Page 110 of Can This Be Love?

12.18 a.m.

In front of my horrified eyes, I saw Anu press Anjali’s hand one last time, hitch her lehenga up and begin to run towards me with all her might.

I heard the crowd gasp collectively.

‘Bittu Beta!’ said Bunty Mama, who was closest to Anu. I have met Anu’s corpulent uncle a couple of times, and felt sorry for the ninety-eight-kilo man as he tried to waddle towards Anu. Anjali politely but firmly pushed him to one side. Bittu Mama looked at Anjali, a mixture of indignation and hurt written all over his round face and three chins.

Anu ran in my direction. A sea of people stared as one bride ran to another. I looked on, a little bewildered, as Anu’s strong hands clasped mine and, as if on cue and very much like the climax of a Bollywood movie, the two of us started running towards the gate, hand in hand.

‘What?’ said one aunty bringing her hands most dramatically to her mouth. ‘Goswamiji’s daughter is running away with another girl?’

I get it now, I do. Looks really suspicious if you have two women dressed as brides running away hand in hand.

‘You never know what kids are up to these days,’ said another aunty, shaking her head sadly, ?

??MTV single-handedly corrupted an entire generation.’

Before anyone could say ‘runaway bride’, Anu and I were out of the wedding grounds as restless murmurs grew louder in the background. What was really funny and made me giggle was the guard at the gates saluting the moment his eyes fell on Anu. And it was then that it struck me. For all practical matters, Anu had eloped with me and we had not only left Pitajee inside, but had, till now, completely forgotten about him.

The excitement of the night does not end!

‘Pitajee!’ I said, panting. ‘He’s still inside!’

‘And I am outside!’ Anu said, rather meaninglessly.

‘Yes, you’re outside,’ I agreed with her. Both of us were running the hardest we had ever run and talking to each other in hurriedly-caught breaths. The brain is not at its sharpest on such occasions and I forgave Anu immediately for inane remarks.

‘I eloped with you, Kasturi,’ Anu shrieked, as the realization hit her too. I think neither of us was sure whether we should laugh or cry.

‘Annnnuu,’ came a loud wail from behind, and Anu and I turned around simultaneously. As if on cue, Pitajee appeared from seemingly nowhere, running his hardest, his arms flailing wildly around him, making him look more comical than heroic, which was not the effect he was trying to achieve. I vaguely noticed the guard saluting him too. For god’s sake, had the guard not figured out what was happening?

Pitajee stopped two short steps away from us. For obvious reasons, he had eyes only for Anu who glowed in the bridal attire.

‘You are beautiful, Ananya,’ said Pitajee, his voice thick with emotion, eyes red and face dripping with love. To my horror, the two of them stood there, most ironically right under a glittering board that announced Anu’s wedding to Saumen, and stared at each other, love-struck.

Pitajee was back to looking all woolly and goofy. Anu had just fallen in love all over again.

‘Guys … errr…’ I said, trying to gingerly break the spell, ‘Err … really sorry to break this to you, but if you look behind you, about fifty men have just come out of the gates and are attempting what I can only describe as a chase! So really … I mean … this is not the time for puppy love…’

‘Anu, I love you,’ Pitajee said, as Anu’s eyes dutifully brimmed with tears. Pitajee clutched her hands with all his might. ‘I would have died had you married Saumen. I would have died!’

‘I love you too! I love you too!’ yelped Anu, and threw her arms around Pitajee.

‘Oh, pumpkin!’ said Pitajee.

‘Cupcake!’ murmured Anu and I almost threw up. I had forgotten how disgusting those two could be.

‘Guys!’ I tried again, mercilessly separating them. ‘Look!’ I pointed towards a crowd that was now running out of the wedding grounds towards us. Ahya, having kicked off her golden heels, was leading the pack. One look at her set face and I knew I would soon be running the fastest I have ever run. ‘We need to run!’ I said, with all the wisdom I could muster.

‘I agree,’ said Pitajee, ‘but one moment.’ And with that, under Anu’s beatific smile, Pitajee went down on one knee.

‘Will you marry me, darling?’ he murmured dreamily.

Did these guys not know that we were running away from a wedding? From Anu’s wedding?

‘Yes, she will,’ I barged in hurriedly.

‘Yes, I will,’ said Anu.

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