MARRIED TO UNCLE

"Suhana baby get up and brush your teeth."
My mother Rashmi patted my face to wake me up.
I opened my eyes and she smiled at me. She had such a beautiful smile that I smiled back.
I got up from my bed , brushed my teeth. My Mom gave me bath and put on my school uniform and took me down stairs to the dining room.
My uncle Ranveer was sitting at the dinning table enjoying his breakfast.
I left my mom's hand and ran towards him , he laughed and picked me up. I sat on his lap.

"Suhana please sit on your chair. Let Ranveer eat his breakfast peacefully". My mother reprimanded me.

" It's ok my dear Didi (sister). I love to feed her. She is my only niece. She deserves all my love and attention. Right Suhana?." He said and bend down to kiss my cheek. I turned my face for him to kiss me. He kissed my cheek with his wet lip and I cleaned my cheek with my hand which made both of them laugh.

"She doesn't like to be touched by men... Whenever we go to super market. Men and women touch her cheeks. She doesn't mind women or young girls . But slaps the hands of men and boys. " Her mother told him proudly.

"Sorry princess. Next time I won't kiss you." Said my uncle.

"You are my uncle. You are not a stranger. You can kiss me." I told him and turned my head and kissed him on his cheek. My first ever kiss to my 19 years old uncle.
I saw a surprised look on both my mother and my uncle. Then he reciprocated by kissing me back. This time I did not wipe my cheek and gave him a sweet smile.
He started feeding me despite my mother kept telling him , "She is seven years old and she prefers to eat her breakfast by herself. No need to feed her."

He ignored her pleas and continue feeding me. After finishing my breakfast I wiped my mouth with tissue paper and got down from my uncle's lap.

It was time for me to leave for school so I wished my uncle goodbye and turned towards my mother to take me to my school.

My uncle asked my mother, " Can I drop her to her school? It will give me more time to be with her as I won't be here when she comes back from school."

My mother looked at me to know if it was ok for me. I left her hand and walked towards my uncle and held his hand.

My mother smiled and gave my bag pack to me and handed over the car keys to my uncle .

He took to the keys from her and the bag pack from my hand and told my mother, "Didi let me carry the bag . As long as I am with her I won't let my princess any weight."

"Ranveer, you will be leaving for abroad for higher studies. Don't even know whether you will come back or settle there. How do you think of helping her by carring weight for her? " My mother said in a sad voice and tears flooding her eyes.

Uncle took my mother in his arms and wiped her tears. "Didi as soon as I finish my studies I will come back . That's my promise. I am leaving for abroad for higher studies to fulfill my grandfather's wish. You know I can't hurt him. He had taken care of me when I became orphan. Whatever I am today is because of him. I have great respect for him. His wish is my command."

"I know that very well. I know what a strong minded person our grandfather is. It shook him badly when he lost both his children, your father and my mother in an accident. I was 18 and engaged to Shekhar. But you were only ten years old. He forgot his pain of losing both his son Prakash , your father and Pramodini my mother . "

I was watching both of them. I know that both of them were sad at heart but didn't quite understand what they were talking about.

I cleared my throat and said, "Uncle shall we leave now otherwise I will be late and the Principal :Joshi sir will send me back home.

"Sorry princess. Just got carried away. " He took my hand and said, I will help you reach the school before time."

He nodded at my mother and we left for school.

In the car he told me that he would be out of India for six years . He told me he will miss me and my mother as we are the only relatives whom he can call his own including his grandfather who is my great grandfather.

"Why doesn't my great grandfather visit us ." I inquired.

"You are too young to understand this Princess. But when you grow older your mother will tell you all about this. "

We reached the school. My Uncle quickly got down and opened the car door of my side. He helped me get down from the car.

We walked towards my school. He carried my bag pack. When we reached near the school gate He put the school bag on my shoulder. I said bye to him and waved my hand at him .

He bend down to kiss me. I wanted to kiss him so I pouted my lips and turned my face to kiss him on his cheek.

Somehow instead of landing on his cheek my lips landed on his lips. The time stopped for me. I saw him opening his eyes wide with surprise. We kept looking at each other.

He picked me up and held me close and then kissed me on my cheek and put me down. He slapped on my back side and told me to go.

I started walking towards out school's main gate. After entering inside I turned back.

He was standing where I left him watching me go. I waved at him and he waved back.
I turned and proceeded towards my class.

Ranveer's POV

I watched her walking away from me. I kept watching her till she reached the gate. I wanted her to look back at me. But she entered the gate without looking back. Then she stopped and turned back and waved at me. I waved back her. She turned and walked ahead without looking back. I stood there watching till she disappeared from my sight.
I turned back and walked towards the car. Wondering when I come back after six years Suhana would be thirteen years old. Will my teenage niece have the same attachment for her 25 years old uncle?

( Dear readers ,this is a story of a neice getting married to her maternal uncle as per the tradition in southern states of India.
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