Jyoti didi's wedding ceremony was mesmerizing with all the rituals, customs, and traditions.
The whole atmosphere of our house was full of joy, happiness, and excitement. There were bursts of crackers; the night sky was lit with thousands of stars and the trumpeting band of music all around.
All excited and jolly.
However, I might be the only soul who was not happy.
Why does only a girl leave her house after getting married? Why doesn't she stay with her parents forever?
This question has struck my mind more than a hundred times.
Alas! I never had its answer.
I'll never leave my parents' house after my marriage. I'll stay as long as I can, I said to myself.
As I was lost in my wandering thoughts, somebody disrupted me instantly.
'Awchach, Ahh...' I shrieked.
Somebody collided with me. I got hurt on my forehead.
For a microsecond, I saw the twinkling stars in front of my eyes. I could not blink.
I looked around to find the culprit who dared to commit such a blunder after regaining my senses.
I saw Raj. He was running and chasing the boys and girls inside the marriage pandal.
Raj was the younger brother of my newly married brother-in-law.
'He is the real culprit,' I murmured angrily. 'And nobody could dare to act like this.'
Even after hurting me, he didn't ask for any apology. How dare he? I was fuming.
From the day Jyoti didi's marriage was fixed with his brother, this mischievous Raj disturbed me, teased me, and irritated me again and again. I grumbled.
'On every occasion, he comes with his parents, brother, and relatives.'
'I hated this wicked devil,' I said.
I gnawed my teeth and held my fist.
Today, I'll chase him and teach him a good lesson, I thought.
'Tit for tat!' I affirmed.
I ran behind Raj, following him in and out, looking for an opportunity for a while.
As I got an opportunity, I sprang into action.
I pushed Raj with as much force as I could muster.
'Ahhhhhhhhhh, Ah…,' Raj shrieked.
He fell to the ground. He got hurt. His elbows and knees were bruised.
'Ahh…. You didn't notice me, Su,' Raj shouted, moaning.
'Now how do you feel, huh?' I asked triumphantly.
'You, Su?' Raj said angrily. 'You did that intentionally, didn't you?'
Raj raised my anger while calling me, "Su."
"My name is not Su," I retorted. "My name is Suman."
"Okay, okay, I know," Raj said, rubbing his bruised elbows and knees.
You gunda Raj, I thought.
"Okay, okay, now you apologize to me."
"Why?"
"Because you hurt me."
"Apologize?"
"Yes."
"My foot!"
"WHAT?"
"NEVER!"
"You have no respect for your guest?"
"You're not our guest," I said and ran.
Raj also followed me.
However, he could not chase me. He stuck with the people dancing in the marriage pandal.
He fell down, shouting aloud.
'You, Su!'
'Result of bad deeds. Jaisi karni, waisi bharni….'
'I'll show you, Su.' Raj gazed at me with a revengeful look.
'Eww, eww….' I stuck out my tongue and disappeared from the scene.
Finally, the moment of Jyoti didi's farewell arrived.
Jyoti didi got hysterical. She wept. My mother wept. And the rest of our womenfolk started shedding their tears. At the beginning of the marriage ceremony, everybody was happy, jolly, and excited. There was not a single drop of tears in their eyes; then suddenly, when the final moment arrived, everybody opened their floodgates of tears.
I could not control my emotions.
'Didiiii…,' I said, weeping. 'I can't live without you.'
I felt that my heart would burst very soon and my tears would never dry up.
I hugged Jyoti didi tightly. I kissed Jyoti didi and held her hands. She kissed me back and hugged me.
Jyoti didi got inside the wedding car, and Raj accompanied her.
Raj smiled, and I shed tears.
I had no other option but to feel jealous of him. It was my misfortune that I could not do anything.
I stayed helpless, watching the wedding car of Jyoti didi leave.
Jyoti didi left our house, leaving us forever to begin her new life in a new world.
The whole night, I remembered Jyoti didi and wept bitterly.