Anand studied the menu, completely oblivious to Aadya's stare. The couple had come to the restaurant a while ago. Aadya was expecting Anand to propose to her today. It was their anniversary and she had been waiting for the past few years for him to remember this day and do something.
May be he would get down on his knee and propose to me with a beautiful diamond ring, showering romantic phrases. Aadya sighed wistfully, adding out loud, "at least this year."
"What?" Anand frowned, lifting his head from the menu. He had managed to forget their anniversary, leaving Aadya heartbroken as always.
"Nothing," Aadya replied. There was no use making a fuss over it.
Anand shrugged. They ordered and ate lunch in silence, with distant murmur from nearby tables and culinary on plate, the only sounds to be heard.
Once done, Anand paid and led Aadya out onto the street. Aadya knew this would be like any another weekend; movie after lunch, roaming around a mall, have dinner and call it a night. However, Aadya was surprised when she noticed that Anand was not driving towards the theater but took a different lane.
"Aren't we going for a movie?" she asked.
"You look like someone who just attended a funeral. So I thought you might be interested to be somewhere else rather than watching a melodramatic movie for 3 hours," he smiled at her.
Aadya perked up at that. Maybe he does have a romantic bone in him after all!
"So where are we going?" she asked, excited as a schoolgirl.
"Hmm. Someplace we don't go regularly. Somewhere fun," he added cryptically.
Aadya's face lost all its color and excitement when he stopped near a museum. She glared at Anand's back as he got out of the car. Someplace we don't go regularly. Does he really think it's fun to hang around in a museum, staring at dusty old glass cases crammed with historical exhibits, I have no wish whatsoever staring at? Is this an ideal romantic day? May be I will feign sickness and get out before it’s too late?
But she knew she couldn't and wouldn't escape. If this was his idea of fun, then she would accompany him. Putting on a brave face for Anand's sake, Aadya started walking towards the museum. At that moment, Anand grabbed her wrist to stop her.
"Where are you going?" he questioned, puzzled.
Aadya pointed to the museum.
Anand raised his eyebrows. "If you're thinking about visiting a museum, please count me out. I can't sit for hours, trying to decipher what anything means there."
Aadya face split into a smile. "We are not?"
"No." He took her hand and crossed the road towards a funfair that had been put up couple of days ago. Aadya had read about it in the newspaper but never imagined Anand would take her there. It was one of a kind fair, with performances from all over the country. They even tried matching step with some of the dancers. It was more like a carnival.
Anand and Aadya enjoyed different amusement rides and games such as ferris wheel, merry-go-round, bumper cars, dart game and several other and indulged themselves with different varieties of junk food, chaat items, cotton candy, French fries and hot chocolate. They enjoyed to their heart's content.
After the wonderful evening, Aadya's face was glowing with pleasure and happiness.
"I had a great evening today." She laced her arm through Anand's, and together they strolled hand in hand in a nearby park.
Anand smiled. Fumbling in his pocket, he pulled out a small velvet box. Aadya's heart skipped a beat as he opened the lid to reveal a beautiful platinum ring with brilliant round diamond and vibrant emeralds set in a alluring 3 stone setting.
Not breaking eye contact with Aadya, Anand took her hand in his. "Happy 30th wedding anniversary, my love. May we get to spend many more such wonderful years together." He pushed the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly.
"Do you like it?" he asked expectantly.
"I love it. It's adorable." She pulled him closer and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. "Happy 30th, dear. This was by far the best one." She laid her head on his shoulder.
"Because of the ring?" Anand teased. Aadya punched him lightly on his arm as Anand chuckled.
"Not just the ring. I had a precious evening with you in the fair. Just you and me having extreme fun like kids. These past few years, with our children growing up and getting married, we didn't have enough time to spend with each other. But now that we are free of the responsibilities, we have all the time in the world to be with and take care of each other. You are a wonderful husband. I love you and will always do," she confessed with tears of happiness in her eyes.
Anand too felt emotional. "I love you too, my dear wife. Forever." He kissed the top of her head. After being with him for nearly three decades, Aadya knew he was not a man of words. These few words were enough to show his love and the affection he felt for her although he had forgotten a few of their wedding anniversaries. Yes, including their 25th one!
"I was expecting you to get down on one knee and propose to me," Aadya grinned, gifting him a beautiful retro-looking watch as was the tradition every year.
"Sorry to disappoint you, love but my knees aren't strong enough to do that at this age." Anand sighed mockingly, tying the watch around his wrist and appreciated its awesome craftsmanship. "Another watch? I have what, around 30 of them now, if I remember correctly?"
"Your memory has gotten better," she teased. "Come on, old man. Let's get you home." Laughing they walked towards the car; their hearts filled with love and eyes gleaming with promises and hopes of tomorrow.
May be he would get down on his knee and propose to me with a beautiful diamond ring, showering romantic phrases. Aadya sighed wistfully, adding out loud, "at least this year."
"What?" Anand frowned, lifting his head from the menu. He had managed to forget their anniversary, leaving Aadya heartbroken as always.
"Nothing," Aadya replied. There was no use making a fuss over it.
Anand shrugged. They ordered and ate lunch in silence, with distant murmur from nearby tables and culinary on plate, the only sounds to be heard.
Once done, Anand paid and led Aadya out onto the street. Aadya knew this would be like any another weekend; movie after lunch, roaming around a mall, have dinner and call it a night. However, Aadya was surprised when she noticed that Anand was not driving towards the theater but took a different lane.
"Aren't we going for a movie?" she asked.
"You look like someone who just attended a funeral. So I thought you might be interested to be somewhere else rather than watching a melodramatic movie for 3 hours," he smiled at her.
Aadya perked up at that. Maybe he does have a romantic bone in him after all!
"So where are we going?" she asked, excited as a schoolgirl.
"Hmm. Someplace we don't go regularly. Somewhere fun," he added cryptically.
Aadya's face lost all its color and excitement when he stopped near a museum. She glared at Anand's back as he got out of the car. Someplace we don't go regularly. Does he really think it's fun to hang around in a museum, staring at dusty old glass cases crammed with historical exhibits, I have no wish whatsoever staring at? Is this an ideal romantic day? May be I will feign sickness and get out before it’s too late?
But she knew she couldn't and wouldn't escape. If this was his idea of fun, then she would accompany him. Putting on a brave face for Anand's sake, Aadya started walking towards the museum. At that moment, Anand grabbed her wrist to stop her.
"Where are you going?" he questioned, puzzled.
Aadya pointed to the museum.
Anand raised his eyebrows. "If you're thinking about visiting a museum, please count me out. I can't sit for hours, trying to decipher what anything means there."
Aadya face split into a smile. "We are not?"
"No." He took her hand and crossed the road towards a funfair that had been put up couple of days ago. Aadya had read about it in the newspaper but never imagined Anand would take her there. It was one of a kind fair, with performances from all over the country. They even tried matching step with some of the dancers. It was more like a carnival.
Anand and Aadya enjoyed different amusement rides and games such as ferris wheel, merry-go-round, bumper cars, dart game and several other and indulged themselves with different varieties of junk food, chaat items, cotton candy, French fries and hot chocolate. They enjoyed to their heart's content.
After the wonderful evening, Aadya's face was glowing with pleasure and happiness.
"I had a great evening today." She laced her arm through Anand's, and together they strolled hand in hand in a nearby park.
Anand smiled. Fumbling in his pocket, he pulled out a small velvet box. Aadya's heart skipped a beat as he opened the lid to reveal a beautiful platinum ring with brilliant round diamond and vibrant emeralds set in a alluring 3 stone setting.
Not breaking eye contact with Aadya, Anand took her hand in his. "Happy 30th wedding anniversary, my love. May we get to spend many more such wonderful years together." He pushed the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly.
"Do you like it?" he asked expectantly.
"I love it. It's adorable." She pulled him closer and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. "Happy 30th, dear. This was by far the best one." She laid her head on his shoulder.
"Because of the ring?" Anand teased. Aadya punched him lightly on his arm as Anand chuckled.
"Not just the ring. I had a precious evening with you in the fair. Just you and me having extreme fun like kids. These past few years, with our children growing up and getting married, we didn't have enough time to spend with each other. But now that we are free of the responsibilities, we have all the time in the world to be with and take care of each other. You are a wonderful husband. I love you and will always do," she confessed with tears of happiness in her eyes.
Anand too felt emotional. "I love you too, my dear wife. Forever." He kissed the top of her head. After being with him for nearly three decades, Aadya knew he was not a man of words. These few words were enough to show his love and the affection he felt for her although he had forgotten a few of their wedding anniversaries. Yes, including their 25th one!
"I was expecting you to get down on one knee and propose to me," Aadya grinned, gifting him a beautiful retro-looking watch as was the tradition every year.
"Sorry to disappoint you, love but my knees aren't strong enough to do that at this age." Anand sighed mockingly, tying the watch around his wrist and appreciated its awesome craftsmanship. "Another watch? I have what, around 30 of them now, if I remember correctly?"
"Your memory has gotten better," she teased. "Come on, old man. Let's get you home." Laughing they walked towards the car; their hearts filled with love and eyes gleaming with promises and hopes of tomorrow.
