A Fairy Tale

Gita looked at herself in the mirror. Her mother's old kancheevaram was not so bad after all. She tucked a loose end inside and put a safety pin for good measure. She didn't look ravishing, she knew; but this was enough given the circumstances. It wouldn't matter to him how she was dressed, it wouldn't even matter how she looked. All that mattered was she will always be his sweetheart. The image in the mirror blushed at the word 'sweetheart'.

But then, was it really as simple as that? They had last seen each other 15 years back - when she was still in pigtails and he was the naughty kid who always smelt of mud. They had exchanged garlands made of wild flowers beside the motor pump in the mango grove. The last time she saw him, they were both crying. And he was waving from the back seat of their white Ambassador. She was left waving back at him till the car disappeared around the corner of the street.

She shook herself out of the reverie and adjusted her saree one last time. Then she ran out into the next room to help Janani get ready. The bridal make-up was done and they were tying the saree for her. Gita stood around and helped with the pins (they were everywhere!) and the clips. Just then, she heard the sound of a car outside. She quickly glanced out the window and her heart skipped a beat. It was him. Or was it Adonis?

Gita did all she could to stop herself from running out and hurling herself at him, hugging him like there was no tomorrow. She heard them come inside, her aunt was offering them drinks keeping up a casual banter. And then, a voice -

"Nenu bagunnanu, Pinni. Pellikoothuru edhi?" ("I'm doin' good, Auntie. Where's the bride, by the way?' )

It was definitely him. Gita felt tears rush into her eyes. He was finally here, at home. Where she can see him. Where she can tell him how long she had waited.

There was a knock on the door and Anu ran up and opened it. And there he was!

Gita saw his eyes scan the room, and finally settle on her. She felt her ears grow hot under his gaze. She self-consciously pulled a stray strand of hair behind her ear and acted like she didn't notice him. Does this mean he remembers? Would he know that I remember?

'Gita! Alaage nilchunte ela! Aa chair itivvave, thanu koorchoni!' ('Gita! Don't just stand there. Get him a chair')

'It's ok, Chinni. Chair odhdhu.' ('It's ok, Chinni. I dont need a chair')

He felt 7 pairs of eyes on him. He didn't notice that one pair was filled with tears.

A small voice said, 'Chinni evaru?' ('Who's Chinni?)

He burst out laughing. He realized he had used that name aloud. The name only two people in the room knew about.

And she knew that he remembered.



Author's Note: This piece of fiction is the result of watching too many Telugu movies! If I made a movie out of this (horror of horrors!), it'll star Nagarjuna and that girl from the movie 'Gitanjali' - you know the one who dies of cancer finally? No two guesses from where the heroine gets her name. And is it just me or did the part about Adonis make you laugh too? That's pretty corny, but I'm gonna let it stay. For comic relief.