#3: Gajra

#3: Gajra

Sai was getting dressed when there was a sharp knock on the bedroom door. She looked at Satya who rolled his eyes.

"It must be Aai and her gajra" He grumbled to himself as he opened the door, while Sai busied herself in waking up Savi, not wanting to make it more awkward for herself and Satya.

"Good morning!" Gauri greeted her enthusiastically as she pushed Satya and walked in the room

"Good morning Savi," the older woman beamed at Savi who wished her sleepily.

"Tai gave this for you, now I will leave before you call me public" Gauri said and air quoted the last word.

"What is that?" Savi asked, now pushing away her sleep.

"It's a gajra, Bala. Your Aaji got it for your Aai." She showed it to the kid who beamed.

"It is so beautiful! Aai, wear it, please." 

"I will, Savi. Now go and freshen up, come on." Sai tried to distract her, but she knew it was a lost battle as she saw determination grow in her eyes.

"No, wear it, now!" She quipped back

"Savi..." Sai raised her eyebrow, but Savi was in no mode to listen.

"Satya, come one, help her with the gajra else Savi won't move." Gauri jumped on the chance to push the newlyweds closer. Satya gave her an annoyed look.

"Yes Buddy, you should help Aai." Savi now focused on Satya, because her Buddy never said no to her. Sai looked at him helplessly.

Satya looked at Gauri, as if to say "look what you did" and then back at his stepdaughter. Gauri left the room, giggling at Savi's antics and the adults' shyness. 

"Why don't you help her with gajra?" Sai grumbled impatiently. Sai opened her mouth to rebuke Savi when Satya sat next to her, on the bed.

"Savi, your Aai is not comfortable with me being so close to her. It's called personal space. Sometimes, people don't like being touched, so, it's always a good idea to seek permission when you do so, especially if you have just become friends or you are strangers. Your Aai and I just became friends, right, so she and I need some time, till then, I have to respect her no and not overstep her personal boundaries."

"But, I thought you are married. Don't you like each other?"

"We are, but consent in important in any and every relationship. And we do like each other, as friends, it's just that we'll be super close, and I need some time to get comfortable with that." Sai explained to her daughter. Savi nodded with a serious expression on her face as she understood what her mother and Buddy were explaining to her.

"Can I help you with the gajra?" She asked after a few seconds and Sai nodded with a smile. She gave her the gajra and the hair pins. 

Savi adorned her mother's hair with gajra as Satya watched them, with admiration in his eyes.