In the ’00s, if you were looking for sworn enemies in the village of Surwani, your search had to stop at the Sharma Brothers. Even living miles apart, their flame of animosity burnt bright. Whenever Bholu was on the verge of finalizing a deal, Golu would be sure to sabotage it. Whenever Golu was on the verge of winning over a girl, Bholu would tip her off about how Golu only washed his undergarments only six months apart. 

Some say the parents messed things up by picking favorites. Some say it started with the brothers falling for the same girl. 

Ah! What do people know? They only like juicy gossips. 

I knew the truth. Because it all started with me.

Yes, I remember the day Mr. Sharma brought me home for Bholu on his eighteenth birthday. I was the first scooty in Surwani… Sharma household’s pride. 

Ah! What did Mr. Sharma know? He thought I would make Bholu smile. 

But Bholu had been dreaming of riding a Royal Enfield. And why not? He had just topped the board exam in his school. His smile turned into a frown when he saw me.

For Golu, it was love at first sight. Mostly because he was still three years short of the legal driving age, and I was the forbidden fruit. While Bholu would ride me grudgingly once a week, Golu would wash and scrub me on Sundays with tender-loving-care. Seeing her younger son’s love for me, Mrs. Sharma christened me ‘Dulhania’. 

When Golu turned eighteen, Mr. Sharma’s business fell through. They started selling their possessions one by one. When it came to Bholu’s final year college fees, all eyes fell on me. Yes, I, a barely used, well-maintained, three-year-old scooty, would have yielded them good profit on sale. But Golu refused to part with his bride, who he was hoping to officially claim soon. I still remember the grand fight that night…

“It’s my scooty. I decide what to do with it.”

“You don’t use it. We have other ways...”

“I don’t want to go any other way. We are selling this thing.”

“Over my dead body!”

Ah! What did the brothers know? Mrs. Sharma, anticipating this, had already locked me and hidden the keys. 

Now, these were things of bygone years. A lot of water had flown under the bridge since Golu had laid on the floor trying to protect me. The Sharmas had bounced back. Bholu had taken over his father’s business and successfully expanded it. I now stood in a corner along with a Harley-Davidson and a Mercedes. Golu, who had left home for college, would be finishing his studies this year in another city. And Surwani was now a full-fledged… er… small town. However, things between the brothers still remained rough. 

Two days before the opening of the new family restaurant, Bholu came to me. 

Ah! So Mrs. Sharma had finally given him the keys! 

Sigh! 

They were selling me off in Golu’s absence! I wished I could bid my lover goodbye…

Heart-broken, my engine began to sputter when Bholu keyed me on. But wait! He began to caress me gently with a newfound love. Was he… would he…. 

Finally on the D-day, I stood, overhauled, in front of the new restaurant. I looked regal, with my shiny new electric blue color giving a stark contrast to the yellow walls of the eatery. Apparently, I added to the décor. Made the joint Insta-worthy. Or so Bholu said.

Yes, I turned heads. Because the guests pretended to ride me as they clicked pictures. But soon enough, my eyes found my beloved… Golu was back! The two brothers hugged and sobbed, sobbed and hugged, years of bitterness melting away with their tears. In a minute, I understood why. Bholu had named the restaurant ‘Golu ki Dulhania’. 

After the ‘sorry’-s and ‘love you’-s, Golu finally spotted me. He came over and sat on me after ages, whispering “Could you be any prettier?”

I squirmed (read, creaked under my beloved’s weight) in happiness. 

In another minute however, I became witness to the next grand fight of the Sharma Family… 

“Now, Golu, be a sweetheart for me. We’ll start deliveries from tomorrow. You can use my old scooty”, Bholu remarked as Golu watched, speechless, “Thank God your summer break starts today. I don’t have to look for delivery boys for a month!”

Ah! What did the boys know? I lived to hear these banters.