The first thing that I did after our grand family meeting was to email Gabi’s parents, asking them to have a videoconferencing meeting with me. I could make a phone call to them, but I wanted to see them as well. After Gabi, we must have spoken over videoconference over a dozen times overall and not for the past couple of years, which was abysmally low for families. We exchanged regular emails, however. I was aware that Sousa family was way more accepting to me and my family than they had been when I married Gabi. They were aware about Abha’s birth and her growing up, as well as Ma’s remarriage and her children. I used to share photos with them, and they with me. I had suggested a time in the evening in India, which would be close to noon for them in Brazil and told them that I would be waiting around that time over messenger.
After doing this, I called Jayanti Di and asked her to meet me over coffee. She initially complained about the urgent nature of my demand, so I asked her family over for dinner. By that time, she had understood the serious nature of what I was going to discuss with her. So, she agreed to meet me for coffee.
“How have you been, Amar?” she asked, in her ever-cheerful manner, “Tum to dikhte hi nahin (You are not much to be seen) … Eid ka chand ho gaye ho bilkul (It has been a long time since we met)!”
It was true. She had been in constant touch with me and my family even after Devyani’s death. In the past, I could not meet with her often because of my work and travel. She on the other hand was regular visitor, and the remaining members too were regular vistor to her home. Jayanti Di was now 50 years old, and it showed. Her sons were now teenagers and looked like big, strong boys. She loved Abha. That is an understatement. She had even offered to raise her, but I declined. I could not let the last living memory of Devyani to be apart from me… that was something that she was very proud of. She often praised me for raising the child well. I know from her interactions with Latika that she liked her, and the feeling was mutual. I was not sure how she would take the news that I was going to take her as my wife. That is what this meeting was all about.
“I am good, Di… and I am very sorry. How long has it been? Three months, is it? How are you?”
“Oh yes… it has been three months! My older one will start university and the younger one is in intermediate. On top of that my own job… so, my hands are so full. I am started to get tired now.”
“I know. The good thing is that your sons are so well behaved and disciplined. You do not have much to worry from them.”
“Ha ha! Yes, that is true. How is Mishti? Big change is coming her way as well… high school?”
“She is good. Yes… big change, yes. Sometimes it worries me when I see her growing this fast.”
“Ha ha! Don’t you worry… she is a very good girl, and Latika has done a great job bringing her up. She too will start her university now, right?”
“She has… hasn’t she? And yes, she will start her university now.”
She nodded in agreement.
“Nice… nice… yes… I was the biggest skeptic when it came to Latika. How could such a young girl look after another young girl. But I was so wrong! She has proven me wrong… but tell me… why this urgent meeting?”
“Didi,” I hesitated, “Um… I don’t know how to say it?”
“Oh c’mon, Amar. You and I are very close… so let us not start the hesitation routine now. You can always say anything, without hesitation.” She smiled.
“Ha ha! No no… I don’t know why I am hesitating. Well, here it goes… I want to marry again.”
“Oh?”
I was not sure how to interpret Jayanti Di’s reaction. She seemed to think a bit before adding more to her reaction. Probably she sensed my confusion and quickly rectified her initial reaction,
“I mean, it is good! Sorry… sorry. I am happy that you are thinking about marrying again, Amar. It is just that you had resisted this idea for so long that now suddenly it came as a bit of a surprise. Who is the lucky girl?”
This reaction was more in line with what I expected. She seemed genuinely pleased and curious to know.
“Latika.”
“What? Ha ha! Wow!” she seemed to have lost a bearing or two, but regained soon, “Sorry sorry… Amar, please don’t even for once think that I have something to oppose your choice. Latika is a very good girl. She has taken such good care of Abha… I guess, even Devyani could not have done so much for her. My reaction was because of several reasons - she is so young… and she is Sunil’s sister. You do understand why I reacted the way I did.”
I smiled, “Yes, Di.”
“Good. Good. Wow! Latika…! Sweet girl. Yeah.” Jayanti Di continued to ramble with herself, while I watched her with amused curiosity, “Thank you for telling me, Amar. It means a lot to me. You do not have to take my permission to marry again… in fact, I wished you had married much earlier. But you decided to drown yourself in sorrow. Yes, Devyani was a sweet girl… but so you are… a sweet man, that is. You deserve happiness. Therefore, I am very happy for you… and Latika. She is an amazing choice. In fact, I am kind of happy that you waited. I am happy that it is Latika who will become your wife. I know that she will be an amazing wife to you.”
“Thank you, Di. Thank you so much.”
“Nah! Don’t thank me. And… I must see Latika and congratulate her in person.”
“You are happy, Di?”
“Why wouldn’t I be happy? You are a good man… and she is a good girl. You should make a good husband and wife. I am so happy for you both and for Mishti. About time she has a full family. So, congratulations to you all.”
I was so happy with that. It was important for me that whatever family I was left with, should be with me during my wedding and bless us. I had lost touch with many childhood friends. The only friends remained were from my work and clientele. Indeed, the wedding was going to be an intimate affair with only the closest ones invited.
“Not like this. Come home tomorrow… say for lunch?”
“Of course! Hey, I will come on wedding as well.” Jayanti Di teased me.
“The wedding will not happen if you are not present there.”
*
After meeting Jayanti Di, I had a video conference with the Sousa family. I was pleasantly surprised to see the entire family in the video conference. Gabi’s brother had now two children. Her parents looked older than when I spoke over video with them the last time. We used to exchange emails and were connected through social network. But seeing them in real was something else. I was very happy to see them. It is a shame that it took Gabi’s death for them to become closer to me. But so much water had flown under the bridge since then. We spoke for close to one hour. When they came to know about my decision to remarry, they were absolutely delighted and asked me at length about Latika, her interests, likes and dislikes. Finally, I asked them to come over and attend the wedding. To my delight, they agreed. I offered to buy their flight tickets, but they declined saying that it was long overdue, and they would be blessed to attend my wedding. So that matter too was settled.
*
After speaking with the Sousa family, I made a quick phone call to Gael and Marie to let them know about my one more wedding and to invite them to India. They were very close to me and knew each person by name and had spoken with them, and also knew much about what was going on in my home. Just like Jayanti Di, they too were surprised by the choice of bride, but they were happy to know that I was marrying Latika. They told me that they might or might not be able to come, as it was a short notice period. But that they will try to attend for sure. That much assurance was good enough for me. They further asked me to make a long tour to Europe, so that both our families could drive in the Alps. That was a nice idea, and I promised them that I will try to do that, if not immediately, then sometime during the winters.
*
In the evening, we finally settled in on a date that was about a month later for our wedding. We also estimated that for the wedding function, our closest friends numbered somewhere around thirty-five. Therefore, the plan for an in-house wedding was sport-on! Like always, we will do a grand reception the next day. The guest list for that event would cross one hundred and fifty - still low going by the usual Indian standards. I made a call to my go to man in office to make the necessary arrangements with the help of an event organizer, so that there is no unnecessary pressure on any of us.
