If you want to read the story from the beginning, click here. (https://wp.me/p2b25R-fw)

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I chat with and message Lily almost daily. I invite her to visit Fairfax and meet Mom and Dad. At the end of the month, she agrees.

“I’m able to arrange a vacation for a couple of weeks. I will try to extend it if my boss agrees.”

“That’s super. Can’t wait to see you.”

I meet Lily at the airport. It is three o’clock in the afternoon. The sun is shining, and there is no wind. Just the way it should be at the beginning of summer. It’s a long flight from Stuttgart, but I am not sure of her tolerance of airline food, seat comfort, or the behavior of the person sitting next to her. 

I am standing in front of the swinging door that lets passengers out, just like mom and dad did for me. I wait for almost an hour before I saw her coming out the door. She is traveling light with only a carry-on bag with wheels. She looks pretty in light blue jeans and a floral blouse. We hug and kiss.

“Welcome to America,” I say, taking the bag from her. I am pleased that she does not look irritated.

“So glad to be here.”

“How was the flight? Tired?”

“No. The flight was okay. Not too crowded. The food was another story.”

“Don’t worry. Mom has made something special for you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Our house is only half an hour from the airport. As we enter through the garage into the kitchen, we see Mom by the counter cooking something. Dad is in the family room reading a magazine, killing time while waiting for our arrival, I guess.

“Oh, you are here already.” Mom walks toward us after wiping her hands on the apron.

Lily hugs her and gives a kiss on her cheek. “I’m so excited to be here.”

Dad puts the magazine away and slowly approaches us. He extends his right hand to shake hands with Lily. Instead, she walks toward him and hugs him as well. Dad is confused by this unexpected gesture from a stranger, especially from a young, non-Indian woman. He manages to place his hands on her back with a sheepish smile.

“Welcome to our home,” he manages to say.

I show her to her assigned room upstairs and leave her alone to freshen up.

“I made this Sheera for you,” Mom says when Lily comes down. “I hope you like it.”

Lily takes a spoonful and makes an appreciative gesture. “Oh! I love it. What’s it made from?”

“It’s made from semolina, we call it rava, which looks like grits. I added some cashews, raisins, and ghee, which is the cultured butter. I hope you like sweets. It’s an Indian tradition to make something sweet at a happy occasion.”

“I love it. I have to learn how to cook like you.”

“Thank you. You are not a bad cook either, from what I hear from Arjun.”

I am glad Lily’s visit has started on a friendly note. As the days progress, Lily is with Mom in the kitchen every day, helping her.

“You are a guest. You need not do this,” Mom says many times.

At the same time, Mom looks happy to see that Lily feels at home. Dad slowly catches up. On the second day after her arrival, he’s more at ease talking with her. Upon mentioning that Lily’s father knows the Gita, Dad briefly starts telling her the story of the Mahabharata, the epic about the fight between the five Pandavas and their 100 cousins, the Kauravas. The Pandavas are the good guys, and the Kauravas are the bad guys. Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, does not want to fight his cousins and may kill some of them. He asks Lord Krishna, his charioteer, to advise him about his duties.

“Daddy,” Mom says, half smiling. “Let her enjoy the stay here. She’s not attending a school.”

Dad stops talking, looking slightly embarrassed. “I’m just informing her about our culture.”

I am glad that he is at least trying to get friendly with Lily.

On the fourth day of her stay with us, when Lily is upstairs taking a shower, I am sitting at the breakfast table with Mom and Dad.

“Arjun,” Mom turns to me and tries to talk in a hushed tone. “I really like her. She is so helpful and friendly. If not for her European looks, she can pass as an Indian.”

“Yes,” Dad adds. “I like her, too. Sometimes she sounds like Lakshmi.”

“Thank you, Mom, and Dad. I am planning to propose to her if I have your blessings.”

“We wish you the best, Beta.” They both say in unison.

I’m excited now. I can’t wait to tell Bertel. That night I text him a message to inform him that my parents like Lily and can I now have his permission to marry her. He texts me back with the thumbs-up emoji.

The next day, I tell Mom not to wait for us for dinner. We go to the Paradise Winery in Clifton, where I propose to Lily, and she accepts.

Mom and Dad are excited to hear the news.

Mom gets up and hugs Lily and me. Dad follows her.

“We’re so glad for you to be a member of our family. Congratulations to both of you.”

 We wait till the next morning to have a WhatsApp chat with Lily’s parents, Bertel and Alina. We have to consider the time difference between the US and Germany. I am so glad that they all seem to get along with each other. Bertel and Alina tell Mom and Dad how much they liked Arjun from the day they met him. Dad and Mom tell them how Lily has assimilated with their family. Dad admires that Bertel likes the Bhagavad-Gita. Alina is curious about the Indian sari and tells Mom how she is amazed at how Indian women keep it all tucked up.

Mom invites Bertel and Alina to visit Fairfax to attend an engagement party she is planning for the next weekend.

“It’s short notice, but we would love to have you both here with us to celebrate the event,” Mom says.

“We’ll try our best to come,” Bertel replies, looking at Alina to see if she agrees, and she shakes her head in agreement.

I can see the pleasure and happiness on Mom’s face.

“Daddy,” Mom turns to Dad and says loudly. “This calls for a big celebration.”

“I’m all for it,” Dad agrees.