A New Role in the House
The morning after the function, Arun hoped things would settle down. He told himself it was just a one-time thing—an unavoidable situation forced on him by Lakshmi and Sumathi Mami.
But when he stepped into the kitchen that morning, Lakshmi was already waiting for him with a knowing smile.
“Kanna, since you’ve been adjusting so well, I think it’s time you take on more responsibility in the house.”
Arun frowned. “What do you mean?”
Lakshmi handed him a tray of steaming coffee cups. “Start with this. Serve everyone, just like Priya used to.”
Arun stiffened. “Amma—”
She gave him a firm look. “No arguments, kanna. This house still needs someone to run it properly. And since you’ve already been blending in so well, it’s only natural that you take over these duties.”
Arun’s hands trembled as he took the tray. This was different from the teasing. This was real. They were no longer just treating him like a delicate, grieving man. They were making him act like the woman of the house.
And he had no way to refuse.
The Slow, Steady Shift
It started with simple tasks—serving coffee, folding clothes, arranging puja items. But Arun quickly realized that Lakshmi wasn’t letting him stop there.
“Kanna, come here,” she called one afternoon, motioning for him to sit beside her. “I’m going to teach you how to wear a saree properly.”
Arun’s heart pounded. “Amma, I already wore one for the function—”
Lakshmi chuckled. “That was different. Meena dressed you. But a proper woman must know how to drape it herself.”
Before he could protest, she handed him a soft cotton saree. “Come on, kanna. Try it.”
Arun swallowed hard but obeyed, fumbling with the fabric as he tried to pleat it.
Lakshmi clicked her tongue. “No, no. You’re being too stiff. Watch how I do it.”
She moved behind him, adjusting the pleats, making sure the pallu rested neatly over his shoulder. Then, with a soft smile, she pinned a jasmine garland into his hair.
“There,” she said approvingly. “Now you look perfect.”
Arun stared at his reflection. The soft cotton saree, the delicate flowers in his hair—it all looked so effortless.
And that scared him more than anything.
The Final Push: A Formal Position in the Family
A week later, the shift became undeniable.
“Arun,” Lakshmi said one morning, “it’s time you start attending the women’s puja at the temple with me.”
Arun nearly dropped the plate he was holding. “What? Amma, no—”
She gave him a calm, unwavering look. “Kanna, everyone already sees you as part of the women’s circle. You’ve served them, laughed with them, even worn a saree among them. This is just the next step.”
Arun shook his head. “I… I’m not ready.”
Lakshmi cupped his cheek gently. “Kanna, you’ve come so far. You are already doing everything Priya did. And you do it so gracefully.”
Meena, who had been listening, grinned. “Ayyoo, Maami! If you keep this up, people will start thinking you’re Amma’s marumagal instead of her marumagan.”
Raji Chithi laughed. “Maybe we should find him a husband next!”
The room erupted in giggles, but Arun felt like the ground was slipping from beneath him.
This wasn’t just teasing anymore.
They were preparing him for something permanent.
And he didn’t know if he could stop it.
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