7
‘23rd June’, that’s what the invitation card had said. THE day when Neha will be married.
Obviously I was in no mood of attending her wedding. I was scared that I would do something foolish or at worst will break off in tears. So I told Neha that I was going out of town for some conferences and that I would see the newly married couple only after I am back.
I could read her mind. She wanted me to be there to see her getting married. She wanted to be happy for the last time, seeing me there. But I am sure; she also had the scary feeling that I had. Although she shouted and cursed me for not able to attend her wedding, somewhere inside she felt relaxed.
Wedding location was neatly decorated. Surrounding was buzzing with lots of festive-dressed peoples, noisy kids, event-management teams.
I was right there, sitting in a Seven-7 bar, which was exactly opposite to the venue, sipping a chilled beer in one corner.
I saw two decorated cars coming in. I saw uncle-aunty coming out of the car while the driver held the other door open. I was sure, he did it for the bride to come out. For a moment, I thought to get up and take a quick look at Neha, but then avoided doing so.
After 20-30 mins, few more cars came in, luxurious cars – Pajero, Lancer, Civic. The moment those cars stopped, the band started blowing the usual songs of ‘Raja ki aayegi baraat’ in full blow.
This has to be the groom. I thought.
I looked at the wrist watch. It was quarter past six. 45 more minutes, and I was expecting the “Tadeo Lagnam…”
I was feeling very bad, sad, and emotional. I was wondering, since when I became so senti?. I blamed the alcohol. It surely had to be impure, that I was feeling senti.
Time was ticking.
Cell phone rang and I came out of my trance. I allowed the cell-phone to ring a couple of more time. I gulped a big sip of the beer, cleared my throat and picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi Tarun, Preeti here.”
“Preeti? Hiee, whatz up?”
“Where are you Tarun?”
“Me? I am in Bangalore yaar, stuck up with this crazy conference.” I spoke in a voice as normal as I can.
“Don’t lie to me Tarun, seriously tell me where are you.”, Preeti said.
“Why would I lie? Seriously I am in Bangalore”, I stuck to what I said earlier to Neha and few minutes back to Preeti.
“Oh really, then it has to be a coincidence that your conference and your office are playing a song on a band, that eventually is being played here as well.”
“Shit!!”, I murmured
“Ok, so I am here only, what is it?”
“Can’t you come down here? Neha wants to meet you. She asked me 10 times enquiring if you are really in Bangalore. She will be happy to see you before she…”
“No…she won’t be happy when she will see me…”, I interrupted…”I don’t want to mess up her marriage Preeti. Things might go beyond control. It’s better to stay where I am, out of her sight.”
“Tell me Tarun, where you are exactly. Don’t worry, I won’t tell Neha.”, she said.
“I am in Seven-7 bar, just opposite to the garden.”
“Okay”, she said and hung up the call.
Within few minutes, I saw Preeti rushing inside the bar.
She was wearing that typical Punjabi maroon colored chania-choli with a golden colored design embossed on it. With a light make-up, and her untied hair falling on her shoulder, she looked amazing.
She came straight to my table.
Seeing such a pretty lady in a beer-bar, right from the wedding venue, startled the half-awake people around. They might have thought Preeti was a bride trying to escape or run away with her boyfriend waiting, half-drunk in a bar.
She pulled her chair close to me and sat down.
She was looking straight into my eyes.
I couldn’t, and so I looked down.
“What is this Tarun? She still have hopes that from no-where you will be come to greet her.”, She whispered.
She was about to say something else, but stopped when she looked at me.
I could see her blur, as tear drops gathered in my eyes.
“I can’t Preeti, I can’t. I can’t face her. Please try to understand.”
She kept her hand on mine and patted.
First drop of tear just escaped from its boundaries and rolled down on my cheek.
Preeti moved forward and hugged me.
I couldn’t control more and kept weeping for a minute or so.
I realized that people around were staring at us weirdly; I cleaned my eyes and moved aside.
Preeti held her right hand open in front of me.
“Akshata hain..”, she said.. pointing to the colored rice grains. “Neha definitely deserve your blessings Tarun.”
She poured some in my hand and ran away.
I heard the last vedic chant followed by the “Tadev Lagnam…” It continued for a while and then I heard clapping of hands followed by the band playing in best of their performance.
I looked around; everybody was busy with their drinks.
I picked up some of the rice-grains and threw them in the air, outside.
All the Best Neha.. wish you all the Best. Forget me and forgive me, for pulling you into this. We should not have started this in the first place.
God bless you!!
I sat down, finished the remaining drink top-to bottom.
Slowly, I covered my face with my hands with my head resting on the table.
That cold, chilled beer was dripping from my eyes in the form of warm tear drops.
8
Life moves on.
It took some time for me to stabilize. But I somehow managed. Work was pouring down in office and I was totally into it. We had this critical release planned, and I was not only slogging 13 hrs a day, but had to sacrifice my weekends as well.
I just managed to go once to City Library, and it was for genuine reason. I needed some periodicals so it was a quick visit.
Preeti told me, Neha had gone to Mauritius for her honeymoon, and that she will be back only after a month.
Days passed by and soon memories of Neha were faded.
After a month and half, I got a call from the PCO booth near Neha’s college. I looked at the number and thought, “Could it be Preeti calling from that booth?”
I was bit disappointed to hear Neha on the other side.
“Hi Tarun!!”, Neha was bouncing in her voice “Hey Neha.. How are you??”, was about to say darling as usual, but avoided. “I’m just fine. I am back to college. Care for coffee?”, she asked
I had no intentions of seeing her, but anyways I was not there for her wedding and I thought at least I should see her and talk about her wedding. And who knows, Preeti might as well be there.
Thought of Preeti encouraged me to say Yes.
Next build was scheduled late evening, and I had a time to kill. So I took my keys and headed straight towards the college.
I was disappointed again, not seeing Preeti with Neha.
Neha looked beautiful with her sindoor, crystal-maroon bangles, and fresh colored dress. I noticed that she had put on some weight too.
There was no hug this time when we met; it was just a quick handshake.
“So?? How was it?”, I asked
“How was it what? The wedding or the Honeymoon?”, Neha asked mischievously.
“Well!!, both?”
“Both were good. Mauritius was hot but was equally good, especially the virgin beaches with crystal blue colored water were amazing.”, she kept talking about customs of Mauritius, culture, scenic beauty.
Frankly, I was bored.
Finally, when she was done, she looked into my eyes and said, “I missed you Tarun. This all could have been more beautiful and more fun filled, if you were there.”
It was a very touchy statement. On any other given day, I could have hugged her. But the girl seating next to me was no more my girl-friend. She was wife of someone now.
“Well, I don’t have a problem accompanying you, unless your husband mind it”.
She smiled. Then picked a cell-phone from her purse and called,
“Bhaiyyaa, chalo, I am waiting”
Soon a black colored Scorpio stopped outsidethe café gate.
Neha got up from her seat, “Time to go”, she said. Quickly she picked up some 20rs. Notes and placed it on table. I could see her purse, filled with a bunch of 100rs notes.
For a minute we looked into eyes of each other and then she went.
I stood there looking, if by chance I could see Preeti around and then went back to work.
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