Movie Night

So there I was, standing in front of my mother-in-law, but dressed like a girl. My girlfriend who was standing just behind her indicated me to touch her feet. Just as I bent down, my dupatta slipped off my head. Mother-in-law adjusted my dupatta and said, “you need to take care of it yourself.” Then she took my dupatta and fixed it on my head with an extra pin, that she took out from her hair. Now she took off one of her gold bangles and put it on my wrist. As she was putting the bangle on my wrist, she said, “If you had met me like a son-in-law, I would have given you something else. But since you have met me like a daughter-in-law, the Shagun will also be according to that. By the way, the bangle suits you well, looks beautiful on your wrist.” She pulled me by my hand saying, “My daughter-in-law will sleep with me tonight. You people also go to bed now. It’s time.” The girls started laughing loudly.

Inside the room when I was about to go to bed, mother-in-law said, “Aren’t you going to change before going to bed?” Before I could say anything she said, “Wait, I will get you something comfortable.” She got up, opened the closet, took out a satin pink nightie and gave it to me. I stood there looking shockingly at the nightie in my hand. She noticed and said teasingly, “What happened, sweety? You didn’t like the shade?” She was not letting any chance of embarrassing me slip away. I went inside the bathroom and changed into the nightie, when suddenly I heard a knock at the door. “Don’t take off that jewellery. It will be inauspicious to take it off so early.” I came out wearing the nightie and all the jewellery. She kissed me on my forehead and said, “Sleep now. We have to get up at 5.” My expression must have given away my curiosity. So she replied, “Silly girl, it’s Karva Chauth tomorrow. We have to be ready and back from the temple to eat the Sargi, all before the Sun is out.” My eyes were wide open to hear all that. “Why do you look so surprised, my dear daughter-in-law? I couldn’t wait and I just ran here the moment I got to know that my daughter-in-law is home. I mean, how could I miss the opportunity of celebrating my daughter-in-law’s first Karva Chauth with her?”

Then she turned to her cupboard again and took out something else. It was a red silk saree with golden borders. She hung it on a hook on my side of the bed and said, “I know it looks a little old fashioned. But it’s perfect for this festival. So, you just sleep now. I have set the alarm. For 4 O’clock. First I will help my lovely and gorgeous daughter-in-law get ready and then I will get ready myself. God, I can’t wait. Am so happy!” She then came and lied down next to me, hit the night lamp switch on her side and said, “Leave yours on, sweetheart. I would like to adore my beautiful daughter decked in her jewellery for a while before I fall asleep. OK, I know this is too much for you. But let me make it up to you. Once, we are done with the morning Karva Chauth rituals, I will take my daughter-in-law out for some saree and jewellery shopping. It’s not fair for my daughter-in-law to have just one saree and that too an old fashioned one. And she definitely deserves her own jewellery, not only something that’s just passed on.” Her hand was stroking my cheek and my earrings, while she was saying all this. Soon, we were both asleep.

The next thing I know is I was getting married dressed in a heavy maroon bridal lehenga. My girlfriend who was now my husband was tying mangalsutra around my neck. The very next moment, she was kissing me passionately and full on the lips and I opened my eyes to find myself on our flower decorated bed and my husband making love to me. My glass bangles are breaking one after the other under my husband’s tight grip as he is taking me. Suddenly, we were in a heavily decorated house. Guests and gifts all around me. I am again dressed in bridal clothes. And my lap is filled with gifts. Women are giving me blessings that I be blessed with a son. It was my baby shower. My mother-in-law took my face in her hands and kissed me. That’s when I woke up. I was up and shy and embarrassed, all at the same time. My mother-in-law stood in front of me wondering why I was smiling while sleeping. And I was obviously shy to tell her that I just saw my future. She was asking me to get up all this while but I was somewhere in the middle of the dream and the real world. All I could finally hear her say while she had me up on my feet was, “Happy first Karva Chauth to my lovely daughter-in-law. Let’s get you ready, beautiful.” She kissed me on my forehead and pushed me inside the bathroom, handing me a set of satin panties and bra in the same red as my saree. Wait! Is it already ‘my’ saree?