When Pradeep and his
parents go home, Aditi talks to
Aunty. ‘I do not want
to marry Pradeep,’ she says.
‘Are you sure Aditi?’
Aunty says. ‘They are a good family
and his father has a
lot of money.’
‘Aunty! I cannot marry
him because he is rich.’ Aditi is
shocked.
‘You can still love
your husband if he is rich Aditi.’
‘No, Aunty. I’m not
going to marry someone for money. I
want to love my
husband. I don’t care if he is rich or poor.’
Aunty sighs, ‘I
understand.You are very young.’
Every week-end of the
summer holiday Aunty asks
different young men and
their parents to come to the house
to meet Aditi. Every
time Aditi says she does not want to see
them again.
Soon it is time to go
to University. Next week Aditi is going
to London to stay with her father’s brother and
his wife. Aditi
is going to live with
them when she studies at London
University. One evening
Aunty says, ‘I want you to help me
clean the house Aditi.
On Saturday Isha and his parents are
coming to meet you.’
8
Aditi is cross. ‘Oh no!
Aunty. I want to go out on Saturday
to buy things for
University and I have dance practice.’
‘Isha is very nice. You
can go to town on Friday to shop,’
Aunty Yasmin says
firmly. ‘You can miss dance practice’.
‘No Aunty. I do not
want to meet Isha. I’m going to shop on
Saturday.’
‘Ravi!’ Aunty Yasmin
says. ‘Tell Aditi she must meet Isha
on Saturday.’
‘No, father. It’s too
late. I’m going to University on Monday.’
Ravi looks unhappy. He
hates Aunty and Aditi to quarrel.
‘Aunty, you must tell
Isha’s parents that Aditi is going out
on Saturday. Perhaps
they can come next summer?’
He turns to Aditi and
he tells her, ‘I know Isha’s parents.
They are from
Uganda.Your mother and I were in school with
his parents. They are
very nice.
Aunty is not happy but
she phones Isha’s parents. When
she comes back she
feels better. ‘It’s alright. Isha’s parents
are very friendly. Isha
does not want to come.’
‘Perhaps they can come
next summer,’ Ravi says.
‘No! Isha’s mother says
they may come to see you Ravi
but Isha wants to
choose his own wife. He does not want to
meet Aditi. He does not
want his parents to arrange a
marriage. Isha thinks
girls in our community only care about
9
money and good looks.’
Aditi is annoyed. Isha
does not know her. She does not
want to marry someone
for money. She wants to choose but
she is polite to men
who come to the house. Aunty sees on
her face that Aditi was
cross.
‘Don’t worry about him
Aditi,’ Aunty says.‘My friends at the
Temple can tell me about other men who want to meet
you.
You can meet them when
you come home next summer. I am
sure they are nicer
than Isha.’ Aunty sniffs.
Aditi sighs. She wants
Aunty to stop looking for young
men to meet her.
Her father winks at
her. ‘It’s a long time to next summer,’
he whispers to Aditi.
‘Don’t think about it. You are going to
London University on Monday.’