*What?' I said.

*Come, he wants to open a ten-crore account. Give him some bull on Citi. I have to drop Anil at the airport.'

*Sir, I have guests,' I said as Ananya noticed my dilemma.

*It's fine, we will manage. Dinner's over there, right?' Ananya said.

*Oh, so she is the one?' Bala said and turned to Ananya. *Tamil teria?'

*Let's go, Bala,' I said.

I met Mr Muruguppa, a fat, jovial, fifty-year-old.

*Punjabi? Tamil ille?' he said and gave me his card.

*No. So you are the jewellery king?'

*What king? Emperor! We are the biggest in Chennai.'

*Sir regarding your account,' I said as I noticed Ananya's family from a distance. They laughed together over dinner. Several people came up to congratulate Ananya's mother. The time to strike was not far away.

*Mr Muruguppa, actually, I may need some jewellery myself,' I said as I led him to the dinner table.

40.

*Oh, trust me, she is on a different planet since that day. No need for dinner to thank her,' Ananya said over the phone.

We were in our respective offices. I had just invited Ananya's family for dinner.

*But we didn't even pay her for the concert. That's the least I can do,' I said.

*You have done a lot,' Ananya said.

*Trust me, the dinner is important,' I said.

*Really? What's up?'

*You'll find out next Friday at Raintree. See you all at eight,' I said.

The Raintree restaurant is located in the Taj Connemara hotel, on Binny Road off Anna Salai. The outdoor restaurant is snug under a canopy of trees of the same name. Fairylights adorn the branches of the trees and candles light up the tables.

Apart from Amethyst, it is one other oasis in the city.

I sat with Ananya's family at one of the outdoor tables, my trouser pockets heavy.

*This is stunning,' Ananya said as she looked up at the little lights. She wore a white fitted dress with sequins that reflected in the semi-darkness.

*You've never come here before?' I said.

*No we haven't. Right, dad?'

Uncle shook his head even as he admired the foliage right above us.

Uniformed waiters served us a welcome drink of coconut water with fresh mint.

They left the menu cards on our tables. The restaurant specialises in Chettinad food, named after a region south of Tamil Nadu. The cuisine is known for its intense spices and flavours, along with a large range of non-vegetarian preparations.

*Sir, for cocktails, I'd recommend Kothamalli Mary,' the waiter said.

*Kotha-what?' I asked.

*It is like a Bloody Mary, sir, tomato juice and vodka, but with Chettinad spices.'

I looked at uncle. He looked reluctant to nod for alcohol in front of his wife.

*I want one,' Ananya said.

Ananya's mother gave her a sharp look.

*C'mon, just one cocktail,' Ananya said.

I opened the menu. I couldn't pronounce the tongue-twister names of the dishes. Specials included kuruvapillai year and kozhi melagu Chettinad. I didn't bother reading the rest.

*You know this food better, please order,' I said.

Ananya's parents looked at the menu several times.

*It's too expensive,' Ananya's mother said.

*It's fine,' I said. *Ananya, please.'

Ananya took the menu and ordered for everyone. We ordered kozhakattai, masala paniyaram, adikoozh, kandharappam, seeyam and athirasam. Of course, I had no clue what went into those dishes; I figured at least one of them would be edible. The waiter also suggested we order idiyappam, rice noodles bunched up like a bird's nest.

*How is the IIT preparation, Manju?' I asked after the waiter left.

*Good, I came tenth in the Mylapore mock IIT test,' Manju said.

I nodded. *So, any more singing offers?' I said to aunty.

Aunty smiled. *Don't embarrass me. But I did find another Guruji who has a modern approach to Carnatic music.'

I turned to Ananya's dad. *How's the bank, uncle?'

*Good, your presentation is still being talked about.'

The food arrived; spicy, tangy and delicious.

*This is great,' I said as I had the masala paniyaram, a tastier cousin of the idli and shaped like a ball.

The Raintree staff brought a trolley with ten chutneys to choose from.

*I swear, Delhi needs to taste this. We haven't gone past the paneer masala dosa yet,' I said as I took a spoonful of the tomato tamarind curry with idiyappams.

*You like it? I can make it at home,' Ananya's mother said.

I realised that the right moment was near. Maybe at dessert, I told myself. We scanned the dessert menu. Ananya's father chose a coconut ice-cream. The deep love for this fruit among South Indians is inexplicable. The ice-cream arrived in an actual green coconut shell.

*Superb,' Ananya's father said, a signal I took as ready get-set, go.

*I want to talk about something important,' I said.

Ananya's father looked up from his ice-cream.

*If it is OK?' I amended.

Uncle nodded. Ananya's mother looked at Ananya and me.

*Manju, you too,' I said. He kept his face so close to the ice-cream bowl, his spectacles were smeared.

I had everyone's attention. *Hi,' I cleared my throat. *Uncle, aunty, Manju, I came here six months ago. It is no secret why I chose Chennai as my first posting. However, I cannot stay here forever. I met Ananya almost three years ago, and apart from our first fight, I've loved her every day since that day.'

Ananya took my hand in hers from under the table.

*And we thought our love is enough reason for us to get married. We thought our parents will meet at the convocation and things will be smooth. Well, we were wrong.'

The waiter came to collect the ice-cream plates. I told him to come five minutes later.

*We could have run away. We could have forced our decision on you. However, Ananya told me she had this dream of both sets of parents smiling on our *

wedding day. And so, I want to see if we can do that. Also, I didn't think we had done anything wrong that we had to run away.'

Ananya's parents kept a deadly silence. Either they were listening carefully or the ice-cream had been too cold.

*And ever since I came to Chennai, I have tried to be accepted by you. I don't expect you to love me like you do Harish, but at least you can accept me.'

Ananya's mother wanted to talk. I signaled her to wait. *And while you may not love me, I don't want you to merely tolerate me either. Somewhere in the middle lies the acceptance I am talking about.' I slid my right hand inside my trouser pocket and collected the four mini boxes with my fingers.

*Keeping all that in mind, considering your daughter's happiness and taking a view of what you know of me,' I said and paused to breathe. I took out the four little red boxes and kept them on the table. The boxes said "Muruguppa Jewellers' on top. I opened the four boxes. Each had a gold ring. I stood up from my chair and kneeled on the floor.

*I, Krish Malhotra, would like to propose to all of you. Will all of you marry me?'

I said and held the four boxes in my palm.

Ananya's parents looked at her and me in quick succession. Manju's mouth was open, the coconut ice-cream very visible inside.

Ananya's father gestured to Ananya on what to do.

*After you, mom and dad,' Ananya said, *and Manju, you too.'

Manju picked up his box. *Nice, real gold?' he asked.

I nodded.

*Argentum, atomic number seventy-nine,' Manju said as he held the ring inhis hand.

*Uncle?' I prompted. My knees had started to hurt on the concrete floor.

*if you promise to take care of my daughter,' Ananya's father said, *then it is a yes from me.' He bent forward and picked up his box.

Ananya hugged her father. *Thanks, dad,' she said, *I love you.'

Ananya's father blessed her with a hand on her head.

Ananya's mother said, *It is not that we don't like you. But our communities....'

Mom, c'mon,' Ananya interrupted her.

Ananya's mother took a minute to respond. *I know he will take care of you.

But will Krish's parents treat my daughter with respect?'

*We'll work on that, too,' I said, aware another challenge awaited me in Delhi.

"If they do, then?'

*Then it is a yes form me,' Ananya's mother said.

*Yay!' Ananya cheered. Aunty took her ring and Ananya planted a kiss on her mother's forehead.

*Akka, you haven't picked yours,' Manju said as the mother-daughter affection continued. When they separated, both had tears in their eyes.

*Oh, of course, where is it?' Ananya picked up her ring.

I came back to my seat.