The Time Train

Chapter 2

The key features of any Indian wedding are  – the feast, the decorations, enormous families, firecrackers and a teary farewell for the bride (Bidai).

This wedding however, did not have the last mark. A few years ago, Sanchi and her cousins had made a pact not to cry at their Bidai. They had concluded that while it was painful to be leaving their family, they were stepping into a new life, a new beginning. Why not start this new chapter of their lives with positivity.

As difficult as it had been to see her mother cry, Sanchi had honored the pact and hugged her mother tight to say a final goodbye before getting into the car.

It had been a beautiful ceremony, the Shlokas were said with grace, the vows taken with sincerity and now Sanchi and Aakash's fates were bound together forever.

A few minutes into the drive Aakash realized this was not the way home. He asked Sashi the reason for the detour.

Sat in the front seat driving was Sashi with his wife Riya. Sashi was a close friend and confidant of Aakash. He had joined Aakash's father's company almost 4 years ago and had helped Aakash transition into work life. Sashi had started as an employee, but over the years, had become more of a brother to Aakash.

Aakash: "Where are we headed Sashi, this is not the way home."

Sashi: "Uh yea its not, it's a surprise!"

Aakash: "What surprise, where are we going?"

Sashi: "Well we are returning home but you and Sanchi have a train to catch."

This got both their attentions now.

Sanchi: "Train! What train?!"

Sashi: "Well it's a secret of course"

Aakash: "Oh common man, whats going on, surely mummy papa must be worried!"

Riya: "Don't worry, they know you are going on your honeymoon."

Aakash+Sanchi: "What!!"

Riya: "Okay okay relax, well not exactly a honeymoon to them, but a religious visit to the temple in Tirupati. Don't worry you are not actually going there, it was just a cover to convince them."

Sanchi: "Common Riya, you know I don't like surprises, what if our families found out?"

Sashi: "Relax Sanchi, they won't, we did a good job covering it. Remember when we had to urgently go visit a Guru in Himachal after my wedding to get his blessings? Yeah there was no Guru, I just wanted to spend some alone time with my beautiful bride, and see no one suspected a thing! Not even you guys."

Riya: "It will be alright you two, stop worrying about your families already. You are starting a life together and you don't know a thing about each other. You deserve some alone time to discover one another and fall in love. It's a wedding gift from us so you can't refuse."

This was a bit awkward and the newlyweds stared at the road ahead to hide the nervousness. Aakash couldn't help but agree that what Riya was saying was true, they didn't know each other at all. While love was still an alien thought, they could atleast be friends, after all they had just committed to spending their lives together. Just as he was finishing his thought, he could see the car pulling up to the train station.

Sashi: "We've got you both a change of clothes, thought you might not prefer travelling in your wedding garb".

The couple changed at the station and were handed their luggage.

Sashi: "Alright this is where we part ways, here is your tickets, put it around your wrist and do not take it off until you reach your destination."

Sanchi looked at the ticket and thought what an odd thing to do, wearing it around on your wrist. The band had a strange but beautiful pattern on it with what looked like the ticket number in a strange format. It was almost like a date, but that would be silly, after all the date was 70 years in the future. Hearing Aakash's voice got her out of her thoughts.

Aakash: "Platform XIV, what is this supposed to be? We don't have roman numerals on our platforms."

Sanchi: "Is this a prank you guys? The wrist band tickets, the weird platform numbers?"

Aakash: "I know friends play pranks during weddings but this is a bit elaborate", said Aakash in an irritated tone.

It had been a long day and a long ceremony, all Aakash had wanted to do was go home and sleep.

Sashi: "No man, I swear its not a prank. It's just a new system they are coming up with, its only on a few routes. The tickets, the numbers, its just... another route that is not open to everyone yet."

Sanchi thought she saw Sashi smirk at this, as if it was a big secret, but paid no more attention to it.

Aakash: "Alright fine, we will go find your special platform, but I swear if this is a joke, you will never hear the end of it.

Sashi: "Alright alright, go now! You don't want to miss your train! Its just through those doors"

Sanchi: "The sign just says bathrooms beyond."

Sashi: "Yeah they haven't changed it yet, told you new route"

Aakash: "Special route, yea yea okay."

Sashi: "Just go through there and you will see the signs. Remember, tickets on your wrists at all times!"

At this the couple hugged their friends and walked towards the door. Reaching the door Aakash and Sanchi turned back one last time to wave goodbye to their friends; and then they were gone.