“I don't attend weddings.” I repeated myself.
“Wedding is a decision taken by two people to walk down the aisle of life together. It’s a decision on the way they want to live their life. This does not call for the big, extravagant Indian wedding. Imagine if the newly wed are handed the amount to be spent in the wedding they would have such an affluent start in their new, married life. And why all relatives need to be there? This is not a show of strength, why flock the couple? Makes no sense” Phew!! I knew it was gibberish. But I could hardly think straight, especially as my kid sister sat across the room crying. By the way, she was the one for whose wedding my mom wanted me to come down to Mumbai.
I still had no idea if this was a mere case of her having cold feet before the big day or she was genuinely confused and unsure of her decision to marry. There were two disturbing facts here, one that my cousin sister was unhappy and second that I had to act like the big responsible brother. Damn.
I asked again “Ok tell me once again why you do not want to get married and you can say anything but NO CRYING!!” See I may be the elder one but still get very intimidated by the tears of the women I love. “I love Justin” she whispered.
I closed my eyes and winced. So I was in another situation with no easy answers. Clearly my sister loved someone other then the match arranged for her. Obviously she was too scared and did let my uncle and aunt finalize the wedding with the groom of their choice. I now had to choose between being the responsible brother or the righteous nephew.
My one way out could be to tell my aunt about the little situation. She would emotionally blackmail my sister on things from family status to her future to social standing till the kid gives in.
I looked at the puffy, red eyed angel across the room and thought “good for her…I prefer happy endings.”
