Short Story: The Fawn by Jolly Malayam

In this short story, Jolly Malayalam reveals a gripping drama that tends to be the climax of most Indian marriages.

“O Chechi! You don’t know how innocent she is!” Hema could hardly stop gushing over her daughter–in– law then. “Her papa said soon after her wedding, how he has doted over her! You see, Chinthu, when she comes back from college, her papa would be ready with four balls of rice rolled up with her favourite fish curry at the door. He knows that she wouldn’t have had much of a lunch. So, once she comes, he makes sure that she gobbles up those four balls before entering the house! ‘We have doted over our Chinthu like that! We are giving you, our heart!’ he said to me all in tears then. And I promised him, she would never be my daughter – in – law, rather my daughter, own daughter, unto the day I die!”