Hm, a lavender bouquet? Or a night queen garland?
I like both.
Lavender is sweet and soft, like a princess. It’s sweet intoxicating smell is like a princess, who wants to take care of her people one day when she becomes the queen.
And Night Queen is beautiful and firm. It’s slight yet strong soothing scent is like that of a real queen, who helds her head high with the crown there intact at the same time she takes care that her people sleeps peacefully at night.
“Day dreaming again, Sitara?” Ma breaks me out of my lavender and night queen filled thoughts. I look up at her with a sheepish smile.
“Sorry ma, I was just...” I gesture at the lavender bouquets and night queen garlands.
“Making crazy analogies about flowers?” She smiles at me. Her smile is a little too bright today. Her eyes have a glint. She is practically glowing.
Today the groom’s family will come here, to confirm if I am as beautiful as people says I am. And if I pass the quota of beauty they have set for me, then they will bless my family by getting me married to my supposed groom, who is 30 years older than me, without any dowry.
You see, we are very poor. My mother has a flower shop near a temple. There is a church nearby too. We make some profit during the festivities and the wedding season. But in general, the money we earn normally, it is not sufficient to run a family like ours.
My brothers are all little, they can not earn either. My father is a ticket checker in rail, but the money he earns goes mostly in repairing our ancient house and school and what remains goes in our food. And, the money from the shop is barely enough for our clothes. We spend the winters mostly by shivering. My brothers take the blanket and me & my parents spend the night in front of fire.
So, if they can marry me off without dowry, then it will be like, life saving for them. Either they will have to sell the house for dowry.
“Let’s go.” I take bucket of night queen garlands and stand up for going to the shop.
“Tara...they will come to see you today, will it be okay for you to go to the shop today?” Ma asks unsurely, standing at the same place.
“They will come in the evening, right? And it’s only morning now. Besides, going to the shop makes me happy.” I say, hoping she will let me go to the shop.
“Aw Tara, my little star. Okay, you can go. But I will have to stay home. There are so many preparations to make!” She exclaims. She is really excited about it.
“Okay.” I smile tentatively at her and then start towards the shop.
Today is my sixteenth birthday. And ma is so immersed in my supposed wedding’s plan, that she didn’t even wish me.
What will I be getting for my birthday? A 30 years older than me groom with his kids from his previous wife, if they decide I am beautiful enough.
I take out the garlands, laying them in the front of the shops slowly, so lost in thought, that I don’t notice the guy approaching me with a smile lighting up his face and glowing like a moon.
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