While sitting in Miss Smitha's class with Hari, I couldn't find peace.
"Does she really loves me?" I asked.
"Who?" Hari inquired, not taking his eyes off Miss's body.
"That girl..."
"Will she dislike you and live in your house listening to the things that come out of your mouth?"
"So, she really likes me?"
He must have noticed the change in my speech and summed up all the answers with a twisted look.
"Hey, I thought..."
It seemed he didn't hear what I said because he was completely distracted. I called him.
"What, dear?"
"I was thinking..."
"What?"
"About that girl..."
"And then?" Hari asked anxiously.
"And what... I can't make up my mind. She's beautiful, she's good, she's poor... No one else has ever understood me like she did, as you once said. But... something..."
"Whatever? If you like her, you should tell her. She's your wife, after all."
"That's all right. But..."
"What do you mean now? I don't understand. Do you like her or not?"
"I'll go and tell her..."
"What?"
I knew Hari was getting anxious.
"Even if father comes, don't go with him..."
"Nice decision, bro..."
Perhaps out of joy, he raised his voice a little when he said it. His voice echoed through the class.
Hari's face was happier than mine when he heard Miss Smitha's screams and walked out of the class. I didn't know if it was because he remembered that his friend was getting a better life or if he was happy that I was stuck.
"Dude, I already had a doubt that you like her. Driving to college together, going to Pollachi together... What was that... and then whatever you said, you only had to talk about her. After all, after your performance yesterday, I was sure. Look. You carved it correctly."
Finally, Hari turned me into a lover by transforming the love for Devu that I had somewhere inside me into a reality. I bowed my head before him with the composure of a captive.
"How can I go and present to her? I am afraid of what she will think after I go and tell her."
"What to think? Why are you afraid? No one else, isn't she your wife... Be brave and go."
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 🗑️ 🗑️ 🗑️ 🗑️ 🗑️ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Gathering the newfound courage provided by Hari, I entered the house. As I stepped in, my gaze was drawn to the sister-in-law's room. I felt a yearning to see her... to see her through the eyes of my newfound lover. No sound echoed from the room. Slowly, I made my way to the kitchen. There, I found my sister-in-law.
"Ah, arrived?"
My sister-in-law inquired upon seeing me.
"What are you doing in the kitchen today?"
"Where is she?"
"In the room. What?"
"Is she okay?"
"Mm..."
I sensed an unusual seriousness in my sister-in-law, perhaps prompted by my inquiry. Their expressions hinted that something was amiss.
"Did Mom not come?"
"Beyond."
I headed straight to the sister-in-law's room. It seemed to be locked from the inside, and my attempts to open it proved futile. Assuming Devu might have fallen asleep in that room, I walked past the sister-in-law's room to check if she had awakened. There was no sign of her. She might still be tired from the previous day.
Sometime during the night, I ventured outside the room upon hearing her voice. I descended in front of my mother and returned without uttering a word. She was absent at dinner, and I was left in the dark about what had occurred. I half-expected my sister-in-law to forcibly bring her to me, but that didn't happen today either. Previously, when I aimed to stay out of sight, she remained unmoving before me. Yet today, when I yearned to see her, she wasn't even within my line of sight. My bad luck. Silence enveloped everyone today. I paid little attention to Mother, as it had been a while since she engaged in conversation with me. However, today's silence persisted until my usually talkative sister-in-law. I had no clue about what was happening. After having dinner, I went in front of the TV, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Unfortunately, there was no result. My mother used to approach me when I played with the remote control and changed the channel.
It had been a long time since my mother spoke to me or came close to me due to lingering anger from that incident. As my mother approached, I stood up and prepared to leave.
"Nandu..."
Mother's call—after days—a loving call. I don't know if it was due to happiness, but my eyes watered. Turning to look at my mother, I moved closer as she called me. I felt elated and rushed to my mother's side, embracing her.
"What, Mom?"
As I rested my head on my mother's breast like a baby, she caressed me with her hands.
"Why?"
"I know what I did was wrong. I'm sorry, Mom..."
"Wasn't it our fault?" I was momentarily shocked by my mother's response. I gazed at her, uncertain of her meaning. By that time, my sister-in-law had also joined us.
"Do you think we conspired to hang a slum girl on your head for a wrong we didn't commit? Are you angry with us?" I was startled by my sister-in-law's question, but I grasped something—they all knew everything.
"Devu, she revealed everything," my sister-in-law clarified, providing an answer to my doubts.
"What an unforgivable mistake we all made toward you. We didn't realize that we gave you a life you didn't like. Your mother should have listened to what you had to say, right..." My mother's words seemed filled with guilt. It was then I noticed Devu peering from the kitchen door.
"No, Mom, I'm not blaming anyone—Mom, Devu, anyone. Everything is my destiny. I am at peace..."
"No, son... a life without love brings no happiness to anyone—not to you, Devu, or anyone."
Before I could finish speaking, my mother interjected.
"My son, I understand Devu might not be accepted. So, let's send her back to her home as per your wish."
To be continued...