The Normal Family

Bad day for Gopal

Rajagopal's POV

I went to see Sriram's match today, he was very good, much better than I ever was. I should have been proud because I was the one who thought him how to play football first. Instead, I felt jealous, as I too once had a chance to join the state team but had to turn it down due to my parents' demise. Later I lost interest in joining that team then I joined the same school my brothers' worked in and got to coach some random teenage boys (Yayyy). The reason I got the job there was because my rich uncle owned the school ( That was the only favor he had done for us through these years).

I wanted to take my mind of  these things so, I decided to teach the kids how to cycle. I found our old cycles from the garage. Sreeja got Krishnan's bike it was the best quality as he never rode it. (He didn't like to sweat). Srihari and even Sharada somewhat enjoyed the day. I was very disappointed when Sreeja said she was tired and wanted to go inside and learn addition instead. I always felt that my daughter will be like me and that she too will be interested in sports. Who prefers to do maths while their father is asking them to play. I only know one person like that. Krishnan.

I shared my feelings with Sathya, she told me that we should encourage our daughter to do whatever she wanted to and should not impose our interests on her. I asked her how she would feel if Sreeja hated art. She said she would not mind, but I knew she was lying.

Narrator's POV

Vijaya went to the same college as Raju and he had been trying to hint his feelings for her all year. Sadly she never realized he liked her. One day he came to her and said "Why are you still single there are a lot of nice guys in the school..

"Yeah there are a couple of cute guys in my class but they are committed." she replied. "There are some uncommitted cute guys in the third year." Raju suggested. "Oh yeah I guess there is Zachariah the mallu boy." she replied. "No, even other him....." Raju started. "Who else is there?" Vijaya asked. "Oh.. Nobody." he said dejectedly.

Akhila's POV

I got a call from my mom this afternoon. "Hi dear, don't forget to come home for lunch tomorrow, Arjun is bringing his fiancée Megha home." "Wait Fiancée? Megha? I don't understand anything." I replied. "Oh he got engaged did you not know." she asked. "Why didn't you tell me." I asked. "I thought he told you... I mean he should have." my mom reasoned guiltily. "Well he didn't." I said and hung up the call.

I felt upset he didn't tell me he was engaged that too with Megha, I thought they were just joking around. He used to tell me everything, why did he have to hide such a big thing from me, I always felt I was an understanding sister. First I ran to Sathya to see if she knew anything. She said she knew Megha was engaged but didn't know with who, she also said Megha was going to her Fiancé's house tomorrow. She knew all this but didn't know who she was engaged with. Liar.

Arjun's POV

I got engaged to Megha, 2 months ago. She helped me a lot in establishing the business and now my event planning business has proved to be profitable. I didn't tell Akhila about this because she was sure to overreact she didn't like Megha in the first place and will not try to get to know her no matter how much I try to convince her. That is why I tried to delay it until the last moment.

I didn't know mom invited her to the lunch today. I was shocked to see her there. "Hi Arjun" she said casually like a volcano about to burst. "Hi, Akhila I am happy you came to see us." I said. "Would you Care to tell me who that 'us' is" she asked. The volcano has officially erupted.

"See... I should have told you this earlier, but I knew you won't understand. You thought my business would fail and now it is successful, like I told you third is the charm. Megha is my third girlfriend, and see I am marrying her, she is actually a very sweet person, you will understand, if you try to get to know her. You always feel I am not fit to make the right decisions and that you know best but that is not true." I said. 

Akhila had prepared a retorting reply but Megha entered the room, which made Akhila shut up. The rest of the day was quite ok. Before leaving Akhila told me "I came here only for mom and dad, even though you didn't tell me anything about you and Megha." I didn't reply to this. she had the right to be mad but I knew she will soon forget about it.