When Naomi opened her eyes, hearing the continuous knock at the door, the first thing she wanted to do was throw something at the door. She opened the door despite not having fully recovered from the jet lag.

"I'm really sorry for that nonstop knocking." She knew Isha, her cousin, the one who was getting engaged. They both follow each other on Instagram, even though they haven't met in a really long time.

"It's fine. I was sleeping off the jet lag." Naomi lied.

"I'm sorry again." Isha said, biting her tongue.

"Please don't say sorry."

"Sorr- Um, never mind." "Well, this is us seeing each other in person after years, despite the occasional texts on Instagram."

"Last time I saw you, you were so tiny."

"Like you weren't a toddler with snot dripping from your nose." They both giggled for a few seconds, reminiscing about their childhood.

"I heard you're getting engaged. And nobody even bothered to tell me. Not even my mother." Naomi made a disappointed face.

"Everything was decided in a short period of time." Everything happened so quickly that we forgot to inform a lot of people."

"Why? What's the rush?" Naomi was genuinely curious why someone was getting engaged in a rush. She knew how engagements are a thing in India and are celebrated just like a wedding ceremony, unlike most Western countries.

Isha clicked her tongue. "It's Navin's family. They say tomorrow's date is somehow special. They believe in astrology and such stuff."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's just that they are really religious. And Navin can't say no to his parents, even though he doesn't believe in such kinds of stuff."

Naomi sighed. "People still believe in these things."

"You'll be surprised to find out how many people are like this." Isha laughed.

"Dada asked me to bring you to dinner. It'll be ready in five minutes."

"Oh, I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Dining room is left to the alley down the stairs." Isha said, and walked downstairs.

Naomi went in for a quick shower, even though her body wanted more sleep. Then she was met with Sagar, Divya, Isha, and her fifteen-year-old cousin Daksh at the dining table, where she had various Indian dishes that she never even knew existed.

____

A few people were arranging the stage for the engagement in the yard when Naomi walked over to Sagar, who was sitting on the bench watching the work going on.

"How was the food?" Sagar scooted over to make room for Naomi to sit.

"Great. I've never had the opportunity to try this much Indian food. Mom never prepared any of these."

"That's because she doesn't like cooking." Sagar chuckled.

"True. She hates cooking." She wrapped her jacket tighter around her shoulder as the temperature dropped.

"It was Dad who always cooked for us." Naomi's thoughts travelled through the tracks of her teenage life when her parents were together.

"Do you miss him?" Sagar asked, breaking her thoughts.

"I visit him sometimes. But the only thing I miss are the times we spend together as a family. Me, Mom, and Dad. I miss that. Your family kinda reminds me of mine."

"I think it might be better to part ways respectfully than live together in a stagnant relationship. In the end, the divorce won't harm anyone."

"You're right. I couldn't accept it at first. But eventually, it made sense." She said, drawing a breath. "What happened between Mom and Grams?" She asked after a pause. The question caught Sagar off guard.

He exhaled. "Usual mother-daughter jhagada (quarrel) Tara was stubborn. She went to the US, married a white man, and had you before marriage. She never informed Maa about the pregnancy. Tara thought Maa would be furious. But I knew how disappointed Maa was when she found out that Tara kept good news from her."

"Grams was ahead of her age."

"She was. You would be surprised if you read her books. Really empowering."

"Sadly, I haven't read any of her books."

"We have all of her collections here. You should take a look while you're here."

"I was going to ask you about this. Can I go see her place?"

"Well, In remembrance of her, we are planning to publish some of her works that haven't seen the light. But the original copies are at her house."

"I'll go fetch them." She said, instinctively.

"She lived almost 700 kilometres from here."

"She didn't live in this city? Then where did she live?"

"Jaisalmer. She moved to her old house in Rajasthan five years ago."

"Still, I would love to go there. And on the way back, I'll bring the original copies of her works."

"When do you wanna go?" He asked, making her elated.

"Day after tomorrow." She said.
____

"Damn girl! You look hot." Mia exclaimed, seeing Naomi in a Red floral print Sari through the phone screen. Mia is that type of friend who supports everything you do, even if it is horrendous.

"Took me more than an hour to drape this." Naomi said, and she glided red lip gloss across her lips.

"Did nobody help you?"

"I don't wanna bother them since everyone's busy. And YouTube helped me." Naomi beamed with pride at her accomplishment.

"You did well. By the way, did Corey respond to your texts yet?"

Naomi's face fell. "No."

"To hell with your douchebag boyfriend. You enjoy your time there."

Naomi forced a smile. "Gotta go. Catch you later."

"Okay. Don't forget to text me everything that happened today."

A few seconds after she ended Mia's call, she received another one from her mother.

"You're going to Jaisalmer?" Tara didn't even bother to greet her.

"Yes. Any problem?" Naomi was expecting her call since she knew the news would have reached Tara before this morning.

"Sagar called me. He wanted me to know before he let you go there." Tara wasn't sounding calm at all.

"Why are you so pressed about it, Mom?"
"You can't go alone. It's not safe." Again, the same excuses.

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Then what do you want me to do? Sit here eating roti and daal every day?"

"You and your little adventures! Kabir will accompany you. I've discussed it with Sagar."

"Mom. What the hell! You find it completely safe for me to travel with a stranger?"

"His family is very close with Sagar."
"That doesn't make any sense! I don't even know him." Naomi shrugged her shoulders.

"Listen Naomi. We aren't negotiating this. If you wanna go, somebody who knows the surroundings should accompany you. Or else, you won't go. I won't let Sagar agree with you to go alone." Tara said, rather firmly.

"Mom!" She grunted. Exasperated, she hung up the phone and walked to the door. Sagar was standing at the doorstep and was about to knock when she opened the door. She noticed Kabir behind him in a black kurta with untied hair.

"I came to tell you that Tara has asked-"

Naomi said, before he could finish his sentence. "I know. She called me." A veil of silence fell between them.

"I'm sorry, your mother is a little bit overprotective of you." Sagar said.
"She still thinks I'm fifteen."

"Sagar chaacha, Divya auntie aapako bula rahee hain" ("Sagar uncle, Divya auntie is calling you.) A little kid called out from downstairs.

"Ruko, aa raha hoon." ("Wait, I'm coming.") "Excuse me." Sagar said and ran downstairs.

"Oh shoot!" Naomi cried as the perfectly pleated Sari fell into a single pleat.

"I'm sorry about what your Mom said." Kabir said as she precipitously walked into her room, adjusting her Sari, leaving him by the doorstep.

"I don't wanna chaperone you like in the Victorian era either." He said, leaning against the doorframe.

"Then don't." She said, while failing miserably to fold the Sari.

"Need a hand?" He asked, seeing her struggle with the clothing.

"Care to." She replied. He walked to her and took the end of the Sari, neatly folded it, placed it on her shoulder, and secured it with a pin.

"Perfect." He said, moving her to the front of the mirror.

"How do you know to do this?" She asked.

I've helped my Mom since my childhood. She asks me to fold the pleats whenever she's busy. And she's always busy." He smiled.

"Cool." She said, looking at both of their reflections in the mirror.