Page 65 of Everything She Wanted

Eshaan’s mom directs him as she points out others she likes.

I stand there awkwardly.

“What about something like this?” She picks up a gold one inlaid with crystals, and hands it to me to try.

“Swarovski crystals. Best quality. Number one.”

It fits perfectly, the gold complementing my brown skin and the crystals glittering in the bright overhead lights. The bangle is gorgeous but lavish.

“Maybe something simple like those?” I point to the simple gold bangles.

“Nonsense.” She shakes her head. “We’ll go with these.”

The jeweller sets the lavish bangles aside for us as I remove the one I tried on and hand it to him.

“Show us sets for the wedding.”

A knot forms in my stomach.

The wedding.

We move over to the corner of the shop and look through the spotless glass displays.

“Perhaps something you would wear after the wedding too,” Eshaan’s mom says.

“Something simpler then?” I venture.

“How about this?”

She points to a set with the same pattern of crystals, but with gold tear drops. It’s stunning, with matching earrings and a tikka. I gasp. “It’s beautiful.”

Eshaan’s mom pauses as she looks at my top, finally registering it.

“You girls these days with your fashion.” She shakes her head. “How are you supposed to try the necklace on?”

I bring a hand to my neck, unconsciously covering the mark even though I know she can’t see it.

The jeweller steps in, not wanting to derail the sale. “She can try over the blouse.”

He hands me the necklace and I place it on my chest. It’s breathtaking, but it feels like it’s getting heavier with every passing moment.

I place it back carefully and the jeweller adds it to our growing stash.

A few other customers come in and a lady comes out of the back to help them.

We look at anklets which Eshaan’s mom insists on getting me as well, and a fancy gold chain. I’ve always wanted one, but it all feels like too much.

“Now you can take off that necklace you usually wear and wear this.”

“Oh.” She’s referring to the white gold chain I wear almost every day from my dad.

“The gold suits you so much better.”

“Yes, of course,” I say as a lump forms in my throat. I don’t want to seem ungrateful.

I rarely take my dad’s necklace off. I know it’s cheesy, but it’s the last thing he bought for me before he passed—a gift for my sixteenth birthday. He wanted to go to the South Asian jewellers, but I insisted yellow gold was too gaudy, so he took me to the mall and let me choose a two-hundred-dollar white gold chain. I still love it. I know it isn’t worth much, but it means everything to me. It feels like I’m carrying a part of him with me wherever I go.

Shaan’s mom moves to the cash to settle up and I stand back awkwardly, not knowing what to do with myself. She hands me the box with the necklace, but she saves everything else for the ceremony. His family is always sending me nice outfits to wear to events, and now all of this. A part of me wonders if they just want to make sure I look good enough to meet their standards. I shove the thought away.