Shape of the Sun

Wedding Day

The next day.

"Here, take me."

Rajkumar rubbed Manmeet's hands and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Then, he gathered her into his arms, holding her like he wanted to imprint her whole into his very soul.

She was beautiful in her maternity wedding dress with minimal accessories on save duo drop diamond earrings and a pearl-adorned twenty-inch satin veil that adorned her russet hair pinned in a loose curly updo. The soft sheer white tulle accentuated her curves and made her brown eyes appear a rich, chocolatey shade.

Haa. It was the breathing, living definition of existence.

Despite all the thoughts that plagued him, Rajkumar was only nervous in this moment, that this woman would be his for eternity. His heart was going badump badump so hard that he thought everyone seated in the corridor could hear it. Manmeet let out a low laugh, her head resting on his chest.

"Your heart sounds like it is running a mile, Raj."

"You hear it too, my sweet?" he whispered, a hand tenderly brushing her cheek, "Ah, that damned officiant."

He'd already be married to this beauty in his arms if that lazy baldie hadn't gone searching for the keys to the registry. Civil servants were as annoying as ever.

Manmeet laughed some more, eliciting the attention of their four witnesses seated on the opposite row of seats right in front of the registry doors. Neither of them had wanted a crowd so early in the morning and so the rest of their family and friends were waiting for them at the reception party held at the Reddy Mansion. Nirali had gone all in.

"Come on, bro. Tone down the PDA, yaar. Pity us unmarried folks."

Rajkumar rolled his eyes at this busybody friend of his. Why had he requested that he'd be a witness again?

"As if that is my fault, Mr. Veeranshu Garewal. Go find yourself a girlfriend first."

"Ouch, man. That's a low blow on my recently broken heart." He wiped a fake tear.

"Haha. You forced my hand Veer, and left me with no choice."

The other man clicked his tongue and turned to the older couple beside him for succor, only to end up laughing. Their eyes kept darting everywhere but right ahead.

It was cute.

"Uncle and Aunty, please don't be shy. Surely, you are more experienced than we are in such matters."

Tarun and Vaishali flushed harder at his remark, the former fishing out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe imaginary sweat, and the latter glaring at her daughter, half-embarrassed and half-scandalized. Manmeet stuck out her tongue and buried her head deeper in Rajkumar's chest and he could only muster a wry smile at his immediate future in-laws.

 Just then, the woman on Veer's other side looked up from her phone and at the couple, excited.

"Why don't I take some pictures to send over to the folks at home?"

"Choti..." Rajkumar's barbed response was cut off by a soft pat on his arm. He looked down at his beloved and met her lovely visage. "My sweet?"

"Let's take pictures. I want to do that."

Ha. 

"Okay." Could he deny her anything?

No.

Rajkumar released his grip and rose to his feet before extending his hand to Manmeet. The officiant came in with hurried steps as he was helping her up, wiping his sweat with the back of his left hand, a bunch of keys in the right one.