SURPRISE ENGAGEMENT
Monday is the worst day for everyone around the world, but not for employees like me who work in the United Arab Emirates. For us, the week starts on Sunday and Friday and Saturday is weekends. However, on a beautiful Monday evening, I felt a hundred different emotions at the same time. I was nervous, depressed and excited. It was May 23, 2016.
All roommates were busy in their respective worlds.
Dipen, one of my best friends in Dubai was busy talking to his wife. The person was from Nepal and calling up his wife every day was like a routine he could not have enough of. Despite the age difference of fifteen years between us, we shared a great bonding. Ramesh Bhai, the older person among all the other roommates, was busy watching YouTube videos. We respect him as our elder brother. He was from my city, Ahmedabad and a Gujarati too. Another roommate was busy arranging his clothes in his cupboard. I did not know his name as he had joined just a few hours back.
I knew that I would not be in my state of mind on that day because of two reasons. First, my cousin Kushal breathed his last in India two days before. I wanted to attend his funeral and other rituals, but my passport and visa renewal issue hindered by the trip. To add to it, I was suffering from a malignant attack of viral fever on that day. The doctor prescribed me a heavy dose of medicines and antibiotics a day before. As soon as I took the pills, I felt asleep. I did not want to sleep so early that night.
The clock was low on fuel, it seemed. Each second felt like an hour. I was waiting for 10:30 PM according to Dubai's timing and 12:00 AM as per IST. The Indian schedule is one and half-hours ahead. I wanted to wish the love of my life a 'Happy Birthday.’ We both were eagerly waiting for her 25th birthday. I promised her that I would give her a present she would not have been expecting even in her wildest dreams. She had asked me a thousand times before to tell me what I had in store for her. She tried every possible kind of emotional atyachars too. However, she failed. I had already decided not to let her down by wishing her later in the day. I would wish her at sharp 12:00 AM according to Indian timing.
The new boy, the roommate, switched the channel from SAB TV to Sony TV. I guess he was addicted to the show 'Crime Patrol' even though he looked way too harmless to be interested in crime! Anup Soni, the host of the show, was narrating the script. I too started watching the show. It was interesting. I managed to divert my mind from the clock. It was a one-and-a-half hour to go before the clock struck twelve. Minutes into the show, my eyes were watery and head started aching. I wanted to have medicines, but I did not want to sleep as well. I decided to take a power nap for at least one and half-hour. I set and alarm for 10:20 PM and hit the sack.
*****************************
‘Hello,’
‘Hello. Siddhant?’ The voice was of the woman I loved.
‘Yes, Meri bachhi. Siddhant here. Your bettu.'
‘Wow. What a pleasant surprise!’
‘Thanks! By the way, Silver Jubilee Mubarak’, I wished her.
‘Ohhh. Thanks bachhu, but it’s still ten minutes to go before I turn twenty-five!’ she quipped.
‘I know. I didn’t want anyone to call you before me and nobody should be disturbing me while I am talking to you.'
‘You will not change, right?’
‘No girl. I won't.'
‘Hmmm. So where is my surprise? I have been waiting for it for a long time.'
‘Hahahaha. Not now. You will receive it tomorrow.'
‘Siddhant, I will kill you now. You torture me everytime with all the suspense. You are a devil of a boyfriend. Huh!’ she huffed.
‘Don’t worry. Your wait will be rewarded soon. You will be amazed. You will be shocked! '
‘Shut up. Don’t try my patience.'
‘Ok baba, Sorry. Smile now.'
‘Hmm. Better. Aur? How’s Dubai? And when will you come to Delhi again to meet me?’ She asked.
‘Dubai is perfect as always, and I will visit Delhi soon. Missing you tons!'
‘Liar’
‘Arrey, I am serious. I have still not gotten over the memories of the four days we spent together in July last year when I came to Delhi to meet you’
‘Haan yaar. Those days were unforgettable. I mean it.'
‘Hmm.'
In the next few minutes, we talked about everything from the health of our family members to their professional involvements. I wished her again ‘Happy Birthday’ at sharp 10:30 PM as per Dubai timings. I disconnected the call as she was receiving more calls from her friends and families.
I was ready with my surprise. Soon I packed my bag and left for the airport.
*****************************
May 24, 2016.
I reached my hotel at Paharganj in Delhi. My family members also arrived at the hotel. They had come all the way from Ahmedabad to arrange a surprise birthday party for my beloved.
I called Reet, her younger sister. Reet helped me a lot in arranging the perfect birthday present for the most special person in my life. Reet informed me that she had already told her family members and relatives to reach at the venue on time in the evening. Our family members and her relatives arrived at the venue of the surprise birthday party. As soon as Reet reached outside the venue with the guest of honor, she texted me.
I hid in the manager’s cabin as they were about to enter. The CCTV cameras captured her entry in the hall, and I managed to the see the footage on the monitor in the manager’s cabin. As expected, the birthday girl was shocked at the sight of the relatives and family members. Meanwhile, I received a text from my sister Drishti. She wrote to me that my lovely girlfriend was enquiring about me and how she had texted me multiple times and I never reverted after our last call. I realized none of her messages was delivered.
I looked back at the monitor. Her face was flushed with excitement and nervousness. Wearing a red salwar kameez and minimal accessories, she looked as lovely as the evening. Her hair was left loose and the tresses cupped her pretty face. Everyone wished her. I could see the nervous formal smile on her face. She moved to a corner and put her phone on an ear. Perhaps, she was trying to call me. I knew I did not have the guts to disconnect her call and hence I had switched it off long ago.
She became worried.
Reet took my love on the stage where she found a heart shaped cake. Everyone took their places and settled down on chairs. As happy she was on seeing the cake, she missed me more. Once again, she took out her phone and rung me up. In the presence of all my family members, it was natural for her to feel alone and miss me. Annoyed at not getting any response from the other end she gave her phone to Reet. I informed the manager to switch off all the lights and only have a single spotlight focused on the birthday girl. I took a mike and started singing one of my favorite songs from the movie Rock On,
Tum ho toh gaata hai dil,
Tum nahi toh geet kahan?
The frown lines on her forehead straightened. She was desperately scanning the entire room to find me. She figured out, I was right there.
I continued the song,
Tum ho toh hai sab hasil,
Tum nahi toh kya hai yahan?
‘Happy Birthday my love. I love you a lot, and I am sorry to make you wait for so long.’ I said in between the song. She felt shy and covered her face with her both hands.
Tum ho toh hai, sapno ke jaisa haseen ek Sama
I appeared in front of her. She gaped at me for a second, till tears rolled her cheek. With quick steps, she came over to me and hugged me in front of everyone. I kissed her on her forehead. Everyone was clapping and whistling. I sat down on my knee and continued the song,
Jo Tum Ho toh Yeh lagta hai ki mil gayi Har khushi
Jo Tum Na Ho toh lagta hai ki har khushi me hai kami
Tum ko hai mangti yeh zindgi…. Eeee, eeeiiii,
Now everyone started singing with me and waving their hands in the air.
Ooo ooooo Oooooo ooh WO ooh ooo ooh
I finished the song.
‘I love you too’ my love whispered in my ears.
I smiled. I invited her parents and my family members on the stage. She cut the cake, and everyone started singing the birthday song. She fed me the first bite of the cake, then her parents and then my family members. My father asked the waiter to take the cake and to distribute it among the rest.
‘So is this your surprise?’ she asked me.
‘Nahi nahi, there is another surprise waiting for you. Just wait and watch’ Reet nudged her sister.
‘Mamma, give me a ring’ Reet asked Vidhyaben, her mother.
Reet told me to make my love wear the engagement ring on her finger.
‘What? What are you saying?’ She asked Reet.
‘She is right; we have planned your engagement with Siddhant’ Drishti said to her.
Flabbergasted, she turned to me. I winked. My mother quickly handed me an engagement ring too. I slipped the engagement ring on her finger, and she put another on mine. Whistles and cheers echoed in the room. Everyone was extremely happy about our engagement. She slapped on my back and cried again. She had no idea the surprise she awaited would be of this magnitude.
We were officially engaged. All our family members and relatives congratulated us. Our families also congratulated each other. The engagement ceremony got over and I finally wanted to spend some time with my girlfriend, who was now my fiancée. I asked permission from her parents to take her out on a date and they agreed.
I went to our hotel room to change into something comfortable. I dropped my tuxedo and wore casual jeans and a t-shirt. In no time, I reached her place and told her parents that my folks would be joining them soon. Suraj, her cousin brother, offered me his bike to take her for the dinner date.
She came down in the same clothes she was wearing at the party and we rode off to a restaurant for a candlelight dinner. By the light of the candles, I could see her fair face glow.
‘Thank you Siddhant. Thank you very much for making this birthday so special for me.’ she said to me.
‘You deserve it, my love. I want to thank you for accepting me the way I am’ I said.
‘Pagal’ she smiled.
We had our dinner.
She wrapped me in her arms from behind as we rode back home. She put her head on my back. I could feel her dropping kisses on my back. We were enjoying the romantic moments while coming back home from the romantic dinner that was long overdue.
We reached her home. I parked the bike and handed over the keys to her. I told her that I would not disturb her parents, as it was already late and they must be asleep by them. I checked to see if anyone was around. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tight. She also hugged me back tightly. Our lips met gently and soon we were locked in a lingering kiss.
She knew that I would leave in the next early morning so she could not meet me the next day. I cried. She wiped my tears with her dupatta and cupped my face in her palms.
‘I am yours. Distances might hurt, but in the end, I am yours. Always remember that!’
She did her goodbye before we parted for the night.
I held her hand tightly; I did not want to let her go. I pulled her into me once again and we hugged each other. She asked me to leave and not to delay any further because my tears would make her weak and she might not have the strength to let me go. I told her I would watch her until she reached home. She left. I kept looking as she walked off. She unlocked the door, turned back for the last time and waved her hand.
I accumulated all the strength I had and waved her back.
**************************
‘Siddhant, Siddhant wake up. Your mom is calling’. Dipen was yelling at me.
I woke up in a state of shock. Oh, Fuck! It was just a dream. It was a beautiful dream.
‘Yes. Yes, Mummy’ I talked to my mom.
My mother called had rung up Dipen as I missed all the eight calls she made me.
‘How’s your health now?’ My mom asked.
‘Yeah. I am okay. I took a day off to take rest.'
‘Good. Take medicines on time. Sacahvje’ she said.
‘Hmmm.'
I checked the time. It was eight o’clock in the morning. Shit! My power nap went on to become an extended snoozing session. More importantly, I did not wish My Love as the clock struck twelve. Dipen told me that he had shut the alarm last evening, as I did not wake up.
I dialed her number. It was only when the call could not reach her that I realized that she had blocked my number after we broke up. Reality hit hard and a throbbing pain surged deep within.
I went to the washroom, cried my lungs off, washed my face and came out.
I sat down, took a deep breath and decided to drop her e-mail.
‘Hi, my Bacchi. Congratulations for finishing the silver jubilee of your life. May God bless you and fulfill all your wishes and dreams. Happy Birthday.
Yours bettu,
Siddhant
I lay down on my bed, unlocked my phone, and started looking at 950 plus photographs of the woman I loved.
