The Red Bangles

She was buying red bangles with her husband, He whispered a joke in her ear and she laughed like no one was watching. Everything was perfect. They purchased them and walked along the footpath.

“Your mother wants a grandchild.” She said.

He smiled, “We will have a baby soon.”

“Do you know something?” she asked her husband, changing the topic.

“What?”

“My uncle wanted me to marry a boy who was fifteen years younger to me, can you imagine this?”

The husband raised his eyebrows, “So what did you say?”

“I would rather adopt him as my younger brother than my husband! Your brother is fifteen years younger to me imagine the scenario where I am married to a ten year old child.” She giggled.

“Imagine yourself in a situation where your husband takes you to shopping on the condition you complete his homework.” The husband mocked her.

They both laughed like maniacs, without realizing that they have walked along a road where a truck was racing with speed.

She was now in the village, the sobs and tragedy of death faded away with time. The young lady was clad in a red saree. The jewels adoring her look and the mangalsutar adding glory to her makeup. She was wearing the bangles which he had purchased along her husband.

“The groom is on his way but he will marry you on the condition that you will complete his homework for atleast one year.” The groom’s mother told after ending the phone call with her son.

She smiled, giving a nod to the condition.

“Will he take me shopping if I do it?” she thought, looking at her bangles. The irony seemed clearer now.

Levirate marriage had cursed the young lady too. It’s sad that still some widows have to marry the husband’s younger brother.