My long distance dream

    It was Saturday night when I got a call from my best friend inviting me for her wedding. Her pleasing voice couldn't allow me to respond negatively so I agreed postponing the biggest deal of my life. I asked her, what did she want as her gift? And in the same old college way she said that she wanted a hug from me. Our long distance relationship of 7 years seemed like 70 years to me.

    I asked her, "Who else was invited?". She answered, "Your teddy", and we both laughed. She knew I wasn't getting affected by him, but I was. Of course! How can I forget the ring he gifted me while proposing in front of the entire class as my birthday gift. Hello, you there? She snapped and I was back to the reality, unwillingly. I kept the call giving some stupid reason so that she couldn't see my tears. I opened the drawer beside my bed and saw the ring shining in the same way even after years.

    Finally with butterflies in my stomach I landed in Mumbai. I wasn't sure about the reason of my happiness. I was happy to see my best friend getting married, but probably more happy to see my teddy back after 4 years. Anjali! she shouted loudly and there was my chaddi-baddi friend Khushali. I ran and hugged her. We did our "bro step" and finally felt relief knowing we none of us two had changed.

      She took me to her house. It was as difficult as to climb a tree for me, to keep my question asking about teddy all packed. Although she understood my expressions and told me that, he would be landing in evening. Oh my god! My heart beats were jumping up and down. However, I managed to breathe calmly.

     He who could understand my silence, who was always ready for late night drive, who always taught me to never give up, who always bought me ice-creams and chocolates on my periods, who always loved blue on me, who always shared his small cup of tea with me, who...ugh, I was finally meeting him. "Where are you ma'am?" Khushali hit me, I was lost again.

     We finally reached and with no delay after meeting everyone I went and ironed my blue saree. As it is said time goes as fast as wind in a marriage house, it was evening. I asked Khushali if he had landed such that she couldn't judge my excitement. She said he will be late and will directly come to the wedding. Oh god! Why with me? I had an argument of 10 minutes with God while everyone was talking with each other.

     It was night, we were all at the venue. Probably Khushali till then had understood my patience level and judged me very well. I tried hard to hide it, but best friends are had their benchmarks set in understanding their fellow one. My eyes were constantly stuck on the entrance and after waiting for 2 hours 20 minutes I saw him entering.

    He was the same 5'8" man, wearing a white tuxedo which was his favorite from college days. After meeting Khushali, her husband, her mom and her dad, he unexpectedly came to me and said, Anjali! Will you wake up? I looked at him with a question mark and he repeated, Anju! Wake up. I opened my eyes and saw my teddy with a cup of tea in his hand. Looking at the ring in my finger I smiled and said, "You look amazing in your white tuxedo!".