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\u201cOh my God! My God! Is it what I think it is?\u201d screeched Parul, her eyes fixed on her elder sister\u2019s finger. She was already up on her feet and was enveloping Payal in a bear hug before the latter could open her mouth and say \u201cYes\u201d. The thinning lunch crowd at the Thai restaurant they frequentl craned their necks to see what the excitement was all about. \u201cI cannot believe it \u2013 my didi is engaged. Wohoo! Have you set a date? Do the parents know this?\u201d Parul kept her questions coming.<\/p>\n
There was a polite applause from the other diners and Payal muttered \u201cThank yous\u201d before settling back in her seat. Lynda, their usual waitress brought them glasses of iced Thai tea and added her congratulations. \u201cUsuals right? I be back with your entrees soon\u201d she said as she breezed away. \u201cI need to take lessons from her, on how to smile, enjoy compliments and answer wedding questions\u201d thought Payal. She has not been engaged for 24 hours and was already exhausted with the questions.<\/p>\n
Taking a fortifying sip of the tea, Payal said \u201cNo date yet. No parents yet. You are first one from the families to know\u201d. \u201cOh my gosh! We need to plan \u2013 so much to plan. Where do you plan to get married? Here? Or In desh? We must definitely head to India for a shopping trip. Do you have any specific plans\/ideas on what you want? And what you totally don\u2019t want? Oh my gosh! I really need to calm down and quit being the event planner. Unless ofcourse you want me to plan your wedding\u201d Parul jabbered on in her usual dramatic style while toying with the straw in her drink.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow can you be so calm? You are E-N-G-A-G-E-D. You need to plan you dream wedding\u201d Parul proceeded without a break wondering for the nth time how the sisters could be so different. Payal was her anti-thesis. The yin and yang sisters they were called. Payal with her geeky aspirations and sensible ballet flats. Parul with her wedding dreams and stilettos. The PP girls \u2013 as different as chalk and cheese. And now Payal was engaged. \u201cParul, you are ofcourse planning my wedding \u2013 right down to the smallest detail – nail color and bhindi color included. You know I am not good at this stuff. Ideally I would prefer the smallest wedding on earth but I am sure I cannot get away without a big fat Indian wedding\u201d<\/p>\n
Their entrees arrived and they chowed down their food in silence. The usual Pad Thai with extra bean sprouts and peanuts for Payal and the entr\u00e9e of the day for Parul. \u201cI am yet to figure out the logistics. I need to talk to both sets of parents and come up with some kind of plan. We have not even decided a time frame. Ro just surprised me with a ring last night. I still cannot believe he managed to surprise me with a proposal and the ideal ring\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh my gosh! The ring! Show it to me. How did I miss that?\u201d Parul exclaimed as she pulled her sister\u2019s hand towards her without upsetting the glasses of water and tea that stood between them on that tiny table. Payal resisted the urge to pull her hand back and tuck it out of sight. \u201cIt is not the traditional engagement ring but I never gravitated towards those rocks. It is much simpler and more me\u201d Payal felt the urge to defend the ring – the gold band on her ring finger growing heavier. \u201cIt is a Mabe Pearl set in gold. Wave pattern with a diamond\u201d she recited watching Parul\u2019s face in earnest. \u201cI love it\u201d she felt the need to add and fill in the gap. Payal did love the ring \u2013 waves of gold encircling a perfectly formed Mabe pearl reflecting shades of pink and coral and green with a more traditional 1\/4 carat diamond tucked in the corner was her perfect ring.<\/p>\n
The sisters looked at the ring on Payal\u2019s long finger with nails clipped too short to be considered fashionable, congealing mass of noodles and rice and curry between them. The gold waves, the tiny diamond and the Mabe pearl shined under the lights. \u201cIt is indeed perfect\u201d sighed the sisters in unison and threw back their heads in laughter. \u201cWe still say the same things didi. We still do\u201d laughed Parul gripping her sister\u2019s hands tighter.<\/p>\n
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