" No, I am not coming" said Nikhil firmly
" Yeah, I know you don't want to come with me. You can go on trips with your friends, but you can't accompany your mother for a wedding" said Nita, his mother playing the emotional card

"Ma, stop being so dramatic. You very well know that I am am introvert. I hate weddings and crowds."

" But this is my best friend Tina's son's wedding. You can't expect me to go to Mumbai alone. If your father had not gone on his official tour he would have definitely accompanied me" said Nita

"Ok fine " said Nikhil grudgingly .

That very night they left from Belgaum to Mumbai by bus.
They reached Mumbai by 9 in the morning and checked into the hotel which Tina had booked. After lunch and a siesta they set off to the wedding venue to attend the reception.

On reaching the venue, Nita eagerly went to meet Tina and her husband. Nikhil chose to sit in a corner near the AC where he hoped no one would notice him. He had agreed to wear the sherwani on his mother's insistence. The humid Mumbai weather made him sweat and he was very uncomfortable.

He looked around the hall. The music was loud, the men were huddled together near the bar counter, the ladies seemed engrossed in their talks, and the kids screamed and chased each other. He regretted his decision to come.

Just then an Aunty in red, with flashy jewellery and a loud voice swooped on him

"Arrey Vicky beta, how are you?Why are you sitting all alone?
I hope you know me, I am Pammi Aunty. Come with me"

"Aunty I ......... Nikhil struggled to speak.

She literally pulled him and pushed him towards a group of youngsters who were dancing.
"Neha this is Vicky" she told a girl dressed in a pink lehenga.
It was obvious that Pammi Aunty was trying her match making skills and she left abruptly.

Poor Nikhil was red in his face with embarrassment .

"I am not Vicky but Nikhil. Pammi Aunty is mistaken" he managed to blurt.

"No issues,  My aunt is always trying to set me up with any eligible bachelor she knows at weddings" said Neha in a flat voice.

"I hate this noise and crowd" she continued.

"That makes us two of a kind" said Nikhil and they both quietly slipped out to the garden.

To their suprise, they found that they had many interests in common and they had a pleasant conversation.

After some time they decided to go in. Nikhil saw Pammi Aunty coming towards them with a young man in tow. She seemed to be glaring at him.

" Here comes the original Vicky" Nikhil winked at Neha with a smile and left after exchanging  phone mumbers.

"Wedding are not that bad after all" Nikhil told himself.