"Bonding Nights with Cousins"
It was wedding season, and my elder brother was getting married! The entire family had gathered at our ancestral home, a place filled with memories and laughter. Weddings in our family aren’t just about rituals—they're about great food, setting the dance floor on fire, and those late-night gossip sessions with cousins that go on till dawn.
The celebrations kicked off with the Haldi ceremony. After the rituals and dance performances, my sister and I were already worn out by 11 p.m., so we grabbed dinner and relaxed. But the real fun was just getting started. There were 11 of us cousins—the "devil heads" as we call ourselves—and we had the entire hall, complete with a huge home-theater-sized TV, all to ourselves. Everyone else in the house was fast asleep, but not us. We had been planning this notorious night for weeks.
It all began with a movie night, and of course, we went for a steamy one—"After." As the movie played, it didn’t take long for the conversation to take a spicy turn. My cousin mischievously asked, "So, who here hasn’t tried masturbation yet?" Some of us exchanged awkward glances, unsure of how to respond. Then, one of my brothers, clearly puzzled, asked, "Wait, what’s that?"
Cue my sister, the medical student, who launched into an educational (and surprisingly detailed) explanation of masturbation. It felt like an impromptu health class, but with way more laughs. Things were getting hilarious, and then, with a mischievous grin, I chimed in, "Come on, Rishu Bhaiya, tell us about your first time!" Rishu, our eldest brother, turned beet red. Before he could say anything, Ruhi, my younger sister, teased, "But, did you even use a condom?" Everyone burst into laughter.
Rishu finally gave in to the peer pressure and shared his experience, and we were all ears. It was like the floodgates opened after that. My elder brothers and sisters started sharing their stories too—funny, awkward, real. But what really surprised me was how open and honest they were. It wasn’t just about laughs anymore—they gave us advice, shared the dos and don’ts, and made us feel like we were all in it together.
It was one of those nights that felt equal parts fun and bonding. We laughed, we learned, and most importantly, we felt closer than ever. In the end, it wasn’t just about the wedding or the gossip—it was about connecting with each other in ways we never had before.
