“Lai! You are late.”
“I’m sorry, my friend. I had some work I had to finish before I could get away.”
“Come to my room with me. I cannot decide which sherwani I like better. My mum likes the white one best, but pa prefers the gold, so you must be the tie breaker.” Fuji hurried Lai to his room whereupon he quickly disappeared into his bathroom to start changing clothes.
Lai took the opportunity to snoop around his friend’s room, trying to look casual in case anyone came in suddenly. He found no medication and figured it must be in the bathroom.
“This is the first one,” said Fuji as he stepped out the bathroom, holding his arms wide to display the gold sherwani with red embroidery around the collar.
Lai looked his friend up and down and nodded his head appreciatively. “Very nice.”
“Wait until you see the other one. You must tell me which you prefer.” Fuji disappeared back into the bathroom and Lai waited patiently for him to reemerge.
When Fuji came out of the bathroom again, he was wearing a white sherwani with gold thread embroidered all down the front.
Lai tilted his head as he considered. “Try the other one for me again.”
Fuji disappeared into the bathroom and came out again wearing the gold sherwani.
Lai tilted his head the other way and said. “Now put on the other one.”
Fuji obliged and when he again displayed the white sherwani, Lai told him to spin around so he could see it from all angles. Fuji did so only to be told to change again.
When Fuji again emerged wearing the gold sherwani, and Lai again told him to change into the other one, Fuji threw a pillow at him. “How many times are you going to make me change?”
Lai burst into peals of laughter as he caught the pillow and tumbled backwards on Fuji’s bed. “I’m sorry, Fuji, I couldn’t resist. You’re worse than a woman!”
“It’s a very important day,” said Fuji as he turned to the mirror. “Pictures of this day will be displayed in my house and the houses of all my family members for the rest of our lives. I want to look my best.”
“Then you should wear the gold one. The red embroidery matches your churidar.”
“Ah! You are right. Thank you very much, my friend. You have prevented the next great feud in my family.”
“I’m sure they’ll find something else to fight about in no time.”
“No doubt.”
The two friends laughed, but Lai quickly turned serious. “Are you sure this is such a good idea? What if you end up with a marriage like your parents?”
“Aren’t all marriages like that?”
“No.”
Fuji shrugged. “Then I must take my chances, like anyone else. I can’t say I know Bu very well, but I have seen her. She’s very beautiful, is she not?”
“She is.”
“Then I am sure I will be quite content.”
“What about after that? What about when her beauty fades?”
“There will always be beautiful women, am I right?”
Lai clenched his hands into fists.
Fuji noticed his friend’s narrowed eyes and said, “Lai, what is wrong?”
“Nothing. May I use your bathroom?”
“Of course.”
Lai shut the door behind him and started rummaging in the cabinet underneath the sink. He quickly found the bottle he was looking for, opened it, and dumped the contents into the toilet. He then took the sugar pills from his pocket, put them in the empty bottle, sealed it, and put it back in the cabinet. He flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and left without giving himself time to have second thoughts.
To be continued …