Aunty Sara and Uncle
Narvin are very kind to Aditi. They
live in South London. Aditi has a big bedroom. It is
comfortable.
Aditi is a student at Imperial College,
London University.
She is studying
science. There are a lot of men in her class
and only a few women.
Everyone is very friendly.
On the first morning a
girl from Birmingham
talks to Aditi
and they have lunch
together. Aditi likes Molly a lot and soon
the girls are good
friends.
Aditi is happy in
College. She works very hard. She is
clever. The teachers
think she is a very good scientist. She
does not go out with
boys like other girls in her class.
She is good friends
with Tony and she talks about science
with him. When the
Easter holiday comes he visits Leicester
and he goes to Aditi’s
home. Her father likes Tony but Aunty
does not. She is afraid
Aditi likes Tony too much.
The year passes
quickly.
Now it is the summer
term. In ten weeks Aditi and Molly
finish their first year
in University. Today the girls are queuing
for lunch. Tony comes
in with his friend. His friend is an older
11
student and he has a
degree already. He is studying for a
PhD now.
Tony likes Aditi very
much. He stands next to her and he
starts talking. Aditi
does not know the name of Tony’s friend.
She can see he is from
her community because he is
wearing the beads round
his wrist. Aditi thinks Tony’s friend
has a very nice smile.
He is good looking too. Tony says. ‘Is
your father going to
find you a husband Aditi?’
She laughs. ‘Everyone
wants to know about my father
choosing my husband,’
she says. ‘At the moment my father
wants me to study and
pass my exams. I want to choose my
own husband but I might
marry someone my father wants
me to meet.
‘Tony’s friend speaks.
He smiles at Aditi. ‘Yes, British
people always ask me
about ‘arranged marriages’. I told Tony
we do not all have
arranged marriages some of the modern
men and women choose
partners themselves.’
Aditi agrees with
Tony’s friend. He is very good-looking.
Tony says, ‘Sometimes
when I want a girlfriend I think you
are lucky if your
parents find you a girl. But I’m not sure.
Sometimes, I think it
is better if I choose my own girlfriend.
Tony’s friend likes
Aditi. She looks very pretty today. She
is wearing beads around
her neck and he knows she is from
12
his community. He says,
‘I think it is awful for young men to
go with parents to see
if a woman wants to marry him. The
young women in our
community only want someone
handsome or rich,’ he
says.
‘Who are you?’ Aditi
asks. She does not like this
handsome man now. She
remembers those words.
Aditi has a shock when
Molly says. ‘This is Isha, Aditi. He
is studying for a PhD.
His parents live in London
but they
came from Uganda
many years ago, like your people.’
Molly turns to Isha.
She says, ‘You don’t have to worry
Isha.You don’t need
your parents to find a wife because lots
of women like you.You
are very handsome.’
13
Isha laughs. ‘Thank-you
Molly.’
Aditi feels awful. The
handsome stranger is Isha. She
remembers Isha. He is
the young man who did not want to
meet her. Her father
says his parents are nice but Aditi does
not like Isha. He is
rude about women from her community.
Aditi buys lunch. She
carries it to the table in the cafeteria
and Molly follows her.
‘Isn’t Isha gorgeous?’
Molly asks.
‘He’s ok!’
‘He’s really handsome -
look at his thick black hair and he
has beautiful eyes.’
Aditi looks back. Isha
is staring at her. ‘I don’t think he’s
handsome,’ she says to
Molly.
‘Well, he’s very
clever,’ Molly says.
The young men come to
the table. ‘Can we join you?’Tony
asks.
‘Sure,’ Molly pats the
chair. ‘Come and sit next to me Isha.’
Isha looks a lot at
Aditi. While Tony talks to Molly, Isha
speaks to Aditi. ‘Do
you live in Leicester, Aditi?’ he asks.
Aditi thinks, ‘He knows
who I am.’
‘Yes.’
‘Is your father Ravi? Did he come from Uganda?’
‘Yes.’
14
‘My mother asked me to
go to your house I think?’
‘Yes and I don’t want
to marry a man because he is
handsome. And I don’t
want to marry a man for money. I want
my husband to be
interesting and kind.’ She stands up.
‘I must go now,’ she
says.
‘Tony and Isha want us
to go for a walk,’ Molly says to Aditi
before she leaves the
table. ‘Let’s go for a walk.’
‘I’m sorry. I have work
to do Molly, I must go,’ Aditi says.
She smiles at Molly but
she does not look at Isha and she
hurries away.
15