Three Weddings

It was a bright and sunny day. The gleefully chirping birds woke her up that morning with their song. She walked to the window and pushed back the curtains to either side, allowing the soft summer sun to kiss her face. A sweet smile escaped her lips as she watched the birds play. She looked over her shoulder, to face the long, black framed mirror. The young girl she saw everyday, did look different. The girl who always stared back at her with big, doubting eyes, was no longer there. Instead, the looking glass echoed the raw beauty of an excited bride-to-be. Oh yes, she was excited! The day was finally here!!

 “Anne....are you up yet?”, came a loud voice from the other side of the door. “Yes, sister...”, she called back, and walked to the door, pushing aside the loosely falling locks from her face and tying it back into a rough bun. “Quickly then, the beautician will be here any minute”, said her sister with a bitter-sweet sentiment on her face.

Not so far away, in another part of the same town, the bold and beautiful Ashley stared at the ceiling as she lay in bed well past sunrise, (as usual). She was a dreamer…and as she fixed her eyes on the blank white concrete firmament, she wandered back and forth through memories of all the men she loved and lost. And today, finally, she was settling down with one. “I better be less demanding, more forgiving, more patient and more lady-like if I want this to last!”, she pondered.

The loud chatter of ladies, screams and laughter of her baby cousins, nephews and nieces rang through her silent musings. “Oh! How loud can you all be!!”, she grumbled to her easily irritable self, as she rolled out of bed.

Samantha was late again, and this time the fault was hers. She accidentally (or rather, excitedly) the night before, set the alarm to 7pm instead of 7am. She sprung up quickly, like a Jack in the Box, and sat there in bed with ruffled hair and a face with a lot of mixed emotions. It was her phone ringing that woke her up (at least now!), and it was him on the other end. He’d called to check if she was ready. “I’m coming…I’m coming”, she tried to say it as calmly as she could. “Oh, come on, Sam! I can’t believe you’re late, EVEN TODAY!!” he sounded disappointed. “I’m only late to wake up, darling, never late to arrive, you know me…”,she playfully argued, visibly embarrassed. “Alright, alright…quickly now!”, and he hung up with a kiss.

She spent another couple of minutes in bed again, reflecting on how lucky she was to have him in her life. “Hmmm…ok Sam, take a deep breath! It’s your wedding day, at last, and…you have exactly one more hour to go! Go for it, gorgeous!” she chattered with herself, posing as a very responsible young lady!

It didn’t look one bit like there was a wedding in the house. No noise, no laughter, no relatives, no excitement (except of course in the bride’s head), nothing close to a celebration! The family was against this relationship, but Anne was stubborn about her man. Not many of her relatives were present, not one from her Dad’s side. They belonged to different castes, different religions, and different socio-economic backgrounds. What more reason does an orthodox family need to oppose this relationship! Her dad was against this totally, but after his demise, Mom thought that this was the best thing she could do for her daughter’s happiness. She sighed away all the rebuke and negativity of the family and decided to go ahead with her daughter’s wishes. As she stood in the corner of the room, watching her little girl preparing for her big day, warm drops of mixed emotions made their way down her face.

“Oh..do I really need to wear so much jewelry, Ma? I look like a Christmas tree, for God’s sake!!”, she grumbled. “Come on Ash dear…it’s your wedding! You don’t have to dress like this every day. And plus, what will people say if you don’t wear enough gold? What will the groom’s family think? Won’t they think we didn’t give anything to our daughter??” her mother tried to convince her. The downside of being an ‘Indian Tomboy Bride’, she realized. “Ok, Ok….just this time, and mind you, this is the first and last time I’m doing this”, she gave in with a frown. “Of course, silly, unless you plan to marry again” whispered her cheeky cousin into her ear. “Dare you say something that nasty again to me”, said her fiery look. All the ladies chuckled at her and her mannerisms. It was so Ashley…fierce, wild and nothing close to a bride, let alone a lady. But she softened down quickly..and a coy smirk escaped her lips as she thought how rude and nasty she herself had been around her cousins.

The apartment was a total wreck! Dirty laundry piled up in one corner of the room, used coffee mugs from three days on the coffee table, newspapers and magazines all over the place, crumbs and eggshells on the counter from the day before!! Thank God, the place had a wardrobe and so there was no hunting necessary to find her wedding gown, but her shoes were nowhere in sight! Shower, shampoo and tooth-brushing all done in one go, Samantha scurried out of the bathroom to trip over the floor mat! What a better accessory for a bride, than a petty little bump on her forehead!! Grrr… Clumsy as she was, she contributed to more mess by spilling coffee over the counter as she reached for her toast before she finally managed dress up in a hurry and find her shoes. In spite of the rush and excitement she was in, her mind brooded over the fact that she was all alone in this…..abandoned and disowned by her family for choosing to marry a much older divorcee, against her family’s wishes.

She had heard the ‘nadhaswaram’ and ‘thakil’ only in  Hindu South Indian movie weddings. For a Christian woman who hadn’t attended even one live Hindu wedding, this was new and exciting. Her heart beat louder and harder than the rhythm of the instruments. She missed her dad…she was his pet, and today she was sad that she had to do this against his wishes.  She looked up into her groom’s eyes as he tied the wedlock around her neck. She was smiling, but her eyes were teary. “Your Dad will be very happy, Anne, because I’ve promised him to be the best husband a woman can ever wish for” he assured with a comforting smile, sensing her emotions. He knew her so well, and loved her even more. “Thank you, God” she whispered a prayer, and they were one! Mrs. and Mr. Ramachandran!! 

The bold and independent Ashley didn’t seem her usual self once she reached the cathedral. Something seemed to have subdued her bravado and she appeared nervous and shy. Ashley and shy?? That was like ice-cream and chicken soup..No match at all!! Was this the result of the long chat with her Daddy? Before leaving the house, Dad had a special something for her, and the two spent some quality time together in those last few minutes before they left for the wedding. Was she upset to be leaving her dear Daddy for a new beginning? The new and demure ‘lady’ looked so absolutely stunning, that Ronnie couldn’t take his eyes off her. The vows were done, rings exchanged and down the aisle they walked, hand in hand…man and wife!

Screeeechhh!! “Sorry!!” she threw her arms up and apologized to the driver behind, as she parked her Mustang and quickly grabbed her bridal bouquet on her way up the stairs into the registrar’s office. Alex was already there, with the grimace he often sported when she was late! “I’m here, Love…and just in time!!”, she chuckled! “You will never change,” he said, “and never do…I love you just the way you are!”. “I know”, she said proudly, “and that gives me every reason to be a child around you”. They were greeted by a small group of friends before they walked up to the office, hand in hand. Two signatures later, and sealed with a kiss, there stood a lovely couple and a whole lifetime ahead of them!

~priya~