She shrugged. “We’re cool with that.”
Knowing Vinnie, I could believe it.
“So, what about the guest list?” I asked. “You want to make sure that your must-have guests can make it.”
“I’ll call everyone,” she said.
“How about Beeji and Bauji, and Nanaji, and Mallu Masi?” I asked. “Dad hasn’t called them, you know.”
“I’ll talk to them,” Vinnie said. “Masi already knows.…”
“You talked to her?” I was amazed that she’d told Masi before our grandparents.
“Yeah,” she said. “Hey, we should send out a save-the-date card.”
“I’ve got it,” I said, making a note on my sketchpad. “Aaaand, the venue! Shoma said Manish’s sister got married at the Hyatt on Memorial Drive—would you like that? Or do you want me to scout other places?”
“It’s a nice hotel, I guess.” Vinnie hesitated. “But it’s so beautiful in Boston in summer—I wish we could have an outdoor wedding. I’ve no idea where, though. And I don’t want to make more work for Dad.…”
“I’ll ask around,” I said. “And see what’s available. But we have to move fast, Vinnie. These things are usually booked solid months in advance.”
“Sounds like you’re doing everything,” she said. “Is Dad going to help?”
“He will,” I said. “It’s just that he’s busy. And he’s still coming to grips with it, you know. It was kind of a shock.”
“Yeah,” she said. I could see by the unhappy shadow that had come over her face that this was troubling her.
“What about a wedding outfit?” I asked, changing the subject. “Will you wear a lehenga?”
She hesitated. “I thought we could ask Mallu Masi…,” she said. “She does work in fashion.”
“Really?” I said. She was going to ask Mallu Masi, Mom’s flaky sister. The one who was so busy and preoccupied that she didn’t even show up for Mom’s funeral. I knew Vinnie spent a lot more time with her than I did, but, Really?
“Look, you don’t remember her much,” Vinnie said, “but I do. All those vacations in Delhi, before she moved to Mumbai, when she was just starting her business, she was so fond of both of us. She always said she’s the one who should have had the girls, not Mom.”
“She hasn’t bothered remembering us since you went to college,” I said.
“She’s never forgotten my birthday,” Vinnie said.
“She’s never remembered mine,” I said. It was true. She was oh for six on getting it right.
“I’ll be at orientation, or sleeping, during waking hours in India all week.” She gave me the Look. “Maybe you could talk to her?”
Me? I cringed at the thought. But she was right that no one else but Mallu Masi could get us a wedding dress from India. I didn’t trust Beeji to pick out anything remotely suitable. Mallu Masi was our only safe choice.
“Look,” I said. “I’ll talk to her—for you. But FYI, there isn’t enough money in the budget for a Mallu Masi dress. They are insanely expensive even if she gives us a discount.”
“Oh! I was thinking,” Vinnie said, tucking a hank of hair away from her face, “that I might even fit into Mom’s instead!”
“Mom’s wedding lehenga?” I asked.
She nodded. “Can you get it out of the attic?”
“You’re sure it’s in the attic?” I asked. It could be anywhere. It could even be gone—Dad had given away boxes and boxes of old clothes to Goodwill recently.
“I remember Mom and Dad packed it away,” Vinnie said. “Just check it out. It’s worth a shot.”
“Okay, I’ll look,” I said. I didn’t want to put a damper on Vinnie’s idea by telling her about Goodwill. “Vinnie, put your hair down!” I said. She had it up in a scraggy ponytail, as per usual.
“Why?” she said.
“Just do it!” I said. “I want to see how much it’s grown.”
She dragged the hair tie out of her hair and her thick hair sprang out, framing her face. She had actually let it grow!
“I know, it’s a mess!” she said, snaking a hand through it self-consciously. “I haven’t gotten around to cutting it for months.”
“If you dare snip an inch of it, I will personally fly to Chicago to murder you,” I threatened her. “Don’t you touch it until after the wedding.”
“Okay, okay!” she said. “Jeez!”
“How’s Manish?” I asked. I didn’t see any sign of him anywhere.
“I’ve been talking to him,” Vinnie said, “about the guest list.”
“And?” I prompted.
“He’s got a huge amount of family and friends in Boston,” she said.
I groaned. I didn’t like where this was going. “Okay, so?” I said.
“His sister just got married a year ago and they invited four hundred people,” she said.
My jaw hung open. “Four. Hundred. People?”
“He said they could keep it down to one fifty for our wedding,” Vinnie said.
“One hundred and fifty people!” I said. “You know how much that would cost?”
“I know, I know,” Vinnie said. “Look, we can just get married on a beach out in the Caribbean. As long as Dad and you are there, I don’t need anyone else.”
“No way! What about Beeji and Bauji?” I said. “What about Nanaji? What about your Mallu Masi?”
“Our Mallu Masi,” Vinnie said. “They can come too!”
“So, bottom line: We have to include everyone, or you’re getting married on a beach?” I asked.
“At least half of them?” Vinnie said. “And Mom’s old friends from dance school, and Beeji and Bauji’s friends.”
It was completely crazy! “If we invite all of them we’ll have a hundred and fifty people of our own!”
“Somewhere there,” Vinnie admitted. “But you know, Mini, not everyone will be able to come! There’s going to be at least twenty percent who won’t make it.”
“We can’t do anything until we have a head count,” I said. “Not even send out save-the-date cards. Can you and Manish put together a guest list? And I’ll start on everything else.”
“And just talk to Mallu Masi,” Vinnie added. “I’d do it, Mini, but honestly I have no time!”
“Yeah, yeah. Fine!” I squared my shoulders. “I’ll talk to her.”
Chapter Six
I hate her. I totally hate her!
I paced up and down the immaculately
