He advanced to give a hug and greet, I bent down to pick his luggage. I turned my back towards him and moved ahead without making any eye contact.
"The rituals have started. We should be there with him. There is only one room available and apparently I am using it. I will show you way to that room, you can use that and I will move out from there. Change yourself and get back soon, he needs you there by his side," I spoke in one breath without giving him any chance to open his mouth. The sight of him had layers attached to it. There was anger, frustration and somewhere deep within was happiness to have seen him.
He had put on a few kilos around the tummy and the stubble look enhanced his intense looking face. His dressing sense had not changed much compared to the college days. A Jean and a shirt, jacket and boots to go with it.
"You need not move out of the room, we could stay in one," he said following me. His voice still had the adamancy. I could not sense any pinch of guilt in it. Well, I was only over thinking. The entire world had moved maybe whilst I was still stuck at what had happened. I continued to walk carrying his backpack. He seemed to have come alone, I was interested to know about Aarti, but I knew I was not strong enough to listen to it from him about how she was. It would have been very awkward, had she come here. I concluded thinking that and moved inside the room. I placed the bag and turned to move when be stood in front of me. His face was plain, and that expression ignited a small flame within.
"I will be out with my parents, get ready and I shall see you later," I moved out and the door slammed a thud behind me. I knew he was not liking the way I behaved with him. This was the best I could put up with.
I walked out and reached the hall to see the guests walking up the stage and congratulating the bride and the groom. I went and sat on a chair in front of the couple. There was a sparkle in both their eyes. Both their faces spoke of their victory, the victory of love. Nishant had clasped her hand tight, and that seemed a real sweet gesture. My brother was now a man who was big enough to take care of his lady. The atmosphere on the stage was just too positive. Blessings from the elder people, good wishes from their friends and foes was heart touching. The groups of people kept moving. I sat there observing what was happening to only get lost and diverted from what my mind was thinking. It was almost half past eight and the lights went dim. The organiser had planned something different. People in groups at every corner looked at the stage as a spotlight was thrown in the middle. Everyone of us waited to see what was going to happen.
Nishant took the center and went on his knees. The entire hall went hooting. I was surprised to see what he was doing. Payal always had one complain that he had never proposed her properly. I was impressed to see that Nishant wanted to fulfill that before he actually married her. I turned to the right to see Tanmay coming out of the room and he stood by the stage. I pursed my lips and smiled at him. He stood there looking at the couple. Payal's face had turned pink and the sparkle in her eyes was now mixed with tears.
He fixed his gaze with hers. The entire hall went dead silent when he was about to talk.
"I cannot change the past nor can I promise about the future, all I can talk about is today. I do not promise fifty, sixty years of togetherness, all i want to say is, let us live each day as it comes with out the need to change anything about yesterday and without having any expectations about tomorrow; who knows, living each day, we might just cover an entire life time," the entire crowd was intently looking at him. He took Payal's hand and landed a kiss on it.
"Ever since I have met you, I have wanted to say this, you came into my life and every thing feels perfect and it feels as though I have found purpose to live. Yes, I guess it's time I finally ask, will you be mine?" Tears dropped from her face with the genuine smile.
"Let me see, give me sometime. I shall think and get back to you," she replied to him and the entire crowd went laughing.
"Baby, my knee is hurting. Haan bol do na(tell a yes)" he pleaded, and she giggled to it nodding her head. He got up and gave her a hug. The lights were back and the hall was filled with cheers and claps.
I was proud of my brother. After he got up, he looked at me and I raised my brows in awe, he smiled and I could sense his jitters mixed with excitement. Love has the powers to mix any sort of emotions in any proportions. As the couple got back to their chairs which looked more like those stolen from some kingdom, the stage was then occupied by her cousins who had planned for some dance performance. Marriage is an occasion known for happiness and what best way to enjoy the moment other than dance. They were welcomed with some whistles and claps and I stood to move out. As I walked the entire path, the happiness I had few moments ago was slowly getting replaced with the void which was native to me. I, once had my dreams painted on a glass and had the glass framed. In the merry, I forgot that the glass was prone to break. Today I stood with a bag full of glass pieces where each of which spoke of a memory. Throwing it away was not possible, with time, each and every piece only pierced harder and made deeper scars.
"Mayank," I heard a familiar chirpy voice call out my name. I turned left to see Andy wave his hands and excited to have seen me there. He came towards me with a slight bounce in his walk. I had never seen a drop in his energy and that was amazing.
"Hey, Andy. How are you?" I gave him a hug and he embraced me slightly tighter than usual.
"Well, as hot as ever. Can't you see?" His lines and his gestures made me chuckle. He joined me with his hysterical laugh.
"I see you were heading out?" He asked.
"Aah! Needed some fresh air," I rolled my eyes.
"Fresh air? Nice," he winked at me.
"No no, nothing fishy Andy. Needed a time out. Well, how have you been?"
"Fantastic! The last season has been a tornado. An awesome event happened at Delhi which you rejceted to handle," he narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah right! I had no other option Andy. I was occupied here and you know how it is," I trailed trying to defend myself. Well, I had actually dropped going to Delhi only because Nishant had strictly warned me no to, I never asked him the reason behind it though. I turned towards the stage thinking while Andy snapped his fingers at my face.
"Never mind, many such events are bound to happen, and I am sure you can catch up for the next one," he smiled.
"Maybe, let's see" I tried to end the conversation and move out.
"And and, I must say Riya wanted to meet you in person," Andy stopped me holding me by my shoulders. He had a the famous mischievous smile on his face.
"Riya? Who?," I could not recollect anyone named Riya.
"Blimey! You don't know who Riya is? Mayank! Miss Sanon I was telling you about, the one with whom you were supposed to work," he raised his hands looking at me shocked. I only knew her as Miss Sanon and not by her first name. So, Andy's reactions were not viable.
"Oh, but on a serious note Andy, I am done with Sanons. I am sorry," I smiled at him and moved out. A question mark was glued onto his face. He obviously would not have understood my statement.
Past is something that can never be erased. It just latches onto you. The stronger it gets the more you get engulfed by it.
A few hours back I had wished Tanmay was here and now that he actually is here, it is not easy to resist the incident from popping up. I was outside the hall marching on the corridors.
Few days back when I was told about what had happened, the emotions within were flustered. I had burried them deep within. His very presence had excavated deep down and exposed the vulnerable side. I had lost all the strength.
"Mithu," Aarti came into my room. It was four in the noon and I was packing my bags. I had a train to catch at eight in the night to Mumbai. I was getting set to begin my professional career.
That was the last time I had seen her before I left to Mumbai. I stood by a pole closed my eyes lost in the day.
"Yes madame, how may I help the pretty lady?" I turned to see her as she entered. She looked gorgeous in the white selvar. She had clipped her hair gently leaving few strands of the hair touch her cheeks. Her eyes were swollen and red for obvious reasons.
"I have a major problem and I need your help in resolving it, Sir" she sat on the bed. I walked past the table and kneeled in front of her.
"At your service instantly your highness," I said it with a puppy face. She pushed me back and got up from the bed. She moved to my bag to pack the rest things. I stood up and kept looking at her.
With deep breaths, she started stuffing things within the bag.
"Every single hour I want you to leave a text, I cannot expect you to call so I will settle for texts," she breathed out.
"Every morning when you are on the way to office you have to call me, and while you are getting back as well. Night once you are done with dinner, you need to Skype me without fail," she had told the same thing thrice already. I knew she was battling her tears, I moved ahead and tapped her shoulders. She turned swiftly and hung herself by my neck and started to cry.
"I am going there only for our sake, my princess. You know you are the only strength I have. I want you to be the driving force in my life," I pulled her and sat on the bed.
"You will come back, right?" She rested her head on my shoulder.
"Arre, aur kaha jaunga?(where else will I go). I will come back, for you for our sake," I kissed her on her temple.
"Two years, work hard, settle, and let's get married. I cannot think of staying without you," she clasped my hand tight enough to show how sure she was.
"Why wait for two years, let's get married now only," I teased her. She hit me flat on my tummu and pushed me onto the bed. She moved slightly and rested her head on my chest.
"This is where I feel secured, the most," she hugged me and closed her eyes. I brushed the strands of hair and tucked them behind her ears.
"Good days are yet to begin my love, stay strong and stay by my side,"
Tears rolled down as the memory flashed by. Every bit of the memory was injecting pain deeper within the soul. These memories were not written or painted. They were engraved within.
I tried very hard to compose myself. I had always escaped from this emotion, but now I had no option. Tears ran down without any stop. There was bright lighting outside the hall, inside was a marriage happening, happiness everywhere, my heart did not seem to capture any of those. It was tired of trying to put up the smiling face.
I knew I would not get her. She was gone, gone with the wind.
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