ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS

58. Final

There is no hint of any clouds in the sky. It is so blue, just like his piercing blue eyes. There are hundreds of tombstones lined up right next to each other right in front of me. I came to visit Greenwood cemetery today.

I see a group of people dressed in black gather and burying another new death in the distance. I close my eyes and pray for the deceased. Another happiness was taken away.

I stand in front of a white marble grave. I kneel, clasp my hands in a union, and pray.

"Can you see me, Beth?"

I look at her tombstone.

"I am wearing a long white dress because I am getting married today. I came to see you before my wedding."

Behind me, Leo is standing tall and strong. Yes, he is alive.

At the hospital, all of us thought we lost him. Then the miracle happened. His heart started to beat again. I kept holding his hand, and his heartbeat slowly went back to normal.

Several hours after, he opened his eyes to gaze at me. When I saw his piercing blue eyes, I knew everything was fine. When his condition became stable, Leo told me what he experienced when he was in a coma.

"I had a strange experience, yet it was so beautiful at the same time. All my past relatives came to greet me, my uncle, my aunt, my grandpa, and my grandma as well. They were so happy to see me, and I was so glad to see them as well."

"This strong sense of peace was all around me. They kept talking to me while moving towards the bright light. But I couldn't move with them even I wanted to because someone was holding my hand to pull me back."

"I looked in the direction of this hand. Then I saw you, Anjali. It was your hand trying to bring me back. I saw your eyes asking me not to go. Your eyes were filled with love and care for me."

"When I decided to go back to you, I was suddenly back in my body. And I felt someone was pushing my chest so hard. They were the doctor's hands."

I see Leo at the altar waiting for me to arrive. I am escorted by Beth's father at the beginning of the aisle and switch to my father in the middle of it.

I suggested to Beth's parents that I would like Mr. Davis to escort me first because he never had the chance to do it, and Beth is also getting married today.

He looks so happy and my father as well. He finally leaves me right next to Leo. I look at Leo through the veil. With a smile, I tell him.

"Leo, I need to tell you one thing. Beth says she is very sorry for not showing up last time. This time, she promises she will never leave you."

"I promise you, too! We are crazy about you!"

Then my face moves toward his to kiss him. I always do that. I can't help it. Then our priest stops me.

"Miss, the wedding hasn't started yet!"

Then the priest winks at me.

THE END

The story usually ends here, but this story continues a little bit further. My father insists on us having an Indian wedding.

It is traditional for the bride's parents to hold the wedding ceremony for their daughter. I am the only daughter they have, so this is the only chance my father can invite all his friends and relatives to the wedding.

He organizes a massive wedding party for us at Jackson Heights. Everyone is invited, and many of them showed up at our wedding!

I am dressed in a traditional Sikh wedding dress, which is very elaborate with embroidery and beads. My wedding dress is purple with traditional silver embroidery, and a large, decorative necklace hangs around my neck.

My makeup is more dramatic and defined for this special occasion. Both of my hands are covered with elaborate, traditional henna patterns. Many bangles cover both of my arms. My mother hides my head with a matching veil that is also richly beaded and embroidered.

My mother is in tears and tells me how beautiful I look. When I look at myself in the mirror, it is hard for me to believe that it is actually me.

When my preparation is finished, I walk out of our building and get in the Rolls-Royce that my father has hired. Everyone in our neighborhood is looking at me through the windows.

I arrive at the temple, and Leo is waiting for me in front of the altar. All the women are dressed in colorful saris, and men are in somberly colored suits.

My father walks ahead of me, and I am holding the cloth that my father is holding. All of them are sitting on the floor and looking at my father and me.

Leo sits in front of the altar, dressed in a traditional, embroidered white costume. I sit right next to him on the floor, and the priest begins to talk about the importance of our holy union.

I look at my husband-to-be for the first time while the priest is talking to us. He has grown a beard for this occasion and wears a pink turban with strings of pearls around it.

He looks so funny with the old-fashioned Sikh costume, and he appears to be so out of place. Because I am used to seeing him in the Rangers uniform most of the time.

I start to laugh out loud when I stare into his eyes. I try to look serious, but I can't help myself. I am in tears. And my make-up is smeared because of it.

Our priest knows me well, as I have been attending the temple since I was a baby. He looks at me and rolls his eyes as if I am that usual wicked Anjali who disrupts his prayers frequently.

At the end of the marriage ceremony, my father places a saffron-colored scarf on Leo's shoulder and the end of it in my hand. Now we are ready to make a bow for our marriage. A hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib is recited by all the attendants to celebrate our marriage. Our happy union is complete.

Now we get to the fun part: a feast and many dances. First, Leo and I hold hands and start to dance on the floor alone. Then Ananda organizes the Bollywood dance with the rest of the dancers, including our teacher, the Indian drag queen.

This is something Ananda has been waiting for: her debut dance! She has dressed in a yellow chiffon skirt, and her bikini top is in the same chiffon with a long scarf draped on one side. Her pieces of jewelry are all in gold: bracelets, chokers, armbands, and headdresses. Ananda is so confident and stunningly beautiful.

After the Bollywood dance, the heat goes full blast, and everyone is on the floor dancing—including my mother's father, who came all the way from India. My mother and my grandfather are finally reconciled after many years of not talking to each other. My aunts and uncles are all on the floor.

My father takes Leo's mother's hand, and my mother takes Leo's father's hand. Then Beth's parents also join the rhythm. Dr. Waxman brought her husband along. Leo's old boss from Lone Star is also here to enjoy the music with one of his cousins as well.

My ex-boyfriend, Amit, asks my best friend, Ananda, to dance with him. Maybe something might happen after the party. I feel the love in the air. Everyone is dancing happily. And the night seems to continue forever.