The next day, they gathered all the remaining items in the house and carefully packed everything they had recently purchased for their two family members. Along with these, they preserved the photographs and videos they had taken of monuments, parks, and fountains, neatly arranging them with the rest of their belongings.
Meanwhile, calls started coming from India. Friends and relatives requested them to bring back small antique items—dresses, raincoats, goggles, and similar things. During their trip to Chicago, they made sure to collect these items and pack them as well, since they were planning to return to India permanently in a short time.
One day, Ina, Mina, and Radhika received a call from their father. He spoke to them about their future plans and discussed when they would be returning to India. He also informed them that, during their vacation, some visitors would be coming, as he had already shared the news with their parents.
In the meantime, they continued their routine in Chicago. Every day, they attended and observed five to six lectures, closely watching how the administration was being handled by the officials they had appointed. Everything was running smoothly and up to date. They spent four to five hours daily at these lectures, ensuring everything was in order.
Their parents were extremely pleased to see their dedication. Having completed their Master's in Management in Chicago, they had already taken responsibility for their work. Before leaving, they decided to reward the staff managing their lectures by giving them two months' extra salary, as they would soon be returning to India permanently.
Back in India, their father had already begun searching for suitable marriage proposals for the three of them—Ina, Mina, and Radhika. He carefully looked for well-educated, disciplined boys from respectable families, preferably those involved in business. After shortlisting several candidates, he sent their photographs and details in a parcel.
The next day, the parcel was opened. Their uncle took out the photographs and showed them to everyone gathered in the hall. On the back of each photo, it was clearly written: "This is for Ina," "This is for Mina," and "This is for Radhika." Each girl received three to four options.
They were given the freedom to choose one or two from the options, while their father would further investigate the character, behavior, and family background of the boys.
As they sat together, the three friends carefully looked through the photos. However, a question arose in their minds.
"How can we judge a person just by looking at a photograph?" they asked their uncle.
Smiling, the uncle replied, "That's a very good question. When we return to India next month, we will arrange three gatherings—one for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for dinner. We will invite each family separately. This will give you enough time to observe them closely."
He paused and added thoughtfully, "And not just that—we will also give them a surprise visit to their homes. That way, we can see how they behave naturally, without any preparation."
The girls felt reassured by this plan. With excitement and curiosity in their hearts, they continued discussing and imagining the days ahead, as their journey toward a new chapter of life slowly began to unfold.