02-12-2025, 07:22 PM
## Update 130: The Transformation and the Tussle (Avi, Sweta Didi, Sital Didi, and Poonam Didi)
After quickly finishing our cold drinks, we returned to the shopping with renewed energy. Sital Didi stayed closely with the salesgirl, organizing the selections. Sweta Didi and Poonam Didi took charge of choosing clothes for me, their excitement palpable. They would hand me a shirt and command, "Wear it and see how it looks." The salesgirl and Sital Didi would scrutinize my appearance, giving me a score. Sometimes they gave me a T-shirt, sometimes a button-down shirt, and sometimes tight-fitting jeans. I started wearing them one by one, checking my reflection in the full-length mirror.
While trying on a sleek, dark blue shirt, my eyes drifted to Sweta Didi. A boy, dressed in fashionable city attire, was trying to engage her in conversation, leaning too close. Sweta Didi was clearly ignoring him, turning her body away stiffly, crossing her arms. I immediately felt a fierce, possessive anger. *He was bothering my Didi.* I quickly unbuttoned the shirt and started walking toward Sweta Didi, my jaw tightening, ready to intercede. Just as I took a step, Sital Didi quickly reached out, grabbed my hand, and stopped me dead in my tracks. By the time I could shake off her grip, that boy had been shrugged off by Sweta Didi and had walked away, looking annoyed.
"Why, Didi? Why did you hold my hand? I would have taught that boy a good lesson for harassing her," I said, my voice low and tight with residual fury, clenching my fist.
"Let it go, Avi," Sital Didi said calmly, shaking her head. "Sweta Didi is strong; she will handle everything herself. It's not worth getting into a fight over."
"But..." I started to protest, my adrenaline still high, looking where the boy had gone.
"You need to pay for all these clothes now. We have more essential shopping to do," Sital Didi steered me back to the counter, her tone firm, pulling me gently.
We went to another shop. I was now struggling with a literal mountain of shopping bags in my hands. Next, we picked up several pairs of sleek leather shoes. We took three new plastic mugs and one pair of stylish sunglasses. Our final stop for clothes was a shop where I involuntarily hesitated. It was a men's underwear shop. Sital Didi looked at me and burst into giggles, covering her mouth, but Sweta Didi and Poonam Didi walked in normally, their expressions completely neutral. After selecting and buying new underwear and vests, we took a few more small, necessary items. All the money was now gone. Sital Didi and I were each loaded down with bags. We wanted to roam around the mall more, but the sheer weight and quantity of the bags forced us to head straight home.
"I'm so exhausted," Poonam Didi sighed, collapsing onto the sofa the moment we entered the hall, dropping her small purse.
We all sank onto the sofa, dropping the bags around us. Raj came running out of the room. He saw the piles of bags and immediately asked what I had brought for him.
"Here, take it," Sweta Didi said, handing him a bag. "You have two new city T-shirts."
Raj happily tore into the bag, pulling out the bright colors. Jyoti Bua also came into the hall, drawn by the noise. I immediately presented her with the saree I had asked Sital Didi to choose for her. Jyoti Bua was visibly happy, her eyes softening as she saw the gift, touching the fabric gently. It was the first time in two days that I saw a proper, gentle smile on Bua's face. The sight made my chest swell with warmth.
"Let's wear the new dresses right now and see how they look!" Sital Didi urged, already reaching for her bag, bouncing on the sofa.
"Wait a moment, Sital," Sweta Didi interrupted, pulling out her phone. "You need to book four tickets for the day after tomorrow. We have too much luggage now to risk the normal bus."
"Okay, I'll go with Avi and do it right now," Sital Didi offered, standing up instantly.
"Do one thing, instead of the state bus, book tickets for a private travel bus. We'll reach the village much faster with that, and there won't be a problem with the luggage either," Sweta Didi instructed, tapping the phone screen.
"Yes. You'll reach your village in three hours with a travel bus," Poonam Didi confirmed, nodding her head.
"Let's go, Avi. Let's go book the tickets," Sital Didi said, pulling herself up and looking at me.
"Let me quickly freshen up first. I'm covered in sweat and dust from the bike ride," I said. "Then we'll go."
"Okay. We'll leave in twenty minutes," Sital Didi agreed.
"I'll go and put the luggage in the room first," I said, gathering the bags and struggling with the weight.
"Come on, Sweta. We'll rest for a bit, then we'll go out and watch a movie in the evening," Poonam Didi suggested to her cousin, standing up.
"We'll take Raj with us too," Sweta Didi decided, looking at the playing boy.
"We'll eat outside afterward," Poonam Didi added, smiling at the thought.
"Okay," Sweta Didi agreed, rubbing her forehead wearily.
"Your mood will also get better after a movie and some food," Poonam Didi said softly, looking at Sweta Didi with concern.
"That boy really spoiled my whole mood back at the mall," Sweta Didi grumbled, her face darkening slightly in memory.
"Forget him. Let me go rest for a while," Sweta Didi said, standing up.
"Go to sleep, my queen," Poonam Didi said, giving her a playful push toward the stairs.
---
After quickly finishing our cold drinks, we returned to the shopping with renewed energy. Sital Didi stayed closely with the salesgirl, organizing the selections. Sweta Didi and Poonam Didi took charge of choosing clothes for me, their excitement palpable. They would hand me a shirt and command, "Wear it and see how it looks." The salesgirl and Sital Didi would scrutinize my appearance, giving me a score. Sometimes they gave me a T-shirt, sometimes a button-down shirt, and sometimes tight-fitting jeans. I started wearing them one by one, checking my reflection in the full-length mirror.
While trying on a sleek, dark blue shirt, my eyes drifted to Sweta Didi. A boy, dressed in fashionable city attire, was trying to engage her in conversation, leaning too close. Sweta Didi was clearly ignoring him, turning her body away stiffly, crossing her arms. I immediately felt a fierce, possessive anger. *He was bothering my Didi.* I quickly unbuttoned the shirt and started walking toward Sweta Didi, my jaw tightening, ready to intercede. Just as I took a step, Sital Didi quickly reached out, grabbed my hand, and stopped me dead in my tracks. By the time I could shake off her grip, that boy had been shrugged off by Sweta Didi and had walked away, looking annoyed.
"Why, Didi? Why did you hold my hand? I would have taught that boy a good lesson for harassing her," I said, my voice low and tight with residual fury, clenching my fist.
"Let it go, Avi," Sital Didi said calmly, shaking her head. "Sweta Didi is strong; she will handle everything herself. It's not worth getting into a fight over."
"But..." I started to protest, my adrenaline still high, looking where the boy had gone.
"You need to pay for all these clothes now. We have more essential shopping to do," Sital Didi steered me back to the counter, her tone firm, pulling me gently.
We went to another shop. I was now struggling with a literal mountain of shopping bags in my hands. Next, we picked up several pairs of sleek leather shoes. We took three new plastic mugs and one pair of stylish sunglasses. Our final stop for clothes was a shop where I involuntarily hesitated. It was a men's underwear shop. Sital Didi looked at me and burst into giggles, covering her mouth, but Sweta Didi and Poonam Didi walked in normally, their expressions completely neutral. After selecting and buying new underwear and vests, we took a few more small, necessary items. All the money was now gone. Sital Didi and I were each loaded down with bags. We wanted to roam around the mall more, but the sheer weight and quantity of the bags forced us to head straight home.
"I'm so exhausted," Poonam Didi sighed, collapsing onto the sofa the moment we entered the hall, dropping her small purse.
We all sank onto the sofa, dropping the bags around us. Raj came running out of the room. He saw the piles of bags and immediately asked what I had brought for him.
"Here, take it," Sweta Didi said, handing him a bag. "You have two new city T-shirts."
Raj happily tore into the bag, pulling out the bright colors. Jyoti Bua also came into the hall, drawn by the noise. I immediately presented her with the saree I had asked Sital Didi to choose for her. Jyoti Bua was visibly happy, her eyes softening as she saw the gift, touching the fabric gently. It was the first time in two days that I saw a proper, gentle smile on Bua's face. The sight made my chest swell with warmth.
"Let's wear the new dresses right now and see how they look!" Sital Didi urged, already reaching for her bag, bouncing on the sofa.
"Wait a moment, Sital," Sweta Didi interrupted, pulling out her phone. "You need to book four tickets for the day after tomorrow. We have too much luggage now to risk the normal bus."
"Okay, I'll go with Avi and do it right now," Sital Didi offered, standing up instantly.
"Do one thing, instead of the state bus, book tickets for a private travel bus. We'll reach the village much faster with that, and there won't be a problem with the luggage either," Sweta Didi instructed, tapping the phone screen.
"Yes. You'll reach your village in three hours with a travel bus," Poonam Didi confirmed, nodding her head.
"Let's go, Avi. Let's go book the tickets," Sital Didi said, pulling herself up and looking at me.
"Let me quickly freshen up first. I'm covered in sweat and dust from the bike ride," I said. "Then we'll go."
"Okay. We'll leave in twenty minutes," Sital Didi agreed.
"I'll go and put the luggage in the room first," I said, gathering the bags and struggling with the weight.
"Come on, Sweta. We'll rest for a bit, then we'll go out and watch a movie in the evening," Poonam Didi suggested to her cousin, standing up.
"We'll take Raj with us too," Sweta Didi decided, looking at the playing boy.
"We'll eat outside afterward," Poonam Didi added, smiling at the thought.
"Okay," Sweta Didi agreed, rubbing her forehead wearily.
"Your mood will also get better after a movie and some food," Poonam Didi said softly, looking at Sweta Didi with concern.
"That boy really spoiled my whole mood back at the mall," Sweta Didi grumbled, her face darkening slightly in memory.
"Forget him. Let me go rest for a while," Sweta Didi said, standing up.
"Go to sleep, my queen," Poonam Didi said, giving her a playful push toward the stairs.
---
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