O Mio Babbino Carrino

Grey! 

Slate! 

Anchromatic!

Ashen! 

Silvery-grey 

Hmmm atleast the last one sounds optimistic! 

But she wasn’t  describing concrete in all its myriad Color schemes (ironic, don’t you think, a material which has multiple names and uses but doesn’t imbue much positivity).

It was Raya’s first month at her new job  and despite all the sunniness she was feeling inside, the outside was playing the sullen card as she pulled open the drapes, Well welcome to Bombay’s monsoons! 

Humming November rains by Guns and Roses she waltzed out of the house while munching an apple.

Damn! Why did the day start on such a melancholic note?

Why Lordy why?! 

Was this you’re idea of a practical joke? 

Well, it’s not funny, I wish for it to be sunny!! 

As she sat in the car on her way to work, she looked out the window observing all the other people rushing about their day. She made up stories about them, where, what, who they were, their lives, their aims, their happiness and worries all entwined giving them the urge to keep forging ahead. Smiling to herself she caught her reflection in the window, she wasn’t the gorgeous but she was cute. Short pixie haircut around an oval face,patrician nose with a small nose stud, crystal earrings caught the light looped in her earlobes and her favourite feature her big almond eyes staring back at her, intelligent and resilient, two words that she embodied. 

Ever since she was young, she wanted to travel the world, voraciously going through everything about the West, Ancient eygpt,  Greece, South East Asia. Everything that the world comprised of fascinated her. The cultures, the cuisines, the languages, the people most of all! So what best but to be part of the aviation industry, jetting off to different places and checking off all the lists she had made when she was younger! Dreams do come true! 

But after an injury she endured at work, flying though still her first love had to take a back seat for the time being. So now though she still was a part of the aviation industry, Terra Firma  was her abode.. 

She walked into work and greeted her friend Anka, “Ankaaaaaaa hi my cutie patootie! Good morning!” 

Anka hugged Raya and replied “you’re such a happy oyster, how come the weathers not gotten you’re spirits down?” 

Raya smiled and said “why should I let the weather sway my mood, I’m just happy for another 86,400.” 

Anka looked at her puzzled, “86,400, wait what? Did you win the lottery last night? Or did Agastya propose!!!! OMG! He did right! You lucky lucky girl! 

Raya laughed and shook her friend, “hello! Dreamer, 86,400means glad to be alive for another bright new day, it’s the number of seconds one gets everyday! “

“Oh!” Anka said and stuck out her tongue at her and said “seriously woman, you CRAZY “

Anka was a sweetheart, complete opposite of Raya, maybe that’s one of the reasons they got along fabulously. Tall and slender with the grace of a ballerina, long hair reaching her waist, symmetrical face with a Peter Pan nose. Doll like was the word to describe her. 

As they walked towards the coffee shop, their customary ritual every morning, catching up on the grapevine, Raya turned to Anka and stopped her, “ wait what did you mean back there?” 

“about what?” Anka looked at her friend 

“arre, you know, about Agastya proposing. “ Raya raised her eyebrow. Anka laughed and said “ don’t go getting any ideas ok, but I feel he’s going to..... soon.”

“What! What! What!!, OMG this day is getting so much better already, take that weather gods. What do you mean feel like he’s going to!?, elaborate please. “ 

“Accha, okkk, I’ll tell you over coffee “ knowing she wasn’t going to get out of this easily, she told Raya all about him calling her asking her to help choose a ring and promising him that not a word to Raya, he had something very special planned for her.

Agastya and Raya had been dating for over a year now, they had been introduced at a friend’s Diwali party, clicked like a house on fire(pun intended) and there was no looking back. Agastya was not the chocolate boy good looking rather his rugged looks and intelligence blew you away. Both of them together looked like a made for each other couple. Sappy, yes but also romantic,big yes! 

Elation surged through Raya, Mrs Agastya Malhotra, 1000 watt smile, cue Karan Johar movie song and it was a moment to rewind, repeat! 

As the day progressed and she immersed herself in work counting down to the hours when she would meet him, oh hurry up already time! 

But life seldom goes as planned, don’t worry it’s a happy story. Don’t gasp just yet!

Afternoon gave way to evening, Raya had to go to the aircraft for an inspection, as she was working through the checklist, Anka kept calling her on her cellphone, she declined it and sent it to voicemail. 

“Where are you, urgent?” Anka messaged 

10 minutes and multiple calls later, “ RAYA KHOSLA, WHERE ARE YOU? YOU NEED TO COME TO THE OFFICE THIS INSTANT!”

Raya saw the message in caps and wondered if everything was ok, she called Anka immediately Just to make sure, Anka answered on the first ring,” well that was prompt service!!” Raya laughed.

Anka in her most businesslike tone said, “ come to the office right now, it’s urgent! “ and hung up.

As Raya walked back towards the office, there was a lot of commotion outside and leading upto it. More poeple milling about than was customary, what! why are people dressed up for a wedding? Balloons and music, hunh there’s even a violinist!! What the hell is going on! Maybe that’s why Anka called me, to disperse off this festive cheer, she thought.

As she walked in, Anka was standing by her desk with a face that was unreadable and why was O Mio Babbino Carrino being played on the violin  !? I admit it was my favourite song but right now, something wasn’t right. 

Raya walked upto Anka and asked her “what’s happening?” 

Anka looked behind Raya and smiled at somebody, “ dude stop smiling, I don’t understand....

“You will soon Raya....”Agastya said

What? But how come?! It couldn’t be! 

She turned around and saw Agastya walking towards her, dressed in a simple kurtapyjama and bandghala looking so handsome, holding a single sunflower ( her favourite ), smiling as he knelt down in front of her, he quoted Beethoven famous words, “ Ever thine, Ever mine, Ever ours, Raya Khosla, I have loved you from the moment I saw you, I want to be the person who makes you happy every single day for the rest of our lives and strives twice as hard on bad days. Will you do me the honour of being my other half, my better half for all of eternity? “ 

Raya was speechless! 

All her family and friends were there, gathered together on this beautiful occasion, her inner child was ecstatic, open your mouth and say yes!! 

But just two tears fell from her eyes, if only mama would have been here. But as looked around and saw all the love, happiness and pure joy in this room, most importantly the man responsible for it, she felt complete.

Agastya was looking at her with so much love, she bent down and hugged him, taking the sunflower from him and whispered in his ear, “from now until eternity Mr Malhotra!”

 

Everybody cheered and congratulations poured forth. O mio babbino carrino played and Raya smiled at Agastya and thought, grey wasn’t such a bad start to the day after all!