Over the years, Akshatha had begun noticing another pattern within the extended family.
Some of the relatives from her aunts' sides had gradually learned how to take small advantages of the brothers' different personalities.
It wasn't always something major.
Sometimes it was a recommendation.
Sometimes an introduction.
Sometimes a small favor that could make someone's life easier.
The younger uncle was particularly susceptible to praise.
He had become somewhat of a show-off over the years, and when relatives spoke sweetly about him in public, complimented his achievements or made him feel important, he enjoyed it.
There had been a time when his middle brother received most of the admiration from relatives.
But after the younger uncle's own business ventures began gaining attention, the compliments started coming his way too.
He liked it.
Perhaps he liked it more than he should have.
If someone praised him publicly and then asked for a small favor, he was often willing to extend a helping hand.
His pettiness, however, made him easier for certain people to manipulate.
They knew exactly which words would please him.
The eldest uncle was different.
He was much clearer about where he stood.
If someone approached him looking for an opportunity, he might introduce them to the right person, suggest a company or point them toward suitable work.
But he generally stopped there.
He preferred giving people a connection rather than simply giving them money.
If someone was capable of working, he would help them find the right door.
Whether they could walk through it was up to them.
Still, whatever the brothers' differences, their extended family had benefited from their success over the years.
Some relatives had moved to Mumbai.
Some had been helped into jobs or opportunities closer to home.
Others had managed to establish themselves in their own hometowns after receiving a recommendation or introduction.
A few younger relatives were now even thinking ahead to graduation, already wondering which family connection might help them secure their first proper job.
The family network had become valuable.
And the aunts' relatives were, in many ways, living considerably better lives than they might have otherwise.
Akshatha noticed it without necessarily judging them.
People naturally looked for opportunities where they could find them.
But she also understood that there was a difference between receiving genuine help and constantly positioning yourself to benefit from someone else's generosity.
That distinction had become particularly obvious when she thought about certain people from the past.
There was one woman whose claims had always amused Akshatha.
She remembered how she used to speak about her son.
According to her, he was almost indispensable at the hospital.
She would describe his work in a way that made him sound far more important than his actual position.
In reality, he was a laboratory technician.
There was nothing wrong with being a laboratory technician. It was honest and necessary work.
But the way she spoke about him was completely different.
She would make it sound as though he were a doctor, someone whose absence would bring an entire hospital department to a standstill.
And he encouraged the impression.
Whenever the subject of spending time with his wife came up, there always seemed to be another reason why he couldn't.
The hospital needed him.
His team depended on him.
If he wasn't there, work would supposedly be delayed.
There was always another excuse.
But Akshatha remembered what had actually been happening.
She didn't believe those excuses were really about the hospital.
They were simply convenient reasons to avoid being close to her.
To avoid the ordinary intimacy that should exist between a husband and wife.
To create distance without having to openly admit that he wanted that distance.
Looking back now, Akshatha could see how absurd some of those explanations had been.
It wasn't about being indispensable.
It was an excuse.
That proverb fits nicely here as an observation Akshatha makes internally, showing that she immediately notices how some relatives gather around people they see as influential or wealthy.
By the time the family group reached the engagement venue, the celebrations were already in full swing.
The entrance had been arranged beautifully for the guests.
As they arrived, they were warmly welcomed with gulab jal being lightly sprayed over them, followed by refreshing welcome drinks offered.
The atmosphere immediately felt festive.
Inside the main hall, rows of chairs and comfortable sofas had been arranged for the guests. People were moving around, greeting relatives, finding their seats and catching up with one another after months or even years apart.
As Akshatha and her family entered, the hosts noticed them almost immediately.
They came forward personally to welcome the group.
There were handshakes, smiles, greetings and the usual exchange of pleasantries.
The family responded warmly, moving further inside as more relatives gathered around them.
Akshatha quietly observed the scene.
She had noticed something about family gatherings over the years.
There was an old saying that came to her mind:
"Where there is a flower, there will be bees."
And, in a different sense, the same idea applied to money and influence.
Where there is wealth, success or power, there will always be people who want to stay close to it.
Once everyone had settled inside the hall, the large gathering slowly broke into smaller groups.
People naturally moved toward those they were most comfortable with—siblings finding one another, cousins catching up, and relatives sitting beside people they had known for years.
After greeting several relatives, Akshatha made her way toward Pooja.
"Pooja!"
Pooja turned around with a smile.
"There you are! I was wondering when you'd come."
Akshatha sat beside her, and the two immediately began chatting, catching up on everything they had missed.
Meanwhile, the cousins gathered around them.
The younger ones were excited about the ceremony, while the elder cousins watched everything with a quieter interest.
Eventually, everyone found their places.
Akshatha and the cousins took seats toward the front, where they had a clear view of the ceremony.
The engagement proceedings began, and the atmosphere gradually became more focused.
The families watched as the couple exchanged rings and received blessings from their elders. Conversations became quieter as everyone turned their attention toward the stage.
Akshatha sat with her cousins, occasionally exchanging a glance or whispering a comment whenever something caught their attention.
For a while, the complicated family relationships seemed far away.
It was simply a family celebration.
After the Ceremony
Once the formal ceremony was over, the atmosphere became relaxed again.
Guests began moving around, congratulating the couple and speaking with the two families.
The groom's parents eventually approached Akshatha's eldest uncle.
Their expressions were genuinely emotional.
They had originally expected that he might simply send his wife or another family member to represent him.
They knew he had important work commitments and had heard that he was extremely busy with upcoming projects.
His actual presence had therefore come as a pleasant surprise.
"We honestly didn't expect you to make it," one of them admitted.
Her uncle smiled politely.
"It was an important occasion. How could I not come?"
The groom's parents were visibly touched.
"For us, it is an honour that you have taken the time to be here."
They continued thanking him, speaking warmly about how much his presence meant to their family.
Akshatha watched from a little distance.
She understood what they were feeling.
Her uncle's presence carried weight.
He was not simply another guest who had arrived at the engagement.
He was someone whose time was valuable, whose professional reputation had grown considerably and whose presence itself gave importance to an occasion.
The family had initially thought that his wife might attend on his behalf.
Instead, he had personally come as family.
And that small decision had changed the atmosphere around him.
People noticed.
The hosts noticed.
The guests noticed.
And the groom's parents certainly noticed.
His presence had added another level of prestige to the function, and they were proud that he had chosen to be there as their brother in law.
Akshatha quietly observed the scene.
She had seen enough family gatherings by then to understand how quickly people recognized status.
When someone successful walked into a room, the way others treated them often changed.
Yet her uncle didn't appear particularly impressed by the attention.
He simply accepted their gratitude with his usual calmness.
For him, coming to the engagement had been a family responsibility.
For everyone else, however, his presence had become one of the things they would remember about the occasion.
And Akshatha couldn't help noticing the irony.
Sometimes, a person's presence said far more about their position in the world than anything they could say about themselves.