“Is this the end? After everything we’ve been through?” he asked, sitting at the marine lines, looking at her. Tears rolled down his eyes. She didn’t move. She had come to invite him to her wedding. Her father had especially wanted him to be there.
“How’s he? Handsome? Family guy? Well to do?” he said, fighting back his tears. His voice, suppressed by the weight of his heart.
“Remember the long walks down this place? The secret dates?” he continued without waiting for an answer. “You could sense what my heart desired and provide solutions for the worst situations. Will you be able to do the same for him? Will you love him the same way as you love me?”
“Of course you will,” he said mimicking a smile.
“At least have a look at the card,” she said.
“It’s okay, Isha. Do you talk to him?”
She nodded, looking at the sea.
“Does he call you Isha? Or Ishita? Or with some other love name? Tell him, I’ll break his nose if he dares call you Isha or Ishu. I’ve got copyright on those names. After all, that is what will be left with me after you’re gone. Your memories and the names I gave you,” he broke down again.
“Let’s talk about something else. Where is the marriage, by the way?”
“Mahabaleshwar,” she said, looking down at her feet.
“Destination wedding? Nice. I always wanted to have a destination wedding, or at least be present at one.”
“Won’t you come, Tushar?” she asked. Her eyes filled with tears as well.
“No Isha. Please don’t force me. I won’t be able to bear the sight of you marrying someone else.”
“It slipped from my mind. Happy Valentine’s Day Tushar,” she said, changing the topic.
“In what way is it even happy? Anyway, same to you.”
“Please take this card as a gift Tushar. My final gift as Isha Bhandari.”
“This is the last thing I would ever accept from you Isha.”
“Then be it,” she said.
Reluctantly, he took the thick golden envelope, removed the card and opened it.
He looked at her. A broad smile on her face.
“Tushar Choudhary, have I ever missed a valentine’s day ever in the last eight years? This year, I thought, why not take it to the next level. Dad agreed two days back and I kept the surprise for today,” she stood up and stretched out her hand. He stood up, holding it.
Bending down on her knee she said, “Mr. Tushar Choudhary, I know I may not be the perfect one for you, but one thing I am sure of, is that I am the right one. The right one to bear all your tantrums, the right one to be with you as your better half, the right one to be by your side in your darkest times, the one to twist your ear and teach you how to say NO when a girl proposes you and you must say “I AM COMMITTED TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE”. I want to be the filling of the void your family has been missing for years. My knee is hurting so I won’t take long,” she laughed. “Okay,” she took a deep breath.
“Tushar Anil Choudhary, will you be my valentine for today and all the years to come? I promise I will give you better gifts as Isha Choudhary.”
Wiping tears off his eyes, Tushar roared, “YES!” and pulled her up and hugged her tightly. His happiness saw no limit, just like the sea in front of him. The cool wind seemed to be rejoicing gaily.
“After everything we’ve been through, things couldn’t have been any better. This isn’t the end Tushar. It is a new beginning,” she said.
The sun setting behind them, made it a picture perfect scene; a scene they will never forget; a scene they will only be too happy to tell their twin daughters in the next seven years.
How do I know, whether they would have twins? Take a wild guess?
I’m the twins’ grandfather.
Happy Valentine's Day!
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