Match Made in Wedding | Rajvardhan Hangargekar ✓

Magic and Madness

Kritika Pillai

It is a madhouse. The decorated Wada is adorned with orchids but the actual beauty lies in the individuals rushing back and forth. The sight of Anmol helping Nikhar carry her suitcase overwhelms me. It feels like an intersection. A crossover I never saw coming but would forever be grateful for. Nikhar represents my childhood. Whenever I think of school, hers is the face that comes to my mind before anything. With that visage plenty of memories, giggles and fun times are associated. And Anmol, well Anmol is the elder sister I never had. With her bossing around me and talking me out of my overthinking spiral, I have found a bond to cherish for life.

"It was a genius idea, Kriti." I turn to find Rutu looking at our people with the same fondness.

"To have both the families celebrate Diwali together and then get married."

"And it was a genius idea to chose your ancestral home to get married in!! Not only did you make your Ajji super happy but also reduced the chances of the media finding the venue."

Hearing this, he smiles sheepishly, "Well I knew that not many are aware that my grandparents own a strawberry farm in Lonavala and stay in this Wada."

"You really wanted to get married in India, didn't you?"

"I did. As you know, I am not a destination wedding person."

"And lucky for us, neither am I."

Just when Rutu takes a step closer to me, we hear someone cough. Of course. The little devil goddess, Devi.

"Rutu, tell me, the only reason why you're marrying my sister is to officially get a room with her without raising questions, hai na?"

The 2019 Rutu would have blushed at that comment but after 3 years, Rutu had become comfortable with Devi's playful remarks. And did not shy away from making her blush. Just like now.

"Is it that obvious? By the way Devi, Sam was asking me about you. I told him that you would meet him on the veranda."

"Wh-at. You told him what?? I can't even seem to get a coherent word out of my mouth around him and you told him that I'd meet him?"

"I can still refuse him-"

"Why waste your efforts? Itni mehnat se bulaya hoga usse"

"Nahi nahi, koi baat nahi, he'll understand."

"Ugh Rutu stop teasing me. I'm going bye. You're the best."

We watch her with a smile. She rushes through the throng of crowd and trips. Rajvardhan's hands steady her. She thanks him with haste and leaves the Wada. I notice that Raj is still looking at her retreating figure.

I hear Rutu sigh and look up at him, intrigued.

"It's a Pillai sisters thing." He tells me.

"You all have us in the first meeting."

*******

I have a blindfold around my eyes and noone will spoil the surprise. Without anything better to do, I squint my eyes and listen to the fragments of conversation going around me.

"She's going to love it....." I recognise Anmol's voice. Okay if she believes I'm going to love it then it has to be something lovely.

"I can't believe he made it!" That's Sai! Being sushed by others. I giggle softly. So the surprise isn't something but it's someone. I see.

"Of course he did. He loves her too much to miss her wedding!" Jaddu joins the banter with his confident comment. I'm curious now. And so I start making a list in my head that consists of everyone who made it and everyone who couldn't...

Thala is going to be there directly on 7th November. And so is Chinna Thala. Cherry is here. So are Raj and Mukesh.....

"Hi Partner" My thoughts pause at the voice. It can't be him. He flew in all the way from South Africa to attend my wedding??

As Rutu undoes my blindfold, I wait. I feel like a little girl who has seen something so marvellous that she can't believe that it's true. Like a turquoise coloured butterfly. Or a tender yellow rosebud. Or the first time she spots the Rainbow. And she feels scared to have her heart broken in case it's a figment of her fantasy.

Is it really Faf, I think for the tenth time before opening my eyes to find him beaming at me and Imari right behind him with their daughter in her arms.

I burst into tears. Instead of burying myself in his arms I turn away.

I haven't talked to the man standing behind me with open arms since a year. The memory of our last conversation still afresh.

"Congratulations on being chosen by RCB, Fafu. I shall miss you terribly. You and your little ways of looking after me. Especially us teaming up to pull pranks on everyone e. We would always remain undercover agents, who no one (except Thala) could guess were behind all the mischief. I'll miss your soothing voice that was there to calm me each time the distance between myself and Rutu would drive me crazy. You've been a true partner in crime. At this point it hurts so much that I don't think I can bear to see you text me anymore. Because all it would remind me would be - that we lost you. Jersey number 13 forever Faf. Kritika loves you."

I had read his heartfelt reply after the IPL season ended. During it I couldn't bear to click on his profile. I was too angry. Too angry at the management for letting a gem of a player go. I couldn't bring myself to watch the first four RCB matches. It was all too raw and emotional for me. The pain was almost physiological. I wanted to reach out in the tv and rip his red Jersey into pieces. Even though I held nothing against RCB and he looked quite attractive in red and black, yellow was what my heart had wanted him to wear forever.

It's funny how we ignore some possibilities. Ever since I had seen Faf play for CSK I had thought that I'd see him in yellow until the very end. But no, destiny had other plans.

I see everyone leave the room and give us space. What they don't know is that there are miles between us. I don't need any more space between me and Faf. This guy, standing in front of me, I have missed an entire year in his life. Why? Because I let Kriti the CSK lover triumph over Kriti the friend. And I am angry at myself for doing this to him. And he still chose to come? I wipe the tears, come on Kriti. It's not just for you, he loves rutu. Of course. Stupid me.

"Is the bride still angry?" I hear him ask. Unable to speak I nod. Angry at herself more than you Faf.

"I promise her anger would leave her if she turns, just once." Reluctantly I turn to see.....him wearing his jersey?

"My god Faf!" I relish the sight in front of me and let myself sob.

"Ah sweetie. Come here." This time I let him embrace me. My tears spill over our yellow.

"I may not be in CSK anymore but I'd like to be in your life." I hear him choke towards the end of the sentence and my heart contracts.

Life has a strange way of introducing people in our life. And even a stranger way of robbing us of them. This world and I, we were lucky to have Faf du Plessis alive and healthy. The colour of the jersey ceases to matter anymore.

A/n ~ Hi :)