Unmarriageable(77)
Annie’s entertainment being paramount to Beena dey Bagh, she saw no reason not to invite the Loocluses and, to her disgust, Alys – for there was no way to exclude her – night after night for dinner. Besides, Darsee and Raghav were also keen to have company over.
For his part, Kaleen felt he would explode at this nightly honour. Mareea, Mansoor, and Manzoor were thrilled to dress up and eat from such a splendid table in such luxurious surroundings and happiest when Kaleen’s children joined too. Bobia and Haji Looclus compared, non-stop, the menus from the dinners as well as the sitting areas into which they’d been led. They felt that so much gracious chit-chat with Beena dey Bagh must surely elevate their own social standing and that this change in their status must be reflected once they returned to Dilipabad. Perhaps a photo with Beena dey Bagh, which they would display prominently? And if a guest did not know who she was, well, then, that would prove the guest’s insignificance.
Alys seemed the only one run a bit ragged by having to attend daily dinners, but it was nice to see Raghav and Annie. Darsee was tolerable enough given that, thankfully, they hardly interacted.
One morning, Alys found herself being joined on the jogging track in the park by Raghav.
‘Hello, hello,’ Raghav said warmly.
‘Hello!’ Alys said, very pleasantly surprised.
‘I checked out the climbing gym,’ Raghav said. ‘Thanks for the recommendation. Are you still walking? Join you?’
‘Of course. So nice to see you.’
‘I also had to pick up some gear in town. I’m leaving tomorrow, earlier than scheduled. Big expedition going to K2, and my sherpa advises we should join.’
Alys made a sad face.
‘But let’s do keep in touch,’ Raghav said. ‘And if you come to India, my home is your home.’
‘Thank you,’ Alys said. ‘Likewise, if you ever come to my hometown, Dilipabad, my home is your home.’
‘Dilipabad.’ Raghav squinted. ‘Sounds familiar.’
‘Trust me,’ Alys laughed, ‘if you’d come to Dilipabad, you’d know. It’s a tiny town.’
‘I did visit one small town, where my mother was born before partition. Last year, my mother passed away—’
‘My condolences.’
‘Thank you, and she wanted me to spread some of her ashes in her childhood home here.’
‘So this trip is no ordinary visit for you, then,’ Alys said.
‘Not at all. Valentine was instrumental in my getting a visa to come here as well as helping me locate my mother’s childhood house. I am so grateful to him. My boyfriend couldn’t make it. He’s a photographer. He would have loved it here. Hold on! I know where I’ve heard of Dilipabad. I believe Darsee was there recently, for a wedding. Are you aware of any recent weddings that took place there?’
‘Please,’ Alys said as nonchalantly as she could, ‘this is Pakistan. The home of the marriage-industrial complex. Always a wedding taking place everywhere. Weddings are our nation’s bread and butter and foundation and flag.’
‘I believe Valentine recently saved a friend of ours, Bungles, from making a bad marriage or some such in Dilipabad.’
‘Saved?’ Alys stumbled. ‘What do you mean “saved”?’
‘I think Bungles really liked some girl there, but Valentine didn’t think it a good match.’
‘Who’s Darsee to decide that? How do you know him and trust him so much?’
‘Valentine and I were at university together in the US for our undergrad degrees. He was serious back then too, the sort of person who feels compelled to tell someone to turn off a running water tap because waste-not-want-not. That’s how he met Bungles. Bungles was a year junior and in our dorm. Bungles was brushing his teeth one morning and he’d left the water running, and Valentine descended upon him in the name of environmental enlightenment.’
Raghav grinned. ‘I only met Bungles twice before I graduated – both times at a club, where Valentine was keeping a strict eye on him. Bungles is a decent but fun-loving guy and, if I recall correctly, Darsee steered him away from many a Miss Trouble back at university. Obviously he continues at it – hence the Dilipabad wedding rescue. Apparently the girl’s mother is a mega-gold-digger and kept flinging her daughter at Bungles, while the daughter herself showed zero interest. Valentine told me he was able to convince Bungles of her disinterest with concrete examples, until even Bungles could no longer deny that she’d probably even smiled at him only because her mother forced her to.’
‘Perhaps Darsee is interested in him for his sister?’
‘No way! Val thinks women should be independent and know their minds before they get married. If Darsee has his way, Jujeena will be a double PhD, have solved world hunger, fixed the environment, brought wars to an end, and found the cure for at least three diseases before he recommends she marry.’
‘How nice for Jujeena.’
‘The fact is, Valentine is a good and sincere man and has been a great friend to Bungles and me.’
A few steps on, Alys pled a sudden migraine. She assured Raghav she’d be fine and headed back to Sherry’s as fast as she could. She was shaking when she got to her bedroom. By dinnertime, her head was pounding. Sherry gave her three painkillers, a strong cup of chai, and a plate of stomach-settling khichiri with home-made yoghurt.