Read Online The Runaway Bridegroom by Sundari Venkatraman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sundari Venkatraman
Ads: Link
bricks from the moment she got up in the morning. She impatiently waited for Mohan to wake up before she reminded him, “We have to go to the astrologer today afternoon.”
Mohan looked up at his wife in amusement. He hadn’t even got out of the bed when she made the declaration. He grinned slowly as he teased, “Should I get up to brush and have tea or shall I directly get ready to visit Vidyasagar ji ?” he asked, tongue-in-cheek.
Colour ran up on Meera’s cheeks as she blushed like a new bride. She gave her husband a flustered look before saying, “I’m sure your day will go absolutely well now that you have begun it by pulling my leg.”
Mohan got out of bed and went to pat his wife on her cheek. “Don’t worry so, Meera. I am sure the astrologer has some good news for us,” he reassured his wife before going into the bathroom.
Meera stepped out of their room to see Ram and Lakshman going down the stairs. They were her eldest sons. The other two were named Bharat and Shatrughan to complete the foursome from The Ramayana. The tall, muscular young men turned around when they heard their diminutive mother’s footsteps. They stopped and waited for her to join them, smiling at her red face.
“So, what did Pappa tell you today morning? You’re all red,” greeted Ram, a teasing look on his face. He absolutely adored his mother.
“Your Pappa will have a great day as he has started it by teasing me,” she declared without rancour. She didn’t mind Mohan’s teasing, but in fact, thrived on it. All their five children were sure of it too and joined in the banter that was just fun and never turned hurtful.
Lakshman hugged his mother, always the quiet one. He was a man of few words and showed his affection through his hugs rather than words. Meera was very proud of her kids. Was she glad that they had left their village to settle down here in Jaipur! All the boys had had basic education and their own careers, quite independent.
While Ram was almost twenty-nine, no one talked of getting him married as the whole family as one was keen on having Chanda settled down before finding brides for the boys.
The men sat down at the dining table while Meera buzzed around them, pouring the tea brought in by Shyamlal, the loyal servant who had moved with them to the city. He lived with his wife Panna and their two children in the outhouse that was close to the compound wall at the back.
Ram and Lakshman had been fighting over the newspaper pages when Mohan entered the room. Out of deference to their father, the two sons put the pages back together neatly before handing the newspaper to him.
Mohan looked at his elder sons with a smile on his face before asking, “Where are Bharat and Shatru?”
“Both came in quite late, Pappa. They’re still sleeping,” said Lakshman.
There were no particular strictures followed at home. All tended to wake up quite early in the morning, by about 6 am. The family usually spent their morning in the large dining room, reading the newspaper, having tea and breakfast and generally lolling around, spending time together. They had a lot to talk about as each one was in a different line of business. While Meera and Mohan had dinner by 7.30 pm sharp, the boys ate when they pleased, quite late at times. So, the mornings happened to be family time.
Ram was the replica of his father, only taller. He also had the same tendency to tease mercilessly. “Bharat and Shatru went for a late night film, Pappa. They came in at about 2.30, I think,” he said. He so enjoyed playing mischief.
While Mohan was a very easygoing parent, the one thing that he didn’t approve was the boys getting home later than midnight. In fact, the kids called it ‘the Cinderella syndrome’ behind their parents’ backs. Mohan was quite obsessed with this and told his sons off if they got in late. But, that never stopped the boys from telling
Mohan looked up at his wife in amusement. He hadn’t even got out of the bed when she made the declaration. He grinned slowly as he teased, “Should I get up to brush and have tea or shall I directly get ready to visit Vidyasagar ji ?” he asked, tongue-in-cheek.
Colour ran up on Meera’s cheeks as she blushed like a new bride. She gave her husband a flustered look before saying, “I’m sure your day will go absolutely well now that you have begun it by pulling my leg.”
Mohan got out of bed and went to pat his wife on her cheek. “Don’t worry so, Meera. I am sure the astrologer has some good news for us,” he reassured his wife before going into the bathroom.
Meera stepped out of their room to see Ram and Lakshman going down the stairs. They were her eldest sons. The other two were named Bharat and Shatrughan to complete the foursome from The Ramayana. The tall, muscular young men turned around when they heard their diminutive mother’s footsteps. They stopped and waited for her to join them, smiling at her red face.
“So, what did Pappa tell you today morning? You’re all red,” greeted Ram, a teasing look on his face. He absolutely adored his mother.
“Your Pappa will have a great day as he has started it by teasing me,” she declared without rancour. She didn’t mind Mohan’s teasing, but in fact, thrived on it. All their five children were sure of it too and joined in the banter that was just fun and never turned hurtful.
Lakshman hugged his mother, always the quiet one. He was a man of few words and showed his affection through his hugs rather than words. Meera was very proud of her kids. Was she glad that they had left their village to settle down here in Jaipur! All the boys had had basic education and their own careers, quite independent.
While Ram was almost twenty-nine, no one talked of getting him married as the whole family as one was keen on having Chanda settled down before finding brides for the boys.
The men sat down at the dining table while Meera buzzed around them, pouring the tea brought in by Shyamlal, the loyal servant who had moved with them to the city. He lived with his wife Panna and their two children in the outhouse that was close to the compound wall at the back.
Ram and Lakshman had been fighting over the newspaper pages when Mohan entered the room. Out of deference to their father, the two sons put the pages back together neatly before handing the newspaper to him.
Mohan looked at his elder sons with a smile on his face before asking, “Where are Bharat and Shatru?”
“Both came in quite late, Pappa. They’re still sleeping,” said Lakshman.
There were no particular strictures followed at home. All tended to wake up quite early in the morning, by about 6 am. The family usually spent their morning in the large dining room, reading the newspaper, having tea and breakfast and generally lolling around, spending time together. They had a lot to talk about as each one was in a different line of business. While Meera and Mohan had dinner by 7.30 pm sharp, the boys ate when they pleased, quite late at times. So, the mornings happened to be family time.
Ram was the replica of his father, only taller. He also had the same tendency to tease mercilessly. “Bharat and Shatru went for a late night film, Pappa. They came in at about 2.30, I think,” he said. He so enjoyed playing mischief.
While Mohan was a very easygoing parent, the one thing that he didn’t approve was the boys getting home later than midnight. In fact, the kids called it ‘the Cinderella syndrome’ behind their parents’ backs. Mohan was quite obsessed with this and told his sons off if they got in late. But, that never stopped the boys from telling
Similar Books
