The Unwanted Groom

The air hung heavy with unspoken tension as Amma, the mother of the house, tried to soothe her sister-in-law, Meenu. “Meenu,” she said gently, “Neelu’s desire for a wife was misplaced. It was wrong to nurture that thought. Even if I had raised her, what could we have done after his parents made their decision? Now that he has been transferred back to our town, and instead of staying with us, he chooses to live elsewhere, your anger still hasn’t subsided.”

Meenu, who had no children of her own, had raised her brother’s daughter, Sheela, as her own. She had planned to marry Sheela off to Neelu, but since Neelu was only four years younger than Sheela and hadn’t yet settled in his career, his parents insisted on marrying Sheela off to someone else.

Meenu felt a pang of disappointment that the vivacious and beautiful Sheela wouldn’t be joining their family as a daughter-in-law. However, since Sheela had been deflowered by Neelu, she didn’t hold it against him. Neelu had secured a job at a bank and spent a year living away from home. During this time, Amma and her husband would visit Meenu’s house frequently, strengthening their bond. Then came the news of Neelu’s transfer back to their town. “Neelu is finally in a good position,” Meenu exclaimed excitedly. “Should we postpone his marriage?”

“Meenu,” Amma replied, her voice laced with pain, “Everything happens according to God’s will. If you bring up this topic again, he will be furious. He is 26 years old now. Who would want to marry a woman without a husband in our society? Whose responsibility is it to find him a good wife?”

Meenu tried to comfort her sister-in-law. “It’s not our responsibility,” she said soothingly, “Let things unfold naturally here. That’s all I ask for. I will make coffee and you can talk to him about it.” Amma nodded and went into Meenu’s room.

Meenu, who was 32 years old, looked a little younger than her actual age. Her white saree accentuated her full breasts, which were visible beneath the blue blouse she wore. Her voluptuous figure was evident even from the side. “Seeing you not coming home has only increased my anger,” Meenu said as she sat on the bed, her eyes lingering on Neelu.

“We didn’t stop you from looking at Sheela,” Meenu continued, her voice sharp. “If your sister understands the truth, what is wrong with just looking? What’s the big deal?”

Neelu remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor. Meenu, undeterred by his silence, leaned closer to him, her thigh brushing against his. He felt a surge of arousal as she spoke. “Neelu, we should go together in about an hour. Everyone else is sleeping.” Meenu rested her head on his shoulder and pressed her breast against his side. He started to stiffen with desire.

Fear battled with the overwhelming urge within him. Despite the fear, emboldened by their isolation, he reached out and touched Meenu’s left breast. She didn’t move away, her gaze fixed on him.

The bus journey was long and uncomfortable. The conductor, eager to collect his fare, kept shouting at passengers to board, but only a handful of people joined the already crowded bus.

As the conductor switched off the lights, Meenu said, “Neelu, close the window. It’s breezy.”

The darkness enveloped them, creating an atmosphere that felt strangely intimate for Neelu. He was trapped in this suffocating space with Meenu, who seemed to be enjoying his discomfort.

“There are no other girls available,” Meenu whispered, her voice a husky murmur. “No one else in town. Tell me if you have someone else in mind.”

She leaned closer, her hand resting on his thigh. He felt a shiver run down his spine as she moved closer, her body pressing against his. “Neelu, should we go together in about an hour? Everyone else is sleeping,” Meenu murmured, her breath warm on his ear. She rested her head on his shoulder and pressed her breast against his side.

He felt a surge of desire, but fear held him back. He was trapped, unable to escape the unwanted advances of his aunt.