Her
For the wedding i wear the green saree that i took. This one makes me look fat and pretty at the same time.
Maama wears a white with white silk shirt and veshti like all the other cousins but in my eyes, only he looks the most handsome.
The wedding gets over properly. Karthi and Divya couldn't stop smiling.
After all the rituals us cousins take the couple along with the photo and videographer to our farm for the post wedding photoshoot.
We all laugh and tease them during this as they try various poses. I feel happy but the sadness of not having experienced all of this lingers in one corner of my heart.
At last we take on final shot with all the cousins together.
Just as the cameraman starts to pack up maama calls him.
"Take one photo of us" he says to him. This not only surprises me but also the cousins who start teasing us now.
We strike the same pose as yesterday but this time his hand is on my shoulder as we stand side by side.
"Send the photos from yesterday and today to my mail id. Note it down" he says as soon as the cameraman lowers the camera.
I blush as i follow behind him and the others.
As soon as we go home, all of us girls start getting Divya ready for the first night as the guys take care of the bedroom decoration.
After we send Divya to Karthi's room, i go to mine.
This again made me sad since it still hasn't happened to me and maama. We haven't done anything more than a side hug.
After that things go back to normal. Divya and Karthi go on honeymoon to the maldives for a week and return.
It is almost a month and it is an afternoon in college. I get a call during lunch from my appa that he is waiting for me outside and that atha is admitted in the hospital.
We rush to see her and upon reaching i see maama sitting near atha's bed, sad and heartbroken.
"What happened maama ?" i ask as i place my hand on his shoulder.
"Cancer" he says, looking at me with red teary eyes, his voice completely broken.
I hug his head to my stomach before releasing. Atha has been complaining about stomach pain and seems like she vomited blood all of a sudden today.
That night the house is still with silence as we all sit together in the hall.
"I am taking amma to UK for treatment. I have already lost my dad and the last thing i want to do is lose her" he says.
"But your village head position ?" asks appa.
"I am resigning. I won't be able to do my duty properly as a village head while being in UK. I would only be able to take care of amma and help with the business" he says. staring into the distance."
"But Jay--" starts one of our uncles.
"No perippa, my only priority now is amma" he says shutting his mouth.
After that nobody opens our mouth. The next week maama gets completely closed off and only concentrated on packing all the necessary items and dresses and booking tickets, appointment and all of that.
Since maama's father bought a house in UK for maama when he was studying there, they wouldn't have any problem with accomodation.
Maama has barely even looked at any one of us the whole week. Only atha has been trying to convince us to convince maama so that she could stay here itself for her treatment but all in vain cause it is impossible to even try convincing maama.
As we all get ready to send atha and maama off and get in the cars to reach chennai maama's voice makes me stop from getting inside Karthi's car along with atha.
"Come with me" he says as he drags me to his jeep. Just me and him in his jeep alone. This is literally a dream come true moment for me.
First five minutes of the ride is silent. It will take us hours to reach chennai let alone arrive at chennai airport so this is going to be a rather long drive.
"En mela kovama irukkiya ? (Are you mad at me ?)" he asks breaking the silence finally.
"Cha cha (no)" i say, looking out the window.
"Yen ?(why not ?)" he asks surprised.
"I am sure sad and a little hurt but maama what you have taken is the right decision. Atha needs to get well, that is all that we need now" i say looking at his serious face.
"Yes, that is all that I want Mayil uu. I can't bear the thought of losing her now. That is why I am taking her to one of the best cancer hospitals in the world. If i could i would take you. But it is only a few months before you complete your college and get a job. It would be the correct timing. I would hopefully be back by then with amma. I don't want your studies getting ruined. What you are doing right now is more than just that. You and I both know it. That is why Mayil, please don't take this in a wrong way" he says, his voice emotional.
"Of course not maama. I want to accompany you both more than anything in this world but it is impractical" i say making him nod.
The rest of the ride we listen to songs, forgetting all of this sadness for a few hours.
Upon reaching the airport and parking the jeep, maama turns to me from his seat.
"Mayil, i don't know when i will return or in which condition. I can only hope, just like you. During this time, feel free to call and text me. I would wait for times like that. Maybe we would be countries apart but i will still be Pandian and you will still be Mayil. If we are not able to talk i will text you. I will always be there if you need any help okay ?" he asks.
"I will wait for you maama" i say with a bitter smile before we get down.
I give atha one last hug before going back to the jeep and crying my eyes out.
I told everyone that i do not feel well but i think the cousins knew.
After half an hour everyone returns and i get into Karthi's car and cry my eyes out to Divya and him while Adhi and some other cousins travel in maama's jeep.
"Did he say anything about me ?" i ask.
"He asked us to take care of you while he is gone and also one more thing but i am not supposed to say it now" Karthi says but i am too weak to ask him what the other thing is so i just sit there, thoughts clogging my brain.
Luv ya'll ❤️
