Episode 2:
Kapoor Household:
"Thanks Bhabhi. I'll help you and Karan take your bags inside." Yash said jotting down Karan and Nikasha's license plate number on a piece of paper.
"Your Welcome Yash. Could you get my blue bag? It's a bit heavy for me." Nikasha said with a blush.
"Sure." Yash said smiling as he and Karan heaved the seemingly 1000 pound bad inside the house, and up the lengthy stair-well.
"Nikasha Beta." Seema said gently grabbing Nikasha's hand, preventing her from taking Karan's light bag inside the house.
"Yes Mom?" Nikasha said turning around to face Seema.
"I know that you're not used to wearing Indian clothes, but please wear something nice today. Not a dress or anything of the sort please beta. A nice suit, if not a kurti and a pair of jeans..." Seema said with a some-what embarrased smile.
"Sure Mom. I won't let you down." Nikasha said with a smile, as she took Karan's bag inside.
Malhotra Household:
Lali stomped inside the house, followed by Ramesh, her hair still damp with mud and small pebbles.
Neha couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her fuming daugther. "Kya Hua Beta?"
"Kya Pata Ma? I was heading towards the car after getting my bangles, and some car zoomed in front of me and splashed this filth all over me. Probably some drunkards were driving the cars, or some weird foreigners." Lali said as she grabbed a towel from the cupboard.
"Koi Baat Nahin Beta. Go take a shower, and get ready. Everything will be fine." Neha said with a smile, as she carefully groomed Lali's hair.
"Theek Hai. You get ready too... I don't want to be late."
Kapoor Household:
Preperations were in full swing. The house was being well-decorated, while Karan and Nikasha quickly unpacked. Only 40 minutes were left before guests would be arriving, and a lot was to be done.
Karan quickly showered and put on a comfortable blue cotton kurta-pyjama. Nikasha followed suit, and showered for a full 20 minutes. She dried her hair, and wrapped a towel around herself. She wasn't too sure what to wear though...
Meanwhile, preperations continued downstairs, with just 20 minutes left. Balraaj arrived while Nikasha was in the shower, and got dressed into a green kurta-pyjama. Seema changed into a heavily embroidered red salwaar kameez, and wore a pair of simple gold dangling earrings. Yash being the groom-to-be wore a heavy orange sherwani.
During this time, Nikasha rummaged through her now-fully stocked closet, and found a nice outfit to wear. She picked out some matching jewellery, and was sure to wear a mangalsutra. It wasn't like she wanted to, but if she didn't it would create uneeded tension and problems during the sangeet ceremony. She quickly put a small circular line of sindoor on her forehead, and brushed her hair.
The doorbell rang, and the first batch of "random aunties" entered. They sat in the middle of the large living room, and quickly set up and began singing. Nikasha could hear their loud singing from all the way upstairs, and groaned. How simply dull!
She put on a pair of high heels, and walked down the stairs. Everyone awkwardly stared at her, and gave her strange looks. Due to her common sense, Nikasha knew that she was to go straight to her father-in-law Balraaj, and greet him. As Nikasha approached her, Balraaj smiled widely - a bit too wisely. As Nikasha bent down to touch his feet, Balraaj burst out laughing. Knowing it was safe to laugh, everyone joined in. All the aunties, all the guests, everyone... Except Seema and Karan. Seema whispered to Karan, and walked towards Nikasha. She took Nikasha's hand and took her upstairs.
"Nikasha Beta, when I said dress formally, I didn't mean this formally." Seema said with a chuckle.
Poor Nikasha was wearing a heavily embroidered purple saree, with a heavy gold necklace set, mangalsutra, and her arms were stacked with various shades of purple bangles.
Nikasha looked at herself in the mirror, and cried.
"Why did I have to come to India? Why?" Nikasha thought to herself.
"Beta don't cry. It's okay. Come now, lets look for something else for you to wear."
In less than a minute Seema dug through Nikasha's wardrobe, and put together a nice outfit. She helped Nikasha get ready into a comfortable pink salwaar kameez, with a pair of gold earrings, a few gold bangles, and a mangalsutra.
"Oh Mom! I forgot! I forgot to get the dholak you asked me to get from London Exporters. I think it's still in the car... I'll go get it." Nikasha said in a rash tone.
She quickly ran downstairs and outside, avoiding the milder looks everyone gave her. She opened up the trunk to her car, and pulled out the dholak. As she turned around, her eyes were blinded with a pair of headlights. She blinked as the lights were soon off, and the sound of car doors opening and closing rung in her ears. She heard a gasp, and heard the words:
"MA! That's the car!" The words came from Lali's mouth.
"Is that your car?" Lali said trembling from shock.
"Yes, and you are?" Nikasha said impatiently.
"Who do you think you are? You splashed mud all over me today, and didn't even apoligize" Lali said angrily, walking up to Nikasha and putting her hands on her hips.
-End of Episode 2-