*Then why are they sitting there with sullen faces?' I said.

*They want a guarantee. Duke's father wants the difference in cash right now.'

*Now?' I said.

Ananya's eyebrows went up and stayed there as she didn't know how to react.

Shipra masi called my mother again and the elders held animated discussions.

*Is this for real? I am so pissed off,' Ananya said.

*I am as stunned by it as you,' I said.

We went to the ladies bar. I ordered two mocktail daiquiris.

*What are they discussing? Why don't they call the police?' Ananya said.

*Ananya,' I said, *are you stupid?' I handed her a glass.

*No, I want to send some criminals to jai. Is that stupid?'

*Yeah, if you care about Minti's reputation. Plus, what about all they've spent?'

I pointed to the various stalls.

*Oh, and nothing about the little fact that your sister is going to marry into a family of total jerks.'

*This kind of stuff happens. The elders will resolve it,' I said.

*We should be with the family at this time,' Ananya said as she kept her glass down.

We moved back to Drama Venue. Rajji mama had placed his pink turban at Duke's parents' feet. They ignored him. He offered a cheque, Duke's parents refused it. Rajji mama called his friends for cash. No one could come up with such a large amount at such a short notice. Meanwhile, new guests were arriving at the party. With them, Rajji mama his his stress and smiled and hugged all of them. Meanwhile, the ladies came up with a bizarre plan.

*Quick, Kavita, take your jewellery off,' Shipra masi said and removed her own necklace. My mother struggled to remove her bangles. Kamla and Rajni mami took off their jewellery sets as well.

Shipra masi put all the ornaments in a plastic bag and gave it to Rajji mama.

*Give this to them. Tell them to keep it until the car is replaced,' she said.

Rajji mama fell on Shipra masi's feet.

*Are you mad? You are my little brother. Minti is our daughter,' Shipra masi said. All her siblings broke into tears. Duke's father, still sofa-bound kept looking at us from the corner of his eye.

*Now go,' Shipra masi said.

*I'll check with them first,' Rajji mama said. He went up to Duke's father.

*I can't believe this,' Ananya said.

*Shsh, everything will be normal soon,' I said.

Rajji mama returned after meeting Duke's parents.

*Shipra didi, they've agreed to keep the extra jewellery as security,' Rajji mama said.

Rajji mama collected the bag from Shipra masi.

*Uncle, wait,' Ananya said.

All eyes turned to her. This isn't your business, I wanted to tell Ananya.

*May I suggest something,' Ananya said, *before you give it to them, Rajji mama.'

*What?' my mother said to Ananya, surprised.

*Aunty, you elders have had so many meetings to resolve this. Can the younger cousins talk to Duke?' Ananya said.

"Ananya, this matter concerns grown-ups,' I said.

*It's Duke's marriage. We should have a word with him,' Ananya said.

*When the jewellery is ready, then why?' Kamla mami said.

*Please uncle, Shipra masi, please. What's the harm?' Ananya said.

Shipra masi sighed her consent.

Tinki, Nikki, Rohan, Kittu, Bittu and us sat in a separate group of chairs ten metres away from the grown-ups. Ananya walked up to Duke's side of the family and identified a twenty-year-old boy. *Are you Duke's cousin?'

*Yes, myself Pranjal,' he said.

*Good, can you collect all Duke's cousins and bring them to Minti's cousins over there,' Ananya said, pointing to our group.

*What's going on?' Duke's father said.

*Uncle, the younger people want to have a meeting. C'mon, Pranjal, round them up fast,' Ananya said.

*Who is this girl?' Duke's mother said.

*I'm their family friend,' Ananya said and turned to the groom, *Duke, can you join us?'

Duke gave Ananya a puzzled look. Ananya continued to stare at Duke until he became uncomfortable and stood up. She asked him to follow her.

*Krish, call Minti here,' Ananya said.

*Minti?' I squeaked.

*I'll get her,' Tinki said and ran inside.

48.

We made a circle of a dozen younger cousins along with Minti and Duke. The elders gave us a suspicious looks from far, keen to know what was going on but Ananya made sure all younger cousins had their backs to the elders.

*We shouldn't have allowed this,' Duke's mother said.

*Of courseji, two minutesji,' Rajji mama said, agreeing to everything Duke's parents said.

*Hello everyone,' Ananya stood up to address the cousins. I sat next to her.

Everyone returned a meek *hi' in response.

*Do you think what is happening here is right?' Ananya said.

Duke and his cousins looked down, avoiding eye contact. My cousins huddled next to Minti, trying to keep her calm.

Rajji mama and Kamla mami gave helpless looks to Dike's parents as all of them wanted to peek into Ananya's conference. Shipra masi walked over to the younger set.

*What are you doing?' Shipra masi said to Ananya, *Minti's life will be ruined if they leave.'

*I think her life would be ruined if they stay. Aunty, please give us some privacy. You make sure Duke's parents stay put,' Ananya said.

As Shipra masi left, Ananya turned to Duke, *Yes, you. Stand up if you can.'

Duke stood up. He was six inches taller than Ananya and twice her weight. Of course, these anatomical facts didn't register with my mad girlfriend.

*What do you do, Duke?' Ananya asked.

*I am a software engineer,' he said.

*How much do you make?' Ananya said.

Duke kept quiet.

*Tell me,' Ananya said in a loud voice.

*Ten thousand a month,' he said, in a heavy Punjabi accent.

*Great, I make twenty-five thousand. Still, can you tell me what have you done to deserve a wedding like this? What have you done to deserve a car to be gifted to you?'

*I, I am the b ... boy's side,' Duke stammered.

*So? Have you seen Minti?' Ananya said.

Duke nodded.

*You are having an arranged marriage. That is why you are getting a girl like her. If you had to woo her, can you even in your dreams have a girlfriend like her?'

Duke kept quiet as he shifted his largeness from one leg to the other.

*What?' Ananya said.

*This is too much,' Duke said.

*I am too much,' Ananya agreed and gave Duke a Bharatnatyam-style glare.

She spoke again.

*Do you know what Minti's parents had to go through to do this wedding for you? That car cost two and half years of your salary, Mr Duke! These two parties have thrown him into debt. Now you want an Accent? It won't be your Accent, it will be what you managed to wrench out of a helpless father, who didn't want a drama at his daughter's wedding to turn into a scandal.'

It was too many words for Duke to process at one go. He was stunned, like the rest of the cousins, more by Ananya's confidence and fluent English than what she was saying.

*Sit down,' Ananya said. Duke complied instantly. Ananya turned to everyone.

*Listen, all brothers and sisters of Duke, there isn't going to be any Accent. The elders have shown their true colours, now it is down to Duke and all of you. If he wants to take Minti with respect, he should say so. If he doesn't, then he is just a schmuck and we don't want the wedding.'

*Ananya beta....' Rajji mama came to us as the youngsters' meeting had gone for too long.

*Almost done, uncle,' Ananya said. *Five minutes, Duke. Make up your mind.'

Everyone fell silent as Ananya Swaminathan, brand manager HLL, MBA, rated best girl by popular vote at IIMA and rated best girlfriend by my own vote, forced the younger generation in Duke's family to think.

49.

The cousins fell silent as seconds ticked past. Duke wanted to say something, but he noticed his parents' sour faces from far and kept quiet. He huddled with his own cousins as they exchanged whispers with each other. He stood up again and spoke to Ananya after four minutes.