Before I begin, I would like to clarify that I don't understand how airports works. The last time I took a flight was 14 years back and I was a kid back then. So do excuse factual accuracy. Sorry in advance.
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Sidharth and team wasted no more time and left for the airport. Sidharth still didn't know where exactly were they heading but he waited to ask his questions once they got into the car.
"Can someone tell me, where exactly we are going to search for Shehnaaz and how am I supposed to win her back?", He finally asked.
"Airport", Asim replied in one word.
"Bro. Are you expecting me to pull a Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa stunt? I mean sure I am a celebrity and maybe I will manage somehow without the police thinking that I'm some terrorist. But laws humpe bhi apply hote hai", Sidharth said.
"Nitya...", Asim gestured her to answer all his questions, as he focussed on driving.
"Sid. Can you chill. I mean sure tum dono ki love story is no less than a movie and jo tumlog karne jaa rahe they was also straight out of a rom-com. But yeh real life hai. We don't want you to ditch the security and run all the way to Shehnaaz", Nitya said. "Asim aur maine sab plan kar rakha hai. Yeh rahe tickets aur boarding pass pehle se printed kar rakhe the. Technicalities humne sambhal li. Bus I hope you can convince Shehnaaz..."
"Kamino tumne agar itna kuch plan kar hi rakha tha toh mujhe bhi pehle hi bata dete. Itna time kyu waste kiya yaar.", said Sidharth.
"Arey yeh sab figure out karne mein time lagta hai naa. We genuinely wanted you guys to come clean but jab dekha shaadi ho jayegi phir bhi tumlog muh nahi khologe tab Asim and I started thinking of a plan", Nityami said.
"Waise itna kuch jab you guys know toh bol bhi do woh gadhi kaha jaa rahi hai?", Sidharth asked.
"Canada. Waise even if she wouldn't have mentioned the place in the diary, main guess kar leta. Karan Aujla ka show hai two weeks mein..", Asim informed.
"Oh woh Don't Look wala. College time se fan thi. Tattoo bhi ussi ka karwa rakhi hai", Sidharth said, with a tinge of jealousy in his voice.
They reached the airport in some time. They had no luggage and since the boarding pass was printed, all they needed to do was get it stamped, and then go through the security check to get to Shehnaaz. It was already 9.15pm by the time they reached. Boarding was to start at 10.15pm and Sidharth was having a race against time.
The woman at the counter was a huge fan of Sidharth and wanted his autograph. Although his heart wanted to refuse and run to Shehnaaz as soon possible, he couldn't be rude to a fan. He obliged. And then ran to the security check. Asim and Nitya had told him to not wait for them and waste time. They assured him that they would catch up. By the time Sidharth was done with security check, it was 9.55pm. He ran to the waiting area for gate number 4.
As every great love story would have it, Shehnaaz decided to go to the loo moments before Sidharth reached the waiting area. Sidharth looked for her frantically, as if his life depended on this. He called out his name a few times and when he stopped to catch a breath, someone tapped him on his shoulder.
He turned back to see Shehnaaz standing in front of her eyes. The most beautiful sight for him. Shehnaaz was shocked to see Sidharth, in his wedding attire, at the waiting lounge, calling out her name.
She asked, "Tu yaha kya kar raha hai? Teri shaadi ho gayi?"
"Abey kaisi gadhi hai bey tu. Shaadi ho jati toh tujhe aise pagalo ki tarah bulata kya? Ki Shehnaaz Shehnaaz shaadi ho gayi, kaha ho tum? Samajh nahi aata tere liye aaya hu", Sidharth said.
Shehnaaz's heartbeat was so fast and loud that she was pretty sure entire city can hear her heart beat. "Par..woh..Nitya..Niya..shaadi", she couldn't form coherent sentences.
"Nitya aur Niya ne hi iss idiot ko idhar aane ko kaha", came a voice from the back. Nityami and Asim were there. Shehnaaz still thought she was dreaming. This couldn't be real she felt.
"Sana, terese hum baad mein baat karte hai, pehle iss bechare ki sunn le", Asim said.
As Sana turned back to face Sidharth, she saw him on his knees
"Shehnaaz. First of all, kabhi nahi socha tha ki jab tujhe second time propose karuga toh airport pe, aise sabke saamne karuga. But well here we are.
Remember, on the graduation night when I asked you to spend my life with you? You ran away. This time I won't let you go. Shehnaaz. My proposal remains the same.
I told you I will love you always. Even after all these years I am madly, deeply, irrevocably in love with you. All these months, to be so close to you and yet so far has been a torture. I can't imagine a future without you. Both of us made some mistakes. We were stupid. But we never fell out of love. Please don't run away like the last time. Will you please give me the opportunity to grow old with you?", He said as he took out the ring he had used for the first proposal.
Shehnaaz had tears in her eyes. She wanted to say Yes. An Yes, loud enough for the entire airport to hear. But she looked at Nityami and Asim and hesitated to say anything.
Nityami and Asim gave her an assuring look. They gestured her to say yes without worries. She looked at Sidharth again and got down on her knees.
She said a "Yes" as she kissed his cheeks and his forehead.
"Bebu, I still regret saying no that day. It took away 6 years of happiness from both of us. I was so lonely without you ki kaam ko hi sab kuch bana liya apna. Ussi ke liye tujhe chora tha maine and ussi ne humein milwa diya. I don't want to spend any more time regretting. I love you. Ab dekh le Sidharth, maine haan bola matlab tu sacchi phir phas gaya ab toh. Kabhi nahi chor ke jaa payega", she said ,crying and giggling all at once. "Abhi dekh kya raha hai, pehna ring", she said as she put out her hand for him.
"Thank god tune haan keh di. Nahi toh kal ki headline hoti "Superstar and business tycoon Sidharth Shukla ko ek ladki ne kiya reject. Woh bhi airport pe.", Sidharth said.
"Lekin yeh bataa, tujhe kaise pata chala main idhar milugi aur itni jaldi tickets and sab arrange karke aaye kaise tum teeno", Shehnaaz asked curiously.
"Main batati hu..", said Nityami as she narrated the entire story to her, right from the dinner party to her diary to the mandap drama and the tickets.
She looked at Asim, part guilty, part thankful for whatever he did for her. Asim understood her emotions and said, "Sana. Main terese bohot upset hu. Tune mujhe kabhi Sidharth ke baare mein batana zaroori hi nahi samjha. Apne best friend ko nahi boli? Isiliye jabse teri diary padhi Terese baat nahi kar raha tha. Aur yeh kya. Tum dono ne aapas mein decide kar liya Nitya aur Niya ke liye best kya rahega. Ekbaar hum sabse shanti se baat karne ki nahi sochi. Soch agar Nityami ko ussdin woh box nahi milta and main teri diary nahi padhta, toh aaj Sidharth mandap mein hota aur tu flight board kar gayi hoti. Phir zindagi bhar regret karte".
Shehnaaz fake cried and said, "thik hai naa, ho gayi galti dono se. Aage se nahi honi. Tu pehle kasam kha ke bol humdono ke beech sab thik hai? Tu aur main abhi bhi best friends?"
"Humesha they. Humesha rahege".
"Oh hello, koi mujhe bhul raha hai shayad", said Nitya.
"I love you Nityami. You are such an amazing person. Koi aur hota toh jaanke bhi kuch nahi karta. Tune hum dono ko aqal sikhayi.", Shehnaaz said as she hugged her. "Par Niya? Usko kaise samjhaya? Woh thik hai na? Usne react kiya kya zyada"
"Usko maine apne tareeke se samjha diya hai Sana. Tu ab toh thoda relax kar yaar. Waise hi humne tumdono ka romantic screentime kum kar diya. But explanation dena tha aur sab witness bhi karna tha, toh hum bhi peeche peeche aa gaye", she said.
Right then they heard announcement calling their names to board the flight. They informed the authorities that they won't board the flight as some urgent work has come up (oh god I feel so stupid to even write this. But I have no clue what you do if you want to cancel the flight at last moment. Lol. My stupid ass says sorry).
"Guys, sabse pehle you need to meet uncle and aunty and talk to them. So alone time ko thodi aur der ke liye hold pe rakho. Let's go and fix the mess", Nityami suggested.
They all reached Sidharth's parents' house. They were back from the wedding hall. Shehnaaz was sweating due to nervousness but Sidharth helped her relax. To her surprise, Sidharth's mom and dad were very warm and welcoming. She had thought that because of all the drama that happened because of Shehnaaz, they wouldn't be too pleased to talk to her. She thanked God for making her meet such wonderful people.
"Beta, welcome to the family. But when will you make things official. Dekho, Sidharth is famous. And of course tomorrow's headlines will state all kinds of things. I don't want any of you to be bothered by that. We will keep Niya away from the negativity. Baki tumlog bus jaldi se ek ho jao. Waise bhi a lot of time has been lost in the process.", Said sidharth's mother.
Nityami informed them that she would be taking Niya for a trip to Disneyland, the one they were supposed to go on for honeymoon. Nitya informed them that she will be trying to give Niya even more time and make things clear for her gradually. All things sorted, it was a happy ending for SidNaaz.
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A month later , the two of them got married in a private ceremony, in the presence of only close family and friends.
It was attended by Nitya, Niya, Asim, besides the family members.
They were so much in love, as if they've just met yesterday. Days passed by blissfully. Sidharth was the loving and caring husband that he always wanted to be. Shehnaaz continued to work and make Shubh Mangal Wedding a greater success all over India.
A year later, they got blessed with a baby girl, Pari. Niya's happiness knew no bounds. She finally got a sister to play with.
Shehnaaz and Sidharth still fight a lot but their golden rule of sorting things out right before going to bed, keeps things balanced.
Asim has started dating again. Nitya is doing great as a single mom and as a very successful business owner. Sidharth and her company's joint venture has been quite successful and both of them have been nominated for several awards.
Not a day goes by when Shehnaaz doesn't thank her lucky stars for giving her Sidharth. She has two amazing best friends Nitya and Asim, two kids she love so much Pari and Niya, her business and Sidharth.
The Wedding Planner didn't have a grand wedding for herself but she got the love of her life back, thanks to her work.
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Can't believe it's over.
But okay, all good things must come to an end. Thanks for sticking around.
A long long note coming your way tomorrow! 💖