A love story.

“Dear family and friends, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of ALONZO and TESSA………..” The reverend priest began.

Reverend!   Alfred snorted as he remembered the donation his father offered, to the parish for the special wedding ceremony for the ‘special groom and bride’.   Ha ! ‘special’ – he mused, it was special indeed. When it comes to celebrations and family functions, his father was splendid in all means. Some would say that he is extravagant. But who cares?  Certainly not dad.  Dad believed in giving the best for children, whether he could afford it or not. And when mama says so, he simply glares and merely states – “it is for kids”.

            As if she knew, what I am thinking mama looked at me, with a teary eyed expression, she need assurance, and I nodded that – “everything is fine”. She smiled and turned towards altar, not before looking at Alyssa. Alyssa is certainly aware of this exchange passed between us and she raised an eyebrow with a quizzical look, a familiar expression for all of us.  Mama dabbed her eyes and smiled at Alyssa reassuring her.

Mama, he thought is a very romantic person, which always amazed him. How can a person who is so romantic at heart become a stubborn at times, when she wants something? Mama always surprised him, with her attitudes towards life. But she surprised him on that day, when he was studying for Christmas exams, with big news – ‘he is going to have a baby brother/sister’.

He was shocked. Damn! He was!

And her next words were- “I know this will embarrass you, may be your friends will mock you, but I will never harm this baby. For me, you and this little one are same”.

I swallowed and asked – “have you told Alyssa”?

“Yes, she is excited”. Of course she will be, she is eight and I’m 15. I didn’t say it, but that were my exact thoughts.

Finally, the day has come, I was anxious enough to get it over with. That is when the nurse came with a bundle, a blanket wrapped around a sleeping baby. As my mama told her, the nurse handed the baby over to me – “your mother said this is a gift for you”, on which Alyssa pouted. I was very much afraid even to touch let alone hold him. But dad helped me to hold him in my arms. When I looked at him, he opened his eyes and that was when I fall in love with him.

He is Alonzo, a name we all agreed immediately. Even though it was suggested by Alyssa, I complied also. Though he is my brother, I felt like his father, protective and possessive. Alyssa was jealous of our bonding.  Oh! She still is. He made our family complete in every sense. Only when Alonzo is ill, did he stopped talking (heaven forbid, I don’t want that ever), and for some days our home is like a sanctum.

I got my first job through campus selection by an American company. I was dismayed and in great dilemma, about what to do. I want to be with my family, mostly with him. At last, as per dad’s ‘strong ‘instructions, I was going to New York, to pursue my life. I never felt this sad in my whole life. Throughout my flight, the only thing on my mind was Alonzo’s wobbling lips as he tried hard not to cry and his tear pooled eyes. May be it was at that moment, that I knew, I will return soon. When I came back, Alonzo was very much excited and happy, and I couldn’t be more content. I missed him a lot, though I will never admit it to him even now.

It was then, at one midnight he crawled into my bed, as he always did. I was silent and expected him to speak, because I noticed how he fidgeted at dining table and his restlessness throughout the dinner.  He was silent for longer than I expected and I asked him “what is wrong”.

“Alfie, he hesitated a bit and looked at me above the blanket and said slowly- “there is a girl”…..

Oh no! “Not at this age Zozo”, I exclaimed.

“Hear me out will you”? And I listened, while he narrated what happened at school that day.” She was scared and David and Binu were bullying her, teasing her. She had a bewildered look on her face and her eyes were too sad. She didn’t defend herself, but simply sat there”.

“What did you do to help her”? As I know he would have been her knight in shining armour. ”I simply hugged her and take her with me to the class room, he said in a matter of fact tone. “Alright, that was very kind of you, I complemented him and tried to hug him. But he stopped me – “oh, there was more to the story then”?

He nodded and whispered - “she is deaf, Alfie”.

I felt a little sympathetic and was going to say so. But his next words stopped me”I want to learn sign language”. I blinked, though it was a little dark, with only bed lamp on, I could see him looking at me with all hope and trust.

“I don’t know how we can learn them”. His face fall and suddenly I said “there may be books on that”. He suddenly jumped out from the bed to get my laptop. I know what he wanted. I ordered ‘How to learn sign language’ books for him. “It is my birth day gift to you, no other gifts”. He agreed on that easily, but when his birthday came, I couldn’t stop myself from giving him another present, something which took me days to select. He grinned at me knowingly.

A nudge on my arm, broke me from my reverie. It is Merlyn, the second love of my heart, who asked me to step forward to witness this beautiful marriage. At that moment Alonzo turned towards me, his eyes asking my permission. As I nodded my agreement, I watched him sign” I DO” and smiled at his beautiful bride.

I noticed the blissful look in her eyes. I am sure, no one saw this, but only imagined because every one’s eyes is misted with tears like me. Now he stood there, beaming with love and pride, he made us a ‘family extraordinaire’.