9/11/2019 - Saturday - At Chennai, Tambaram.

Shiva's P. O. V:

I had a severe headache but mom forced me to come to the shopping. It was past five in the evening.

I was sitting on the living room as my brother came out with his wife.

I wanted to silence questions running in my mind. I just shut down all the running tabs on my mind and got up.

I took my bike key and wore my shoes.

" No bike today, book an ola auto " Amma said.

I grumbled and placed the key back in its place.

" He can come in his bike " Rajiv said supporting me.

" Idiot! Your wife is three months pregnant, we have to take an auto anyway. Three people can sit. Why waste money on petrol? " Amma said.

Rajiv looked at his wife with raised eyebrows and smiled.

I booked the auto and waited for the driver to reach our home.

We three sat on the auto and my parents came behind us in their scooty.

Rajiv sat in the middle. I sat on the end.

" We are going to T nagar? " Anni asked.

( anni - term for sister in law)

" Yes " I told.

" Why is he taking the Velachery route? Ramapuram would have much less traffic" She said and bit her tongue.

I stared straight at my brother. He looked at his wife with raised eyebrows. They had something going on.

Anni closed her mouth with her hand and looked at Rajiv.

" Yeah, that's what google map says! But auto anna knows the best! " Rajiv said.

I turned my head and looked away from them.

I closed my eyes and loosened my grip on the auto's frame.

Don't think anything!
She is your brother' s wife!
Her phone, her contacts, her rules!

But who saves their landline number in their own name?

She maybe preplanned our trip to T nagar, that's why she told the right route.

But I don't feel as if she saw that from the Google map, she told as if she has experienced that before.

Let it go.

Calm down.

I repeated to myself throughout our 45 minutes journey.

Our first destination was the jewellery shop.

My uncle was already waiting for us as we walked in.

" Anjali has been torturing me,she couldn't wait" He told to my amma.

" She is enthusiastic, don't blame her" My amma said.

As we entered the shop, Anjali came running to my amma. She was wearing her usual kurti and shawl. Her hair was straightened and it didn't suit her.

She bent down and got blessings from my amma and appa . She looked at my brother and his wife with a sly smile.

The envy clear on Anjali's face, she didn't even bother to wish them both. She walked in as if she owned that shop.

" Let's look at the rings first! " Appa said as we sat down near the counter.

Rajiv sat near me with his wife and Anjali sat on the other side.

Anjali kicked my foot with hers. I didn't budge at all.

Anni laughed slightly as she saw what was happening. I looked at Anjali with a frown on my face. She smiled back. I turned back to the rings placed in front of us.

" We should have each other's name in our rings" Anjali said.

" No! " I said.

Then Anjali picked up a big ring with lots of stones.

She took my hand and placed the ring on my finger.

" Looks grand, look at this aunty! " Anjali told to amma.

" Yeah, suitable for engagement " Amma said.

I took the ring out and placed it back. Why nobody gets me!

Anni had a similar disappointed face. And everyone noticed.

" If you are so dissatisfied, please select a ring yourself! " Anjali told to Anni.

" Okay, please pass that rings set! " Anni told to me.

I slowly pushed the box to her.

She looked in for two minutes and then took out a slim ring with a single stone on the center.

She handed the ring to Rajiv and he passed the ring to me.

It was perfect!

Anjali snatched the ring from me and looked at it.

" This? " She asked Anni with a frown on her face.

" This won't even show up in photos! " Amma said laughing.

" Yes, it won't show up in photos, but it would be comfortable on your fingers for the rest of your life " Anni said.

" I would take this ! " I said and took the ring.

" Thanks Anni! " I told her and she smiled back.

" No, you are not taking that! " Anjali said laughing.

I looked at Anjali and glared at her.

Anni got up smiling and walked to the bracelet section. Rajiv followed her and they left me with Anjali and my Amma.

" Anjali, it's all your wish ma. Take the ring that you want! " Amma told Anjali.

Anjali took two rings with heavy stone work. She took my hand and placed the ring on my finger.

Amma clapped from behind. Appa was onto WhatsApp, not caring about the puppet show that was going on.

I removed the ring and placed it back on the glass counter.

Rajiv walked out swiftly with his phone, he was sweating. Anni was still in the bracelet section looking for something.

" If it's all what you select, why should I even be here? " I said and walked to Anni.

She was looking at bracelets for kids.

" Who are you buying these for? " I asked.

" For my minions " She said and bit her tongue again.

" Minions? " I asked confused.

" The babies! " She exclaimed.

" Babies? " I asked confused.

She closed her eyes and muttered under her breath.

" The twins " She said slowly.

I was shocked and I closed my mouth with my hands.

" Don't tell your parents yet! " She warned.

I nodded and looked at the bracelets that she had selected. They were tiny with small stars and hearts hooked to the chain.

" Where is Anjali from? " She asked.

"From theni " I said.

" What did she study? " She asked.

" Physics " I said.

" God, now I know why your brother ran away " She said laughing.

" Yeah, she hates you already! " I said.

"Who cares? , but hey I need to buy you a bracelet too " She said.

" Why? " I asked.

" I would gift that to you on your engagement. Would be fun. " She said and asked the shopkeeper to show bracelets for my size.

" Take what you want. Enjoy your freedom! " She said sarcastically.

" Thanks! " I said and took out three options.

" What do you like the most? " She asked.

" I don't know. You are buying this, you should select. " I said pushing the bracelets to her.

" I am only buying this. But you are the one that is going to wear this. Just because someone offers you something, doesn't mean you should accept it even though you don't like it! " She said.

Somehow I felt as if, she wasn't talking about the bracelet anymore.