An Unusual Proposal...

Amid the tea garden, in the sunny afternoon of winters wearing a full gown heading towards the main road, a little bit angry and a little bit sad girl was talking to herself.

"Ki bhabe nije ke, bhablam dekha kore jai to nawab aaj baire beriyeche. Jaak aami aar ke, aami keno nijer mood kharab korchi."

( What does he think of himself, I thought to meet him before going, but today this idiot has gone out. Why am I spoiling my mood? Let him be )

Dara, Dara ( wait ! wait ! )...

Aditya was shouting and running towards her from the main road and taking long breaths. 

Wait!, Wait!

Sorry, sorry ... 

Wait there ... 

We need to go back to my house ... 

Aditya stood in front of her panting, and She angrily ignored him and started walking towards the bus stop...

Aditya took a deep breath and ran and stood in front of her ...

Aditya - Anami...

She gave him a tight slap.

Aditya - Sorry baba, I expected you to be late as usual and thought to be back by then, Anamika.

Anamika(angrily) - You are the lazy ass here, not me, and you expected me to be late as usual. When did I come late? It's you always and what was so important in the market?

Aditya (still panting) - I had to buy something valuable. By the way, it's always you, you lazy ass.

Anamika - O, I am the lazy ass, So where is it? Your valuable item, Only excuses (Anamika trying to go...)

Aditya - Wait! Wait! Let's get back to my house first

( Aditya turned her holding her shoulders and gave her a push)

Anamika - No, I am not going anywhere near your house. I have a flight to catch.

Aditya - Only for 5 mins

Anamika - What will happen in 5 mins?

Aditya - Uff chol to ( let's go first), I will make your favourite, at least that can happen in 5

Anamika - Aada Diye Koris to ( Do to put some ginger in it)

Aditya - Hain baba, cha te aada o dibo aar ek dui ta mosla o dibo (yes, I will put some ginger and some other spices in tea too)

They both started heading towards Aditya's house and

Aditya trying to find something in his coat pockets, Anamika thought Aditya couldn't find his keys

Anamika - You have your keys or ...

Aditya (Interrupting) - Oh, please give me a minute, trying to find something else

Aditya remembered him putting it in his coat's inside pocket, which is in a pretty bad shape and handed it over to her.

Aditya - Ne tor jonno ( here, this is for you)

Anamika - ki aache re, ki korechis pouch er saathe ( what is this, what have you done to the pouch)

Aditya - oh, oto bolis na to khule dekh ( open the pouch first)

She opened it, the aroma coming out of that pouch, the mesmerizing aroma which she liked the most. She stopped for a bit and closed her eyes for a bit.

Anamika (with eyes closed) - Pire Aaloo, so that's why you were late.

Aditya - yes, so apology accepted, I believe.

Anamika - yes, for this time only.

Aditya again takes a long breath. It felt like he conquered something. They both blushed for their own reasons. 

Anamika (after taking the first bite) - Wait, what's the matter? What do you want?

Aditya ( facepalm) - Nothing, you are going out of town, and It's going to be the grand tour of yours to date. As much I know you.

Anamika ( while enjoying her Pire aaloo) - Achha, as you know me...

Aditya, with a slightly smiling face trying to cover his emotions.

They entered his house.

Aditya - have a sit and enjoy your pire aalo. By then, your favourite will be ready.

Anamika - Khabe ( would you like to have some)

Aditya ( responding from the kitchen) - Na baba, I don't have that much capacity to tolerate chillily.

In the kitchen making noise while making Anamika's special masala tea and humming to entertain Anamika as usual

Aditya ( from the kitchen) - After a long time, you are going out of town, what's the plan?

Anamika - What plan?

Aditya - Every time you have gone out of town with your Dada ...(taking a pause)

Anamika - ( Interrupting in that pause ) - Ooo that plan, that plan is on.

Aditya ( smashing ginger a little due to frustration ) - So you will meet marriage materials.

Anamika - yes, I can't remain single forever and stuck to my past, you said last year. Just following your advice.

Aditya ( in more frustration ) - Achha, go, go have fun, by the way, what are you looking for?

Anamika ( having fun) - What am I looking for?

Aditya - are dhut(in frustrating voice), in your marriage materials.

Anamika - Achha in my forever

By the time tea was ready, and in frustration, he placed those cups on the table. 

Aditya - " YES, IN YOUR FOREVER."

Anamika (jokingly) - Who will have the tolerance? For chillies, Can have this spicy pire aaloo with these extra chillies.

Anamika was joking like always to tease him, but he knew her old trips stories and stories of her meetings to would-be groom in those trips.

He does what Anamika would have never expected. He took a few pire aalo and half-eaten chilly from her hand and stuffed it in his mouth and started chewing in front of her and then after a few seconds show, by making excuse he went to the kitchen.

Anamika - tui to bolli aage ki you don't have the tolerance ( you said earlier that You couldn't handle the heat), not bad...

Here, in the kitchen Aditya gulped everything. Because of heat, he was turning red. His eyes turned red, and water started coming out of his eyes. He started drinking water, but it was not working. He was stuffing sugar in his mouth. Anamika saw him suffering, and she rushed towards the gas stove and took the milk in a glass and tried to keep him calm and have his glass full of milk to have some sip to control the heat, and the situation was under control. She held him with his hands and pulled him to the living room and let him a few more sips, and when Aditya calmed down... 

 She slapped him...

Anamika ( angrily ) - Who told you to pull this stunt? When you can't handle the heat.

Aditya ( tears rolling down his cheeks because of the heat) - I can't lose you to anyone.

Anamika (angrily ) - lose me to whom?

Aditya - guys with tolerance

Anamika ( angrily ) - Uff, maarbo ek chod ( Uff, I'll slap you) I was just joking, I am not going for any marriage proposal meets.

Aditya - so it's just a trip.

Anamika - yes, wait ... You lose me.

Anamika stood up and facepalmed angrily and trying to find her belonging and here...

Aditya is trying to find something again in his pocket, wiping his tears. He took out another pouch from his pocket and stood up with this pouch in his hands.

Anamika - I am getting late, don't know what's in your head?

Anamika - ki, ki cholche tor maatha te, bolbi ( Can you please tell me? what's going on in your head right now?)

Aditya holding Shakha & Pola in his hands (Shakha is a white bangle made of “conch shell'' and Pola is a red coral bangle.)

Aditya - We are friends, and I promise we will always be. I know you need time, take all of your trip's time. I am a little bit, which you can clearly say by seeing Shakha Pola in my hand.

Anamika - uff matter ta bole ( can you come to point)

Aditya - Will you be my friend, girlfriend, partner, my better half? In simple words, Will you marry me?

(As customs have it, one has to wear a pair of each in both hands. Shakha Pola forms an integral part of the wedding trousseau.)

Anamika - No, ke, shakha pola ke dai propose korte ( Who proposes with Shakha and Pola?)and where is the ring, idiot?

Aditya - Aami dai ar ke dai ( me who else will propose you like this), The idea of the ring is too western, and you know na I am little old school.

Tears, rolling down her eyes ...

Anamika:- Idiot, Shakha Pola is the new cool, and Who eats chilly to propose to a girl?

Aditya - Me who else

She facepalmed and Wore those Shakha and Pola.

Anamika - You are old school, but you are now my, got it, you fool.

Anamika (while wiping his tears) - Idiot, last year, while giving me the advice to move on, you could have proposed at that time?

Aditya - Oh, back then, you were like, No, I don't trust anyone anymore and so so ... "waah beta now complaining", at least I didn't have to eat the chilly back then.

Anamika - Achha , lonka to khete e hoto beta ( still you had to eat these chillies to confess)

Aditya - but...

Anamika interrupted him with the kiss. 

He has been waiting for this kiss since he saw her drenched in the rain in the tea shop.