Accidentally Married

75. Rituals

Thun approached the dinner table just as the conversation had fallen into an uncomfortable silence. He stopped beside the table and looked at the seven people sitting around it.  Something felt... strange.

The food was still warm. Everyone had plates in front of them. Yet nobody seemed particularly interested in eating anymore.

The atmosphere was so heavy that Thun almost felt as if he had walked into the middle of an argument.

He looked from one face to another. "What is going on here?"

Sailom immediately straightened in his seat. "Nothing!"

The answer came far too quickly.

Thun raised an eyebrow.

Sailom laughed awkwardly. "We were just... talking."

"About?"

Sailom's eyes darted toward Saifah before moving to Jui. "Well, we just found out that my parents have already picked out dates for Fah and Jui's wedding."

Thun's gaze immediately landed on Saifah. Then Jui.  He studied the two young men for a moment before looking around the table again. "If that is the news, why does everyone look like they just ate a fly?"

Sailom gave a nervous laugh. "Uncle Thun, you are such a jokester."

Thun slowly turned his head toward him.

Sailom's laughter died instantly. "...I was joking too."

"Good." Thun pulled out a chair and sat down at the head of the table. He casually reached for some food as though the previous conversation had never happened. "Gina mentioned it to me."

That immediately caught Saifah's attention. "She did?"

Thun nodded. "She said the Wongsrisais don't want to delay your wedding anymore." He shrugged. "I am not surprised."

Saifah exchanged a brief glance with Jui.

Jui said nothing.

Thun continued eating. "Since the marriage has been fixed, the two of you should go to the forest temple tomorrow morning."

Saifah blinked. "The temple?"

"Yes." Thun nodded. "You should make offerings and perform the rituals the priest asks you to do." He looked at them. "Whenever a marriage is fixed in this village, the couple visits the temple. They pray to the deity and ask for blessings for their marriage and a happy life together."

His tone was so matter-of-fact that it sounded like there was absolutely nothing unusual about the suggestion. "Since both of you are here, you should do it too." He didn't wait for either of them to answer. "I will arrange for someone to take you."

Saifah opened his mouth, but Thun had already moved on.

Then his eyes shifted toward Nai and Zo. "You two should go as well."

Zo looked surprised. "Us?"

"You are newlyweds." Thun gave him a knowing look. "Even though you have already married, receiving the deity's blessings will do you no harm."

Nai's face immediately lit up. "Of course."

Thun's expression softened with approval. "Good."

Zo couldn't help smiling. The idea of visiting the temple with Nai appealed to him far more than he wanted to admit. At least something about this trip was finally going his way.

"You two couples need to be ready by five in the morning."

Both Saifah and Zo looked slightly horrified at the hour.