Gowrigaatha - A love story [Completed](The story of Gowri)

12. Changes

The day before their wedding, Vasudev had gone to the timber mill and came back to find his sister Lakshmi in his room with her baby.

"When did you come?" he asked brightly as he picked up his niece and kissed her.

"Just a few hours ago etta", she said in a serious tone.

"What's the matter?" he asked her as he kept the baby on the bed and tickled its tummy.

"Why are you getting married?" she asked.

He was confused as he looked at her.

"Etta, why are you sacrificing yourself for the peace between the families. They are literally forcing you to get married to a girl you don't even know. Besides, you wanted to marry Smitha chechi", she said.

Vasudev motioned her to close the door of his room which she did and she sat down next to him. He understood that at least his sister cared about what he felt. Nobody in his family or the people who arranged his marriage had cared to ask him. Even though he had planned everything, it was only his sister who cared about what he felt. He noted in his mind to email Smitha about his wedding.

"Smitha is a closed chapter now. And who told you I don't know her?" he asked.

"What? You have seen her? You know her?" asked Lekshmi.

"I have seen her four or five times" he replied.

"Really? How is she?" asked Lekshmi excitedly.

"Her temper is on her nose and she is funny and kind-hearted " replied Vasudev.

"How do you know, tell me in detail", she said.

Vasudev recounted the time he saw her in the temple, on the field with the bull, when the bees attacked and the time Sreekumar kidnapped her. He skipped the part where Anand was involved.

Lekshmi squealed with laughter at the funny stories and was serious when the kidnapping came up.

"So this is an Urvashi shaapam upakaram senario?" she asked him with a smile. (Curse turned to a blessing scenario).

Vasudev smiled, at least one person is happy about his impending marriage.

"Then I am happy for you brother, I was already sad about Anand. I could not bear to see you sacrificing yourself as well", she said. "But Etta, nobody in this family will like her. She will be living in hell. Savitri valiyamma was saying such bad things about her and her family.

"So you have no animosity against Kalarikkal family?" asked Vasudev.

"Don't you feel its an absurd move from Pranav to kill Anand and leave his dead body on the dam that he is building, on the day of an inspection. It seems so manufactured", she replied. "Anyhow, my future ettathi will have nothing to do with it".

Vasudev nodded, even he wasn't that convinced that Pranav, a very clever person would do such a stupid thing.

"Don't tell these to anyone else", said Vasudev.

"I know, and etta, don't let Sreekumar near this house after you get married. What he had tried to do to ettathi, it will be uncomfortable for her to meet him", said Lekshmi.

"I know, I already told Achachan not to invite him, he is furious with me now", said Vasudev.

"By the way, how does my future ettathi look like?" she asked naughtily.

Vasudev could not help but give a shy smile as he said, "Like a lighted sparkler".

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