Tying the Knot

[Pooja Garcia]

1547
Nov 25
Rai Residence

It wouldn’t be all that now would it? She thought easily, “Well,” she twisted her mouth as she thought for a moment, then her curl formed her lip, “sounds like a bright idea.” She told him dead panned, but noticed from the corner of her eye that her father was trying not to laugh, “You just have an unfair advantage on that; you’ll just undo all the ropes or ribbons you’re tied with in one pull. Not to mention you hate being coped up,” she added remembering the jail break he got her to pull for him, “for any period of time. So tying you up isn’t really an option.”

Seeing her brother coming in with a sulky look, Pooja rolled her eyes and moved her fingers in a whoopee do fashion, “Give it a break, Raj,” she told her brother, and if her brother wasn’t carefully he would having cold showers for the rest of winter. Seeing his eyes ablaze she stuck her tongue out, and then faced the crowed.

“Huh..... Oh?” it took a moment for the words to sink in, getting her bearings right, “Since you have already met lion,” she carelessly threw her hands towards her brother, which caused her father to laugh out loud, “That laughing Santa Clause is my father,” she looked at the man with humour, “Bharat.”

Seeing her mother coming out of the kitchen with dish, as the aroma of the food made its’ way to her noise, Pooja felt her mouth water, “That’s my mother, Jaya. If you thought my cooking was great, wait till you try hers, she cooks like dream. The one next to her is,” jerking her head towards her brother, “his fiancé.”

Looking at the crowd, “This is -” she got cut off when her father held up his hand.

“Yes, yes, we know who he is,” her father smiled, then looked at Jerry, “she’s been talking about nothing but for since the moment she stepped of that plane. Jerry this; Jerry that.”

Since she was sitting next to him, Pooja failed her attempt at not squirming badly. “Well I ...uh...I uh...” it was better she decided not to place her foot in her mouth.

<<Tag Jerry>>

[Jerry Garcia]

1547
Nov 25
Rai Residence

That laughing Santa Clause is my father, Bharat. That’s my mother, Jaya. If you thought my cooking was great, wait till you try hers, she cooks like a dream. The one next to her is, his fiancé.

It is a real pleasure to meet all of you. Pooja has tpld me all about you. I must apologize for sleeping so late, jet lag, you know. The entire time Pooja was squirming next to him and seemed more nervous about introducing him to her family, than he was to actually meet everyone. This is a beautiful home you have.

<Tag>

[Pooja Garcia]

1547- 1550
Nov 25
Rai Residence

Pooja smiled at the ease he was in, it was something that had her squirming after her father’s comment. She hadn’t been sure how he would have felt coming here to meet her family. Talking about them and meeting was two different things. Aroma of the food reached her nose making her stomach grumble and demand, focusing her brain to pay attention to him, “Don’t apologize for sleeping in or late,” she told him before getting to her feet and held her hand out to him, ignoring Raj’s gaze completely, “You’re entitled to sleep off that jet lag yours.”

Leading him to the table, she could feel her mouth water at the food that was placed.

Jaya smiled nodded at Jerry’s comment, then spoke to her daughter in Hindi, “Mum says thank you,” she translated it for him, then heard her mother scowl at her, Pooja merely frowned, “Of course I feed him,” she told her mother in Hindi, then threw her hands up in the air before looking at her father, “Dad,” she wailed.

Bharat only laughed at the mother-daughter interaction and shook his head smartly to tell them not to drag him into it. Instead he looked at Jerry, “Come sit and tell me how you met that daughter of mine,” the man patted the seat beside him.

<<Tag Jerry>>

[Jerry Garcia]

1547- 1550
Nov 25
Rai Residence

Come sit and tell me how you met that daughter of mine. He patted the seat next to him and Jerry slowly sat down, all the while looking to Pooja for help in this matter. We.... actually met on a work site. The US military was looking for information and Pooja was recommended as one of the brightest in the field. We actually met on the military base I was assigned to. Silently under his breathe he added, No more questions please, this could get very messy. An odd thought came to Jerry at that very instance. He started to wonder what Pooja had told her parents about their meeting, and whether he had just opened his mouth and inserted both feet, shoes and all.

<Tag Pooja>

[Pooja Garcia]

1551
Nov 25
Rai Residence

Her father nodded, as he eyed his daughter then back at his son-in-law, “So she tells me,” he replied, “so what work you -”

“Dad,” Pooja butted in, as she placed the meal in front of each man, “I told you the work’s classified. You have already asked me that ten thousand times.” Sighing she looked at Jerry, “It’s the same answer every time and one would think he would get after the fiftieth time.”

Scowling, she faced her old man, “Now eat and leave him alone.” She clipped her father’s ear affectionately before moving to Jerry’s side, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind, “Don’t let him get to you, he loves making people squirm; ninety-nice percent of the time it’s harmless. And the one percent only belongs at work which actually counts.”

After Pooja left, Bharat looked at Jerry, chuckled, “Didn’t know she was feisty.” Taking a drink of his water, Bharat pondered how to ask what he wanted; his daughter had told enough about her late in-laws “Are there any relatives who we could contact to help out with the wedding preparations? Aunts and Uncles? Keeping with the traditions, neither you or her have much say in how the whole thing is planned.” It still surprised him to know that the man in front of him was willing to do the Indian styled wedding.

<<Tag Jerry>>