Page 52 of Always? Forever.
“Wait,howdo you know they’re flying in today?” I asked, blinking.
He shrugged like it was no big deal. “I’ve been texting your dad. Got their flight details. I’m planning to pick them up from JFK.”
He said it so casually, so effortlessly thoughtful, that my brain short-circuited for a second.
So naturally, I pulled him in for another kiss, becausewhat elsedo you do with a man like that?
“And about the whole ‘fake engagement’ thing?” he added, his voice steady. “Yeah, that’s not fake anymore. We’re still getting engaged. If you want, we can make it a long one, but I’m all in, Samaira. So no backtracking. The only direction I’m moving with you is forward.”
Tears filled my eyes as I looked up at this amazing man I had fallen for and I just knew that this time I had made the right choice.
My parents arrived later that evening, we drove to the airport to pick them up. My dad and Kartik spoke to each other as if they were best friends. It was then that I found out that since the day my parents video called me, he has been in constant contact with them. However, neither of them saw it fit to mention that to me because apparently why do they need my permission to speak to their future son-in-law.
The next couple of days rolled by quickly and it was finally Kartik’s birthday. We had planned a small party which would eventually turn into us getting engaged with just close family and friends. I didn’t want a fuss for the engagement, the wedding however had to be big.
On the morning of Kartik’s birthday, a parcel showed up at my doorstep with my name on it and a note attached. Inside? A brand-new coffee machine.
The note read:
"I love you way too much to let you keep flirting with electrocution five times a day. I know you're emotionally attached to that ancient machine, but let’s retire it before it retires you. Consider this my birthday gift… to myself. Yours (and slightly concerned),
Kartik."
I chuckled and took the new machine to my kitchen, setting it up I snapped a selfie with it and sent it to the birthday boy.
Samaira:image
Kartik:Thank God. Do you like it?
Samaira:It’s your birthday, you’re supposed to be getting gifts, not me.
Kartik:I already have you as my birthday gift. What more could I possibly want,meri jaan.
I rolled my eyes, blushing anyway, and sent him a kiss. If he kept up this level of corniness, I had no choice but to fall harder for him every damn day.
Epilogue
One year later
My parents were finally happy that I had managed to find a good guy for me. I was happy that my blog had taken off. It was 3 months after me and Kartik got married that I had left my job and opened my own PR agency for books and it was going…good. Not what I wanted but it was getting there. Kartik and I had gotten married in a big fat Indian wedding just like I wanted. Kartik didn’t mind. He was more than happy to make me happy. Kartik still hadn’t found out about the fact that his grandmother knew about our little ruse. Sometimes destiny plays out weirdly. You are out there looking for something and end up finding something else completely. It is just like the time when you search your room to find one piece of clothing but end up finding a bracelet you thought you lost years ago, then you sit on the floor and reminisce a bit of the memories attached to that bracelet. It’s funny how life works out.
I did notice Aria and Aarush bickering but that could have been due to the fact that they were living together. Oh about that? Well that’s another story.
- THE END -
