To the Professor, with Love (Complete)

To the Professor..

"I've stood by the door,
Waiting for you to come.
I've seen thousand sunsets
Hoping with sunrise the pain might go numb.

I lived without you for years;
I don't know how but I coped.
Perhaps I had something powerful
What I had with me was hope.

The moment I laid my eyes on you.
I fell in love with you once again.
I knew this was the last chance:
I had to make you mine then.

I'm fortunate you found me.
You loved me and took my name.
I consider you my God.
The love I feel for you is the same."

Sidharth recites a poem, holding Shehnaaz's hand, lost in each other's eyes. At the end of the poem, everyone claps their hands. The couple realise they aren't alone. They smile at the people that sit around them in front of a bonfire. These are their friends who have been with them for years now. A few new faces are in the group too and they are celebrating together with the happy couple.

"I really can't believe you are together for so long. When Raja brought me today, I really thought you aren't married yet and if so, you must be in your honeymoon period."
Pritha, a short lady in a pink dress says.
Sidharth smiles, "What's a honeymoon period?"
Another friend, Deep says, "First year of marriage when everything feels so good. Then you feel bachelor life was the best."
His wife hits him on his arm.
Sidharth smiles, "For us everyday is an adventure and every moment our honeymoon. We are in love and it keeps increasing with time."
Their friends start whistling and clapping.
"We have a 2 year old kid at home. Sidharth, kuch toh sharam karo."

Raja, a tall and handsome man says,"Seriously guys! They way you behave, you look like newlyweds."
Sidharth smiles meekly and says, "Aren't we?"
Shehnaaz, now red with embarrassment, says, "Sidharth, stop it."
"Shehnaaz, compliments must be gracefully accepted. Why sharam? I love my wife, what's to be ashamed of here?"
Another round of whistles and claps follow his statement.
"We aren't here for our honeymoon but for our anniversary celebration. It's our 5th anniversary today. Remember? "
"Of course! How can I forget, sweetheart? "
Pritha says to Shehnaaz, "We hope we can be like you people. Wedding is next month, you both are coming, right?"
Shehnaaz nods her head, "Of course!"

"So you are Bengali and she is Punjabi, that too Sikh. How was the wedding?"
Shehnaaz excitedly says, "Hum logon ne dono side ke rituals rakhe. Ai bodo bhat, dodhi mongol, gaye holud.. everything on the Bengali side and at the sametime had Mehndi, sangeet, chuda chadhai and all. We had Anand Karaj in the morning and a traditional Bengali wedding in the evening. It was really fun. Sab ne enjoy kiya, hain na?"
She asks Sidharth who watches her amusingly.
"Wow!"
Pritha asks, "Tumhari ki shaadi mein koi problem nahi hui?"
Both stare at each other, "Problem? Shehnaaz, tum bataogi ya main bolun?"
Raja laughs, "These people have a hell of a story to tell."
Shehnaaz smiles and narrates their story.

Pritha asks, "So, he was your Professor. Humare college mein agar itne handsome professor hote toh hum sab kabhi class bunk nahi karte."
Another lady, the wife of Sidharth's friend, says, "I second that!"
Sidharth's friend, Samantha says,"I third that!"
They all giggle and say to Shehnaaz, "Please don't mind."
"You aren't wrong. But he isn't just a handsome man, he has an intelligent mind and a kind gentle heart. That's what made me fall for him."
She looks at him with love.

"Aww.."
A young guy sitting a little away from them says to a girl sitting by him, "Dekha, I am telling you the same. We can do it. But you.."
"Roy, nahi hoga. I know my family. We don't have any other choice."
Sidharth could hear them. He asks, "Care to throw some light? What's the matter?"
They both come and join their group.
Bineeta, the girl, says, "My family is orthodox. They are strict Hindu and he is Christian. Either we can elope or we have to break this relationship. There aren't any other choices. I can't hurt my family. So we are here for our last trip together."
Sidharth nods his head, "Parents give us the gift of life and they are the ones who stand by us all our lives. Leaving them is the wrong choice. But leaving someone you love isn't right as well. Can you forget him and be happy with someone else?"
Roy says, "I can't, I know. I am trying to convince her we can find a way, but..."
The girl, Bineeta with misty eyes says, "I love you, Roy. But.."