It was a perfect day. A light, cool breeze blowing, the sun playing
hide and seek with white fluffy clouds. He could see the sea sparkle
from his bedroom window. A sigh escaped. He always knew that his
best friend, tutor, the love of his life would get married on a perfect
day. She just had that kind of serene, relaxed demeanor where she never
let anything bother her and she rarely got affected by uncalled for
situations. An air about her with that 100-watt smile that commanded everything around her to be perfect.
...And he was glad he was a part of this perfect day in her life.
Jolting me out of my daydream was Mom rapping sharply on my door. I knew it was her by the slightly hurried, impatient knock she always does to get me to move fast. She stuck her head in and smiled at me... the happiness of knowing her son is marrying a girl as lovely as Jeena was radiating from her! But soon she was her practical self again and quipped "Hurry up, Dan! We need to start in 15 mins!"
I quickly buttoned the cuffs of the crisp white shirt and slipped into my midnight blue tuxedo. This midnight blue was, of course, Jeena's idea. 'Black is too sombre a color!,' she said. I can't believe this day is here...
We all took our positions at the altar. Me, perhaps, slightly more nervously than the others. I could smell the incense, hear the silence and felt like I was going to faint from emotion. So I took a long deep breath and focused all my energies on the door of the church which would give way to the girl I have loved all my adult life. My Jeena.
The music began. The entire church turned towards Jeena, the glorious bride. What a vision, what a beauty! You could see her hundred watt smile through her veil. Some of her stubborn curls peeped through her headgear, she always complained how she could never have her way with her curls. And though she didn't know, that was one of the first things that made me fall in love with her. I wanted to savour each moment of her divine beauty, I promised myself I would...but I couldn't help but relive all the years I've spent loving her. All the years of side-splitting laughter, midnight meals, long drives, all-nighters for exams and having each others backs. It was like she fell into my lap. Literally. It was the first day of college, running to be on time for the most boring class mankind has ever invented: Statistics. Jeena was running towards me - in opposite direction - even though we were going to attend the same class. She skid right into me and we fell on the floor. She laughed her loud, full, throaty laughter, sang 'Sorrrryyyyy!" and went her way.
Though struck by her beauty I couldn't dwell on it much, I was really late for my first class in college ever. I wasn't allowed to enter! On my first day. I was fuming. So I stood outside. Ten minutes later Jeena saunters towards the classroom, asks if she could be let in. On being refused, quietly closes the door and looks around to see if anything interesting can be done while the class is on. When she notices me she points towards the classroom, and I nod. Ecstatic that she isn't the only one left out she insists we go to the cafeteria. My inner nerd was baffled at her nonchalance. But over the next 3 years I learnt that Jeena never lets anything bother her. She works really hard, but parties like her life depended on it. She attracts people like a moth to a flame, makes friends like nobody's business. Gets invited to all kinds of parties, I mean, ALL KINDS. Thanks to her I didn't spend all my college life reading and pouring over books. We slogged the last year, cleared our GMAT and got admitted to Kellogg, just like my elder brother. Both Jeena and I were delirious with excitement when we finally came to terms with the fact that we'll be doing our MBA together, in a foreign country. We couldn't have asked for more. By that time my love for her knew no bounds and I knew this one was for keeps.
We spent next few years working, slogging, making sure we leave our mark on this world. And we did. Professionally, we are everything we wanted to be. Its been five years since we booked that one way ticket to Chicago.
As the music started fading I came back to the present. Closed my eyes, sighed and then looked at my elder brother. Gleaming with happiness, I think I may even have seen a few tears in his eyes, which is unheard of! He was radiating happiness, and why not? He, after all, was marrying the most perfect girl in the world. My Jeena. Dez extended his hand as Jeena stepped up and as if on some cue both of them looked my way and smiled. Jeena mouthed the words 'Thank You!' and Dez nodded in agreement. Thanking me for bringing them together, because, after all had I not set my sights on Kellogg and convinced J as well, they would have never met! I smiled back even though I felt like my heart was in someone's death grip. Though I did take a moment to realise that they looked perfect together, like it was meant to be. And, maybe it was.
Emotion got the better of me and a tear slid from the corner of my eye. And then several deep, long breaths later I determinedly looked down and stared at my shoes as the ceremony began. Then I let the calm soothing voice of the priest wash over me.
...And he was glad he was a part of this perfect day in her life.
Jolting me out of my daydream was Mom rapping sharply on my door. I knew it was her by the slightly hurried, impatient knock she always does to get me to move fast. She stuck her head in and smiled at me... the happiness of knowing her son is marrying a girl as lovely as Jeena was radiating from her! But soon she was her practical self again and quipped "Hurry up, Dan! We need to start in 15 mins!"
I quickly buttoned the cuffs of the crisp white shirt and slipped into my midnight blue tuxedo. This midnight blue was, of course, Jeena's idea. 'Black is too sombre a color!,' she said. I can't believe this day is here...
We all took our positions at the altar. Me, perhaps, slightly more nervously than the others. I could smell the incense, hear the silence and felt like I was going to faint from emotion. So I took a long deep breath and focused all my energies on the door of the church which would give way to the girl I have loved all my adult life. My Jeena.
The music began. The entire church turned towards Jeena, the glorious bride. What a vision, what a beauty! You could see her hundred watt smile through her veil. Some of her stubborn curls peeped through her headgear, she always complained how she could never have her way with her curls. And though she didn't know, that was one of the first things that made me fall in love with her. I wanted to savour each moment of her divine beauty, I promised myself I would...but I couldn't help but relive all the years I've spent loving her. All the years of side-splitting laughter, midnight meals, long drives, all-nighters for exams and having each others backs. It was like she fell into my lap. Literally. It was the first day of college, running to be on time for the most boring class mankind has ever invented: Statistics. Jeena was running towards me - in opposite direction - even though we were going to attend the same class. She skid right into me and we fell on the floor. She laughed her loud, full, throaty laughter, sang 'Sorrrryyyyy!" and went her way.
Though struck by her beauty I couldn't dwell on it much, I was really late for my first class in college ever. I wasn't allowed to enter! On my first day. I was fuming. So I stood outside. Ten minutes later Jeena saunters towards the classroom, asks if she could be let in. On being refused, quietly closes the door and looks around to see if anything interesting can be done while the class is on. When she notices me she points towards the classroom, and I nod. Ecstatic that she isn't the only one left out she insists we go to the cafeteria. My inner nerd was baffled at her nonchalance. But over the next 3 years I learnt that Jeena never lets anything bother her. She works really hard, but parties like her life depended on it. She attracts people like a moth to a flame, makes friends like nobody's business. Gets invited to all kinds of parties, I mean, ALL KINDS. Thanks to her I didn't spend all my college life reading and pouring over books. We slogged the last year, cleared our GMAT and got admitted to Kellogg, just like my elder brother. Both Jeena and I were delirious with excitement when we finally came to terms with the fact that we'll be doing our MBA together, in a foreign country. We couldn't have asked for more. By that time my love for her knew no bounds and I knew this one was for keeps.
We spent next few years working, slogging, making sure we leave our mark on this world. And we did. Professionally, we are everything we wanted to be. Its been five years since we booked that one way ticket to Chicago.
As the music started fading I came back to the present. Closed my eyes, sighed and then looked at my elder brother. Gleaming with happiness, I think I may even have seen a few tears in his eyes, which is unheard of! He was radiating happiness, and why not? He, after all, was marrying the most perfect girl in the world. My Jeena. Dez extended his hand as Jeena stepped up and as if on some cue both of them looked my way and smiled. Jeena mouthed the words 'Thank You!' and Dez nodded in agreement. Thanking me for bringing them together, because, after all had I not set my sights on Kellogg and convinced J as well, they would have never met! I smiled back even though I felt like my heart was in someone's death grip. Though I did take a moment to realise that they looked perfect together, like it was meant to be. And, maybe it was.
Emotion got the better of me and a tear slid from the corner of my eye. And then several deep, long breaths later I determinedly looked down and stared at my shoes as the ceremony began. Then I let the calm soothing voice of the priest wash over me.
