Vrishali fixed her gaze on the floor, her lower lip tucked nervously between her teeth. She felt the weight of the uncomfortable silence pressing down on her, and she resisted the urge to glance at Harika or Vijay, both of whom seemed equally lost in their thoughts. The air around them felt heavy and thick, amplifying her desire to escape to a place where the tension didn't loom so large. 

"So. . . Vrishali, how is India treating you?" Vijay broke the silence. Vrishali finally looked up, making eye contact with Vijay. "India is good. I like it over here, but I miss New York." 

"It will take some time to get habituated. Are you happy with this move?" Vrishali sighed. "I wasn't expecting this, but yeah, I'm happy with how things turned out. It's a long way." 

"I heard from Padmanabh that you were doing your bachelor's. What's your major?"

"Fashion designing in my final year," Vrishali answered politely. Vijay nodded his head; her thick New York accent can't be ignored. He kept his questions vague as he didn't want to make her awkward. 

"That's amazing." Harika quietly observed Vrishali under her calculative eyes. "What about your previous university? Did you stop taking the classes over there?" Vijay continued. 

"No, I'm taking online classes. It's mostly assignments and projects. So I don't have to worry about attending offline. I can work on my assignments here and submit them through FedEx."

"Wow, that's great." Vijay and Vrishali engaged in conversations about her assignments, projects, and Vijay's work. 

Padmanabh strolled back to the table after excusing himself to take a business call. He noticed Vrishali and Vijay laughing about something. He joined their conversation while Harika sat quietly.

"When are they going to serve the lunch?" 

"In ten minutes."

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you say yes to this man? He is boring and doesn't involve much," Vijay asked. Vrishali wasn't expecting the question. Padmanbh was interested in hearing her answer. 

"I don't know, I— just did."

Harika raised her brow, "you don't know? How is that possible? Come on, there must be a reason for saying yes to him."

Vrishali glanced at Harika before turning her head to look at Padmanabh. He was gazing at her. She took her time to observe his facial features. She felt fortunate to have him as her husband, but she wouldn't share that with anyone.

 "It is an arranged marriage, and I believed in my grandparent's choice and decision." 

Harika crossed her arms in disbelief, her brow arching with scepticism. "You're telling me that you're from New York, and you actually agreed to an arranged marriage orchestrated by your grandparents?" She leaned in slightly, her expression a mix of curiosity and jealousy. "There has to be more to this story. I find it hard to believe you would just go along with their choice to marry Padmanabh without any reservations."

Vrishali narrowed her eyes slightly at Harika. She had never felt comfortable around her and wasn't about to let herself be cornered now. As she considered her next words carefully, Vijay and Padmanabh exchanged a knowing glance. 

She smiled. "Yes, I'm from New York, but that doesn't mean that I'm not Indian or that I don't respect my grandparents' wishes. I didn't just agree with their decision; I took my time before saying yes. I know them, and I trust their choice. And wouldn't you agree to marry him if you were in my position?"

Vrishali smiled as she popped her tongue inside her mouth. "I'm sure you would say yes to him, But you're bad luck as I married him."  

Vijay choked on his drink as Vrishali held Harika's gaze. Vrishali didn't break the eye contact until Harika looked away. 

"Padmanabh is my best friend, and marrying him? I never thought of that, so you don't have to worry. I wouldn't go for your husband."

Like I would trust those words...

"Food is here!" Vijay broke the intense atmosphere. Padmanabh glanced at Vrishali before looking at the food that was being served. He ensured dessert was also served beforehand, as Vrishali loved to have her dessert first. 

"Why is dessert being served first?" Vijay asked. "And who ordered four varieties of dessert?" Vijay was genuinely confused as he knew Padmanabh and Harika and wasn't a dessert lover.  He had no idea if Vrishali liked dessert. 

"Have what you wanna have first," Padmanabh said before placing the dessert platter beside Vrishali's plate. Vijay got the memo and smiled as he watched Padmanabh and Vrishali. 

Harika thankfully remained silent for most of the lunch, avoiding unnecessary comments and refraining from engaging in conversation with Vrishali. The majority of the discussion was between Vrishali and Vijay. Although they were supposed to have lunch with everyone, at the last minute, Falguni Singh, Bhawani Singh, Diya Kumari, and Narendra were invited to join by one of the members of Parliament for lunch.

*

Vrishali watched a comedy show on television while Padmanabh worked beside her on his laptop. They were surrounded by a comfortable silence. After lunch, they spent an hour with Vijay and Harika before returning to their hotel.

Padmanabh glanced at his watch before shutting down his laptop. He looked at Vrishali sitting on the other end of the sofa. She had changed into a comfortable cotton kurta and pants. "Hmm— I'm planning to go on a stroll. Do you want to join me?"

"Sure, just give me five minutes." Padmanabh nodded in agreement. Vrishali turned off the television and stood up to use the restroom. She was eager to stroll through the temple streets of Tirumala, but she wasn't sure if Padmanabh was free to join her. She hesitated, not wanting to go out alone. 

They have moved to the residential blocks on the hill and found a beautiful cabin near the temple. Vrishali was pleased with the change. Padmanabh locked the door behind them and led the way as they walked side by side.

It was peaceful. The roads were empty, distantly they could hear the temple announcements and keerthans. "Have you ever heard about Tirupati before?" Padmanabh asked, breaking the silence. 

"Yes, some of my university friends were from Telugu states. They spoke highly about Tirupati Balaji." Padmanabh nodded. "The place is magical. There's something about this place that brings peace to one who visits it."

"I can feel it," Padmanabh said with a smile as he and Vrishali walked together. "This way," he added, guiding them toward the temple grounds. As they meandered through the quaint residential area, the atmosphere shifted as they entered the vibrant streets of Tirumala. The air buzzed with energy as people in colourful traditional attire rushed by, their garments flowing elegantly with each step. 

Along the roadside, groups of friends chatted animatedly, their laughter mingling with the sounds of merchants calling out their wares. Shoppers browsed stalls filled with an array of handcrafted items, the enticing scents of street food wafting through the air, creating a rich tapestry of sights, sounds, and aromas that brought the bustling hill to life.

They left their footwear at the shoe stand as they entered Mada Veedhi. Side by side, they walked in silence, content in each other's company. Padmanabh felt at ease, while Vrishali felt happy. Together, they stopped in the centre, facing the temple, and watched the lines of devotees entering peacefully.

They stood there for quite a time before Padmanabh looked at his wristwatch to see it was eight-thirty. "We will have our dinner at Vengamamba Anna Prasadam."

"Vengamamba anna prasadam?"

"They provide free food to the devotees. I have been visiting the place every time I visit Tirupati. The food is great."

Padmanabh and Vrishali exchanged smiles as Padmanabh led her to the Vengamamba Anna Prasadam building. There was a crowd, and they stood in line, waiting for their turn to enter the hall. Throughout the wait, Padmanabh stood right behind her. It was a new experience for both of them.

Padmanabh had never taken someone to the vengamamba anna prasadam before. It's tradition for him, and he never felt like sharing the tradition with someone before.  But with Vrishali, everything felt right. 

Once they took their seats, the food was served on a banana leaf. Vrishali started with the sweet Pongal. She looked at Padmanabh with widened eyes. "This tastes amazing!" 

"You can have mine too," Padmanabh said, scooping up pongal from his leaf and placing it on Vrishali. 'I love you!' Vrishali yelled in her mind. 

*

My family and I go to Tirupati every year.