The backup Bride

Flash back number 1

16/10/2015 - Sunday - Morning 9 a. m. At Tambaram, Chennai. ( Rajiv's house)

Shiva's P. O. V :

"Rajiv appa, where are you? " mom screamed at the top of her lungs.
( Appa - dad)

"What happened?" Dad shouts back. I woke up shuddered and looked at the clock.

It was only 9 in the morning. She usually shouts after 10. She saw the electric bill I hope.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up on my bed.

"How can he do this to us? " I heard my mom sobbing. Has someone died or what?, must be that old grandpa who was my mom's uncle.

I tug my hair and walk swiftly to the living room. Mom and Dad were sitting on the couch looking at a piece of paper.

" What happened? " I asked half asleep.

Dad handed the paper to me.

That was the first atom bomb "Little boy" dropped on my life. My oh so perfect brother had runaway from home leaving a dramatic note to our parents.

"To Amma Appa,

I am sorry for doing this to you. But it's time I took my life in my hands. I need my job and I still love Prerna. I am blessed for the love and care you showed me. I promise, this is only till you realize my dreams and respect them too. " The letter was scribbled by him.

" It's all your fault. I told you from day one to not spoil him. " My dad shouted at mom.

"Don't blame me, it was you that forced him to look after the shop. He always wanted that IT job. " Mom shouts back.

"Don't act too smart. You forced him to marry your brother's daughter. That's why he ran away. " Dad fires back.

" I am telling you, this is all that Bangalore girl's black magic, she has trapped our son and brainwashed him. Poor Rajiv is going to suffer with her. "My mom cried.

I knew my brother and he was not the type who would escape from his responsibilities. Maybe it was all because of the fear of getting married to Anjali. No human in Earth should have that fate.

I scrunch my nose and look at them.

" Has someone tried calling him? " I ask them.

" Yes, I did. He is not stupid to keep that old number." Mom said.

"Let it be that way. He has decided his life.Now we will decide ours. From now, we don't have two sons. It's only Shiva. " Dad said.

Mom sobbed and ran into her room.

Dad turned to me and patted my shoulder.

"It's your job to keep up the family honour now. I know we didn't expect your brother to do this. But I hope you are different. " My dad said and smiled at me.

" What would I tell my brother now? That Rajiv ran away and Shiva will marry Anjali? " I heard my mom crying in her room.

Dad walked into the room to console my mom.

And that was the atom bomb number 2 , "Fat man", the effect of two atom bombs on Tambaram. My dad didn't smile at me without a cause and I knew what was behind that. I also knew my mom's next plan.

That moment the 21 year old jobless me knew that life was not going to be the same anymore.