Arun’s Inner Turmoil: Standing at the Crossroads
The days leading up to his meeting with Karthik were some of the most confusing of Arun’s life. He found himself caught in a battle between what he wanted to believe about himself and what he knew was happening.
His reflection in the mirror no longer showed the man he once was. His hair had grown long, falling in soft waves around his shoulders. His hands, once rough from years of work, had become softer, more delicate from his daily household chores. The gentle rustling of his saree as he moved was no longer foreign to him, and the jasmine in his hair had become as much a part of him as the air he breathed.
And yet, when he thought about meeting Karthik, his heart clenched with fear.
Was this truly what he wanted?
Or had he simply been molded into this role by the loving but firm hands of Lakshmi and the others?
Fighting the Inevitable
One evening, as he sat on the veranda, plucking jasmine flowers to make garlands for the next day, Meena joined him, watching him with an amused expression.
“You’re really good at that now, Maami,” she teased. “Who would’ve thought our Arun Anna would become the best garland maker in the family?”
Arun flinched at the words. “Don’t call me that,” he muttered.
Meena tilted her head. “Why not? You don’t stop us anymore. You don’t fight when we dress you up, when we tease you. You wear the flowers yourself now, without anyone forcing you.” She leaned closer. “Face it, Maami… you’ve already accepted it.”
Arun clenched his fists, crushing a few jasmine petals between his fingers. “I-I haven’t,” he said, but his voice lacked conviction.
Meena simply smiled. “Then prove it. Meet Karthik in your old clothes, with your hair tied like a man, without any flowers.”
Arun’s breath hitched. The very thought made his stomach twist uncomfortably.
Could he do that?
Could he stand before someone new, without the saree draping his form, without the soft perfume of jasmine surrounding him? Would he even feel like himself anymore?
The answer terrified him.
Lakshmi’s Gentle Guidance
That night, as he lay awake, Lakshmi entered his room, sitting beside him. She ran her fingers through his hair, soothing him like a mother would a troubled daughter.
“Kanna,” she whispered, “what are you afraid of?”
Arun swallowed hard. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Everything feels so… different. I don’t know if this is what I want or if this is what you all have made me into.”
Lakshmi smiled softly. “What do you feel, Arun? Not what others say. Not what I say. When you wake up in the morning, when you dress, when you wear flowers—does it make you uncomfortable? Or does it feel… right?”
Arun hesitated. He wanted to say he still felt like a man trapped in this role. But the truth was… he didn’t.
When he wore jasmine, he felt whole.
When he moved in his saree, he felt graceful.
And when they called him Maami, he no longer flinched.
Tears welled in his eyes as realization struck him. He wasn’t being forced anymore. He was just afraid to accept that this was who he had become.
Lakshmi kissed his forehead. “You don’t have to answer now, kanna. But don’t fight yourself. The moment you stop resisting, you’ll find peace.”
Arun nodded, gripping her hand tightly. His heart was still in turmoil, but one thing was becoming clear—he had a decision to make.
And deep down, he already knew what it would be.
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