Chapter 23: Masti, Part 2
Kulvinder uncle's birthday party was a grand affair. The lawn in front of the house sparkled with colorful lights. The neighborhood aunties came decked in shimmering suits and sarees, bearing the weight of gold on their weighty bodies. The men, uniformly potbellied, were resplendent in their colorful kurtas. Their teenage kids, attractive, flirtatious.
She dressed up too, in a crimson and gold churidar suit bua bought her, matching bindi and lip gloss, her hair open, falling to her shoulders. She was in the kitchen, rolling out dough for puris along with Nandita bua, listening to the conversation around her.
"Navjot, are these earrings new?"
"Haanji, rubies. Karnal waale mamaji ne diye haingift."
Pinky aunty, Bua's next-door neighbor of enormous proportions, held Tania's wrist. "Kudi toh sohni hai, par patli bahut hai. Khaana nahin khilate tere mummy daddy?"