Here After!

Chapter 2: Her Tale

I am Anannya Anand, affectionately known as Anu to those around me. Our family comprises Mom, Dad, my two siblings, and myself. Unlike many older siblings burdened with familial responsibilities, I have been fortunate to avoid such obligations. However, as I approach my late twenties—soon to be 27—my unmarried status weighs on my conscience, particularly as it concerns my younger siblings. My brother Anish, at 25, is committed to his childhood sweetheart and awaits my approval, while my sister Anitta, aged 23, has already chosen her path with a colleague. From Anish's perspective, Anitta is not an obstacle, as she has already found her path.

Our father, Anand, is a retired school headmaster, and our mother continues her service as a school teacher. Their dedication to education has not gone unnoticed—both Anish and I pursued engineering and now thrive in the IT industry, while Anitta embarked on a fulfilling teaching career.

My childhood!

Because our parents were not overly traditional, they made the decision to enroll us in a school where we could experience childhood without the burden of being known as the children of teachers. This meant attending a different school where our parents were not part of the teaching staff. Consequently, we blended in with the other students, indulging in typical childhood mischief and occasionally facing reprimands that warranted parental involvement. As the eldest among us three, I bore a bit more responsibility, but we still managed to have our share of fun. 

Merin has been my closest friend since our school days, along with two others who completed our little gang: Lakshmi and Mariya. We were inseparable, attending the same tuition classes, sitting together, and navigating life's ups and downs side by side. While Lakshmi and Mariya had been in a relationship since school, Merin nursed a crush on a boy, keeping her attention elsewhere. As for me, I remained unattached and uninterested in romantic entanglements—until it happened.

My own brief foray into love and heartbreak occurred during eighth grade when a classmate named Arjun confessed his feelings for me. Our two-month relationship opened my eyes to many things, especially Arjun's tendency to dictate aspects of my life, attempting to mold me into his ideal. This controlling behavior became unbearable, leading to a confrontation where I expressed my grievances. Unfortunately, my refusal to conform bruised his ego, leading to our breakup.

Despite my attempts to maintain civility, Arjun remained cold and indifferent towards me for the next two years, even as we shared the same school environment. Reflecting on those times now feels almost comical. After college, I encountered Arjun once more, witnessing his apparent happiness with a new girlfriend. The last time I saw him was during his wedding, a reminder of how life had moved forward for us all. As my former classmates settled into married life, I couldn't help but feel like the last singleton standing.

Our lives were proceeding smoothly until they were suddenly disrupted. While the rest of the family embraced the change, I found myself struggling to adjust. The disruption came in the form of a proposal from Pradeep and his family, colleagues of my sister. Their urgency stemmed from Pradeep's impending departure to the US in four months, necessitating a wedding within one or two months prior. While everyone welcomed the alliance, the issue lay with me. As the eldest daughter was still unmarried, Dad felt it would be unfair to proceed with my sister's marriage first. He declared that if a suitable groom were found for me, there would be no objection.

However, I find myself unprepared for marriage, particularly within such a short timeframe. While I have not experienced a romantic breakup, I have had my share of love disappointments. These experiences taught me that relationships often entail sacrifices and compromises, which I found challenging. After one such disappointment, I realized that love and commitment may not be suitable for me. For someone like me, marriage within two months feels like an insurmountable challenge. Yet, I cannot disregard my family's wishes. They have afforded me ample time for personal growth, and rejecting this proposal risks straining my relationship with my siblings.

When my parents raised the topic of my marriage with our extended family and friends, everyone seemed determined to find a suitable match for me, including my siblings. Unlike them, I wasn't as eager to rush into marriage. Due to my adherence to US time shifts for work, my mornings were reserved for meeting potential suitors, with families visiting regularly for matchmaking sessions. However, it seemed that in most cases, if I liked someone, they didn't reciprocate, and vice versa. Even when mutual interest was present, horoscope mismatches became a recurring obstacle. As these days passed, I found myself increasingly sleep-deprived.

One Sunday morning, we visited our mom's elder sister's family, who were hosting some family functions. Given that it was a Sunday, the three of us were instructed to attend the function without fail. Conversation flowed, and inevitably, the topic of my marriage came up. One of the uncles present mentioned that a family within his friend circle was also in search of a suitable match and suggested that Dad could reach out to them. Upon learning that the guy's mother was a teacher, Mom seemed particularly intrigued—after all, teachers might share a special affinity for one another! Things quickly fell into place as the uncle placed a call to them, and they agreed to visit us that evening, as the weekdays were busy for the guy. With no objections from anyone, we bid farewell to our relatives and headed home to make preparations.

We arrived home in the afternoon, and within an hour, they arrived. A woman, whom I assumed to be his mother, entered first, followed by another woman, presumably his sister, accompanied by two children, and a man whom I assumed to be the prospective groom. Having glimpsed them through the kitchen window before entering the house, I observed their initial conversation. By the time I was called out, they had already engaged in a substantial amount of discussion. As Mom served tea and snacks to everyone, I remained in the background, feeling somewhat ignored as they conversed. Dad explained to them the reason behind our urgency in finding a groom. After some time, someone inquired if he had anything to say to me, to which he responded that we would proceed if our horoscopes matched. This declaration came as a relief to me, as I had a feeling that things wouldn't progress further. I didn't pay much attention to the details of the guy's profile, as I felt he was too good for me and we wouldn't be a suitable match.

Over the next two days, there was no communication from anyone, leaving me with the impression that Dad was quite fond of the prospective groom and his family. However, I couldn't help but feel resigned to the fact that everything would unfold according to his plan. These two days passed relatively smoothly, as there were no matchmaking visits to contend with. Then, on Thursday morning, upon returning from work, I was greeted by Mom's joyful expression, as if she had been eagerly awaiting my return to share her happiness. She explained that the previous evening, the family had called to inform us that they were willing to proceed with the match, as our horoscopes were deemed to be compatible.

At present, I am undergoing the emotional process of readying myself for the upcoming chapter in my life and the adjustments it will entail. I am grateful that my siblings, their partners, and my parents are all supportive of Gireesh's proposal. I recognize that my parents are particularly pleased, having conducted a preliminary background check on his family and receiving positive feedback. As for my siblings, their happiness may stem from the resolution of any potential obstacles in their paths. Initially, I harbored some reservations, but witnessing the joy in my parents' eyes alleviated my concerns, ultimately prompting me to embrace the situation.