Tiptoeing towards love

7

Parthiban

"When is our marriage mama?" I almost choke on the food I was having at her abrupt question. We were currently perched on the couch and I was feeding her poori and potato recipe while having some for myself.

"I had promised that I would marry you right? So be patient Mozhi. I will marry you some day..." She shakes her head vigorously and swallows the food down her throat before piping up.

"Some day? You mean you will marry me when you become an old man?" I send her a tough look and stuff her mouth with a piece of poori that she receives without revolt.

"You are already 33 and so I'm not..." She rashly chews the food and tries to govern her speech. "I'm not intending to wait any longer. Marry me tomorrow itself," I stare dead in her eye, fed up with her crazy pleas.

"Mozhi, marriage is a big deal. It's not something that you can do right away whenever you wish so! It takes time to prepare the essentials of marriage.." She whines at my words.

A literal kid with a non-existent brain!

"But we can do register marriage mama. Haven't you watched it in any films? And you know mama, there is this movie where the hero ties the thaali (nuptial chain) on the girl's neck while she is praying to god in the temple. It's still considered a marriage, isn't it mama? It is a sacred bond and it doesn't always require the presence of every people we know. It just needs two people's consent and their commitment to carry forward their relationship,"

Maybe she wasn't entirely a kid and she might even possess a brain as well.

"Mozhi..." She pouts at my tentative calling. "Why are you hesitating mama? Was your promise a fake one? If not, then why won't you wed me tomorrow?" My head aches. I cannot handle her, but I have to. Apart from my sister, Mozhi is the only person who loves me genuinely and I'm all that she has in her life right now...

She has lost both her parent and I cannot bring myself to deny to her any wishes, apprehensive that I would hurt her. At the same time, I can't keep on obliging to her every desire blindly.

This marriage would be the last absurd desire of her that I would be fulfilling...

And If she were to come up with more unreasonable demands, then I would be compelled to turn a bit hard on her.

Everything has a limit and it's good If she behaves accordingly in the future and does not scrape my breaking point. She wouldn't be pleased to meet my indignant state and I hope she doesn't provoke me and render me unleash the said state of mine to her...

"Fine, we will get married tomorrow and shift to the city forthwith," Mozhi's face shimmers as sparkling as a moon and she grins widely in contentment.

At this point...I don't know where my life is heading me to.

The next day, in the Village sub registrar's office, I attested all the needed documents to register our marriage. I had informed my parents about our marriage the last night and needless to say, they were more than delighted at the news. I mean, the properties worth crores would not be transferred to an outsider anymore and would stay within our family, so why would they feel anything less than happiness, given their money-minded character?

As for my other relatives, I have asked my parents to spread the news of our marriage. They aren't likely to gossip about us not having a grand marriage as it's only been a month since my sister had perished.

Currently, we are standing in front of the officer who is checking the papers I've offered respecting our identity, age, and other necessities. On the other hand, my impatient niece keeps on complaining about her attire.

"Mama, when will you tie the thaali? This saree is very uncomfortable. The beautician sister tied the inner skirt way too tightly on my stomach. I want to change this saree soon, so hurry mama!" Mozhi says irritatedly as she pokes on my arm.

"In a few minutes Mozhi, adjust till then," she grumbles but doesn't retort anything back.

"Mama..." I raise my eyebrows questioningly at her. "How do I look in this saree?" She asks excitedly with a small hint of blush painting her cheeks.

"You look okay," I reply dryly, wanting to get over this whole marriage thing as swiftly as possible. "Hmph! You are so mean mama!" she responds bitterly and folds her hands against her chest, appearing resentful.

A while later, I forward the golden thaali towards her neck and lock it on the scruff of her neck with no emotion whatsoever. I don't feel anything distinct. I'm just at peace that I've fulfilled my sister's wish through Mozhi's persuasion to marry her.

But that is it. This marriage holds no value to me. She is still just my niece and though our bond and relationship have altered now, I will not give her the stance of my life partner.

I cannot.

After tying the thaali, we both signed for our marriage to be officially documented.

One of my childhood friends and Mozhi's father's elder sister's son signed as witnesses to our marriage.

They congratulated us on our union and went about their way while I along with Mozhi got in the car and drove to our home.

Upon attaining our destination, Mozhi hurriedly went inside her room and began to change into a more comfortable dress. And that little girl couldn't even bother closing the door. Well, I was the one who broke the bolt but still...she could have at least closed the door without locking so!

I turn away as she peels the saree from the upper half of her body. Shaking my head, I get on with dragging our luggage and loading it in the car.

"Hurry Mozhi, we need to reach the airport shortly," I shout, standing at the entrance of the main door of the house. "Coming mama!" She replies back rapidly and within seconds, I see her rushing towards me in a simple blue churidar.

"Let's go?" I ask as she comes to a stop in front of me. "Yes, mama..." Saying that she swirls her head to glimpse the interior of her home where she had spent all her childhood with her mother.

Her eyes immediately tear up and I pull her towards me by her arm and let her head slant against my chest, permitting her to cry on me.

"Mozhi, calm down...we will come here whenever you want to Mozhi," She snivels hard as I pat her hair soothingly.

"Am-ma..." She stutters, peeking up at me with tears drenching her eyes. Holding my sentiments in, I rub away the flowing tears using my thumb.

"It's okay....I'm here for you," she buries her head in my chest and we embrace each other tightly.

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