As soon as I read the prompt, the smile on my face took me 4 1/2 years in to the past. The most beautiful event of my life. My wedding. My two cents on fixing the date of wedding – ‘Do NOT get married in the last week of the month if you are in a profession that runs on month end pressures’. I was the sole in-charge of entire HR, also handling Payroll. My husband was in to sales. April 28th was our wedding and we took leave only from 25th. After all the hotfoot wedding shopping and closures at work, I had to travel from Bangalore to Hyderabad and he had to travel to Vijayawada from Bangalore. He was excited to take his new car, his first car. I wasn’t comfortable with him driving as we had very less time and travelling for 705 kilometers to his hometown and then 300 kilometers to wedding is not going to be easy on his body and mind. We had to look fresh too. After all, it’s our wedding. He wanted us to have our first journey as man and wife in his first car. Crazy. Wasn’t he? I suppose all men who are in love are 🙂

After all the good-byes on 24th evening I got in to the bus. He started on 25th early morning. We expected his drive to be of 12 hours but that went on for 20 hours due to road blocks by protestors in Andhra Pradesh for a separate state for Telangana. 20 hours of driving, all alone. I was worried, scared and tensed when his phone was not reachable at times but he kept his cool as ALWAYS.

He reached home at 12am on 26th of April. His travel to Hyderabad was planned at noon, right after their lunch. Our conversations were happening on messages as relatives and friends were with us and I was shy talking to him in front of everyone. Aila, was that me?

I messaged him to hire a driver at least this time. He told me that his cousin, uncle and dad are with him so not to worry. When he started at home he called me and said that he will reach by six in the evening and if possible he will take me out for dinner. I was relaxed and thought not to disturb him, assuming he will take his much needed nap in the car, not knowing the fact that he was travelling with his dad, mom and aunt and did not allow dad to drive. I was also busy handling calls from office and replying certain important payroll mails amidst all the hustle bustle.

I got an sms that they will reach an hour late. That one hour came after 8 hours. That is at 3:30am on the wedding day. We ordered the world famous Paradise Biryani and all my family was waiting to dine with them. We had no clue where these guys were. He wasn’t replying to my messages. When am angry, sad or happy all I do is eat, eat and eat Biryani… LoL! it is like medicine for me. I am sure you guys now know what cooks at home when I am angry. I had mutton biryani from paradise. Going out for dinner anyways was not happening.

After few hours, he called me and said he will be late and he will call me after reaching. He told me to have a good night sleep as that’s the last night for me as single. I was very  tired. My eyes were swollen and burning. I closed my eyes and placed some cotton dipped in cold water but didn’t feel to sleep. I was at home and their stay was arranged at a nearby service apartments. He reached at 3:30 am. He messaged me thinking that I would be fast asleep. I was angry. I was upset remembering how I waited for him on the road when we planned to meet for the second time and also the third time at CCD and then almost every time J. Came to know that the entire road was blocked due to some work and he had to drive at snail’s pace.

Our wedding was at 4:00pm hence, thought to take a nice sleep till late morning. At 6:00 am I got a call from him. My eyes were still burning and I was still angry.

(He drove all night. More than 1000 kilometers in two days. Just to marry me J. We drove back to Bangalore after three days, our first journey together to remember forever)

Even after all these years, he still comes back from work and calls me from the main gate of our apartment and says…