X marks the Matriarch | Whispers on the Train 24

Recap: Jyoti, the cheerful food vendor, always brightened Jayanthan’s day at the Poongudi train stop. But their love hit a wall. Her brother wouldn’t approve, and Jayanthan even struggling for a better job in the city. Just as hope faded, Jyoti’s brother, without her consent, set her wedding with someone else. This made Jayanthan fight for their love.…

Part 3: Final whistle

Chapter 24/26: X marks the Matriarch.

Mrs. Mangalam bristled at Karuna’s words. “This is an auspicious day, Karuna! Don’t utter such negativity. This is a matter of Jyoti’s happiness, and shutting them out won’t solve anything.”

Karuna scoffed. “Happiness? You, of all people, care about them? We raised Jyoti! We know what’s best for her. You, the one who brought them together, suddenly champion their cause?”

Before anyone could respond, the hut door slammed open. Thangamma, Karuna’s wife, stormed out, her eyes blazing with a fury I’d only heard described from Jyoti.

“How dare you!” she snapped, her voice cracking like a whip. “Have you lost your mind? How can you disrespect someone older, a woman at that? This anger blinds you, leading you to make terrible decisions, one after another!”

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Karuna’s face flushed crimson under the scrutiny.

Thangamma’s tirade continued, her voice gaining momentum. “Who are you to dictate Jyoti’s life without her consent? Why do men always think they own women’s happiness?”

She turned to Karuna, her gaze unwavering. “Is this how you treat your own sister, huh? Shouldn’t these discussions be private? I, an outsider, came here to protect her, but you, her blood, couldn’t care less. What kind of brother are you?”

Karuna’s hand twitched, his face contorted with a mix of anger and shame. He raised his hand as if to strike, but the watchful eyes of the crowd held him back.

Undeterred, Thangamma pressed on. “Do you want to slap me? What else can a man do when his wife exposes his flawed reasoning? Will you ever change? Can a family that disrespects its women ever truly prosper? I’ll bear the burden, but I won’t let another woman in this family suffer, like me.”

Fueled by righteous anger, her hands moved with practiced ease, gathering the strands of hair that had come loose in the heat of the moment. With a swift twist and a sharp tug, she secured them in a tight bun, a gesture mirroring her fierce determination to protect her chicks from an eagle.

A piercing screech from a nearby parrot startled me, jolting Thangamma back to reality. She took a deep breath, perhaps to regain her composure.

A piercing screech from a nearby parrot startled me, jolting Thangamma back to reality. She took a deep breath, perhaps to regain her composure. In that fleeting moment, her eyes met Mrs. Mangalam’s in a silent exchange.

Her voice softened slightly, but her resolve remained firm. “Tell me,” She echoed Mrs. Mangalam’s sentiment, “would you push your sister into a loveless marriage just to appease your ego? Would you deny her a chance at happiness because it’s inconvenient for you?”

Karuna muttered a defense. “Of course I care for her. I raised her. Who should she marry? Isn’t it my right to protect her?” A flicker of doubt betrayed his bravado. “Why am I seen as villain for protecting my family?”

Thangamma countered, her voice sharp. “Protect her, yes, but from genuine threats, not from love. You take charge like her sole guardian, but what about me, who fills the role of her mother? Don’t I deserve a say? Whenever I bring this up, you shut me out and lash out at him. Do you reject this proposal simply because you don’t like him?”

Mrs. Mangalam intervened. “Karuna, I understand your concern. He seems like a good man from a good family. He’ll likely achieve a respectable position and care for Jyoti.”

The scene resembled two mother bison, fierce and protective, charging a tiger to save a vulnerable calf from its clutches.

Thangamma wasn’t finished. “How long will they wait to elope if we keep them apart? Ask him,” she pointed at Mr. Keerthivasan, “he can arrange the legalities. What will you do then? Just think why Jyoti forced this boy to come and plead with you. Couldn’t you have received them cordially?”

Karuna faltered, the anger in his eyes replaced by a flicker of doubt. He glanced at his wife, then at the crowd, their faces mirroring his growing uncertainty. The scene hung heavy, anticipation thick in the air. This was a battle between love and ego, respect and control. And at the center stood Jyoti, her fate hinging on her own voice, her own choice.

The mother hen had ruffled her feathers, and the fight was far from over.

(To be continued)

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