5 Chapter 4

She kept her eyes glued to the aisle as her uncle slowly led her down to the groom. All the people grinned from ear to ear except her.

Her frown was deep, her brows were furrowed, her eyes were empty. She looked angry of all things. And she had every right to be. Never in a million years she thought that all her dreams would end at the age of 19.

That was what her mother told her : it was a 'marriage'. But she wasn't a fool. She knew what this marriage meant. Her dreams were about to be killed. By her own mother.

She remembered the day clearly. She had sat on her father's lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and asked,"Father, will you marry me ?"

He had laughed and caressed her cheek lovingly,"Darling, where did you learn that from ?"

She had blushed a little and replied,"From a book ."

"Well, I'm sorry doll. But I can't. I'm a married man." The four year old girl then bit her lip and lowered herself from her father .

The man's eyes had instantly widened ,"Doll no. Don't get upset. We will find a good man for you."

"No you won't!" Tears had begun to pour freely from her eyes.

He had pulled her in his strong arms and whispered,"Marriage isn't that simple . It's a great bond . You have to grow up to understand it."

"What is there to understand ?" She had asked, sniffling loudly.

"Marriage is like an entire subject. There are countless books on it. But, if you can't understand it, you will never learn. No matter how many pages you read, how many words you memorise."

She remembered looking at her father in confusion and his words rang in her head over and over.

Then, her eyes fell on the man. The man who she was supposed to love. A wave of disappointment washed over her. He reeked of alcohol. The rumours her cousin had whispered were indeed true.

Her father was terribly wrong. He didn't find a good man. He didn't keep his promise. He didn't raise her. Because he wasn't there. He had left her. That same night he had coughed up endless blood. He had fought his best. He had held his little doll's little hand. And then, he had been buried in the morning.

A single tear escaped her eye as she now said her vows, her groom mumbling his own. She felt nothing as they were announced 'husband and wife'. The crowd started to applaud as her eyes got fixed on only figure.

The man she used to love once.

"Thomas", she whispered .