11/29/2025

I’m sitting the car. I’ve parked at the small lane next to the metro station. I know someone is going to ask me to move the car soon. The AC is on 16 and on full blast. I’m trying to freeze myself a bit before you come in and I have to turn up the temperature. Our playlist is shuffling on CarPlay. It’s been 20 minutes since I’ve been waiting. But I’m not on edge or anxious or anything. I’m relaxed and waiting. I shut my eyes for a second.

A few minutes later you open the car door and get in. You’re wearing the same clothes that you did in the morning. I remember from the picture you had sent me. A white embroidered salwar and pink leggings. Your hair is in a bit of a disarray because of how you haphazardly combed it just before you came to meet me. You drop the overnight bag behind into the back seat.

You – Babbyyyyyyyyy sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry. I’m so sorry it’s just been a crazy day one thing after another and i wanted to wrap this up.

I smile and push that little lock of hair behind your ears. Cup your cheek with one hand and give you a quick kiss. It’s going to get deeper but we stop ourselves. Not there. Not then. There were other things we had to attend to.

Me – you don’t need to apologise baby. I totally get it. I’ve waited for you all my life ❤️

You roll your eyes at me. I take your right hand with my left. We intertwine our fingers. You hug and lie down on my hand as I start to drive.

The traffic is insane. It’s going to take us 2.5 hours to get from College to your house. You are still hugging my hands as you start to dose off. About 15 minutes in you are in deep sleep on my hands. When we are stopped at the signal. I carefully pick your head and put it on the seat. I bend forward and recline the seat behind. You stir and wake up slightly realising what is happening.

You – mmmmm baby don’t leave me.

Me – I’m not kanda. I just want you to sleep comfortably.

You want to hug me but you are tired too. So you go off to sleep on the seat. I caress your forehead with one hand and adjust your head so you are comfortable. I drive the rest of the way to your home. Braking ever so slowly so you don’t get scared and wake up.

It’s 10 PM by the time we reach. I have parked outside at the little niche on the road where I always stop. You are still sleeping. I dont want to wake you up. So I let you sleep for a minute. After that. I take my hand and caress your head to your cheek.

Me – Jeeva, yedyelltya? We have reached.

You open your eyes and you realise where we are.

You – baby what the fuck, why did you let me sleep for so long.

Me – It’s ok. I wanted you to sleep. I know you needed this. And you need your energy.

You take my hand and hug me again. Like you always do.

You – uh uh uh uh. I dont want to go.

Me – i know baby. But you know what this means right? Beginning of the rest of our lives. The first step. So let’s do this.

We kiss, gently but then just sink into it passionately for a good five minutes. I’m hard as hell, you are wet as fuck. We both needed it right there but we got to control ourselves.

We break apart from the kiss.

Me – you know the plan right? Tomorrow evening, where it all began.

You nod. You have one finger on my nose gently playing with it. You get out of the car and walk towards the big semi circular entry way. I stay there until I see you disappear into the darkness.

We don’t have any contact for the next 24 hours.

*******The Next Day *******

It’s 8 PM. I’ve taken the same seat in the corner where we first met. I’ve ordered two plates of paneer chilli. Because.. oh damn… how good is the Paneer Chilli in S144 right?

I’m scrolling on Reddit still keeping my streak going. I sense someone looking over at me. Before I even turn my head up I know it’s you. I can remember that smell anywhere. I’m like a hound dog. That swirl of vanilla and foundation and your skin cream. I remember how I always scared you to say I was like Dr Lecter who says – You’re wearing Evian skin cream Clarisse. It still freaks you out after all these years that I can give out that serial killer vibe.

I get up and hug you tight. My hearts beating out of my chest. So is yours. You’re wearing that white top that I had got for you a few weeks back. And blue jeans.

Me – Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii. I missed you soooooooo much.

You – hmmmmm i know baby i missed you toooo.

You sit down on the bar stool next to me. I sit down next to you. I do something that i did 3 years ago. I navigate my hand between your legs and grab the feet of the bar stool and pull you closer to me.

You have a mild shocked experience but then you smile. Because you remember what it was like the first time I did that.

Me – you wanna go first?

You – oh you know im not going to. You go first.

I hold your hands and we are both twiddling out fingers as I start.

Me – ok. So mom and dad were sitting watching Republic. I asked them to pause for a minute cause i wanted to talk to them. I was standing ok, because they were on opposite sofas. Dad said – helappa. I said – ok, so I have some news to share. I met someone. I’ve been dating her for about 3 years now. And we found a very stable and healthy and rooted relationship. We want to take this forward to get married in the next year or so. She’s telling her parents about me today. And I’m telling you as well. Cause we want to figure out how to do this with everyone else. Mom – oh that’s great. Who is she. Dad – yea what does she do? I said – her name is T. She’s been here for almost 20 years now. She is a doctor. She’s in her final year of doing her MD. So about a year now from graduation. She’s going to be an gynaecologist. You should have seen dad’s face baby. The moment i said that i knew what he wanted to ask. He said – iwaga graduation aaa? How old is she? I said – she’s 30. Mom’s eyebrows went up but she didn’t say anything. Dad said – 9 years age difference alwenappa? I said – yea there is an age difference. But she is very mature for her age. We get along great and we dont have any gap in the way we are with each other. Mom and Dad look at each other for a second. I said – ok see I dont want you guys to have anything in your mind, so whatever it is just say it out loud. Dad said – does she know about your history? Not going to lie baby, that irked me a little bit. The way he said it alwa, it was like I had a disease. I said to him – yes she is aware of everything. I have told her everything that has happened. Mom said – awalige gotta Nemo idane antha? Is she ok with him? I said – yea mom she is aware. Last one year Inda there have been times when the three of us have gone out and spent time together because i wanted to make sure they got along well and Agastya was also aware. Mom said – oh TJ antha heltane alwa, awalle na? I said – yea the same. Dad said – are you sure about this? I looked at him square in the eyes and said – more sure than anything I have been about in my life. Dad said – ok when can we meet her parents? I said – ok hold onto your horses. I am going to meet her tomorrow and find out how it went with her and then we can figure out when you all will meet. Also the two of us have some thoughts of our own how we want to do this so we will discuss in more detail when we get to that situation. Mom – yea ok ok seri. Dad – seriappa let us know. I said ok and went to my room.

I can see your shoulders drop visibly. But not all the way through though. Cause I know you still have to get some stuff off your chest. We hug for a minute. My face is lost in your hair. I can smell your shampoo and conditioner and just engulfed into it. It’s just like that my heart has just calmed down.

Me – ok what? You got to say something come on.

You – okkk. That was calmer and less intense than i expected.

Me – not gonna lie baby. Same here. Now don’t keep me in this suspense. Spill.

You took a paneer chilli and start eating.

Me – babbbyyyyyy stop it, just spill. Come on im dying here.

You smile a bit and swallow and drink some water and start. I’m holding your hands tight now.

You – ok so mom and dad were sitting in the living room ok. Nanu Lil Sis ge already helidde that im going to tell antha so she knew. So she also came with me. We were both sitting on the sofa. And i was like so nervous baby. I couldnt say anything for like the first 5 minutes. Lil Sis saw me procrastinating and that crazy bitch she was just like – Amma, Appa… aikā zara. T la ek mulgya cha waat aahe. The moment she said that babe both mom and dad’s head snapped up so suddenly. Like i thought their necks would snap antha. So then dad asked me what is going on. So I told them – ok so I’ve been seeing this guy. We have been in a relationship for like 3 years now. Mom was like – T what? You never told us. And she looked at Lil Sis and asked her – how long have you known? Lil Sis no baby, she is also so dumb, Yenu subtlety illa. She is like – i have known for like 2 years now and I’ve met him twice also. Dad was like – what? Why didn’t you tell us. I looked so nervously at Lil Sis that time baby, i was like so scared to tell them. Lil Sis just widened her eyes and signalled for me to tell them. I knew that if i didn’t, she would say it all.

You take a moment and take another bite of the paneer chilli. And drink some water.

Me – ughhhhh baby stop, eat later, tell me firstttttttt.

You – ok ok ok. So then i told them – ok so the reason why I hadn’t told you was because i wanted to be sure and there are also some things im really scared about how you will react to it. Mom and dad were like frozen at that time baby. Like one chooru move madlilla. Haha. Anyway then i said – ok soooo, he is 40 years old. Aaaand he was married before, he is divorced and he also has a son who is 11 years old. Baby the moment i said that alwa, you should have seen their faces. Like nan amanna face anthu was white like there was no blood only. Mom was like – what? 10 years older, married, with a baby? What are you doing T? She then turned and looked at Lil Sis and said – and you knew about all this and you didn’t tell us? Honestly baby she was on a rant for like 5 minutes. And i was like frozen there for a moment. But Lil Sis just snapped back – can you stop and just listen to her? He’s not married he is divorced and he doesn’t have a baby it’s a grown up boy. Just try to understand first before you just shout and bark judgement at her. Baby honestly i dont know where and how she gets that courage, it was just like such a blast that she threw. That’s when dad said – ok Trupti tell us what you want to. I said – ok so we have been together for three years. He is very caring and loving. He treats me really well and he’s helped me to get out to get the confidence to be myself. I know what you are asking though, so i will tell you that part. He got married when he was young. They had a lot of problems and they couldnt work it out. Then they separated and divorced for 4 years now. He takes good care of his son. He looks after him really well he is a great father. So yea there are a lot of things which aren’t what is “normal” but he makes me really happy and i want to marry him and i want you all to be ok with it. Awaga mom looked at dad in disbelief and dad looked at mom like – ok be calm dont go crazy. Then dad said – T, all this is fine, but do you realise how complicated this is? You will be responsible for another child and it’s not even your child. And with the ex wife and stuff it will be so complicated. And what will we even tell people? That’s when mom jumped in and said – yea how will we be able to explain all of this? Then I said – yea there are plenty of reasons not to do this. It breaks a lot of “rules” and none of this is traditional or easy. But when i was at my deepest pain, he was there for me. He has supported me throughout getting prepared and getting into college. He has been there for me throughout the times when my residency was so tough. He used to bring food for me to make sure i ate because i was so dead. He’s that kind of caring and loving person. And I don’t expect you to be just ready or ok with it just like that. And im in no hurry to just jump into this neither I am going to do all this without your blessing. So what i want and would like from you is to meet him with an open mind. Ask him any questions you have, he will answer them openly and honestly. And after you meet him maybe you will be able to see what kind of person he is. But i will tell you this again. I’m not going to run away to start a life without him. But I want to do this and i want to do it with your blessing. If i dont have your blessing then i will just continue to live my life how I am right now. So give him a chance and look at how he makes me happy and then make your decision. Honestly baby i think they were still processing all of it, it was like such a big bomb on them. But dad agreed to meet you. They said they will speak to you next week. So yea… that’s how that went.

You were still a little tight in the shoulders. I hugged you so tight, you just relented a little bit and it came gushing out the tears.

Me – baby, you know I’ll win them over right? Dont worry about a thing. It’s all going to be great.

You nodded still with the tears on your face. I wiped them off and kissed your forehead.

You – honestly, im scared.

Me – i know you are baby. And there’s a part of me that is scared too. But for real honey? It worked out better than i expected.

You – what do you mean?

Me – i honestly thought you would be locked down and wouldn’t be able to come out today, or worse that your dad would show and kick my ass here in front of all these people.

You – (laughing) oh yea i think he totally did want to do that

Me – come on baby, you really think an old man can take me? Look at these pythons (flexing my arms)

You – ughhhh. Shut up.

Me – I love you too honey.

I held your hands, twiddling the ring that I had given you.

Me – We’re going to get through this. Then you wont have to hide this any more.

You just sighed. It wasn’t just a sigh of relief. I think it was just with us not being hidden away any more.

We hugged and just sank into each other.

Love Forever & Always,

XOXO

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