She was twenty something, loose hair, long legs, red saree and a broken smile.
She was standing alone, looking up in front a huge building, clutching the end of her saree in one hand, and a wedding invitation in another. There was a slight drizzle in the air that eveing and a slight breeze whipping her neatly combed hair. Many lines of serial bulbs hanging from the top of the building, blinking one after the other rhythmically was a pretty sight. But it was almost giving her a headache and making her feel dizzy as she looked away instantly . She grabbed opened the invitation yet another time in that day only and silently read the address to herself although she knew it word to word by now having read many times ever since she was given the invitation. Tiny beads of rain dropped on the laminated surface of the fancy card from the drizzle and with a slight disappoint she realized she was indeed at the right address.
---------------------------------
“honey, you’re making me ticklish”, as he was trying to pull free his palm from hers roaring in laughter.
They were both seated in the last row, of a deserted classroom.
Giggling to herself, “ She was trying to write “ He weds her” ,on his palm. Given the sweaty surface, she was maniacally scribbling with the nib of the blue Reynolds pen to etch those words. After few minutes of teasing, giggling and intense scratching of the pen, she tilted a head sideways to see effect of her masterpiece.
“Voila, Perfect”, she remarked..
“Hey, you’re forgetting something, some ppl take bath daily and I fall in this category too”, he said cheekily …
She couldn’t help but, admire his shallow fears about the ink wearing off his palm soon. However her fears were different.
“I love you today, tomorrow and forever”, she whispered in his ears.
-------------------------------
The rain was coming hard now, stinging her cheeks, as people started rushing for cover inside the wedding hall. Having momentarily lost in thoughts she realized that she was the wrong person to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Never too late, no one had seen her come, and no one would notice if she takes a detour back. No harm done, she thought herself. But the voice inside her head thought otherwise.” A Coward and a victim of circumstances” it called her.
Suddenly, there was a lot of commotion and noise, as huge throng of people were coming out of the hall in her direction. A herd of photographers, event organizers with walky talkies rushing towards her. A musical band playing a hit tamil song lead the procession. Followed by the bride and groom. Bright lights focused from all direction on the couple who were smiling away for the photographers.
“ Kojam orama poi nilunga”, (could you stand stand aside ), yelled a photographer behind her…
“ohhh, sorry”, she apologised…and retreated sideways, behind a beheaded banana tree trunk that was tied to one pillar at the entrance.
Click, Click,..click!...
Videographers and photographers frantically clicking away to capture every feature of the couple together as they were being lead out to a nearby vinayak temple. A tradition, that every newly married couple gets the divine blessings first thing after the knot is tied.There was a lot of pushing, running amongst the crowd making way for the procession coming out, and before she knew it, she saw herself landed in the front row wedding crowd lining the procession.,As the couple came at her line of sight. And it was the first time in months, she saw him.
She never remembered him looking this happy before. He looked well groomed .No wonder they are called “bridegrooms”, she thought to herself and disgusted at the same time at her untimely humour. He wore a long pearly white sharvani with white stones lining his cuffs and collar. A long flower garland was hanging off his neck, the weight of which was almost pulling himself down. He sported many bulky gold rings on all four fingers, with his little one locked with the bride. She was absorbed and enjoying every detail of the couple with a broad smile of her face.
And out of the blue, he called out her name and waved, having spotted her.
A sudden yell by the groom brought many laughs around in the crowd.One lady, his aunt by the looks of it, clearly unhappy with the sudden upsurge was nudging him in his back to walk forward with the rim of a huge stainless steel plate which held many hairy coconuts. Momentarily,it was as if, the gears were shifted down as the procession dropped its pace…Clearly, surprised at the sudden attention, she just smiled back and mouthed “Congratulations” to the couple.With all the noise around she wondered if they even heard her.
She saw him, bend a little to reach his better half’s ears and said “ That’s my best friend, there!!!!”
disclaimer: I hate to write this, But here i go!
This post is entirely my figment of imagination. The characters, names bears no relevance to any real life entity watsoever!. If you feel otherwise, i cant help! hehe
