The Marriage

He checked his reflection in the mirror again. White Kurta with matching pathani, and a colorful embroidered jacket over the same. I hope she likes it, he thought eagerly. He ran his hand over his hair, trying unsuccessfully to straighten it but as usual, it looked totally messed up. With a sigh, he shook his head, checked his reflection for one more time and left his room.

A steady stream of relatives greeted him as he came out of the room and he found himself being hugged and patted from all sides. With every minute he grew more desperate to see her. It was really important for him to meet her once before the marriage took place.

After what seemed like hours, he found himself standing outside her room, trying to not to attract anyone's attention. He heard loud laughter from the room and braced himself for the inquisition. He knocked on the door.

Rhea opened it. Oh, oh, I don't want to deal with this one now! He thought in despair. She crossed her arms and gave him a knowing look. With a smirk, she asked him. "What are you doing here? You are not supposed to see the bride. Nobody is supposed to see her now!"

He bit back a haughty retort and said with as much humility and patience as he could. "Look, this is very important to me. I need to talk to her before the marriage. Please... " He pleaded to her and gave her his best puppy-eyed look. She rolled her eyes in exasperation and shouted. "Girls, everyone out." She wagged her finger at him and said sternly. "Leave the door open. We will be standing out." He cringed and nodded his head in embarrassment.

As one, the girls marched out giggling and pushing each other out of the room. Rhea motioned for him to go inside and held a hand at the door before closing it half-way. She made a I-am-watching-you gesture with her pointer finger and middle finger and he chuckled inspite of himself.

As he turned, he saw her and drew in a deep breath. He had seen her since her childhood. He had seen her in braces. He had seen her in oily and pleated hair. Every time, her beauty seemed to grow before him. But today, she sparkled with joy. Her radiant face beamed with a dazzling smile as she looked at him with a mixture of surprise and wonder.

"You look beautiful." He said with a warm smile as he took in her bridal attire. Most of all, he took in her eyes, beautiful, shining eyes. He checked them for a trace of uncertainty or doubt. All he saw was joy and happiness.

"What are you doing here, Mr.Handsome? We are not supposed to meet before the wedding." She chided him laughingly.

"I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes. I hope you are cool with all that is happening. The past two months have been a whirlwind affair with the sudden engagement and the wedding preparations. And today we are here!" He finished with a deep breath as the activities of the past two months threatened to overwhelm him completely. Though he had been robotic and had acted on auto-pilot mode, her happiness was important to him and he had done everything he could to make this time memorable for her.

"Frankly? I don't know what I feel. There is happiness, there is excitement and there is a strange kind of sadness too. I will be saying goodbye to a dear and familiar life and a new life waits for me. It is scary and exciting too. I am a jumble of emotions." She let out a nervous laugh and he was shocked to realise that there was an edge of a sob in her laughter. He opened his arms wide and gestured her to approach him. She walked towards him slowly and hugged him. He held her tightly, as if he would never let her go.

"Everything will be all right. Don't worry." He said to her in a gentle voice as she withdrew herself from his hug. She looked at him and ruffled his hair affectionately, as she had always done since many many years. "Thanks for everything. I don't know what I would have done without you." She said to him in a teary voice.

He was about to speak when the girls squad rushed in unannounced and urgently.

"Come, you are being called!" Rhea held her hand and started to lead her away. He held her other hand and stopped her. "Always remember, I am there for you, come what may." She pressed his palm gently and walked away.

He saw her leaving, the only person he had ever loved in his life, his childhood friend, his sweetheart - as she joined her fiance in the mandap. He saw her leaving behind her old life, and that would mean him, and embrace a new life. Without him. But most of all, he saw his life clearly ahead. A bleak life without her. He took a deep breath as the grief threatened to overwhelm him again. It is not yet time, he reminded himself. The time would come later, after she left. But for now, his best friend, his childhood friend was getting married and there was work to do.