A Perfect Love Story

A Dream Come True

Six months had passed by in haste preparing for a grand wedding. Everything was perfect. Like a dream. Roshni stood at the gate of the domestic terminal nervous. Her best friend had arrived only a day ago and she was glad that Phool was finally here. A car drove up and Jaivanta and Udai helped Daadi down. With a smile, Roshni hugged Dadi.
"There you are Beta. Come here."
"Jaivanta where is Pratap?" Hansa asked.
"He is in a meeting. He will be here soon."
"There he is... " Udai pointed.
He was in his casual tee and jeans ready for the flight. His eyes met hers. And smiled. She looked away.
"Let's go get these two married."

The flight was a short one. To Udaipur. The dream destination. The palace halls and ground was decorated with flowers and lights for the wedding. The heritage rooms housed the guests. The bridal suite was on one end and the groom's room was on the other end of the corridor. Roshni was busy enjoying the view from her room, and her mother and Phool were taking care of the luggage they brought in.

Pratap came to check on them.
" Hansa Mausi Maasa asked if you liked the room and she said she will meet you for lunch at 1. " His eyes hovered around the room as Phool and Hansa exchanged a look and smiled.
" Roshni..." Phool called to the balcony as Hansa stepped out of the room.
" Yeah, Phool..." Roshni came in and our eyes met with a smile.
" I need you to check this dress again, for the sangeet."
" You check that will be enough..."
" No... we need everything perfect."
" You are now some designer too?" Pratap taunted Phool chuckling.
" Yeah only for people I love." She ignored his taunt and went out of the room with the excuse of following Hansa Mausi to lunch. The couple was left alone.

" You are wearing this tonight?" He looked at the midnight blue evening gown that looked straight out of a fairytale ball.
" Supposedly, I dunno how I will manage though... too heavy."
" Umm..."
" You want to say something..." Her guess stopped him. He admired how she could read his mind.
" Yup actually, my parents... our parents want us to dance tonight... at the sangeet together."
" Dance? Us? " She stared at him.
" Yeah, I used to dance a lot in school..."
" I know that you led the school troop."
" Someone used to notice a certain Pratap Singh huh?"
His teasing smile made her heart race. She smiled back with defence.
" I know coz Phool said so."
" Really? Remember the first time we met, you knew me already."
" So? Is that a crime?"

Outside the locked door, Phool was desperately trying to spy on them. " They are fighting... again!" She exclaimed aloud.
" What are you doing?" She turned around and it was Vishal... They hadn't met or talked in a while and Phool regretted breaking the poor guy's heart. She knew his feelings but she never felt the same.
" I..." She was caught off guard.
" You are spying on the bride and groom." He smiled.
" No... No never." She defended.
" It's okay, am not gonna tell on you. Tell me, what's up in there...."
" A fight." She exclaimed as if she was tired of it all.

" Stop it now Roshni..."
" You stop first."
" You liked me first."
" No"
" YES!"
His phone's ring broke the argument.
" Hello... What?... Maasa... But... ya ... of course I know how to waltz... Teach... but... ok... but..." Roshni stared at him waiting for the call to end.
" Can you waltz?"
" Like Cinderella?" Her innocent question made him laugh hard.
" Kinda like Cinderella."
" Of course not."
" Come I will show you some basic simple steps to survive 5mins on the floor with me." He held out his hand.
" You know Waltz?" Her eyes widened.
" I know a lot of things My Lady, wait and watch!" His indications made her blush as she put her hand in his.

1...2...3...4.....1...2...3...4
"Ouch!"
He sat down laughing.
" You have two left feet when it comes to dancing."
" No that is not true."
" Where did you dance?"
" At my cousin's wedding!" She replied proudly.
" That was ages ago!"
" No, just five years!" She defended.
" Okay, try one more time."
He held her by the hand and dragged her close.
" Pratap..."
" What is it?" He could see the worry in her eyes.
" Am scared."
" Scared? Why?" He stopped and looked at her, holding her hands in his firm.
" I don't know. I feel I might just embarrass you in front of all those people." Her eyes filled up.
" Hey... hey... hush ... you can never embarrass me. And it's our week Roshni, we are here to live and enjoy every moment of this week coz this will not be back again. Here, for once just do what you want and live your life. Stop worrying so much. You are special the way you are, people love your simplicity. If you can't waltz we will bhangra in the gown!"
His words made her laugh as she hugged him and he kissed her forehead.
" See you in the evening." She nodded as he left.

Phool was at the bar sitting with a Margarita and sipping at it preoccupied, Rohan came up behind her.
"Hi...."
" Hey, how are you?"
" So ready for our best friend's weddings?"
" Absolutely! Can't wait."
" You look gorgeous by the way." His compliment made Phool forget all her thoughts and she smiled. Across the room, talking to the wedding planner, Vishal noticed them chatting and laughing. Something in his heart felt empty as he left in a hurry.

Pratap was getting ready. White shirt, Midnight blue suit and his mother who was wearing a silver saree looked at him in the mirror and said, " Someone is looking handsome."
" Just like his father." Udai Singh interrupted, " Come now, the guests have started arriving at the hall already."

In Roshni's suit, Phool was running about in her black evening gown, making sure Roshni looked perfect. She instructed her stylists to do her hair in curls and let it loose while she chose simple diamond earrings to go with the gown. She checked Roshni again and again making her more nervous.
" My girls look perfect!" Hansa tried to calm her down as Ram smiled,
" Noo Hansa Mausi am telling you am forgetting something!" Phool almost shouted in panic.
" Like wearing your heels?" Roshni pointed at her bare toes as she dashed to her room making everyone laugh.
" Someone is more jittery than the bride here!" Ram remarked.

As Roshni stepped down the staircase of the hall, Phool with them, all eyes were on her. With a smile, Pratap gave her his hand and she smiled and took it. His smile turned to a shocked face as her hands were dead cold.
" Are you okay?"
" Yes, I am."
"Let's do this then."
Half the evening was spent meeting new people whose designations were bigger than their names, Roshni didn't even bother to listen to all. She just nodded and smiled, amused at how Pratap remembers them all. The dance floor was set in the garden and Rohan was one of the first to drag Phool by the hand to dance to " Waiting for Tonight" and that left Vishal all red.
" Pratap..." He called his friend away from Roshni for a few minutes.
" I know it's your week and your day but something is bothering me...."
" Phool and Rohan?" Pratap's answer shocked him, " I noticed too, I will ask Ro."
Vishal nodded and left to get a drink.

Udai Singh asked his son to take his bride to the dance floor for a dance. Pratap held her hand tight and whispered, " Don't be scared just follow my lead." She nodded. As the song played, " Today was a fairytale" They smiled a each other, his hands and legs guiding hers as they moved across the dance floor.
" You are doing fine." He smiled at her to ease her tension.
Everyone watched the happy couple match their feet to the rhythm as they wait eagerly, two days away from the grand wedding.

After the guests retired to their rooms, in the garden Pratap and Roshni sat, Phool and Rohan in toe admiring the stars in the clear night sky. It was November so a cold chill had begun and Pratap had offered Roshni his overcoat which she rejected. The grass beneath their feet was wet Pratap noticed Roshni take off her heels and feel the grass with her feet.
" Try this!"
" No, you will catch a cold." Came a stern reply.
" No... I..." She was silenced by his stare,
" You look beautiful. "
She blushed looking away. In the distance they noticed Phool drunk, being led away by Rohan who waved them Goodnight!

Alone, her heart raced, she should get up and left, but she felt glued to the seat. His hand held hers as he still looked at the stars.
" I never notice the small things you know... like you do..."
" Small things?" She stared at him as he still looked up.
" Yes, these stars, I never care to watch them like today, the wet grass, I would have never noticed if you didn't tell me to... "
" That's because you have to remember a thousand people's names and designations, I can never."
Her reply made him smile. He knew those people bored her, he was glad she admitted it.
" Ahh as Mrs Pratap Singh you have to remember them too and attend their parties."
" Ohh " She frowned, " I should get a PA for that then!" She stuck out her tongue," They are boring people."
He laughed, " Ohh Roshni, don't you worry, you will have a PA to guide you to all the boring things! Here's your PA Pratap Singh!"
"Ohh no! The business tycoon is now my PA? " She taunted with a smile.
" No, your childhood friend is."
" And what else do I have to do?"
" You want details?" He gave half a smile as she regretted even asking.
" No, am sleepy, I should go," She got up to leave as he held her hand.
" I heard we can't meet once the Mehndi and Haldi are done tomorrow."
" Yes..." They faced each other, eyes twinkling.
" This will be my longest wait ever!" He kissed her forehead.
" Mine too."
" And please stop worrying so much."
" I will. " She smiled and left as he watched her go before making his way to his room.