The backup Bride

EPISODE 6

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

Shiva's P. O. V:

I had a severe headache but mom forced me to come to the shopping. It was past five in the evening.

I was sitting on the living room as my brother came out with his wife.

I wanted to silence questions running in my mind. I just shut down all the running tabs on my mind and got up.

I took my bike key and wore my shoes.

" No bike today, book an ola auto " Amma said.

I grumbled and placed the key back in its place.

" He can come in his bike " Rajiv said supporting me.

" Idiot! Your wife is three months pregnant, we have to take an auto anyway. Three people can sit. Why waste money on petrol? " Amma said.

Rajiv looked at his wife with raised eyebrows and smiled.

I booked the auto and waited for the driver to reach our home.

We three sat on the auto and my parents came behind us in their scooty.

Rajiv sat in the middle. I sat on the end.

" We are going to T nagar? " Anni asked.

( anni - term for sister in law)

" Yes " I told.

" Why is he taking the Velachery route? Ramapuram would have much less traffic" She said and bit her tongue.

I stared straight at my brother. He looked at his wife with raised eyebrows. They had something going on.

Anni closed her mouth with her hand and looked at Rajiv.

" Yeah, that's what google map says! But auto anna knows the best! " Rajiv said.

I turned my head and looked away from them.

I closed my eyes and loosened my grip on the auto's frame.

Don't think anything!
She is your brother' s wife!
Her phone, her contacts, her rules!

But who saves their landline number in their own name?

She maybe preplanned our trip to T nagar, that's why she told the right route.

But I don't feel as if she saw that from the Google map, she told as if she has experienced that before.

Let it go.

Calm down.

I repeated to myself throughout our 45 minutes journey.

Our first destination was the jewellery shop.

My uncle was already waiting for us as we walked in.

" Anjali has been torturing me,she couldn't wait" He told to my amma.

" She is enthusiastic, don't blame her" My amma said.

As we entered the shop, Anjali came running to my amma. She was wearing her usual kurti and shawl. Her hair was straightened and it didn't suit her.

She bent down and got blessings from my amma and appa . She looked at my brother and his wife with a sly smile.

The envy clear on Anjali's face, she didn't even bother to wish them both. She walked in as if she owned that shop.

" Let's look at the rings first! " Appa said as we sat down near the counter.