The cashew fenny spread through the neurons of my brain, as it flowed down my food pipe. Mmmm... My mind floated like the boat kept at a few yards distance. Resettling myself on the beach chair again, I started counting the waves again. Two hundred and fifty, in the last hour including all small and large ones.

Oh, I forgot to say where am I. In fact, you all must have guessed where I am. Right? Yes, I am at a coastal area. Any guesses? Well, well, well... I am at Goa. Yes, you heard me right. I am at Goa. You must be wondering what I am doing here, and even how did I land here. Umm, to be honest, even I don't know what am I doing here, but I do have an answer to how did I end up here.

Well, Baba is about to retire this year, so he planned this trip as vacation before retirement. To be honest, he planned this only for him and ma. But ma let the cats out in front of Trisha ma, and then Rangon Baba suggested about I and Rohit. I hardly could react to this, you know. Everything happened at such pace that before I knew, we were in the car. Weekend trip, for us, as in I and Rohit, and a whole week for our parents. In fact, they had left the very next day after our wedding party. And since, my dear hubby could not afford so many leaves, we started on Friday night, in the following week. On, Sunday night we will return to Bangalore, and they will directly leave for Kolkata. So, as per the plan, we reached here, in Goa this Saturday evening. And right now, I am relaxing, lying on a beach chair, counting waves and drinking cashew fenny, the local drink. Ma and Trisha ma are busy getting ready, whereas Baba and Rangon Baba have went somewhere, and I am glad Rohit is out too.

Like Rohit, you all may feel weird that we are on a family vacation just after marriage. But trust me, I am really happy and more than that glad. Because, in presence of our parents Rohit won't be able to create any nuisance. Yes, I am scared of him. It's not that he will try to get close to me when we are alone, but what I actually fear is, every time I will moved by his little actions, feel warm, he will immediately do something that will make me regret my warmth for him!

"What are you doing here alone?" I sprang up with my mothers' words. And then my jaw dropped. It has been almost twenty years when I last saw ma wearing a Capri set! And Trisha ma? Well, never! Even in her college photographs, I have always seen her in kurtis and jeans. So, you guys might well imagine why I am so shocked!

"Ami bolecchilam, dekhli to? Ei budo boyeshe ki amake eglo manaye?" Trisha ma almost wailed. (I TOLD YOU RIGHT? DOES THIS DRESS SUIT ME AT SUCH OLD AGE ?) Ma glaring her, urged me. "Go and get dressed." And she almost pushed me towards the motel.

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I looked the girl in the mirror. In that aqua-green frock she looked, umm... different! Yes, different is the word. For, I never wear frocks, but now I see, well, this may be a good change. Seriously, I didn't think of wearing this frock, though I had made it for summer collection last year. But I had no idea that this frock was inside my trolley. But I can guess. That meathead must have put it in. When I came into our room, I saw this dress lying on the bed with note of wearing this for dinner tonight. So, I am sure that jerk must have brought it. Ugh! I don't understand, why does he have to do this every time? Trying to make changes in me, and worse, I am starting to like those changes!

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As we three approached the motel gate, we saw the three men waiting for us. With three scooties. Seriously? Oh my god! I looked at my mothers to see their reaction, but to my utter surprise, they weren't 'surprised' at all. In fact, they were carrying the queenly 'we knew it all' attitude.

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I have never been to Goa before, but my ma did. Also Trisha ma and Rangon baba. They came here around thirty years ago, when everyone was unmarried. Ma once told me, it was same trip, when Trisha ma and Rangon baba fell for each other.

We sat on the scooters, with ma driving and baba at the pillion, Rangon baba driving and Trisha ma behind him, and Rohit driving, I behind him. We started, when ma yelled over, "Rangon, ekta race hobe?" (RANGON, WHAT ABOUT A RACE?) And I saw baba clutching ma from behind. Oops, I had had an idea about the romantic side of my baba, but he never came close to ma, in front of us, kids. But, today..May be the air of Goa have the thing in it. Soon, the two scooties rushed, leaving us behind.

"We will take it slow. I want our story to start like my parents' did." It was then, Rohit dropped the bomb.