All the friends of Bratati surround Agni as well as the female population of groom's side, even my mom and the gossiping aunties.

She manages to win over my mom as she describes how much she's in love with my dad's lovebites. Especially the sweets ones - The bakery biscuits, cakes, choco chips etc. and etc. It is happening for the first time that a wife is very happy after hearing her husband's lovebites from another woman. However, it's just a company's name.

My mom even promised to teach her the new recipe on apple cakes which happens to be our new launch, late in July.

"Um... Mom, just a second." I call and she's still busy with chatting with other aunties.

"Mom!"

"What?" She hisses and comes.

"Don't spill out the recipe! It's our new product!" I whisper-yell at her.

She pouts, "But why? Besides, I wasn't going to tell anyone just Agni."

"No, you can't." I shake my head.

"But she's such a sweet girl! I'll make you a new recipe."

Is she serious? The investors have already decided to put their money and the recipe is already approved by ISSAI. We cannot just change it now.

"Dad, say something?" I ask Dad who looks between us then let out a burp.

Both mom and I narrow our gazes at him while I am wondering how did he survive all those years in LoveBites, mom starts, "Did you eat sweets, again?"

"Er... No?" Dad gives an answer with a question like that will help him to get away from mom's scoldings.

A frown appears on her face and she hisses, "You have diabetes! How could you even think of eating sweets?"

"But that's just one piece of Rosogolla!" Dad pouts like a five years old boy who is getting scoldings as if he stole something.

"You ate one piece just a moment ago!" Mom's fair face reddening with anger while dad cowers back. However, he is not the only one who is cowering back, there is me as I find it hard to decide whether this is the right moment to tell her not to give the recipe or not. When mom's angry everyone gets their share of scoldings even if they didn't do anything.

"I'll leave you two alone," I say as I storm away releasing a breath and collide with another one.

"Sorry!" I say when black doe eyes stare up at me with anger in them and the sound system plays 'Pyar hume kis mor pe le aya, ki dil kare hay! Ki koi ye bataye kya hoga?'¹. (Where does love bring us that my heart is saying 'ouf!' Can anyone say what'll happen?)

Her dark eyes become cold and the irritation in her body can be felt as my hands still hold her shoulder and waist in firm grips. Where my hands touch her slim waist, a sudden jolt of warm spread across my body.

Agni raises a brow as my gaze fell on her chest and the glass she holds is empty. The warmth that spread across my body earlier suddenly become cold as I notice the big brown stain on her top. The Coca-Cola has spilled all over her top.

Shit!

"I...um... I didn't..." my mind can no longer prepare any words and the words that leaves from it are, "Can you...can you give me your clothes? I'll wash it."

Frown appears on both of our faces as I have managed create an awkward moment.

She scoffs and asks as corners of her lip curls up, "Even my bra?"

"Yes. I mean, no. No!" And I turn around my head if anything can save me and I hear my mom's angry voice.

She looks over my parents and asks, "You are sneaking away from your mom, aren't you?"

"Sort of."

Then she calls for my mom, "Mrs. Banerjee, Aditya is sneaking away from you."

I snap my head toward her, "Wh-what was that?"

She raises a brow and says with a straight face, "What? That's for the penalty. You're welcome." And she leaves as my mom comes to me.

***

Now I am at the cottage with my mom arguing over the Apple cake's recipe. However, it takes on a different turn and has reached at my smoking habit. I swear, every argument with mom ends at my smoke.

"I saw you today, smoking! Look at Barun, he doesn't even smoke because of Kanchana." Clearly she doesn't know and I can't spill the beans as it will cause trouble for Barun.

"I didn't smoke!" I lie in my defense which she doesn't hear.

"I'll have to find you a wife who will not let you smoke!" She says angrily.

"No! I won't be getting married just because of smoke."

"Look at Angshu, he's getting married and he is younger than you!"

"But Dev is still unmarried! And he's my age."

"You are thirty, Aditya! At your age, people get two-three children!"

"I'm actually thirty one. And no, people take time to land their two-three offsprings on earth."

My mom's face is getting red with anger. Honestly, we have this argument at least twenty times a day. I am already fine with my life and my business. I get to go on foreign tours three-four times a year and enjoy my time with my friends and have time for my hobby which is singing. Why should I sacrifice those for the sake of creating children?

"I want an heir!" She says her voice spilling lava.

"Fine! I'll give you an heir!" I huff.

Her eyes sparks and the anger evaporates, "You will? Will you marry then?"

"No! I can give you an heir without getting married."

Now both my parents freeze in their spot while my mom's blood pressure rises, "Aditya!"

Before she can say a word, I dash away.

For over a year, they have arranged dinners, dates even business meetings where the fathers could cling their daughters to me. They have even tried to match me with my sister's friends which is disgusting! The more I'm getting older, the more desperate they are becoming. I can't think of marriage and they are trying to arrange one.

I go behind the cottage and take out my cigarette when Amit approaches, "Let's go have lunch! I'm hungry!"

"What about Angshu?" I ask as he is with us but he can't go to the bride's house (not until the marriage, tonight)*.

"He can't eat other than fruits and the bride's family has arranged everything already. Let's go!"

I nod, "Yeah. Let's go."

***

'Aaja aaja. Mai hu pyar tera...'² the song plays in the background and all of us have taken our sits just in front of the table which is decorated with foods. (C'mon, c'mon. I'm your love)

The aroma of fried rice and kosa mutton lingers in the air and making our stomachs to do bharatanatyam*. The jumbo size of soft whitish Rosogollas are already peeking at us as if they are calling us to devour them but our plates are as empty as a bottle of wine shared between friends.

The caterers are waiting the tables to be filled. A few unfamiliar faces sit around everywhere, awaiting in silence and occasionally glancing at the dishes on the table. We all look around not to see the decorations of  the lights and plastic plants that have decorated inside of the pandal* but to distract ourselves from the spicy and mouth watering scents.

"Are yaar (hey friend), when will they serve us?" Jatin says a bit irritated, "rats and cats are doing world War V in my stomach."

"Yeah, only eight pieces of Luchi weren't enough," says Kingshuk.

It takes another great ten minutes to fill the pandal and finally they serve the meal. As there are no parents around us, we start to eat like hungry sharks. First the mutton, the spicy taste with the aroma of garam masala* makes my hunger ten times bigger. However, we cannot just eat unlimited amount of foods as we still have many items for the dinner. And we don't wanna miss that, do we?

I have to give the bride's family some praises as they have selected the best items for the lunch and the taste is amazing.

A long half an hour later, our bellies grow up to like balloons and it isn't easy to move. And I feel sleepy.

"Let's go tell Angshu about the lunch." Amit says and we all laugh as we know how much he loves meat and he can't have any non-veg items until his marriage rituals are completed.

***

While we lay down on our made-up beds on the floor, Amit says to Angshu, "Bro, I've brought you an excellent gift."

Angshu asks in a sleepy manner, he is frustrated with all the rituals already, "What?" Bengali marriages has a lot of rituals. Getting through the rituals are enough to make me step back from marriage.

Amit takes out a square box from his backpack and gives him as he winks.

He opens and ten packets of condoms appear in front of him, "Wh-what is this?"

"Condoms, my boy! You're welcome." He says as he crosses his hands over his chest, "In ten different flavours. No need to thank me."

We all burst into laughter and Angshu freezes but eventually, he shakes his head and chuckles.

"Damn, man! I've brought him condoms too," Kingshuk says bringing out his share of gift, "and it's sabudana* flavour."

"What? They even have that flavour as well?" I ask amusement coats my voice.

"Oh! They even have panpatti* flavour." Jatin informs and adds, "I'm amazed how the condoms companies' growth have reached that they can bring out any flavour you desire. Name it, and it's here!"

I tilt my head to Angshu, "So, what kind of flavour you'd like to have, Angshu?"

Angshu groans at me, "Not you too."

"What? You aren't, by chance, planning to get kids now, do you?" Kingshuk asks.

"No!"

"Yeah, that's why I thought you need it. Besides, there are three packets of government condoms and the rest of them are private."

We all blink at him.

"What?" Angshu asks.

"You know my mom works at ASHA, they give their employees every medicines including condoms. I stole three from those," he answers as a proud grin spreads on his lips.

Dev almost spill the water from his mouth. As aunt Laxmi (Dev and Angshu's mother) is also from ASHA, the volunteering jobs under government that makes the condoms, government condoms.

"But guys, he doesn't need these today," I inform as their fulsojja* is after the day after tomorrow.

"Oh shoot! I almost forgot it," Kingshuk says.

"Anyway, looking forward to tonight's arrangements. And congratulations bro," I say Angshu and he gives me a nod, a small smile spreading over his face.

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- Glossary -

Bharatanatyam- is the oldest classical dance tradition of India

Pandal- is a temporary structure set up

Garam Masala- is a blend of ground spices and is often (mostly) used in Indian foods.

Sabudana- or Sago is often used when fasting or there is a ritual where you cannot eat heavy foods then you can eat Sago

Panpatti- (Betel plant) often chewed by people and used mostly in rituals.

Fulsojja- (Suhag rat in hindi and wedding night in English) a significant ritual for a newly married couple. The bed is decorated with flowers. It is believed to bring sweetness in their life.

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Side note: As Bengali marriages follow strict beliefs on religion and their gods, it is believed that non veg items are not good while we worship our gods. Also, without finishing the rituals, the main figures (like, the hindu priest, the bride and the groom even their parents) do eat any heavy foods. Only fruits and water and sometimes sweets.

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- Songs -

1- Pyar hume kis mor pe le aya(1982)- Kishore Kumar (singer) & R. D. Burman (singer + composed)

2- Aaja Aaja mai hu pyar tera(1966)- Mohammad Rafi (singer) and Asha Bhosle (singer) & composed by R. D. Burman

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23rd September, 2020