‘Mr Kashyap, you’ve been silent this entire time. Don’t you want to say anything about this new direction?’ he asked, extending the mic toward Kartik.
‘Oh, he’s a little emotional today,’ Siya cooed, wrapping an arm around his back. ‘He is bidding goodbye to this company and in many ways, his daughter too, so it’s a monumental day forus. You’re seeing a vulnerable side of Kartik Sharma the world doesn’t get to see often.’
There was a soft, sympathetic hum from the crowd.
Siya gently patted his back as she said, ‘It’s okay, Dad. You’ve done your part and brought me here. Now, I’ll keep it going, I promise.’
Suddenly, the press no longer wanted to question him. They wanted to protect him.
Kartik knew he had lost. His shoulders hunched as the weight of this moment suddenly crashed on him. His collapse wasn’t visible to anyone, but Siya saw it in his sunken posture as he gave a nod to the press cluttered around and walked off stage.
A man raised his hand for another question. When Siya nodded, he asked,
‘What role has Abhay sir played in launching this new phase of your life?’
Siya could feel him watching her, and had felt it as soon as she came on stage. It had been a struggle to not look at him, to not rush into his arms, but she had to do this first.
‘I’m glad you asked. Frankly, I wouldn’t be here if not for him,’ she said, and finally met his eyes.
His posture was straight, arms folded loosely over his chest, but Abhay was watching her with awe.
More hands were thrust up into the air but Siya gestured them to wait. ‘I know there is a lot of curiosity about my marriage with Abhay, and it’s partly my fault. So, on this happy occasion, I want to share our story.’
His dark eyes were fixed on her, intent and searching. She held his gaze as she said, ‘Abhay is the best partner I could have ever deserved, not just because he loves me, but also because he sees me, even the parts I don’t always want to show.’
Someone in the crowd cooed at what she said, and a flush rose up her neck. How could he do it, make grand romantic statements in a room full of people like it was his second nature?
‘We met at a New Year’s party a couple of years ago, in one of those crowded rooms where everyone is pretending to be someone they’re not. But not him. He came up to me, swept me off my feet with his sweet nothings and we ran away together to a roadside fair.’
Memories of that night surfaced in her mind and she smiled, feeling nostalgic when she remembered their first kiss on the top of the Ferris wheel. ‘I didn’t know it at the time, but that night changed my life. But love isn’t so simple, right?’
Her breath hitched and she cleared her throat to push down the tears. ‘There was history, family rivalry, and then there were the mistakes we made that became our obstacles. But even on the worst nights, even when we were apart, he was still the only one I thought of,’ she said, and watched his eyes turn misty.
She reminded herself to let go of the past and animatedly said, ‘And now, he’s my best friend and my anchor in every storm. My husband is also my muse, so that makes up for annoying me with his grand romantic gestures.’
Everyone laughed, and Abhay cracked a smile. He was looking at her with so much hope that she couldn’t stop herself from publicly declaring what she’d meant to whisper to him in bed.
‘Abhay, I’ve been in love with you since the night we met. You laugh and it sounds like I’m home. You look at me with so much love that I forget how to breathe. You rule my heart, and I’m hopelessly proud to stand here and say that Abhay Agrawal belongs to me.’
He stood so suddenly that his chair scraped back audibly against the floor. Before anyone could fully register it, he ran onto the stage and pulled her into his arms. He searched her face for a moment, as if still unable to believe she’d finally said it all.
She laughed merrily at his surprise and that was enough for him. Abhay didn’t hesitate, simply pulled her closer and kissed her. He swallowed her gasp as his lips moved against hers like he’d been starved of her.
Gasps and whistles rang around them but the world around them fell away as Siya lost herself in the kiss. All she knew was the warmth of him and how cold and gloomy she’d felt without him. He framed her face as he deepened the kiss, and she curled her fingers into the lapel of his jacket, pulling him closer.
When they finally broke apart, laughing and breathless, Abhay glanced back at the room with a sheepish, lopsided smile. ‘Excuse us, we’re still newlyweds. A little madness is expected, right?’
Everyone laughed in agreement, and the light on the stage finally dimmed one by one. The announcer came back on. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, let’s leave our gallant hosts in their blissful bubble, and head over to the main dining hall. Dinner is served. Please make your way through the central corridor.’
‘Come with me.’ With a tug at her heart, Abhay led her off the stage through the small backstage exit. When he didn’t knowwhere to go, she pulled him into the same dressing room she’d hid in before the event began.
‘What’s happening?’ he asked, as soon as she closed the door. ‘Where have you been? I looked everywhere, Siya.’
She pressed her palm against his chest, trying to calm him down. ‘The first thing I need to say is I’m sorry for leaving you in the dark. I’m sorry I disappeared.’
‘Why did you leave me?’ he asked, and the hitch in his voice tugged at her heart.
Siya cupped his cheeks in her palms and felt her throat constrict as she said, ‘Because after that dinner, I was scared I’ll see the same look in your eyes as everyone at that table. I couldn’t bear the thought of you asking me to leave our home, so I guess it was easier to leave.’
