Oh, Be My Dawn, Sweet Heart! (Only Sample)

2. Imayal

Authors PoV

It is a beautiful summer morning in Adiyur in coimbatore district. The sun has just started to spread his hands to hug the fields and greens of the village. Imayal pulled her blanket out and reached for her phone on the side table where it was making the annoying tring-tring sound informing her of the 50 clock in the new morning. She got down from the bed and went straight to the backyard where the restrooms are.

After her morning routine, she went to the front of the house draped in a purple half-saree, bottle green blouse and skirt, her hair rolled in a bun with a white towel. She had a silver bowl, a bucket full of water and a broomstick and opened the door letting the suns rays wash the house. She kept the silver vessel on the doorstep and washed the front porch, swept the floor and made it ready for her beautiful rangoli. When she was done drawing her rangoli with rice flour, Muthu came in his bicycle with the milk can.

Good morning, Imaya. Beautiful design as usual. He greeted her.

Good morning, anna. Thank you. She ran to the doorstep to get the silver vessel.

Its Rs.750 for the milk last month. He said while pouring milk in her vessel measuring a litre in his cup.

I will let appuchi (grandpa- moms dad) know, anna. You will get your money tomorrow. She told him and walked into the house with the milk, bucket and broomstick.

Good morning, Imaya. Her grandma Manickammal greeted her as she emerged from her room.

Good morning, ammachi (grandma- moms mom). Hot water is ready for you in the bathroom. Your tea will be ready when you come out. Imayal told her with a calm smile on her lips.

Don't wake up appuchi, dear. He slept very late yesterday. His leg cramps didn't let him sleep all night.

Oh no, I will soak fenugreek seeds and will make the paste for his leg cramps. She told her grandma while boiling the milk. Imayal then made tea for all three of them and started sweeping their home.

Their home is a very beautiful spacious house. It has a huge front porch with a cemented verandah supported by wooden pillars. It is a tile roofed home (ottu veedu) with a big living room followed by an open space called Mutram. The mutram is a square place and has rooms on its four sides after a space like a sidewalk. Imayal stays in a room, her grandparents stay in a room straight opposite to hers. The other is the kitchen. The restrooms are in the backyard where she also has her chicken coop.

Imayal, after breakfast, started making the fenugreek paste. She first ground the fenugreek in a mixer jar and added a little water to it. She brought it to boil and when it started to get thicker, she added mustard oil in it. She switched the stove off and took it to the hall where her grandpa was sitting on his easy chair watching TV.

Appuchi, put your leg on the stool. She sat on the floor and started putting on the mildly hot paste on his knees and ankles.

Why can't you show this interest in your studies, Imaya? Our days are numbered and we would like to see you with a degree. Murugesan caressed her head lovingly.

Please, appuchi. Even though I stood on my head, I could not get it in my thick skull. I am happy living with you. I don't want a degree. You have taught me to take care of the house. I know how to work in our fields, you have given me a roof over my head and food. No studies, appuchi.

I am telling you for your own good, dear.

I know what youre talking about. Please, appuchi, I am not a kid anymore and Indar mama will never agree to this wedding.

He will not, now. He has a masters degree and you are just 12th standard. How will he marry you?

He will not marry me even if I have a masters degree.

Did he tell you that? Her granny asked her.

No, no. Except for the times when he coached me for my 12th public exams, he never talked to me. He has no interest in me, ammachi. It is not right to force him into this wedding.

She talked like Indrajit is the problem. Over the years she figured out what would stop the elders from persuading her. If she says that she doesn't like to marry Indrajit, appuchi and ammachi will never stop compromising her to marry him. Honestly, except for the fact that Indrajit is six years elder to her, which is not a big issue in her village, there is nothing she can point to, to avoid this wedding.

She knows that Indrajit is the heart-throb of her village. All her schoolmates often talk about him and his looks. She had heard the girls that come to her fields for work, talk about Indrajit and admire his laughs. They all even have thrown jealous looks on her as everyone in their village knew about the talk about their wedding. Besides his looks, Indrajit doesn't have any bad habits that she knows of. He is now looking after the rice mill and sugarcane mill. He is wealthy and handsome all at the same time.

But is this enough for a wedding to happen between them? Everyone says YES. But she thinks otherwise. She knows very well that Indrajit is a playboy. He is often spotted with a girl in his mills or fields. She herself has seen him with her schoolmates. He would talk to them and laugh with them. He is not the right man for her. The man she imagines must be a rugged man on the outside and a loving man on the inside. He should shower her with love and spoil her with his time with her. He should only see her and her beauty. He should admire only her. He should reciprocate all the love she gives him only a thousand times more. He should make her feel suffocated in his absence.

Thats definitely not him! She said it out loud to her chickens in the backyard.

Did you say something? Gayathri asked her.

Um.. no. I didn't say anything. Imaya told her while putting her chickens in the coop as it was evening.

Pch, you always talk to yourself. Now listen, One of my friends from college was talking about diploma courses. It was nothing much, Imaya. Just like our 12th standard. There are many courses. She was talking about one that remembered you to me. It is a two years course. Diploma in physiotherapy.

God, why can't anybody understand that it is not easy for me? Only in the morning did I say the same to appuchi and now it's your turn? I am so glad that you are going to college but don't try to force it down my throat.

Oh, calm down, Imaya. No one would believe me if I said that you shouted at the top of your voice. It just occurred to me as a good idea as you are tending to your grandpa and other elders that come to you for the same issue. A little science and knowledge could help you more. I know you enjoy doing this, why cant you take the opportunity to do it properly?

Gayu!

Wait, let me complete. You don't have to go far. The college is in Tirupur, 30minutes bus ride. The course offers you two different times, morning batch or evening batch. You can choose one which suits you better. The best part is only three days of college. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Here is the prospectus of the college and the course details. Just go through it. She shoved a bunch of papers in Imayas hand and stood up to leave.

Pch! I am happy in what I do and how I live. Why do you all want to change me to your liking?

Ok, don't change! Who cares? But, do you want to know another reason why you should study?

You will never run out of reasons, will ya?

Well, no. What if the man of your liking refuses you because you didnt study? Why give him a chance, Imai? Besides, this will help you earn. Don't you want to reduce the guilt and debt you owe to your grandparents that you talk about constantly?

Gayu, I

Or whatever you said about that guilt are just words?

No, Gayu. They are not just words, they are my emotions. Don't talk like that.

Then look at the details and make a smart move. If you love what you study, you will get it in your head easily, Imai. Besides, I know why you didn't want to finish a degree. You fear that if you have a degree your grandpa will make you marry your Indar mama. Set your fear aside, Imai. Study for your own good. Gayathri tried as much as she could and left for her house which is the next one.