Indigo Dreams, Nely Fernando [e book reader free .TXT] 📗

Chapter 3

An indigo kite with a yellow tail trembled in the ocean wind, twisting and meandering in the air, as its owner attempted to get it airborne. The sun, now a burnished flaming disc, descended towards the horizon. It tinged the sky with orange streaks. The Indian Ocean shimmered like a sequined blue sari.

Lovers huddled together in the fading light, shunning prying eyes. They winced at the salty sea spray. Men walked along the beach, pant legs rolled up to their knees.

A mother bunched her skirt in one hand, tucked her handbag under an armpit and waded into the water.

“Stay close to the beach!” she yelled.

Three bare-bodied boys shrieked with delight. Their wet shorts clung to their bodies.

Above the beach, visitors to the Gall Face Greens gathered in a circle to watch a man. Clad only in a white sarong, his belly distended, he swallowed rocks to an anthem of cheers. A pineapple vendor balanced a basinful of pineapple wedges on one upturned palm. He pleaded and bargained with the distracted men and women and lifted the basin to their faces. Fruity scent mingled with the ocean breeze.

Across the street, the Taj Samudra bustled with activity. Renu walked besides Sunil, clutching his elbow more out of nervousness and fear of tripping, as they walked towards the Crystal Ballroom. Sunil’s whole family was going to be at his sister’s wedding. Women walked towards the ballroom. The click of their heels echoed down the marble corridors. This was the first time she’d ever worn a sari to a social function. Her heel kept getting tangled in it. Fortunately, she had asked the lady at the salon to pin any part that might come loose.

Renu had not met the rest of the De Silva clan. She anticipated their shock when they found out that Sunil too would be getting married in weeks.

A waft of flowery perfume greeted them, making Renu feel a little heady. A jazzy band played soft music on one side of the room led by a woman dressed in a white gown. Her seductive melody was drowned by the sound of laughter and background conversation. Straight ahead, at the back of the room, stood a divan beneath an arch dressed in fresh flowers, in anticipation of the bride and grooms’ arrival. Sunil’s mother adjusted the two large vases standing on either side of the divan.

Renu felt underdressed in her rust colored organza sari, thin necklace and bangles. She wanted to run back and change. Half-moons of wetness gathered under her arms.

A handsome woman in a bright pink sari sailed towards them, extending one tinkling, bangled hand. She held the end of her sari wrapped around her like blanket, as if to protect herself against the cold. Her long hair hung in waves around her face, softening the creases around her eyes. Age spots, like freckles, shone through her makeup. A tiny wad of lipstick smudged her front tooth. An air of aloofness hung beneath her apparent politeness, an air all too peculiar to the De Silvas.

She must have been quite a looker, Renu thought.

“Why Sunil, who’s this young lady?”

“Hi podi Amma, this is Renuka, my fiancé! Renu this is my aunt, Janice.”

“My, my, this is news, how come we didn’t know anything about this lovely fiancé of yours before?” Janis widened her eyes in surprise.

“Well…. it was kind of sudden,” said Sunil shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“You’d better have a good excuse for keeping this a secret from the family.” Janice frowned. She glanced at Renu and smiled. “I’m so sorry, my dear, I didn’t mean to make a scene. But this is so sudden. Sunil you’d better introduce her to the rest of the family on the hurry-up.” She blurted out in a quick burst. “I’ll have a little talk with your mother. You must excuse me my dear.” She touched Renu’s shoulder and was swallowed by the crowd.

“Come, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the family,” said Sunil, steering Renu in a different direction.

“Sunil!” yelled a voice behind them. Renu and Sunil turned towards the voice.

A flamboyant young woman, in an aqua blue sari and with silver chandelier earrings dangling from each ear, approached them. Her short bobbed hair bounced in unison with her ample bosoms. Her almond eyes glinted with amusement. She seemed confident and unperturbed. She dimpled at Sunil with defiance.

“Hello, I’m Ramani, Sunil’s cousin-in-law I think,” she stated, extending a hand. Her silver jewelry winked in the soft glow of the room. “You must be Sunil’s best kept secret, fiancé, Renuka!”

Sunil appeared agitated at Ramani’s presence.

“Sunil, why don’t you leave me to introduce Renuka around, while you help out your mother and Anusha? They’ve been waiting for you forever,” said Ramani

“Now, don’t tell her this and that Ramani!” Sunil scowled at Ramani.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell her anything you wouldn’t. Besides, she’d better find out what she is getting into.” Ramani winked.

“Renu, I’ll be right back!” said Sunil, ignoring Renu’s pleading eyes as he walked away towards the bridal suite.

Ramani grabbed Renu’s elbow and led her further into the room. She introduced Renu to Aunty Sonia, Aunty Kamala, Aunty Yvonne, uncle Mervin… Renu’s head spun with all the names and relationships. They regarded Renu with raised brows, swollen with curiosity, as though Sunil had pounced on them unaware. Most were rendered speechless or stammered a, “Nice to meet you, my dear.”

Aunty Yvonne fumbled in her sequined purse and pulled out a pair of half-moon glasses. She puckered her gaunt face into an angular mask and examined Renu with unfettered interest. “Ah, very good. Perfect for Sunil.” She announced as though Renu was a pet dog.

Beneath their well-mannered veneer, Renu still sensed that stealthy aloofness like an invisible steel wall. She felt exhausted by the effort of wanting to please. She wished the night would end soon. Ramani rambled on, intent on giving Renu an earful of the De Silva family history.

“Let me give you a little tidbit about this family. You see, I’m considered the black sheep of this family,” she whispered this with special care. “They don’t think I measure up. They hate me. Anyway, I don’t care tuppence about what they think. You’ll hear all kinds of things about me.” She pulled out a silver thread from her sari, studied it. “But I’ll tell you who the hypocrites are. You know the one in the bright pink sari, Janice.” She pointed in the Janice’s direction. “She left her children and ran away with her bridge partner. A man twelve years younger than her.” She cupped a hand on one side of her face and leaned towards Renu, as if to prevent the conversation from reaching unintended ears.

“Now her kids don’t talk to her because she left them while they were teenagers. You see. All of a sudden she has become a Born-Again-Christian and she is all holier than thou.” Ramani spread her hands in the air.

Renu could see the tiny pores on her face.

“You know the best part? Her once sexy bridge partner beats her black and blue everyday now. Isn’t that ironic?”

Renu smiled, not knowing how to respond.

“Also watch out for Aunty Sonia’s husband, Uncle Mervin. The baldy. He’s a bit of a perv, made every servant girl who worked in their house pregnant.” Ramani reached and neatened a pleat on her sari. “Now Sonia only hires old women. We call him Merv-the-perve. He loves to touch women on their thighs. He just can’t seem to keep it in his pants. Poor Sonia has to keep constant tabs on him. Can you imagine that?” She said, adjusting the draped end of her sari.

“Ramani, are you sure I am supposed to know all this?” Renu asked concern creasing her brow.

“Oh don’t worry you are going to find out sooner or later anyway. It just happened sooner,” said Ramani, brushing away Renu’s concern.

Although Ramani was an utter gossip, Renu felt a sense of kinship with her. Renu was beginning to have second thoughts about this whole marriage thing. Renu wasn’t shocked to hear about Janice eloping with her bridge partner or Uncle Mervin’s philanderings. Renu was well acquainted with the effects of extramarital affairs. Not so long ago her own father had fallen from grace in Renu’s mind. Then she had wowed to herself that she would never put up with a philanderer like her mother did.

“There you are!” said Sunil, striding towards them.

“Ramani I’ll take it from here. Sunil took Renu’s arm.

“Alright then, I’m going to find that elusive husband of mine,” said Ramani with mock hurt in her eyes. She turned and bounced back the way she came. Once they were out of Ramani’s earshot, Sunil looked down at Renu and asked, “Did Ramani scare you about our family?”

“No… not at all!” Renu lied.

“I certainly hope not, I don’t want to end up scaring you away.” Sunil smiled and took her hand.

Renu forgot all her misgivings about the De Silvas as Sunil turned on his charm. Renu enjoyed the rest of the night. Sunil’s family certainly knew how to have fun. The sense of joy they had being together was infectious making Renu envious. Her own family was so serious. The only fun she remembered were the days she used to spend at her grandmother’s on school holidays when she was a little girl.

That night, Renu fell into her bed exhausted. The dancing and the high energy of the party had been exhilarating. She had forgotten all about her doubts as her eyes drooped and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

 

Renu tossed and turned unable to sleep. Anxiety bloomed within. She looked at the clock on her bedside table, 3.03 am.

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Publication Date: 10-09-2013

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