From
http://wowweirdestlovestories.blogspot.com/2011/12/tale-of-two-sisters.html
Malti looked at herself in the mirror once again. She was not satisfied with the result. She hated the yellow metal and here she was wearing half a kilo of it. There was an ornament at every possible place. She remembered how her mom had freaked out when she had seen her piercing. She let out a sigh. Parents are so hypocritical and critical at the same time. Nothing which you enjoy doing can find approval with your parents. And nothing they approve of is interesting. Malti remembered the promises which her ex boyfriend had made. They all turned out to be lies. But there was one truth she had to accept. It was no longer college. Guys no longer lined outside her window. Now a beggar used to sit there. Whenever Malti passed he repeated his catch phrase ‘Aunty jee. Please give money to a hungry beggar.’ Aunty jee never gave him any. After being single for one whole year Malti didn’t said ‘No’ when her mom showed her a prospective groom picture. Malti neither said ‘yes’. But that silence was enough. Phone calls were made and the date was finalised within a week. Everyone feared that Malti would change her mind. The groom was an IITian and like all the IITian’s he was writing a novel. He emailed Malti the first chapter of his novel. Malti couldn’t even read after the first two lines. Her ex boyfriend was better at writing. He wrote love letters which ran several pages and Malti used to read them over and over again. He should have been a writer. But he was no IITian. Malti’s entire life was flashing before her eyes. That happens only two times in your life. The time when you get married and the time you die. Why did Aryan leave her? Malti still hadn’t found the answer to that question. They never had an official breakup. They just stopped talking. Having a proper closure is very essential to move on. Malti looked at the picture of her to be husband on her cell phone. He was an average guy. Malti had talked with him once on the mobile phone. He sounded like a virgin. Malti’s sixth sense always told her about the sexual history of a boy. It was like a God gift to her. The other gifts were fading with age. Why can’t a girl be single in her thirties? It was the last hour of Malti’s single life and like all the brides she was freaking out. “Arranged marriage is not a bad thing.” She said to herself. “My parent’s marriage was arranged. They are living happily till now.” Malti tried her best to convince herself that she was not jumping in a blind well.
She could feel hear her heartbeat. “Do all girls feel nervous when they get married?” She asked herself another question.
“What’s taking so long?” Her excited sister asked from outside. There is nothing as exciting as an Indian marriage. There are relatives you only see at marriages or funerals. At funerals there are a lot of constraints. Weddings are the perfect time to meet people. And flirt.
“Two minutes.’ Malti replied.
“Are you making Maggi in there?” The moment Malto said ‘two minutes’ she knew her sister would make a ‘Maggi’ joke.
“Ha ha. Very funny.” Malti said and pulled out a Cadbury Temptation from her purse. She was forced to fast as the other Indian brides. Malti could not stay hungry for long. She was not a foodoholic. On the contrary she was on a diet. She just couldn’t stay hungry. And since she was fasting that day she didn’t need to count the calories.
Malti’s cell started ringing. She hated to receive call in the bathroom. And the call interrupted her Cadbury fest. Malti hated being interrupted while eating. She gave an angry look at her cell phone and if she had a superpower she would have literally burned the caller to ashes who had dared to disturb her. The number which flashed on the mobile screen was unknown yet familiar. ‘Yes.’ She had deleted that number when she had broken up with Aryan. Should she take the call? She asked herself. The ringtone died. Malti was about to switch of her phone when it started ringing again. Malti felt as if she had a time bomb in her hand. She made her mind and received the call.
“Hello?” She said in a hurry. She also thanked God that she was in the bathroom when Aryan called her. Otherwise everyone would make a big fuss out of it.
“I need to tell you something.” Aryan said from the other end.
“I know what you are about to say. I know that you love me and you want me back. But it’s too late Aryan. I am marrying someone else.” It somehow comforted Malti that Aryan had called. She had cried herself to sleep yesterday because of his indifference. Malti had still got it. Was she making a mistake by marrying a geek?
“I just returned from the doctor.” Aryan said in a voice which is common to all people giving bad news. Malti didn’t noticed it.
“Listen I have to go.” Malti was already late and she could hear her mom shouting about something. She knew her mom was having an anxiety attack. She used to freak out while hosting kitty parties. This was her first daughter’s marriage. Malti felt sorry and happy for her mom at the same time.
“I have Aids. I think you should get yourself checked too before you marry and ruin an innocent person’s life.” Aryan dropped the bomb on her.
“What?”
“I am sorry.” Aryan said.
“You are sorry? You ruined my life.” Malti shouted.
“Is everything okay?” Her sister asked with concern from outside.
“Are you going to come out? Everyone is waiting for you.” She whispered again.
The call was disconnected. Malti collapsed on the ground. She didn’t care that the tears ruined her makeup. She didn’t care that her wedding dress was getting wrinkled. Her world was finished. There was a mild earthquake two days ago. She hoped that the earthquake struck again and killed only her and Aryan. ‘No. Aryan doesn’t deserve to die with me. He is a jerk. Let him be killed in a road accident. He drives recklessly too. That would not look suspicious at all.’ She made her pact with God.
“I am coming in.” Her sister Ananya said. Before Malti could say anything, Ananya was in. She saw Malti’s state and bolted the gate from inside.
“What the hell is going on?” Ananya sat on the ground with her.
“I think I have Aids.” Malti continued sobbing.
“What? Don’t be stupid.” Ananya wiped her tears.
“Aryan just called. He has Aids.”
“But you broke up with him eighteen months ago.”
“On 18th June.” Malti sobbed.
“I didn’t ask the date.” Ananya said.
“Why should I do?” Malti asked her younger sister for advice.
“Listen. We will talk about this later. There are people waiting for you. Get ready. Wipe your tears. We will talk about this later.”
“Why not now? I can’t marry anyone without knowing that I am HIV negative or not.”
“I know you are right and I respect your feelings. But there is nothing we can do right now.”
“You are studying medicine. Can’t you do a home test on me?” Malti’ tears stopped for a second.
“No. I can’t.”
“But we can do pregnancy tests at home. I even brought a kit when I was dating Aryan. That thing really works.” Malti continued crying. She knew if she would stop crying Ananya would not take her seriously.
“Stop freaking out Malti. You will ruin the dress.”
“I will kill myself Ananya. I will commit suicide. I can’t give Aids to my husband as a wedding present.”
“Okay. I will get you checked.”
“Tell Daddy to postpone the wedding. I can’t make a decision until I get the test results.”Ananya had made a decision.
“Why the hell will I have to tell daddy? You tell him.” Ananya shrugged her shoulders.
“Have you forgotten everything I have done for you my little sister? Who made you laugh when you had your first periods? Who helped you do your homework? Who downloaded the Barbie movies for you?” Malti tried emotional blackmail.
“I hated the Barbie movies.”
“And you hated Shrek too?”
“Who hates Shrek?”
“That’s my point.” Malti said.
“What’s your point?” Ananya asked in a confused voice.
“I have been a good elder sister and have been there for you whenever you needed me. Now that I need you, how can you say no to me?” Malti knew she had proven her point.
“Don’t be silly. It takes five minutes for an Aids test. Let me get your blood sample. There is a lab down the road. The lab assistant has a crush on me. He waits half an hour daily on the road to say Good morning to me. I will get the result even before you can wash your face and come out of the bathroom.”
“I think I know him. He is so cute and adorable. Why don’t you go out with him? He is much better than the jerk you are dating.” Malti said in an elder sister voice.
“That lab assistant. He is an ogre. Why don’t you go out with him? Oh wait. You are getting married.”
“I am not getting married.”
“Give me five minutes. I will be back.”
“Where are you going?”
“To arrange for your Aids check up.”
“Thank you.”
{After five minutes}
“What’s that injection for?” Malti screamed.
“I need your blood sample.” Ananya said.
“Can’t you do it with semen?”
“Really? Semen? You want to do it or not?” Ananya brought the injection nearer.
“I had read somewhere that Aids spreads by exchange of bodily fluids. Can’t you take my spit or sweat as a sample?” Malti begged as if Ananya could change the medical laws for her.
“It won’t hurt. I promise. Why are you so afraid of the syringe? You are a big girl now. Close your eyes you won’t even feel it.”
“I am a big girl now. Don’t try to fool me. I know that the injection would hurt. And where is your lab assistant?”
“I couldn’t bring him in the bathroom. I will take your blood sample.” Ananya smiled.
“You? Really? Are you trying to kill me? I am not your lab mouse that you can experiment on me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you ever taken a blood sample before?”
“I have seen people take it.”
“You are a first year medical student. I won’t let you poke me with that thing. I can die.”
“I am the only choice you have got.”
“No. I can tell dad and he would get me checked in a hospital with real doctors.”
“Fine. Go and tell him.”
“I will.”
“Then go.”
“I am going.”
“You are still standing at the same spot.”
“Please don’t make it hurt.”
“What?”
“I believe in you. You are my younger sister. Take my blood sample.”
Ananya took the sample and was about to walk out of the room when Malti caught her shoulders.
“I am so proud of you. You will be a great doctor.”
“Thanks didi.” Ananya blushed.
“That injection didn’t hurt at all.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You are very good. When you become a real doctor try to find a cure for Aids.”
“I will. But don’t worry. You don’t have Aids.” Ananya convinced her.
“When will you return?”
“The earliest I can.”
Ananya opened the door. Her mom and some fat aunties were there.
“What were you two doing inside?” Her mom enquired.
And one of the aunties noticed the wrinkles in Malti’s wedding dress. Another one spotted a soap mark. They all freaked out.
“The priest is calling the bride.” A small girl came running and announced to cause panic to the already panicked crowd. It was the height of chaos. Malti’s mom fainted.
“We have very less time. Let’s see what we can do.” One of the fattest aunties took control of the situation. Malti signalled Ananya to sneak out and get the sample checked at the earliest.
“And where the hell are you leaving? It’s your sister marriage. At least give a hand.” One of the aunties shouted at Ananya who ignored her and ran out of the room.
“Look at these modern girls. They won’t listen to anyone. I bet there was some chakkar going on in the bathroom.” One of the aunties remarked. She just had found enough material for one month’s gossip.
“Thats why I never sent my daughter to college.” One of the other aunties remarked. Though she never got the appreciation from the crowd that she thought she deserved.
{At the mandap}
Malti was being dragged to the mandap. She tried to find Ananya but Ananya had not yet returned from the lab. Malti couldn’t hear her heartbeat. Has her heart stopped beating? Was she going to have a heart attack? At least that would be better than going through this.
“Is anything wrong beta?” Her future mother in law asked.
“Nothing?” Malti told a white lie. Even a blind I mean one eyed man could tell that something was disturbing her.
The priest began with the rituals.
“Where is Ananya?” Malti asked.
“She was here.” Her dad said. He was so preoccupied with the marriage proceedings that he hadn’t noticed that her younger daughter was not there. But who could blame him? Malti’s mother and Ananya were responsible for entertaining the women. If Ananya was not here she must have been somewhere else doing something of importance. A wedding is a team effort.
“Ananya is her younger sister.” One of the aunties explained it to Malti’s to-be mother in law.
“I can’t get married without Ananya. We had dreamed of this day since we were kids.” Malti had found the perfect excuse to buy some more time. For a moment she thought of telling about the Aids fiasco to her dad. But she was on mandap. The whole world would know. She decided to wait till Ananya came with the result. There was no point telling everyone of her past sins if she was HIV negative.
“Carry on beta. She will come ....”
“No. Mom. I won’t continue with the marriage ceremony until my younger sister is here.” Malti said in a strict voice. She knew it was her only chance.
“I had seen Ananya go out of the house.” One of the aunts said.
“Yeah. I saw Ananya didi walking down the road.” Another kid added to the information.
Malti’s heart sank. What if they find Ananya before she could get the result.
“Where did you saw Ananya? Can you take us there?” Ananya’s dad asked. The kid’s mother looker at her son as if he was a superhero destined to save the world.
“I can.” Said the kid as he finished his ice cream cone in hurry.
Malti’s dad and two other uncles followed the kid.
“Is everything Okay?” The IITian groom spoke for the first time.
“Yes. Everything is okay.” Malti said in an ‘I don’t want to talk with you right now’ voice.
“You love your younger sister very much. Don’t you?” The IITian continued talking. Obviously he hadn’t decoded Malti’s hidden message. Of course he was an IITian. He knew everything except communication skills.
“Yes. I love her.”
“I have a younger sister. I love her. You will like her too. She is very cute. Just like you.” The IITian flirted with his to be bride.
“I have talked with her on phone. She sounded nice.” Malti continued talking because she couldn’t think of anything else to do in that awkward moment. Seeing her talk with groom silenced many of the gossip mongers who were already betting whether Malti would run from the mandap or not.
“Do you want to go abroad?” The IITian asked without context.
“Why would you ask that?” Malti asked. It has always been her dream to go to Switzerland. All her favourite movies were shot in Switzerland.
“I have a job offer in France.” He announced proudly.
“I would love to live in Paris.” Malti changed her mind. Paris too was a good place. Certainly it was no Switzerland but it was Paris.
“Paris it is.” The IITian made the decision. The first joint decision as a married couple. The IITian didn’t knew that he had just won the heart of a beautiful Indian girl. Malti had fallen in love with him (or the idea of living in Paris). Malti’s doubts were cleared. She wanted to marry this IITian. She wanted to live in Paris. She wanted to be HIV negative. She prayed to God.
Malti felt the mobile phone vibrate in her hand. There was a SMS from Ananya. May be God hs heard her prayer. Malti prayed again and read the SMS.
“YOU ARE HIV NEGATIVE. HURRAY. I AM COMING IN FIVE MINUTES”
The world was a beautiful place again. Malti heard her heartbeat once again. She looked at the groom. He looked handsome. He was certainly good looking and he was a virgin. Malti thanked God.
“PARIS HERE I COME.”
Ananya came in after five minutes and the wedding ceremony resumed.
{One week later}
Ananya was going to her college. It was raining since morning and she was half an hour late.
“Good morning.” She heard a familiar voice from behind.
“Good morning.” She turned. She didn’t even know his name. He was all wet and the rain water was dripping down his body. He handed Ananya a piece of paper which he somehow had managed to keep dry.
“Here is the report of the blood sample you gave me. It is HIV negative.”
“Thank God. Thank you. What are you doing this evening?” Ananya said and caught his hand.
