Entwined Lives

XVI

Ms.Mytla came back home that night. They were going to wait until their results came out, Gapo and Ms.Mytla. At least with those grade sheets they could go on make a life for themselves independent as adults.
The results were to come out at the end of May. It was still March.

Days went by feeling like years for the two. Ms.Mytla was drowned in guilt of deciding against her parents. Anything that she was was because of them. And she was going to run away from them smashing their dreams for her and more importantly respect. Every time her parents smiled at her something inside her faded, died. She felt as though no one could save her from whom she was becoming. 'How could I ever elope? Leaving behind where I come from. Was it mere responsibility of having a child that my parents have loved me? Yeah, I believe the gift of education that they've given me wasn't a privilege but a right. But... even if they hadn't given me to practice the right no one would have demanded how they dared to. And yet they gave me the gift of individualism. Which I am about to use against them. Is that just? Is that even human?'

There was still a 2 months wait before Ms.Mytla could forever unite with gapo. Like expected, Ms.Mytla's parents and brothers had started looking for suitors for her. This process of selection worked in steps. First, both the families met in the presence of the chosen to be bride and to be bridegroom. Then, their destiny cards were compared in the presence of a priest to see whether their children are compatible for lifelong marriage. If not, the relation was immediately cancelled. If compatible, the families went ahead and conducted an engagement ceremony where the to be bride and bridegroom exchanged rings. Then finally, conventionally a few weeks later the wedding ceremony took place where the to be bride and bridegroom walk around a sacred pit of fire completing 7 complete rounds, each signifying a promise made to each other to become wife and husband. And then, the bride moves into her husband's house, completing the ritual of bonding two souls in marriage for eternity. This entire process takes any time from 3 months to a year in usual cases.

Ms.Mytla only had to be with her family for 2 months before she could escape the forced matrimony. She had no worries pertaining to this. All she worried about was her decision to leave her family for her chosen love. She worried if it was the wrong choice. She had no doubts of Gapo. It was just her. She was scared she would repent oh her decision and then ruin life for gapo too. And even her parents suddenly seemed very kind and loving and accepting in their own limits. One day when Ms.Mytla was just sitting in her own room and reading a book, her mother came, sat down next to her and sincerely asked her if she was fine with the situation of things and then explained to her that she wanted for only her daughter's benefit. Of course, Ms.Mytla knew that was only a dialogue. But she was touched by the effort put into the action. It was though everything, everyone in her village had been transformed to fill Ms.Mytla with guilt as though they knew about the decision she took.

'Mytla, do you want anything?'
'I love you, Mytla.'
'We want only the best for you.'

All of sudden, concern was all that they ever showed. Maybe, they felt bad at having to bid goodbye in a way that a hello or welcome back could never restore. For she was going to move into a different house with everything that ever belonged to her forever after marriage.Or else, they thought that she might take too drastic a step for Gapo. Suicide maybe. But she did take a drastic decision. Elopement.

A match was selected. For Ms.Mytla. A small shop owner's son from Bangalore. The meeting was scheduled for the 10th of April. Always, the chosen bridegroom's family came to bride's house for the auspicious meet. And in that order, they did come. He, the chosen bridegroom, and his parents.

His name, Belot.

*****

'My mother needs to give up.'
Sivi's mother had to give up these trust issues regarding Sivi and stop imposing herself on her daughter. It was slipping small amounts of sanity out of Sivi's mind. How could she impose measures to stop a mistake from happening that had already happened? It was silly of her to expect the same mistake out of her daughter. And her way of feeling safe of having her daughter in her control and a mistake to happen in her hand's grasp away of happening, was dangerous. Somehow, a mind for safety attracted danger.
Sivi had had enough of this arbitrary use of authority. Her father was of no help. Not that she had ever directly approached him with concern of her mother. But he was satisfied in his mind with what he thought his world to be. No imperfection existed for him, at least not one concerning the small happy family of his. She didn't blame him too. He had been through a lot and still worked through it alive, if not stronger. Everything was in place for him. Even if he did find something shifting places in disorder he maintained his calm still believing it was a necessary only minor adjustment for better placements that had to, complying to the law of nature, change. Nothing could shake up his world. Not again, not in the world in his mind. But of course, his daughter did.

'How?'
was the question. What would make that misled lady stop strangling the life out of her daughter. One side had to subside for anyone to resolve to life as it was meant to be lived. And Sivi seemed in no mood to herself resign. It was her mother's turn. Not that she was ready to too.

'What if I ran away.'
What her mother was trying to hold Sivi from doing seemed like the only option left to leave from the chains that she could feel around her hands. Except not with someone. Just herself alone. There anyway was nothing precious enough to keep her there, in Bangalore. She could make a new life for herself. Some life where stupid meaningless people and practices were out in the trash catching dust outside her own house in her own life. She could leave it all behind. There was no one who was making life worthwhile there. All were just ruining it. Snatching away reasons of life, making it all seem a petty time pass, as humans anyway existed... Except for one. Maybe. Poso. He was one who didn't make it any worse than it really had to be. Sometimes even, making life then bearable and hopeful. But it still wasn't worth it. Years more in.. in... a bad place for the life.

'I am going to run away.'