17. Sameer

The next day grandma kept a puja(prayer) in the house and invited all the relatives. Grandma gifted me with a lehenga choli to wear. It's a beautiful powder blue lehenga with an intricate design and baby pink mono net dupatta. 

Dia braided my hair to lose fishtail braid and adorned it with tiny flower clips. Dia wore yellow and pink silk lehenga choli. She looked beautiful. Her brown eyes adorned with kohl and jet black hair in a half up half down with curls at the end. 

As I walked down, I can feel all the eyes in the living room staring at me. Grandma invited around 40members for the pooja mostly close-knit family members. I was standing awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs. I can't see any known faces. All the new faces and the way they are gawking at me is making me very uneasy. 

A middle-aged lady in a red silk saree and heavy gold jewelry walked over to me scanning me from top to bottom. I tried giving her a small smile despite my nervousness.

"Hey, Are you Priya's daughter?" She questioned me.

"Yes," I smiled at her. Maybe she is one of the relatives.

"Lakshmi Aunty is gushing over the past few months about you, that you are very sweet and beautiful. What's your name?" 

"Amelia Jones," I told her with a smile.

"Your Mom didn't even give you an Indian name. She forgot her roots after getting married to your father." 

Tsk tsk tsk... She shook her head in disappointment.

What the hell does this lady think of herself. I want to give back to her right there but I really don't want to cause a scene. But I'm already in the scene thanks to this red hippo.

"Do you know me? I'm your mom's cousin Bharti. We used to be close before... you know.. she eloped with your father." She said with a disgusted face.

Before I could give back to the lady. "Woahhh!! You look gorgeous Amy." Ryan, the monkey he is, jumped from nowhere putting his hands over my shoulders. He is dressed in white kurta with jeans.

I can see the expressions on my new so-called Aunt Bharti change from horror to disgusting, looking over Ryan and me. Her brows knitted to a deep frown.

"Doesn't she look, sexy bro?" Asked Ryan and that's when I noticed Jason in black kurta and blue jeans, standing nearby gazing at me intently to the point I checked my face if everything is alright or if make up is smudged.

The hippos eyes turned to the size of saucers with Ryan's choice of words.

"Who are these boys? Why is he holding you?" Hippo asked me with a horrified face. 

Then she steered her attention to Ryan "Get your hands off her boy. How dare you touch her?" She shouted at him.

Ryan immediately removed his hand from my shoulders. That's it I lost my last bit of patience, I can bear whatever nonsense she has to spew but not a word against my friends.

But before I could open my mouth to lash at her, grandpa spoke,

"Bhatti, they are Robert's best friend's sons. Amelia is staying with them after Priya and Robert's death. They are our guests you can't yell at them, you have to give them the respect that they deserve."

"Why are they here in India uncle? Why didn't you bring Amelia to India for good? Look at the way the boy is jumping on her and we don't want her to do the same mistake like her mother, running away with some foreigner and bringing shame over the family." 

I just can't believe she said that. I want to rip her hair and claw her skin. Some of the guests looked uncomfortable with the topic while some came near us eager to watch the drama unfold.

She continued saying "When Priya eloped it affected my life. You know how my marriage was delayed because no one wants to marry a girl whose sister eloped with some white man. Now I don't want the same to happen to the other girls in our family because of Amelia. We even have Dia remember, we can't risk her life. So I'm just warning you for your own sake, uncle." She said bulging her eyes out and her face turned red with anger. I could even see the vein on her neck pulsing.

"Bharti, if Amelia wants to marry someone from the USA, she can because she belongs there just as much she belongs here. She is half American just as she is half Indian. Speaking of the Browns they are more of a family to her than us. She practically grew up with them. There is no need to worry about Dia. After my mistake with Priya, after losing her for life... I understood that my daughter's happiness and wellbeing is important than so-called pride and family name." Grandpa snarled at the hippo.

"Come here Bharti, I need some help in the kitchen." Aunt Seema pulled hippo Bharti to the kitchen.

"Sorry about that." Grandpa looked over at Jason and Ryan. 

"It's okay Mr.Kashyap," Jason replied with a small smile.

"Why are you being so formal? Didn't I tell you to feel free? You can call me grandpa." Grandpa gave them a warm smile.

"Thanks" Jason smiled, while Ryan jumped and gave grandpa a hug, which brought a smile to my face.

"Please don't mind her Ammu. She is a good person but speaks without thinking much." Grandpa said looking at me.

"Ammu?" I asked him.

"Oh, I can call you that. Right? Amy Amelia are difficult to pronounce.." He looked lovingly at me.

I grinned back to him nodding yes.

After the pooja, grandma introduced me to all her relatives. Everyone is sweet. They spoke of their memories of mama or just smiled at me and gave their blessings. 

After Grandpa scolded the hippo, she kept her distance from me. I could see her sending annoyed looks my way. 

I'm worried that someone else may again misbehave or talk rudely with Ryan or Jason. I used to glance around checking on them, but every single time I saw them with my Grandpa. Sometimes he is introducing them to some relatives or else he is just happily chatting with them. But he never let them feel alone.

After lunch, Dia dragged me and Ryan to the terrace where all the cousins are hanging out. Jason escaped back to his room. We joked around and spent time. The girls were asking me to call Jason apparently they were all smitten by him. 

What am I his matchmaker now?

I walked over to Jason's room and knocked it. He opened the door and looking at me. He went back to his laptop. 

"Jason, come upstairs to the terrace. All my cousins are there, the girls really like you and want to talk with you. Why are you always sitting with your laptop these days? You are not mingling with anyone." I tried pulling the laptop from his lap.

"I don't want to mingle with anyone. I don't even want to spend a minute with you especially!!. I hate it that I'm stuck with you here. Just leave me alone and GET OUT." He barked at me.

"I'm sorry. I know this trip to India is not in your plan. I know that you don't want to be here, okay I understand. But there is no need to be so rude." I walked out of the room banging the door. The tears which I tried so hard not to show to Jason, flowed out of my eyes once I'm out of the room. 

I saw Dia near the door waiting for me. We walked into the room.

"What's his deal? These two brothers are the exact opposite. Ryan is fun and easy-going. But Jason is angry and aloof all the time. Yeah, but he is angry only towards you."

I kept mum. I don't want to discuss him and spoil my mood more.

"It's okay. Let it be. Don't mind him. Everyone is waiting for you upstairs." She told me like she understood my mind.

"Give me a minute. Let me change to something comfortable" 

She nodded and walked out of the room.

I washed my face and changed to my navy striped jumpsuit. I walked back to the terrace. It is better to spend time with people around my age than Aunt Hippo downstairs. I met Harsh Dia's maternal aunt's son. He is sweet and extremely caring towards Dia, giving those sweet and protective big bro vibes. 

Then there are Sanya and Tanya Hippo's twin daughters. They are nice and cute not arrogant like their mom. Then Nihaal, Nisha, Atharv, Kinnera, Vivaan, Avni. They all are my mom's cousin's kids. I don't know who is related to who. I stuck to calling everyone by their names. After a few hours, all the guests left. 

The house turned peaceful again. Ramu kaka cleaned the house. Everyone sat in the living room except Jason of course, elders enjoying a nice cup of tea with biscuits. And we kids are having hot chocolate. 

"I'm going to Bangalore for 2weeks. I will come back by the time Mr.Brown and his wife will come here. Then we can plan an outing so that they can look around Delhi." Uncle Raj said sipping his tea. He sat leaning back on the couch. 

"But Raj, the kids will feel bored at home. If you are not there who will take them out once in a while?" Asked grandma.

"I will ask Sameer to accompany them. He can drive around and even look after them" 

"That's a good idea." Said, grandpa. 

I looked over at them confused, who is this Sameer, never heard of him. Pretty sure I didn't hear his name today while I'm introduced to the guests.

"Sameer's father works for Raj. It's not safe here Amy, now you guys can go out with Sameer looking after you and even Jason is also there with you." Replied grandpa looking at my confused look.