow suit looked good on her, but with her dusky skin, Madhuri could never come close to Juhi’s beauty. Shrugging away the dark thoughts, she took off her gold chain and held it out to Juhi.
“Didi, you wear this today!”
The chain had been a gift from their parents on her twenty-first birthday and Madhuri’s most prized possession. But today Madhuri wanted Juhi to wear it.
Juhi looked at her in surprise. “But I thought you were planning to wear it.”
“I don’t think it will look good with the neckline of my suit,” Madhuri lied, putting the chain around Juhi’s neck.
“Are you girls ready?” Varsha called out from the courtyard, where she waited with Jasmeet to go to the Gurudwara for Jaswinder’s wedding.
After the wedding, Madhuri stood next to Jaswinder and her husband, helping, as the guests milled around, wanting to congratulate the couple. She noticed Jagjit and Juhi walking side by side in deep conversation. She gave a mental frown to herself. She didn’t know why, but there was something about Jagjit that niggled at her. But then she saw Juhi laugh. A full-throated laugh lighting up Juhi’s eyes, and Madhuri felt a tightness in her heart. Ever since Jasmeet had fallen ill the past few months, Juhi had barely laughed. Maybe Jagjit was good for Juhi?
However, Jagjit talking to Juhi had not gone unnoticed by the neighbourhood busybodies. Settling down next to Jasmeet as she had the wedding lunch, they launched an inquisition. Jasmeet, who until then had been blissfully unaware of Jagjit’s existence, turned a troubled eye towards the couple who were eating ice cream. She knew Jagjit was an NRI. He would return to his country, leaving Juhi to the scrutiny of the society. Quickly getting up, she called Juhi to her side.
“What happened, ma? Are you feeling all right? Do you need to go to the doctor?” Juhi asked, alarmed by the worry on Jasmeet’s face.
“No, I am ok, just tired. Can you take me home?” she said.
“Now?” Juhi asked, looking around for her sisters. “I can’t see Varsha, and Madhuri is busy with Jaswinder.”
“They can come later. You take me home,” Jasmeet insisted.
Jasmeet’s insistence confused Juhi, but she did as her mother asked. Keeping her hands on Jasmeet’s shoulders to support her, she started walking to the exit, when Jagjit spoke from behind, “Is everything ok?”
“Ma is not feeling very well. I am taking her home,” Juhi replied.
“If you want, I can drop both of you in the car? Jaswinder’s father gave me the keys to his car.”
“There is no need. We can go by ourselves.” Jasmeet replied, her voice brusque.
Slightly taken aback by Jasmeet’s rude tone, Juhi said softly, “Maybe you can find my sisters and let them know we have gone home?”
Jagjit nodded, and the two women left.
One woman’s heart was troubled about what the future would bring, and the other woman’s heart had a pang of disappointment about a charming meeting cut short.
I am participating in #BlogchatterA2Z, and this is the post for the alphabet Q.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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undecidedindubai 
You know Jagjit almost reminds me of Wickham!
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Oh yes!!! I didn’t realise this..
And thank you for the compliment ☺️
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Seems Madhuri’s intuitions about Jagjit were right
I also feel the need to justify the ‘chaar log kya kahenge’ bit about the busybodies and Jasmeet. uff! Sometimes the aunties can be right too
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