Marry Me

Chapter-37 Always

Our eyes met.

Everything inside me felt like an explosion.

He was standing there, just him. Just him with brown eyes who seemed to latch on my own. Brown and Blue. Heart and Breath.

A dimple took over his face. God. He was like an ancient Greek painting, Alive. I never thought that pink colour could look so beautiful on someone. He was not handsome. He was beautiful.

My breath seemed to stop when I reached him. He held out his hands just like he did when he knew I was nervous. I took it and everything inside me splashed. Like a cool water in hot summer. Like a morning sound after hard night. Like his eyes. Like him.

His hand clasped tightly around me. The smell of woodpines and chocolate and Juliet roses. Everything.

My eyes seem to feast upon him. Looking at him as if to make sure it was not a dream.

He leaned forward, his beautiful mouth whispering into my ears. A tingle of senses somersaulted inside me. " It was worth the wait. You look..." I looked up at him, his unnerving eyes draining something into me.

I smiled up at him. My hands tightening on its own accord. " You....." that's all I managed.

He nodded. ' I know', squeezing my hands.

I squeezed back and turned towards everyone.

And saw everyone staring right at us. A blush crept over my face. I saw our mothers standing with each other. Already crying. They looked up at me, and smiled through the tears.

I smiled back, controlling my own. The afternoon sun making the silver and white halo around threads of decorations looking magical. The smell of afternoon, the smell of love.

My eyes wandered and it fell upon my father, Kiyansh's father, Ashraf Kaka who was smiling at me . And all my friends who stood beside Nani looking intently at us.

I looked at all of my family. Stitching the memory of standing so close. Standing with us. For this day.

Grateful. Loved. Grateful.

" Ready? " Kiyansh whispers beside me.

" Ready. " I whisper back.

We walk to the path together, leading to a somewhat upper stones , where a big 'mandap' was covered in flowers, stones and beautiful vines. The whole mandap takes my breath away. A fire was kept in the middle. The whole elevated platform covered in silk pink carpet. A priest was standing in the midst smiling at us. We talked about it so easily, when we were kids. But the realisation of it really happening was just like seeing a new dimension. Like a really different dimension. But the hand holding me, so surely, told me, it was okay.

I took an uneven breath and proceeded forward when the preist told us to come forward and sit in front of the fire.

The priest sat in front of us. And started a prayer. I looked around to make sure all the people I loved were there. And they were.

He was still holding my hand. And I remembered how back in the room I craved him holding my hands. He showed me his ring finger, the platinum band shinning with the sun like a smile on his face.

I smiled back and like a child showed him my ring and pendant which I was wearing like a bracelet. He stared as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world. Then he looked up. And my throat felt like a dry land.

How did he have such effect on me. Even with a look.

" Is my name written? " He asks with a gleaming dimple.

" What? " I whispered.

" There, in your hands. The Henna. Is my name written? "

I roll my eyes then stop when I remember that the priest is saying something.

I listen to it. And he tells us we will start with Ganesh Pooja. Where we are supposed to thank God for everything.

So I close my eyes and with a deep gratitude and smile on my face, thank god. I remember the times when I was sad and felt alone, how I looked up at sky and closed my eyes and God was there. I remember the times when our families used to go near mountains and we just sat with each other in beautiful nature. There with our families, I felt God. I remember the times when near my bedroom window Kiyansh and I shouted to Ashraf Kaka and we git ice candies together with coloured tongues. How happy and thankful I feel right now. ' Thank you God.' I say in my heart.

Kiyansh tugs at my hand. " Do you ? "

" What? " I grunt at him.

" My name. " He asks clanishly.

" Yes. But you'll have to find it. It isn't easy. "

The smile on his face is like a thousand watts bulb. " I have yours too. "

" What? " My eyes widens and for the first time since a whole day. I grin up at him. " It's only fair you know, why just only a girl is supposed to have written a name of her fiance. "

" Husband." He corrected, and.....the word rolled around in my stomach.

" Shut up. " I say.

" Hmmm. How conventional isn't it? Already deying your husband?" He smiled up at me. Then after a breath his eyes turned serious" It will be good. I promise. "

My throat seemed to forget how to swallow. I merely nodded.

The prayers followed.

" Kanyadaan" The priest murmered. And my stomach lurched. I knew what this word meant. It was supposed to be a ritual when parents give their daughter to the man she was supposed to marry. I felt a stab of pain when I saw my parents red eyes looking at me as if I was a treasure. They both holding my hand so tightly, as if they didn't want to let go.

I suddenly wanted to get up and tell them. I wasn't going anywhere. I wasn't leaving them ever. But I couldn't form the words through the sudden heartache.

As always, he found the words. And in that moment I loved him the most. " You don't have to give her to me. She is yours too. "

My mother and father looked up at him as if they couldn't even gather up the words.

The priest, interjected, " But you have to, it's a ritual!" He said in a shreiky and somewhat wheezy voice.

" No. " Kiyansh said in a thundered and commanding voice. A voice which no one could argue with. A voice which only asked, and it got what it wanted. That aura of him. That control.

I knew what he was doing for my parents. Giving up control. Sharing. Something which was the hardest for him.

My mother started crying like a baby. " Th- Thank you. "

" You don't have to thank me. Thank you for her, for all of you. " He said to them.

My father looked up at Kiyansh as if he could worship him which was a lot to say as he already in a way did.

He patted on Kiyansh's back and kissed me on cheek. " The best decision. " He said somewhat to himself but we heard.

Kiyansh's mother and father smiled proudly at him.

I did too. " Thank you so much. "

" Always " he whispered.

How was the chapter?

Always.