Note: All characters and venues are totally fictional; any semblance to real persons or places is merely coincidental.
Synopsis:The Engagement Party for Shanti and Reddy was celebrated at Tio Pepe's Restaurant. After the Shahs leave for California, Reddy and Shanti begin their life together.
Munni's LIA - Episode 30
On Black Friday, Kamla took Sheila, Nikki, Shanti and Aishwarya to the desi shops as well as a local mall. Benny had rented a minivan with a baby seat, so that they didn't all need to scrunch into Kamla's car. At an Indian jewelry store, the women tried on many items. Nikki tried on bangles, chains, rings and ear studs. They also encouraged Shanti to try many items, including rings. Kamla went to an inner sanctum of the store, and chatted with a couple of ladies who were part of the family that owned the store. Aishwarya walked around and enjoyed her reflection in all the mirrors; she was rightly deemed "cute" by the store owner ladies and they presented her with silver anklets. She put the anklets on and walked some more. Sheila bought several pieces for Nikki, Aishwarya and herself; she also bought a ring that Shanti had tried on and liked.
At the mall, they shopped for clothes and shoes; and Nikki bought a new digital camera. They had lunch at the food court in the mall; Kamla sat next to Shanti and asked her many questions about India, Chennai, her family in Chennai, her studies, what she'd do after graduation, and about Reddy. In the course of that chat, the information that Shanti would marry Reddy had slipped out. Kamla was both happy and excited about the news. She decided to take everyone home earlier than planned and rest, so that they could celebrate Shanti and Reddy's engagement in an early evening party. Although Shanti didn't mean to cause all that excitement, she was happy and decided to go along and celebrate. She thought Reddy would be surprised, but not annoyed at her for letting that news slip out. Just to be sure, she borrowed Sheila's phone and called Reddy to warn him. Shanti was glad to find out that Reddy was quite pleased about that leak. When Shanti gave the phone back to Sheila, she too talked to Reddy briefly before ending the call. Kamla called Tio Pepe and made a reservation for dinner and a party. Pepe was happy to oblige, as the long holiday weekend, with everyone eating turkey feasts at home, was always slow for his business.
In the evening the whole family went to Tio Pepe's. Tio and Tia Pepe already knew the reason for the party. As expected, it was a slow day at the restaurant; and there were no other diners. Pepe had made several special dishes. And a cake with Shanti and Reddy's names on it. Reddy presented the ring to Shanti. Nikki wanted Reddy to kneel down in front of Shanti and put the ring on her finger with all the family standing behind the two. Tio Pepe took several photos. The kitchen staff came out and applauded. Shanti didn't realize that Sheila had bought the ring she had worn and liked; she was very surprised. And happy. She never expected that she'd end up being the center of such fuss and celebration. Everyone, including auntie Pepe hugged and congratulated Shanti and Reddy. The party ended early, so that both Aishwarya and Nikki could get to their early bedtime. At the end of the party, Nikki drove them home. While they were going home, Shanti was in a back seat with Reddy. She was amused at how she was now "engaged to Reddy", in so far as that american side of Reddy's relatives, whereas their parents in India had not yet received news of their "girl dekko". She asked Reddy,"..don't we need to tell our parents about us and all of this ?". Reddy responded,"..no need to hurry, is there?". Shanti thought about that and realized that once they told her parents, then she had to find a suitable gap in her college schedule to go home, also have Reddy find it convenient go home at the same time, so that they can marry.
At home, Kamla wanted the newly engaged girl light a diya, a small candle-in-a-crystal-cup, at her prayer nook in the kitchen. Shanti was surprised that Kamla was into such indian things. Shanti was further surprised that Kamla had little icons of Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Ganesh and a few old black-&-white photos in a kitchen shelf. Kamla explained that those were copies of old pictures of her parents and grand parents.. Shanti lit the candle and placed it in the cup. Kamla placed a small dot of kumkum on Shanti's forehead and smiled benignly.
And then Kamla added,"…you know…if you moved and lived here, you can bring a girl's touch to the house everyday."
Shanti didn't know what to say, but she said,"..thank you; but we haven't set the date for the wedding yet".
Kamla smiled, and said,"oh…that is ok…I know wedding planning takes time ....and besides you will go home to marry in India, wouldn't you ?".
Shanti smiled and said,"..yes..that is what we would have to do".
"you know...I am talking about now…we are only 10 minutes from campus….we have lots of rooms here…and you would have Reddy here…..do you know he is a good cook ?", said Kamla and laughed; then as Shanti remained quiet, and couldn't think of a thing to say, Kamla continued on,"….oh…talk to Reddy about it ….and decide on your own….but you have my request to come home, live here and light a lamp here …now and then...ok?". Shanti nodded "yes", but didn't quite know what to make of that.
That night, in bed, Shanti talked to Reddy about Kamla's suggestion that she move to that house and live there. And about the lighting of the diya. Reddy assured her that Kamla is an american woman, but had a few notions that she had brought along from her ugandan gujarathi background. Shanti and Reddy were amused at how Kamla acted old fashioned in asking Shanti to light a diya and then asked her to come and live with Reddy without the benefit of a marriage. That naturally led them to talk about their marriage.
Shanti and Reddy both knew that once they told their parents about their "girl dekko" meeting, and that they would like to marry, they had to slide down the various steps to their marriage without much delay. If they proposed delays, for whatever reason, that could send different signals. Shanti did not want to stress her parents and make them worry. They decided that they must both find the right time they could travel to Chennai, before they inform their parents of their "girl dekko" meeting. Shanti had the additional issue of money to buy the air-ticket. She had been in the US for just one year. She hadn't saved much, if anything, from her assistantship money.
Reddy asked,"why don't I buy you a ticket ?"
Shanti joked,"after the wedding, I will have control of your bank account anyhow...., then, I can pay you back ?....no?"
Reddy hugged her and said,"sounds like a plan, doesn't it ?", and he went on,"...but...if you took Kamla's request and moved...you can save money...and pay for the ticket...yourself"
Shanti asked,"..how?"
Reddy said,"...well...your part of the rent, utilities for the apartment should be about 5 or 600 $ a month, right ?.....so you come here and stay for 4 months....you'll have money for the ticket "
Shanti agreed, but didn't sound all that convinced:"....you are right...but....then...we will be here...together....would that be ok?"
Reddy pondered her hesitation for a moment and then came back:"...well..if you put it that way....then...there is one other way...."
"what? ...how?"
"instead of living together and keeping that a secret...., we can be married and keep that a secret...", he proposed.
"ok...we already know who is good at keeping secrets....", she slapped his chest gently in mock anger.
"...but seriously....", he went on,"....we get married next week....or in December...then you move here.... Patty finds a different room-mate in the new year...and you start saving money...for the next four or five months.....then we go home at the end of Spring semester...or in summer.... and get married in Chennai like our parents would want....what do you think ?"
"...but....you said...I get to pick the date.."
"...yes...of course..you pick the date....but we need to tell Patty about you moving out soon so that she has time to get another room mate...."
"...I am not telling Patty....about getting married..."
Reddy smiled and said,"...you mean,...you've decided then ?..."
"decided what ?"
"that we are getting married next month.?.."
"I dunno...it is very confusing now....let us talk about it later...", postponed Shanti, and turned the other way. As she thought more about it, Shanti decided that it would be a thrill to keep a secret with Reddy. After all, she had already decided to keep some of Reddy's secrets to herself. And, besides, if married, somehow she felt comforted that she'd be living with her husband in that house, rather than her boyfriend or fiancee.
After some quiet contemplation, she turned around and asked,"...you've done this before...how do we get married here ...I mean ...in Michigan ?"
"well", said Reddy,"...we need to apply for marriage license....get an appointment with a justice of peace, bring two witnesses ...and it takes about 5 minutes of listening to the judge and saying "I do", then everybody will sign the document ...and they issue the certificate of marriage....that is all".
"...then the witnesses know we are married....so it will no longer be a secret....", said Shanti.
"...huh ?": Reddy was somewhat confused, but then recovered:"....we can get a couple of strangers from the city hall to stand in as witnesses.....if you want".
"no..no..no...that would be awful...I don't want to marry without any people we know", said Shanti.
Reddy was amused:,"a secret marriage, but we want witnesses who are our friends. ?". And then he said,"hey....I know... I can ask Kenny and David..."
"who are they ?"
"they are from the community center...you know...you met them already.....they always ask about you whenever we play together..."
"they are nice boys...aren't they ?", Shanti recalled the meeting with the two tall boys in the long corridor and how they called Reddy "Gandhi", and curtseyed to her like courtiers.
Two weeks later Reddy took the day off to go and get married. Shanti and Reddy met up with Kenny and David at the Ann Arbor Municipal Center. The boys had brought their girlfriends along. All four of them had dressed up for the occasion. Kenny and David shyly admitted they had borrowed the tuxedo shirts and jackets from one of their uncle's drycleaner's. The girls had on the dresses they had worn for their high school prom. Reddy was in his regular office outfit, with a tie on and Shanti had worn her silk churidar with black leggings (over her thermal long johns) and her new shoes. This time around, Reddy had bought matching wedding bands. The group took off their winter coats and piled them on one of the chairs in the judge's office and lined up with girls on the left and boys on the right. The justice was amused, happy and thrilled to have that unusual group in his office. The ceremony itself took him only five minutes; but after that, he obliged the group by walking out with them to the lobby and took several photos, with them and of them. Some in the small crowd that collected in the lobby thought the group with an actor in judge's robe was doing some low budget TV show or movie. Shanti asked for and got the judge's email address so that she can send him a photo. Kenny and David were quite honoured to be asked to witness the wedding of their Gaendi and his lady. Their girlfriends practically shivered with excitement and giggled throughout that morning and during the lunch they all went to. For most of that morning Shanti felt that she was in a completely different dream world.
After lunch the newly weds had an appointment to keep at the local Planned Parenthood office. When they said goodbye to their marriage party, the girlfriends hugged Shanti and Reddy in turn and congratulated them. Kenny and David fist bumped with Reddy and congratulated him. Then Shanti was ready to kiss the two boys on their cheeks, as they hugged her; however, Kenny and David did something really odd. They each bowed, kissed two of their own fingers and touched her navel, in a manner of transferring that kiss. Then the four of them left Shanti and Reddy in the parking lot of the restaurant.
Shanti asked Reddy,"what was that about ?".
Reddy giggled and answered,"...they think you are pregnant.."
Shanti was shocked,"..WHAT ?...why would they think that ?"
Reddy replied,"...well....when I asked them to be witnesses .....for a wedding in 3 days....and at the city hall....made them jump to assumptions....you know....I tried...but no way to convince them otherwise....and besides...it is not unusual in their world...", and smiled.
Shanti could't hit herself on the forehead, because it was an auspicious day; but she made fists and vented,"...aarrgghhh...."
Reddy hugged her, laughed a little and said,"don't worry..... that'd be their secret...but then, you know....premarital fake pregnancy is part of our family tradition..."
To Shanti's surprised,"WHAT ?", Reddy responded,"that is a long, funny story( Episode 7).....let us first go to our appointment.....now that you are part of the family...I can tell you the story....later this evening. For now, I can tell you something else...".
"What ?", asked Shanti, expecting more surprises.
"your nose is turning red in this cold....and you look beautiful....and I love you", said Reddy.
Shanti laughed, and said,"...ok...let's go".
Then he drove her to the medical appointment.
Note: Reddy and Shanti went to Hawaii for their (secret) honeymoon; to find out how that happened, read Okonomi note below.
Synopsis:The Engagement Party for Shanti and Reddy was celebrated at Tio Pepe's Restaurant. After the Shahs leave for California, Reddy and Shanti begin their life together.
Munni's LIA - Episode 30
More New Secrets to Keep
On Black Friday, Kamla took Sheila, Nikki, Shanti and Aishwarya to the desi shops as well as a local mall. Benny had rented a minivan with a baby seat, so that they didn't all need to scrunch into Kamla's car. At an Indian jewelry store, the women tried on many items. Nikki tried on bangles, chains, rings and ear studs. They also encouraged Shanti to try many items, including rings. Kamla went to an inner sanctum of the store, and chatted with a couple of ladies who were part of the family that owned the store. Aishwarya walked around and enjoyed her reflection in all the mirrors; she was rightly deemed "cute" by the store owner ladies and they presented her with silver anklets. She put the anklets on and walked some more. Sheila bought several pieces for Nikki, Aishwarya and herself; she also bought a ring that Shanti had tried on and liked.
Spanish Tapas
And then Kamla added,"…you know…if you moved and lived here, you can bring a girl's touch to the house everyday."
Shanti didn't know what to say, but she said,"..thank you; but we haven't set the date for the wedding yet".
Kamla smiled, and said,"oh…that is ok…I know wedding planning takes time ....and besides you will go home to marry in India, wouldn't you ?".
Shanti smiled and said,"..yes..that is what we would have to do".
"you know...I am talking about now…we are only 10 minutes from campus….we have lots of rooms here…and you would have Reddy here…..do you know he is a good cook ?", said Kamla and laughed; then as Shanti remained quiet, and couldn't think of a thing to say, Kamla continued on,"….oh…talk to Reddy about it ….and decide on your own….but you have my request to come home, live here and light a lamp here …now and then...ok?". Shanti nodded "yes", but didn't quite know what to make of that.
That night, in bed, Shanti talked to Reddy about Kamla's suggestion that she move to that house and live there. And about the lighting of the diya. Reddy assured her that Kamla is an american woman, but had a few notions that she had brought along from her ugandan gujarathi background. Shanti and Reddy were amused at how Kamla acted old fashioned in asking Shanti to light a diya and then asked her to come and live with Reddy without the benefit of a marriage. That naturally led them to talk about their marriage.
Reddy asked,"why don't I buy you a ticket ?"
Shanti joked,"after the wedding, I will have control of your bank account anyhow...., then, I can pay you back ?....no?"
Reddy hugged her and said,"sounds like a plan, doesn't it ?", and he went on,"...but...if you took Kamla's request and moved...you can save money...and pay for the ticket...yourself"
Shanti asked,"..how?"
Reddy said,"...well...your part of the rent, utilities for the apartment should be about 5 or 600 $ a month, right ?.....so you come here and stay for 4 months....you'll have money for the ticket "
Shanti agreed, but didn't sound all that convinced:"....you are right...but....then...we will be here...together....would that be ok?"
Reddy pondered her hesitation for a moment and then came back:"...well..if you put it that way....then...there is one other way...."
"what? ...how?"
"instead of living together and keeping that a secret...., we can be married and keep that a secret...", he proposed.
"ok...we already know who is good at keeping secrets....", she slapped his chest gently in mock anger.
"...but seriously....", he went on,"....we get married next week....or in December...then you move here.... Patty finds a different room-mate in the new year...and you start saving money...for the next four or five months.....then we go home at the end of Spring semester...or in summer.... and get married in Chennai like our parents would want....what do you think ?"
"...but....you said...I get to pick the date.."
"...yes...of course..you pick the date....but we need to tell Patty about you moving out soon so that she has time to get another room mate...."
"...I am not telling Patty....about getting married..."
Reddy smiled and said,"...you mean,...you've decided then ?..."
"decided what ?"
"that we are getting married next month.?.."
"I dunno...it is very confusing now....let us talk about it later...", postponed Shanti, and turned the other way. As she thought more about it, Shanti decided that it would be a thrill to keep a secret with Reddy. After all, she had already decided to keep some of Reddy's secrets to herself. And, besides, if married, somehow she felt comforted that she'd be living with her husband in that house, rather than her boyfriend or fiancee.
"well", said Reddy,"...we need to apply for marriage license....get an appointment with a justice of peace, bring two witnesses ...and it takes about 5 minutes of listening to the judge and saying "I do", then everybody will sign the document ...and they issue the certificate of marriage....that is all".
"...then the witnesses know we are married....so it will no longer be a secret....", said Shanti.
"...huh ?": Reddy was somewhat confused, but then recovered:"....we can get a couple of strangers from the city hall to stand in as witnesses.....if you want".
"no..no..no...that would be awful...I don't want to marry without any people we know", said Shanti.
Reddy was amused:,"a secret marriage, but we want witnesses who are our friends. ?". And then he said,"hey....I know... I can ask Kenny and David..."
"who are they ?"
"they are from the community center...you know...you met them already.....they always ask about you whenever we play together..."
"they are nice boys...aren't they ?", Shanti recalled the meeting with the two tall boys in the long corridor and how they called Reddy "Gandhi", and curtseyed to her like courtiers.
Two weeks later Reddy took the day off to go and get married. Shanti and Reddy met up with Kenny and David at the Ann Arbor Municipal Center. The boys had brought their girlfriends along. All four of them had dressed up for the occasion. Kenny and David shyly admitted they had borrowed the tuxedo shirts and jackets from one of their uncle's drycleaner's. The girls had on the dresses they had worn for their high school prom. Reddy was in his regular office outfit, with a tie on and Shanti had worn her silk churidar with black leggings (over her thermal long johns) and her new shoes. This time around, Reddy had bought matching wedding bands. The group took off their winter coats and piled them on one of the chairs in the judge's office and lined up with girls on the left and boys on the right. The justice was amused, happy and thrilled to have that unusual group in his office. The ceremony itself took him only five minutes; but after that, he obliged the group by walking out with them to the lobby and took several photos, with them and of them. Some in the small crowd that collected in the lobby thought the group with an actor in judge's robe was doing some low budget TV show or movie. Shanti asked for and got the judge's email address so that she can send him a photo. Kenny and David were quite honoured to be asked to witness the wedding of their Gaendi and his lady. Their girlfriends practically shivered with excitement and giggled throughout that morning and during the lunch they all went to. For most of that morning Shanti felt that she was in a completely different dream world.
Shanti asked Reddy,"what was that about ?".
Reddy giggled and answered,"...they think you are pregnant.."
Shanti was shocked,"..WHAT ?...why would they think that ?"
Reddy replied,"...well....when I asked them to be witnesses .....for a wedding in 3 days....and at the city hall....made them jump to assumptions....you know....I tried...but no way to convince them otherwise....and besides...it is not unusual in their world...", and smiled.
Shanti could't hit herself on the forehead, because it was an auspicious day; but she made fists and vented,"...aarrgghhh...."
Reddy hugged her, laughed a little and said,"don't worry..... that'd be their secret...but then, you know....premarital fake pregnancy is part of our family tradition..."
To Shanti's surprised,"WHAT ?", Reddy responded,"that is a long, funny story( Episode 7).....let us first go to our appointment.....now that you are part of the family...I can tell you the story....later this evening. For now, I can tell you something else...".
"What ?", asked Shanti, expecting more surprises.
"your nose is turning red in this cold....and you look beautiful....and I love you", said Reddy.
Shanti laughed, and said,"...ok...let's go".
Then he drove her to the medical appointment.
Note: Reddy and Shanti went to Hawaii for their (secret) honeymoon; to find out how that happened, read Okonomi note below.
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Okonomi: Originally the following was to have gone into Episode 30; it would have made the episode go over 20K limit, requiring various other editorial compromises....
After their Thanksgiving holidays, on the flight back from Detroit to Oakland, California, the Shah family was in the first class. Kamla and Aishwarya sat together, and so did Sheila and Nikki. Benny sat in a row behind Aishwarya on the aisle.
After the plane was airborne, Nikki went to sleep until woken up for the meal. While they were eating, and with no introduction to the topic, Nikki asked Sheila,"...couldn't we also ask your cousin and Shanti ?"
"Ask them what ?.....come to Hawaii for Christmas ?", said Sheila.
"no...well...yes; we could do that...but I was thinking of our wills", replied Nikki.
"oh...yes", said Sheila and continued,"yes....we can ask them....they are young....and soon will be married too....very likely have kids of their own...and besides Aish likes them both....with them we'd have two couples we like, your brother and my cousin..."
"...what about our Goober ?", asked Nikki, pointing to her stomach. ("goober" is often a term of endearment used in the "south", the word came from a corruption of an African word for "peanut" originally brought to American South by the slaves)
"don't call him that !!", Sheila snapped with a smile,"I am sure they will take him too...and by the way, Benny is not really African...or 'southern'....only Kamla is african...and probably southern too..."
"would it be a problem if Kamla finds out ....you know....if Goober came out looking exactly like his dad....or may be...if he'd grow up to look like him...," Nikki wondered.
"We'd worry about it when it happens...ok ?", said Sheila.
Nikki took the conversation elsewhere,"yes...yes...I am so very happy it worked out ....so we could mix our DNA's...in our baby"
"heehee...Nikki...."come, let us mix our DNA"...that is good enough for a valentine's card !!", said Sheila.
Nikki continued on seriously,"Sheel....think about it, the technology was advanced enough...and unexpectedly, even before the washing and chemicals, the number and the motility was high enough...even though he is old....."
Sheila continued on in her playful mood,"must'a been all those speedy antelopes he had eaten...when he was young....heehee....but seriously, I am too, very happy that it worked out....I couldn't have asked anyone else in the family to volunteer...."
Nikki was in thought as she said,"he'd be our son; but also your step-brother....that is why I was kind'a thinking about how Kamla would feel if she ever finds out....you know....does a wife sort'a own her husband's....you know.."
Sheila was quiet for a bit, then she leaned to Nikki and said,"well....for many years she had thought it was Benny's problem that she couldn't get pregnant ....if she knew about Goober someday, that'd make her feel bad that she made all those jokes and remarks about Benny for years...that is all...I think she'd be happy that Benny was able to make a grandson for her..."
"a grandson ? don't you think.....she'd not think of me as a co-wife or something ?", Nikki asked.
"...too complex...to think about it....but I am sure about one thing....Benny would never talk about this ever....to anyone....we can trust him on that; and besides, he thinks that a man having to make a deposit into a sample cup at the clinic can never talk about that to anyone...heehee.." laughed Sheila.
"...even Aishwarya looks a bit like Benny...doesn't she ?", asked Nikki, looking at Aishwarya across the aisle, who had now moved on to grandma's lap for a nap, and had her legs resting over the arm-rest.
"....yes...that is strange...I have heard that sometimes dogs and owners grow to look the same....", analyzed Sheila, and added,"you know...in a way...it makes sense....Benny and Kamla are with Aish everyday and playing with her a lot...and after we get home from work...Aish is mostly asleep".
"...it'd change after I go on my leave...oh, yeah....ok..back to the will thingie...let us invite Shanti and your cousin to our Hawaii time-share this christmas....then we can talk about it....", suggested Nikki.
"When we get home....I will call my cousin and find out when they can come....We must call it a christmas gift, and buy them tickets....'coz...they may be saving money for a wedding in India...", said Sheila.
After their secret, mid december civil wedding with Kenny and David as their witnesses, Shanti and Reddy ended up going to Hawaii for their honeymoon.
After their Thanksgiving holidays, on the flight back from Detroit to Oakland, California, the Shah family was in the first class. Kamla and Aishwarya sat together, and so did Sheila and Nikki. Benny sat in a row behind Aishwarya on the aisle.
After the plane was airborne, Nikki went to sleep until woken up for the meal. While they were eating, and with no introduction to the topic, Nikki asked Sheila,"...couldn't we also ask your cousin and Shanti ?"
"Ask them what ?.....come to Hawaii for Christmas ?", said Sheila.
"no...well...yes; we could do that...but I was thinking of our wills", replied Nikki.
"oh...yes", said Sheila and continued,"yes....we can ask them....they are young....and soon will be married too....very likely have kids of their own...and besides Aish likes them both....with them we'd have two couples we like, your brother and my cousin..."
"...what about our Goober ?", asked Nikki, pointing to her stomach. ("goober" is often a term of endearment used in the "south", the word came from a corruption of an African word for "peanut" originally brought to American South by the slaves)
"don't call him that !!", Sheila snapped with a smile,"I am sure they will take him too...and by the way, Benny is not really African...or 'southern'....only Kamla is african...and probably southern too..."
"would it be a problem if Kamla finds out ....you know....if Goober came out looking exactly like his dad....or may be...if he'd grow up to look like him...," Nikki wondered.
"We'd worry about it when it happens...ok ?", said Sheila.
Nikki took the conversation elsewhere,"yes...yes...I am so very happy it worked out ....so we could mix our DNA's...in our baby"
"heehee...Nikki...."come, let us mix our DNA"...that is good enough for a valentine's card !!", said Sheila.
Nikki continued on seriously,"Sheel....think about it, the technology was advanced enough...and unexpectedly, even before the washing and chemicals, the number and the motility was high enough...even though he is old....."
Sheila continued on in her playful mood,"must'a been all those speedy antelopes he had eaten...when he was young....heehee....but seriously, I am too, very happy that it worked out....I couldn't have asked anyone else in the family to volunteer...."
Nikki was in thought as she said,"he'd be our son; but also your step-brother....that is why I was kind'a thinking about how Kamla would feel if she ever finds out....you know....does a wife sort'a own her husband's....you know.."
Sheila was quiet for a bit, then she leaned to Nikki and said,"well....for many years she had thought it was Benny's problem that she couldn't get pregnant ....if she knew about Goober someday, that'd make her feel bad that she made all those jokes and remarks about Benny for years...that is all...I think she'd be happy that Benny was able to make a grandson for her..."
"a grandson ? don't you think.....she'd not think of me as a co-wife or something ?", Nikki asked.
"...too complex...to think about it....but I am sure about one thing....Benny would never talk about this ever....to anyone....we can trust him on that; and besides, he thinks that a man having to make a deposit into a sample cup at the clinic can never talk about that to anyone...heehee.." laughed Sheila.
"...even Aishwarya looks a bit like Benny...doesn't she ?", asked Nikki, looking at Aishwarya across the aisle, who had now moved on to grandma's lap for a nap, and had her legs resting over the arm-rest.
"....yes...that is strange...I have heard that sometimes dogs and owners grow to look the same....", analyzed Sheila, and added,"you know...in a way...it makes sense....Benny and Kamla are with Aish everyday and playing with her a lot...and after we get home from work...Aish is mostly asleep".
"...it'd change after I go on my leave...oh, yeah....ok..back to the will thingie...let us invite Shanti and your cousin to our Hawaii time-share this christmas....then we can talk about it....", suggested Nikki.
"When we get home....I will call my cousin and find out when they can come....We must call it a christmas gift, and buy them tickets....'coz...they may be saving money for a wedding in India...", said Sheila.
After their secret, mid december civil wedding with Kenny and David as their witnesses, Shanti and Reddy ended up going to Hawaii for their honeymoon.
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