Accidental Mom

Chapter 4 Linthoinganbi Naorem

In the dining room of the Rodriguez Mansion Robert was eagerly waiting for his sister when footsteps were heard. Mrs. Johnson suddenly called out and invited the owner of the footsteps for breakfast.

'Lin, Good Morning. How was your sleep? Come sit down and let me feed you. You are too thin for your own good'

'What will you take? Coffee or tea?'

'Thank you Mrs. Johnson. Tea please'

Hearing that familiar angelic voice Robert looked up from his paper. It is when he heard the sound of his sister excitedly greeting his parents in the next room. Before he could make any reaction her sister ran inside the dining room with their mother Emilia hand in hand. More like Sarah dragging a healthy Emilia happily.

'Mom, come fast'

'Slow down honey, she won't run away'

His father followed behind a hyper excited mother and daughter pair.

'Mom, Dad, Bro, meet Lin, my best friend from India I told you about'

They all looked at the girl sitting in across Robert with a nervous smile. She slowly stood up from her chair and introduced herself.

'Hello Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez, my name in Linthoinganbi Naorem. You can call me Lin. Thanks for having me here'

She turned to Robert and greets him with same sweet smile.

'Hello Mr. Robert Rodriguez'

'Hello honey, you don't need to be very formal. You are like a family. You can call me Emilia or mom. Oh, mom is better. I have heard a lot about you from Sarah. It's very nice meeting you and m soooo excited to hear all about India and you of course'

'Hello dear, and call me Joseph or dad. You are like a daughter since you are my precious daughter's best friend. Welcome you the family'

'Thank you Joseph, Emilia for having me here' said Lin

'Alright, alright, enough with the formalities and welcome speech. I am quite hungry. So let's talk while having breakfast. Bro, I know you don't like talking in the middle of meals but bear with it for some days' said Sarah pulling out her tongue to his brother.

They all settle down while Mrs. Johnson serves them coffee, milk and other items for breakfast according to their preferences.

'So Lin, tell me about yourself' started Joseph.

'Umm... Mr... Joseph, I am from Manipur, a Small state in the north eastern border of India. I am 26 years old, same year as Sarah. Umm... it's my first time outside of India. I thought I could do some travelling before I got married or something like that' she said laughing softly.

'Oh...' a slight disappointed flashed across Joseph and Emilia's face but soon recovered.

'So who is this lovely boy that is waiting back at home?'

'Oh no... I don't have a boyfriend or a fiancé as of yet. My parents are still looking for one at this moment I believe'

'Do you always have an arrange marriage in India?' asked Emilia.

'Nothing like that. It might be true for some families who are still into old values but most people now-a- days are more liberated and independent in choosing their partner. Then again I can only vouch for the parts of India from which I came from. It's just that I have run out of boyfriends. And with age I don't feel like making new ones.' They all laugh at the joke.

'so what about the rest parts of India? ask Emilia.

'Although, I cannot say it's true for all regions of India now that people are more educated and liberated especially the women, arrange marriage is still practice widely especially in the rural areas. And India is mostly rural than cities and towns. But then again, Manipur, which is one among that mostly rural category have this old accepted and ritualized tradition of elopement which allows individuals to choose their own partners. Also some educated and rich high class family in the cities are sometimes more conservative than the rest and allows no compromise of old inherited family values. So I think it depends on family and their believed family values. Overall I think people are more and more liberated to do what they want and whether an arranged or love marriage becomes more of their choice than forced. Though I still believe we still have a long way to go' answered Lin seriously.

'Hmm... tell me more about this ritualize elopement you talk of' said Emilia.

'Mom and her questioning, don't mind her too much. She is an social Anthropologist so always loves talking about peoples and new cultures' said Sarah hurriedly.

'Oh... umm I think since time immemorial in Manipur, lovers are allowed to elope for the night. The next morning the families of both parties would be informed about the elopement. The elders of both the families would then start to talk about marriage following the day after. The marriage is readily accepted without any obstruction even if the match may not be ideal and unwanted except in some cases. The elders readily accept them as faith. Even in cases of arranged match, the couples are sometimes asked to elope before the talk of marriage begin'

'That's interesting'

'Yes, I think it is beautiful and worth looking at considering the fact that the position of women in most part of the world until recent is degrading. But here in some unknown part of the world the women are given more freedom to choose their own partners unlike their counter parts of the developed and legendary civilizations and empires since ancient periods. But then again there is always two face of the same coin. Often people abuse this tradition. Men often take the advantage of the tradition and forcefully elope against the women's will, since in any case once elope they are expected to be married. It's like freedom played against them'

'This conversation is not ending anytime soon' said Sarah.

'Oh...sorry I have made everyone bored'

'It's not boring' said Robert hurriedly.

The whole room felt silent and turned to look at Robert shocked. It's impossible for Robert to be interested in some stories irrelevant to making profits. Although Joseph is quite like his son who is interested in making profits ad nothing else, had already got used to his wife chatting non-stop about all those weird cultures and practices of ancient peoples and had learn to find interest in them. But Robert it's a first.

Before they could comment on anything he excused himself from the party and asked her sister to meet them in his office after her breakfast. He turned around and left.