Chapter 6 That Relative

Anika's PoV

"Ma, please ma. I cannot come to this festival now. My exams are very close and my project review is next week. I am still working on the output to get it more accurate. You all go. Just 2 days right. I will ask Nithu to come and stay with me." I was trying to make my mom understand that I cannot go to Tirupur with them for a temple festival.

"You are a grown up girl. How will I be at peace when you are here all alone in the house for two days?" Mom said.

"Pa... Make her understand, pa. I am not a child. I know how to cook. I can take care of myself and the house. I can manage two days without you guys. I will make Nithu come and stay here." I pleaded to my dad and he finally agreed and compromised mom for the arrangement.

They will leave on Friday evening and will be back on Sunday night. Just two nights. I can manage even without Nithu but mom will not leave me alone if not for Nithu. I texted Nithu about the arrangement and asked her to come and stay with me. Her home is just on the street behind our home and we have been buddies ever since.

I checked my mail to see if I have received any mails for the one on one interview. But there was no mail from either of the companies. I am kinda worried now. I really have to have this job when I come out of college because dad's health is not at his best. He needs rest and if and only if I get a job, it is possible.

I just opened the last mail the stalker sent me. I mistook Arun to be the stalker but when I asked him straight about the mails, he said he didn't send those emails. I was super surprised to know that he is not the stalker. Almost everything he did and said made him look like that stalker. Now I wonder who this stalker is and where did he vanish to?

'Hello Stalker,

How are you? Hope you are doing good. I am in my final semester. I used the base paper you sent me for my project. Thank you. I am shortlisted in two MNCs for the final round of interview. I am waiting for the mail from them for the date. If I am fortunate to bag a job, I will work in Chennai. These are the things that happened to me in my life these years. What about yours?

Take care.'

I composed this mail and was hesitant to send this to him. What if he didn't even remember me? I decided not to send this mail and left it as a draft.

"Hey akka, amma is calling you. A relative of Amma has come." Advay came upstairs and called me. I stood up from the compound wall and started to walk down along with him.

"Anu, bring a nice strong coffee for aunty." my mom told me as I entered the hall.

"Vaanga aunty(Come aunty), How are you?" I asked her. I have never seen her before.

"I am too good, dear. You have grown into a beautiful girl." she told me for which I smiled at her and went in to make the coffee.

"Anandhi, your daughter is so beautiful. What is she doing now?" I heard that aunty asking my mom.

"She is in her final year of college. She will finish it next month." my mom told her.

"Oh, then she is ready for marriage. There are some grooms that I know who are looking for girls. Are you ready for her marriage?"

"We are ready, akka. We have enough money for her wedding. But she wants to work for at least a year." my mom told her. I just want to pour the hot milk over that aunty's head.

"Work? If you send girls to work and if they earn enough money, they will never listen to your words, Anandhi. Grooms from our relations are not preferring girls who work in Chennai and Bangalore. They are afraid that the girls may have some affairs and love. And the western culture in those places will surely spoil our girls." that aunty told mom. That is it.

"Here, aunty. I will always listen to my mom and dad no matter where I am or what I do. I am not ready for marriage yet and my parents know what to do and when to do things for me. If you are here to see my mom, just do that. Don't talk about unnecessary things." I told her, giving her coffee.

"ANU!" my mom shouted at me.

"Whoa, Anandhi, your daughter is so talkative and I am sure she will never live a day in her in-laws home with this tongue. You will never find a groom for her in our relatives." that aunty added fuel to my mom's anger.

"Apologize to her and get in." my mom told me.

"MA..!" I hesitated to say sorry to that aunty. She was the one that talked about all unnecessary things.

"Say sorry and go inside." she was stubborn and that aunty had a satisfied smile on her face and Advay was controlling his laughs. I felt humiliated and angry.

"Sorry!" I yelled out and ran into the room.

Argh! Mom was telling her that I am going to go for a job for a year. I should have kept quiet. This humiliation is unnecessary.

"Haha, OMG! That was the ultimate scene. This is not over yet. After that aunty leaves, mom will give you tight slaps. And will tell dad about your long tongue and will stop you from going for a job. How many times have I told you to hold your tongue." Advay came in behind me laughing like a maniac.

"Shut up, Adu!" I tried to yell at him but cries stopped my words. What he said is true and has a strong possibility of happening. Mom is so strict and still lives in the 80's.

"Adu, I am scared da. That aunty was the one who talked all irrelevant things and added to my anger." I told him.

"What she said was a very usual thing. You overreacted. Do you love someone?" he asked me, which took me by shock and surprise.

"Nonsense. Nothing like that." I tried to deny him.

"Ha, don't lie akka. If you are not in love, why did you get angry when that aunty talked about your marriage? The speed that you denied the accusation itself has sold you out. Who is that, akka?" he asked me. I have nothing to tell him. How can I say no when he caught me red-handed. Besides, I might need his help to compromise mom and dad.

"Yes, Adu. His name is Arun. He has completed Msc and is now looking for jobs. He studied in my college, da." I confessed.

"So mom was right about her doubts on the help you get for your project?" he asked me and I felt so guilty. I felt I was doing something wrong.

"Adu, I like him da. You will also like him. His family is just like us. He has no dad. He has a younger sister of your age and his mom. They are of our status." I tried to justify my stand.

"You know our mom, akka. She will never accept this. She will look for caste and things like that. Why do you want to complicate things when you know the possibility of what you want is more on the negative side?" he asked me to which I had no answer. I never thought about caste and issues like that.

"If he finds himself a job, he will come with his mom and sister to our home to ask for my hand in marriage. If everything goes in the right direction, mom and dad will have no reason to deny him." I told him. I said more to myself.

"Will see all that later. Now get ready to face the impact of your tongue." he said. That is when I heard that aunty was taking leave from mom. OK, I am doomed now.

"Anu, Come out." She called for me from the hall.

"You are done!" Adu said. I walked out of the room and went to the hall and stood in front of my mom.

"Why do you want to go for a job?" she asked me out of nowhere.

"Ma?"

"Answer my question." She talked to me with a harsh and strict tone.

"To earn money, to put my studies to use, to build you a room and a toilet, to enjoy an independent life." I told her.

"And?" she looked me in the eye and I felt scared and looked down.

"That is all, ma!" I tried to tell her in a strong voice but my voice shivered when I said that. She knows that I am in love. I can sense it from her demeanor.

"I will tell you what is more. You want to drag time. You want to give your lover time to settle down." she said and walked closer to me and I swallowed the ball of fear that gathered in my throat.

"Ma!" I raised my eyes to her and felt stars circling around my head. I heard birds chirping in my ears. My cheek burns like it is on fire.

"Anandhi!" I heard my dad yell at my mom. That is when I realized that my mom had slapped me.