"Hello!Good evening . you are connected to Angel Bliss Ville, Xaviers family ville, and I am Pearl Caspian Xavier here! Who is there over the other side? How can I help you?" I answered the land line of my family mansion as others were quite busy with receiving the honourable guests and defreezing part.

The phone was kept inside an adjacent room to the hall. Periyamma asked me to attend the call along with the her customary death glare which didn't fail to ripple my being as always.

I am highly impractical when tasks like this sprout out before me with an annoying smirk like wreaking vengeance upon me.

I was slightly shivering with anxiety while keeping my ears sharp to receive anything that is in store for me.

"." ( Hey ya breath girl! From the look of it if I had kept mum for a few more seconds you would have blurted out all the family history of Xaviers including your zodiac fortune.What has gone wrong with you to behave this scatter brained and erratically outmoded?) Gosh! And all this while I was under the wrong impression that you are the most intelligent piece of Xavier family. Girl !you are not less than a dumb idiot. What has gone wrong with you Pearl? Did that mister pilot take every ounce of sanity prevailed within you. My stars! what am I getting to view?" I heard my bestie smrithi's sarcastic statement in all her splendid posh and feisty squeaks from the other side yet her voice was coated with concern evidently.

I felt an urge to guffaw at her remarks and suppressed the laughter which got hooked up within my throat.

Once again she has proved herself to be the queen of biting sarcasm.

I decided to play along with smrithi's tune.

"Ma'am I guess you dialed the wrong number. This is not an asylum for people like you. In case you forgot please ask some sane person beside you to dial it correctly before you lose the last piece of marble within you. Better never late than cursing the fate." I equalized her frequency with my sarcastic reposte to her treatment.

" ( There is no problem with my sense. My marbles and screws are tight fit and are in good condition as well. But I warn you to keep a check on your screw. Because there is a chance of your marbles getting lost resulting in the loosening of your screws .As mister pilot is constantly invading the place day and night chances are high that you become insane in his Love) Smrithi said playfully as ever.

I could feel the happiness brimming in her voice as she teased me.

My innate alarm rang on its full bass at the mention of my grim reaper. For sometime I very luxuriously chose to ignore the fact that my parents fixed my match according to their whims and fancy.

But her single mention of that pathetic man brought back all the negativity I had for him in its full loath and gore.

"Don't Rithi! I warn you, don't you ever dare to utter a word about that oaf. He is such a pain, you know? I almost forgot about that idiot of a being for sometime. And what has got on you to remind me of him ? It gives me the feels..." My unleashed chagrin was stopped midway by a hissing noise emitted from the other side.

"Ohhoo! Hmmmmhm..." I heard a mocking humming from her which not at all helped my exasperated self.

"Feels! Wow! You do have feeling for him. My! My! gosh girl where did you keep this romantic side of yours hidden all this while.I thought you to be all impassive towards this love thingy. But you have cracked my insight and out grown into a full fledged romantic Juliet. Okay scratch that Juliet . Romantic Eve" she said in a sickeningly unsavorable voice.

I scoffed at this new addressing Eve? Ridiculous! Atrocious

I humored my impatience by swooshing my fist in the thin air with escalating anger.

"Stop it Rithu! ( Why did you call me Rithu? If you intend to proceed with this conversation by mentioning the world class hooligans of this era, sorry ,I have got no time to waste over such redundant stuff. Just make it a point to blurt out why you called me now? We have some important guests here) I spewed out the words with venomous distaste.

I could feel a complete silence cloaking on the other side in its full plum.

"Rithu, you there?" I asked when I couldn't hear her anymore.

"Mhm" I heard her hum bitterly.

She never does that unless she is hurt or angry.

The realization that I have hurt my bestie brought a painful insight.

"Sorry Rithu. Please try not to take his mention when you talk with me. I don't want him or his love. I am not ready for him or anyone. I have a thousand problems soaring and hovering in and out around me. I am sorry if my words did hurt your feelings" I apologized for my rude behaviour.

I felt like my heart shatter at the thought that I have been a greatest failure as a friend. I have never done justice to Smrithi as a good friend and not being enough of that I hurt her with my harsh words.

".( Hey! Don't be silly. You know me well enough to understand that your words will never hurt me. Whatever you say it won't affect me. Because I know you unintentionally butt out those words. More than the sharp dagger like usage of words it is your pain that is projecting out from you. If I couldn't get this much there is no use of hailing myself as your friend.)" Smrithi said suddenly her voice softening a bit. I could feel her voice crackle between her convo.

I sucked in a deep breath while staring at the blank space vacantly.

". ( Hey I just called you to announce a good news. Mom is planning to take over the responsibility of payment for the lamp constellation in the sreekhandeshwaram temple this coming Monday as a prayer and thanksgiving in the name of safrin, Krystal, you and me.If you could come it will be great. Someone from the family is a must. I can understand if safrin and Krystal fail to show up as they are not acclimatized to temple and rituals there. But you are different Pearl. You are naturally habituated to the temple and its ambience.) Smrithi flooded me with loads of info with a wild rush of words storming towards me that I had to take a moment to collect the info, neatly stacked up in my memory lane, which she had thrown upon me hastily.

".(And you know what ,this is my first Monday fasting. Mom gave me strict orders to perform this. I don't know how am I gonna survive this task without gulping a single drop of water. It is better to kill me in one slap than keeping me starved and famished) Smrithi wailed.

Sounds like her. She will tolerate eternal silence. But starving is not her cuppa. She likes to munch something or the other every passing second. Let it be a small chocolate or candy. She needs something in her mouth.

And for such a person, starving a whole day must be a pain and an impossible a task.

In Hindu custom it is a belief that if young unmarried girls performed fasting on Mondays without letting in even a single drop of water they will be blessed with desired husband of their choice.

Almost all south Indian Hindu girls perform this ritual in the name of Lord Shiva.

"Do it na smrithi. For a good ( brother-in-law) for me na. I will be happy to have a lovely brother in the form of a brother-in -law." I said happily with a small smile on my face.

". ( Then how come, you managed to get a wonderful person without much hardships or fasting hullabaloo? Even God sometimes plays unfair) Smrithi conveyed all this in a half joking and half serious tone .

" (Tell me what is the secret behind this lovely blessing you got without much ado) She pestered again with her queries.

I inhaled sharply when she professed my predicament as the greatest blessing a girl could ever get.

If only she had known what I actually wanted ever in my life.

I sighed disdainfully

"( Only time could prove that if this is a blessing or a grim reaper's vendetta ) I retorted spitefully.

"Hey be positive girl. Don't utter such stupidity. Everything will be okay for you. I have great faith in that. Because you are a gem of a girl dear and your one will be as wonderful and precious as you are" Smrithi said in a consoling voice.

But nothing reached my aching being. I felt like everything has come to a dead end for me.

We argued about my untimely marriage for sometime with no progress. At last I had to give up and skip to another subject rather than clinging to a useless subject which will never ever make a progression while discussing it with people who cease to listen or understand.

I casually turned around while talking to smrithi that my eyes met a wall.

I jerked back at the sudden interruption in the form of a wall that sprouted out before me in the middle of the room. The phone receiver fell out of my clasp when my mind registered in its full horror what is displaying in front of my eyes.

"Om!" I shrieked taking two leaps backwards fearfully like I have stepped upon a lizard. That would have been a better option than a six foot phenomenon towering before me in all his annoyance that bloomed across his lips as a smirk.

"Hello...Pearl...hello_You there? ...........? ( oh.uh what happened to this girl?) " I could faintly hear the feeble panicky voice of Smrithi floating from the swinging receiver.

I pointed my shivering left index finger at him while mumbling 'you' with a crumbled facial expression sprawling all over my face marring my features.

"Yeah me! ( Any doubt?) Om replied in a callous manner while keeping his hands over his hips and staring down at me with a twisted smile.

"Om!"I bellowed painfully taking in small shaggy gasps of breath.

I closed my eyes with my palm pressed over my chest and calming down my thumping heart which got an exhilarating beat up when I found a sudden wall of a human sprouted out in front of me.

He just shrugged casually while picking up the receiver and holding it out before me idly . I snatched it from his hand suddenly. He stared at me in disbelief.

I held the phone close to my ears still my eyes fixated at Om dubiously , freaked out and frustrated of my being.

" .( What? What happened? Pearl what is with the commotion over there?) You okay dear? " Smrithi asked concern discernible in her panicked voice.

" ( Sorry smrithi. I got zoned out for a moment. I will call you later and chat with you leisurely. Now I need to go and attend to our guests. They are important) I am alright and fit as a fiddle."I rushed my words evasively with an intention of escaping from her further enquiries.

"Okay da. ( Don't forget to call me later) Smrithi said seemingly buying my idea easily than I have ever thought.

She is not the one who gets easily tackled by others. Now what happened to her.

Still I am at peace that without being much showy or fussy she budged in to my explanation. That is really a good sign for me.

" ( Sure thing,will call you later,promise)" I promised and hung the receiver on the cradle.

After standing silently looking at the phone for sometime I swivelled around and raised my eyebrow at Om menacingly.

"Everybody is waiting for you pearl. Please do come" Om said seriously like nothing had happened.

"Can't you just knock the door before entering and what is the meaning of standing behind me? Where you eavesdropping my conversation?" I scoffed at him.

He let out a loud sigh.

"See, I have better things to do than eavesdropping on you" Om conveyed non chalantly.

Yeah he sounds genuine. Also I was conversing in malayalam. I am two hundred percent sure a north Indian like him will never learn malayalam fluently or will ever understand or decode the words uttered by me.

That really sounded assuring to me. And above all I am in no way a matter to him for coming to the decision of eaves dropping.

I twisted my lips to form a wry smile.

"Coming Om. Next time make sure not to blow the life out of me by acting all sly and cat of a being" I warned him.

Om looked a bit pale when I openly warned him to stay away from me.

From where I plucked on the courage only good lord knows. I felt proud for standing up for myself. Usually I gulp down my words scrunching them inside my teeth rather than letting it out like this.

But this felt amazing for me. I felt like flying high up. But my newly flared wings got clipped up when a thunderous voice came gliding past my ears making me flinch at the impact

"Pearl, " ( Pearl, If you have finished talking with your friend, come here)I heard periyamma's voice calling out for me from the hall way.

I glared at Om who held a sheepish grin plastered to his face while his eyes darted here and there in a lazy manner.

I huffed and stormed out of the phone room.

Saffy, Krystal and Sarah were waiting for me outside the room.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♣♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

We scurried towards the living area where mister Diaz, his wife, Surili aunty and his mother were seated comfortably along with my elders.

Periyappa was so much into having a conversation with Mister Diaz.

Periyamma who stood a bit away from the couch where periyappa was seated signalled her thumb towards the kitchen way. My eyes darted towards the way where her thumb was pointing at.

Chithi was standing at the kitchen doorway and gestured me to join her with a hasty look on her face. I joined her and helped her with setting the dinning table neatly.

She gave me a floral apron to wear.

Her eyes darted back and forth the kitchen ambience like trying to gauge out some misfitting puzzle piece and suffix it in its rightful place.

Her hands wringing the shawl hem as if undergoing some scatter brained thoughts.

"Pearl, I need to be there with the guests sweetie. Will you please stay here and keep a check on things darling?" Chithi asked sweetly.

"Sure Chithi." I said nodding my consent.

".( I will be with Kichu, Glory aunty. You can go and do your work leisurely)Krystal volunteered coming and standing by my side holding my hand with a smile.

I smiled back gratefully.

"( God bless you child. Thanks darling for being this loving and caring) Chithi said relief softening her perturbation stuck face. Chithi held krystal's cheek fondly.

"It is my duty Glory maami( Aunty). And I love to be around you guys." Krystal said politely.

After chithi left the kitchen we did a last minute arrangement of checking the edibles. And setting the plate of dishes neatly for second helping and kept it covered neatly on the kitchen counter table.