‘And my brothers are also doing well,’ my mother said. ‘Ask Ananya what a
wedding she has attended. They gave a Santro to the groom. You may have
landed my son, but it doesn’t mean he has no value.’
Ananya imitated a stunned goldfish while I shook my head to deny
responsibility for that statement.
‘We haven’t trapped anyone,’ Ananya’s mother said finally. ‘He used to keep
coming to our house. W are decent people so we couldn’t say no.’
‘Mom,’ Ananya said.
‘Why should I be quiet and get falsely accused? We haven’t trapped anyone.
Aren’t we suffering? We all know Krish’s father is against this. Our relatives will
ask. Still we are accepting it,’ Ananya’s mother said.
‘What are you accepting? You don’t even deserve my boy,’ my mother said,
her voice nice and loud.
‘Please don’t shout. We are educated people,’ Ananya’s father said.
Are you saying we are not educated?’ my mother challenged.
‘He meant “we” as in all of us, right, uncle? We are all educated,’ I hastily put
in.
‘Will you continue to take their side and clap while your mother gets
humiliated?’ my mother asked.
‘No mom,’ I said, wondering if I had taken sides. ‘I won’t.’
Ananya’s family spoke to each other in Tamil. Uncle looked especially
distressed as he took short, jerky breaths.
‘My father is not well. We will go back to our room,’ Ananya said.
I looked at him in alarm.
“Krish, we will see you later,’ Ananya added.
‘Mom,’ I said in protest after they left.
‘What? Is there bread pudding? Let’s get some,’ she said.
nora
(Nora)
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