The backup Bride

EPISODE 4

9/11/2019 - Saturday - At Chennai, Tambaram.

Shiva's P. O. V :

" The cab is here! " Appa exclaimed and hurried outside to welcome the couple.

I sat in the living room still partly hoping that it was not my brother.

Amma was preparing Aarathy for them in the kitchen. She rushed out with the plate and lit the diya.

As they both welcomed the pair inside ,I sat on the same place not moving an inch.

" Shiva, get up. Give respect to your sister in law " Dad said and I hesitantly got up.

My eyes landed on the smiling face of my brother. He hugged me and I hugged him back. He has gained weight and I can see few white hairs on his head. But his dressing was still the same.

His eyes were brimming with tears.

I wanted to punch on his face so hard that his perfect teeth would be out of place. I controlled by anger and looked at him.

" Come in, Be comfortable, this is your own home " Amma told to the girl standing behind my brother.

I looked at her and was hell shocked.

She looked at me and was frozen for a moment.

I have seen this girl somewhere. But I can't seem to remember where.

She broke away from her state and shook my hands.

" Congratulations on your wedding! " She said. She was wearing a neat saree and her hair was plaited.

I was trying to comprehend where I have seen those brown eyes and long hair.

" Have we met before? " I asked her.

" Nope! " She said with a fake laugh. She was nervous suddenly.

" Take her to your room and refresh yourselves. We have lots of work to do " Appa said to my brother.

He nodded and picked up his suitcase. My sister in law walked behind him.

His room was opposite to mine. After he left, I locked the room. As he was coming back, Amma cleaned the room again.

They both went inside their room and I walked inside mine.

I laid on my bed and looked at my phone. There was no notification of money transfer. That bastard of a client hasn't transferred the money yet.

Someone knocked on my room's door. I opened and it was my brother.

" Can I use your bathroom? " He asked with a towel in his hand.

"So your wife kicked you out of your place this soon? " I asked.

He laughed and came inside my room.

I locked the door and went back to my own position.

He sat near me and was staring at me.

I sat up and stared back at him.

" What? " I asked.

" Are you okay? " He asked.

"No " I said and laid on my bed again.

" How's your firm? Is everything going well? " He asked.

" I am running in loss. I am going to shut it down. " I said.

" Did you really accept to marry Anjali? " He asked.

And that was the point when I lost my patience. I stood up , took a pillow and pushed it straight on my brother's face.

He fell back on my bed and was shouting under the pillow.

I pushed the pillow further and his hands caught my nose.

I finally released him and he sat up breathing heavily.

" Sorry " He said in between his breaths.

I shook my head and sat beside him.

I stroked my hair with my hands and looked at him.

" You have ruined my life! " I said.

" I couldn't stay here. My education was getting wasted. I wanted to marry the girl I loved. What should I have done? " He asked me.

" Perhaps trying to face it! Not running away! " I shouted.

" That was my only choice. Amma and Appa had their ways of blackmailing me. " He said.

" For one second, for one fucking second, did you think about me? " I asked.

He raised his hands in surrender.

" I had done my Civil Engineering degree! I wanted to work in LNT. Though I didn't have any luck with love, I had dreams too. Just because you left, suddenly I had to become everything you didn't. " I said gritting through my teeth.

" What's spoiled now? " He asked innocently.

" I started my own office, but I had loans to pay. My salary was low. I betted with Appa that I will earn more than him. I couldn't. Getting clients with my design was much difficult. We had heavy competition. We couldn't do quality work.

Under all this, Anjali came out of no where. Telling me that she liked me more than you. And she wanted to marry me. She will never understand my profession. I have to spend rest of my life with her.

Amma suddenly started blackmailing that she would die if I don't marry Anjali. I am living as a puppet.

And you ask me what's spoiled?" I blurted out everything.

" Brother, I had all these problems. I chose to run away. I didn't want my life to be a result of what everyone around me wanted. I wanted freedom. " He said patting my shoulders.

" Do you know why I left you alive till now? " I asked.

He blinked at me.

" Because I fucking understand why you ran away. And you don't know how much I missed you " I said hugging him.

" Sorry " He said.

I nodded and looked at him.

" Is your wife really pregnant? " I asked laughing.

He was shocked for a moment, but it disappeared soon.

" Yes! " He said.

" During the past four years, did she come to Chennai anytime ? " I asked.

" No! She was working in Bangalore . She never had time. I was scared to bring her here. " He said.

" Ohh, okay "I said.

He got up and went inside the bathroom.

I really can't blame my brother. But I can't do what he did.

I can't run away from here.