It Wasn't Love at First Shalini and I Read Online Free PDF Page A

every eye on
me. Even the panditji, who was looking haggard so far, looked at me
with expecting eyes.
    Then I looked at Hari. He was for some reason pointing at his
chest. I then remembered that as an afterthought, he had out the
piece of paper along with my handkerchief in the breast pocket of
my three piece. He really was the ‘best’ man. He had saved the day. I
then confidently took out the sheet of paper. I opened it and tore it
into pieces and I started.
    “You know what Kriti, I had written a lot of romantic things on
this piece of paper. But honesty, all those were just words, words
which made me look good and made you look pretty. They were
words which would lead to some ‘awws’ and ‘ohhs’ from the girls
here in the crowd, but they are more a result of google search on
wedding wows by me and my great friend Hari rather than what I
really think about you.”
Hari waved to the crowd as if he had completed a test century and
got another look from his wife.
    “So let me start with the real reasons on why I am marrying you.
Let me speak straight from the heart, and as you say, I don’t really do
that very often, so let me try here. First of all, Kriti, I have known
you for more than four months now and honestly speaking, I was a
little unsure of marriage when we met. It was not about you, it was
this feeling that every guy gets before he settles into a life of lifelong
commitment. But with each passing day, as I got to know you, I
realised that this was the reason I was still 30 years old and not married.
All my life I had been waiting for you.”
I could see a little tear in her eye. Whatever I had said was not
overly romantic, but I think it was the situation and the very fact
that I was speaking which got to her.
    “Every little detail about you makes me want to spend the rest of
my life with you. Remember the day my car broke down, and you
haggled with the auto driver for five rupees. That day I was sure that
you could manage, in fact you could make us both manage, even if I
stop earning from today itself. The way you made me shape up to fit
into the marriage photos, made me sure that you will always take
care of my health using one pretext or the other. The way you looked
at me when we decided on the wedding rings made me sure that no
one else’s smile could make me so happy. And the way you look not
only now, but every day, further makes me sure what a good wife
you will be.”
I heard a cheers and a wow from the crowd on the last line.
    “Kriti, this is the first time I am actually saying this, and I know it
would have been far more romantic and personal if it were just the
two of us in this room and not 200.”
    I heard a “Our eyes are closed. You love birds can do anything you
want.” This evoked a few laughs in the crowd and even brought a
smile to the teary eyes of Kriti.
    “Kriti, I love you. Will you give me the honour of waking up
with you every morning, will you give me the honour, of making
breakfast for you, of having Italian food with you, the honour of
being forced to goto the gym because of you, the honour of seeing
that smile in your eyes every passing moment, the honour of calling
you my wife.”
    And she broke down. Before anyone else could say anything, Hari
came and gave me a big hug. “Marry him Kriti or honestly, I will.
Believe me, there were stories in college and not all of them were
false.”
This evoked some more laughs from the crowd and a teary eyed
Kriti just nodded and I put the finger on her ring.
     
“And not to forget that you are so damn beautiful.”
    More cheers and it was now her turn. She started to speak, but the
tears would just not stop. She tried again, and more tears. I went
ahead and took her in my arms and there was applause from the
crowd. She then took charge over herself and started.
    “I don’t know when, how or where it happened. It wasn’t love at
first, but love, just happened. Maybe it was the day I saw you, or
maybe it was the day you