Arranging love, contemporary way!

To Papa, Mamma, my elder brother Sanjeev, elder sisters Manjula and Anjuli.

Thank you for believing in me!

Prologue

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All you need is a moment to realize something... But sometimes, it takes a lifetime to get that moment!!

~~ Poornima

Let’s start my story...

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Did you talk to anyone good?

My mom asked me the first thing when I called her. Well, this is kind of an opening line to all our conversations lately which goes further by asking me to log in to check my profile and telling me that she has accepted a few more invitations and has sent requests to a few new or asking me the reason for declining the one she had liked and suggesting me to upload some ‘better’ pictures.

If you have not guessed it by now, my mom and I were talking about my profile in the Matrimony Portal. ‘Contemporary' way to find your perfect life partner in today’s modern world. Sounds just perfect and an easy way to find love, get married and live happily-ever-after but the reality is something else, something far from being perfect. When I initially created my profile, I had high hopes to find my prince charming soon. I was a little skeptical too but I was sure that I will find love and will have full control over my profile but very soon the reality struck me and finding love thru this website started looking bleak and the user id and password became ‘shared’ between my elder sister, mom and myself.

My family really doesn’t have much confidence in me when it comes to my judgment of the guys. But I’m still not ready to give up, I still feel one day I will find my perfect match.

If you are wondering why Matrimony Portals, then let me take you back to that day which turned my life upside down and eventually made me create my profile here to find my prince charming. The day I realized for the first time, Not all doughnuts come out with a hole! Sure, you might expect them to but that’s not the way the world or the pastry shop works. Things don’t always turn out as planned.

Oh, by the way, I’m Ananya Sharma. By profession a software engineer and working in USA these days. Yes, yet another software engineer working in America. Onsite, on a project, H1 Visa—yes yes and yes, all these ‘adjectives’ hold true for me too. You must be thinking that I’m one of those many IT professionals’/software engineers who go to USA from India for the love of dollars, or to post pictures on Facebook while standing in front of a convertible Ferrari or while walking in the Strip at Las-Vegas. But spoiler alert, my story is a bit different. I didn’t come here to make dollars or to drive a fancy car or to go to Vegas. I was happy making in Indian rupees as well and used to love roaming in the streets of Delhi. I never really planned to come to US, things just happened.

Oh, I forgot to tell you—I’m 30 years old and I’m still single. My marriage is one of the most talked about topics in all our family functions these days. My parents’ neighbors love to ask them about it and of course, my Facebook friends too are waiting desperately to like and comment on the update of my relationship status change.

Anyway, I was telling you about the reason which made me decide to try contemporary arranged marriage. Perhaps, for the same reason, I decided to move to USA as well. It all started around a year back. What a beautiful evening it was and night, even better!

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One year back......

I was in Love, but was he?

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Glancing at Arjun, I was thinking of the day I saw him for the very first time. So many years have passed now, but everything about that is still so vivid in my head. He was standing across the room. His smile was so bright I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I think I was staring him to the point of rudeness. When I saw him coming near me, I felt a little embarrassed. Taking a sip from his drink, in a funny Bollywood-style he asked, Are you from the Groom’s side or the Bride’s side? ... oops, it’s a birthday party, not a wedding! And we both started laughing.

We hit it off immediately; exchanged our numbers and met over coffee for our first date, after a week. It is funny that our first date didn’t go that well. I found him flamboyant as he was talking too much about almost everything. From music to coffee to politics as if to show he is Mr. know it all! and I thought he didn’t like me much either as I was somehow very quiet that day. I was not hoping for the second date and here we are, still together! His carefree countenance broke through my guarded reserve.

How was your meal?

Would you like to order some dessert? The waiter asked and that broke my reverie.

It was a flawless evening with perfect weather, scrumptious meal, and Arjun. I had just returned from my work trip and we were meeting after a month.

Even after 3 years, I still used to get Goosebumps looking at his smile, I still feel butterflies and wish to melt into a puddle in his arms.

It’s a beautiful night! I said looking at the starry sky and he draped his arm around my waist and whispered to me, I can’t wait to get back home with you!

Arjun was different from other guys, there was something about him, something out of ordinary. He used to make me feel like I’m the most special girl on this planet. One of the best-looking guys I have ever met, very well read, well traveled and fun. My first love. I managed to stay away from relationships and love for a long time but he charmed me to fall for him in no time. True is the saying, ‘Like the measles, love is most dangerous when it comes late in life!’ I too at times used to feel scared being so hopelessly in love with him.

Soon the valet brought our car and we enjoyed our drive back home. The lights inside the apartment were dim and the night was a little cold—perfect environs for our night together. I’m glad you are back, Ananya! You are looking stunning in this halter neck dress! Saying that he ran his fingers through my hair.

I missed you Arjun! I wish you were there with me. All I want is to be with you as much as possible, to share every moment of every day with you!

I thought about being with you everyday myself but don’t worry tonight I will make it up to you for all those days when we were away from each other! He said looking deep into my eyes.

I blushed. My cheeks turned red. I started breathing heavy. The smell of his musky cologne, touch of his crisp shirt, sexy hair and his playful smile...he was turning me on. He had the most gorgeous lips I’ve ever seen on a man.

I couldn’t control my ragged breaths any longer and I knew it won’t be long before I start moaning loudly. The heat between my legs was becoming unbearable, my skin felt like it was on fire. He swiftly lifted me up in his arms to take me to the bedroom. Putting me down on the bed he pulled his shirt off, came near me and holding my face with his soft hands, looking into my eyes he kissed me softly. I hugged him. Gently caressing my hair, he whispered in my ear, I love you!

I love you too, Arjun! I said and kissed him.

I was sinking in the depth of his mesmerizing eyes. He continued kissing me passionately and I blushed with every kiss and kissed him back. He slid his hand inside my dress; unhooked my bra and opened the knot of my halter neck dress and slid it down.

I closed my eyes and he continued kissing me on my neck. I moan with every kiss, with every touch. We enjoyed the night together making love, kissing and holding each other tight; cuddling and talking about sweet nothing.

*****

Bright yellow morning sun rays entered the room from the side of the curtain. I opened my eyes and looked at Arjun, lying by my side. I smiled to myself and planted a kiss on his cheek. He was still deep in his sleep but I got myself out of the bed.

I opened the window. A little nip in the air felt nice. Early morning freshness with golden sunshine—the morning never felt better. I stretched my hands over my head and tied down my hair. Picked up my robe from the side of the bed and looked around; our clothes from last night were all over the place. I’m usually a cleanliness freak, hate mess around me but looking at this mess, thinking about the night I smiled from inside. I picked up my dress, his pants and shirt lying down and put them all on the chair by the window.

I went to the bathroom to freshen up before waking him up. I was still smiling thinking about the night and while walking back to the bedroom I thought of making this morning even more special. I went to the kitchen instead to brew some fresh coffee and to make us some breakfast. I made some blueberry pancakes, garnished them with fresh fruits and also made some egg white omelets. I came back to the bedroom to wake him up and to surprise him with fresh coffee and nice warm breakfast on the table.

He was awake but lying down on the bed he was doing something on his cell phone. He seemed rather busy and didn’t even notice when I came back to the bedroom. His phone beeped and again after a few seconds.

Who is this texting you so early on a Sunday morning? I asked him.

He looked at me and casually replied, Just a friend! and his phone beeped again, making his eyes gleamed a little while reading the message.

Whom are you chatting with? This time I asked him a little more firmly.

I told you—a friend. He replied in the same casual tone, trying to avoid any further discussion around it. He pulled me near him and sniffing me said, Good morning beautiful! You smell so nice!

Good morning! I made us some breakfast. Get up and freshen up before it gets cold. I said to him and kissed him on his cheek. Right then, he again got a message and listening to the beep I pulled myself away from him and looked at him with an angry face.

What, what are you frowning for? He asked me irritatingly.

Arjun, I never ask you where you are going or who are you talking to or check your phone like other girls do with their boyfriends, but that doesn’t mean you can take me for granted! I said in an angry tone.

He snapped at me, You are not my wife, why do you want to know every single detail of my life?

I’m your girlfriend, don’t I have a right to ask you something, to know about your life?

I never ask who are you talking to! He said with a shrug.

You don’t ask because you don’t want to know, but I want to know. I said raising my voice.

Ananya, why are you trying to fight with me out of nothing?

Why can’t you just answer my question and we can easily avoid this argument, you are making me fight with you! I gasped out my anger and we went on like this for some more time.

This wasn't the first time we were fighting but that day, we didn’t stop fighting, that day we didn’t kiss and makeup, we didn’t have any crazy makeup sex after! Rather we continued fighting like that and without thinking much I said, If I don’t even have this place in your life where I can ask you something, we better not be together. Let’s stop seeing each other. I don’t want to be in such a relation where asking a question can become such a big deal!

Looking into my fierce little face, he almost snorted and said, Alright, if this is what you want!

He got up from the bed and got dressed, picked up his phone and car keys and left. I didn’t stop him either. I just saw him leaving without even saying a word. I continued staring at the door for a long time even after he was gone. And then I looked at the breakfast lying on the table. I soon burst into tears.

For a moment, I thought maybe he was talking to a friend only and I shouldn’t have made a big deal about it. But somewhere inside me, I knew it was a big deal. I knew it with absolute certainty that something was different that day. Call it a girlfriend’s intuition or a gut feeling, but I knew something was wrong!

I sat down, drank some water and tried to calm myself down but I knew that it was not just another fight where we say we are breaking up but we never do. I knew it was much more than that. I don’t know what was troubling me more; that he was talking to someone else behind my back or he didn’t tell me who ‘it’ was when I asked him or he left like that in anger or the fact that I knew this was coming but I never addressed it well before and let it blew up on my face like this.

*****

We didn't talk to each other for 5 days after that, and every single moment made my heart cry for him, long for him. It was Saturday evening when I got a call from him. We decided to meet at a restaurant across the street.

I was waiting for him at the restaurant. I wasn’t angry anymore, however, my gut feeling was still telling me that something is wrong. Though I longed to see him, I was filled with dread. After 15 min, he was at the door. He gave me a smile followed by a hug. His warm hug made me feel like everything is good now. I felt relaxed, the way one feels after finding a lost thing back, I felt elated like one feels looking at the food after starving for many days!

But my happy feeling didn’t last for very long. Even before asking, he told me that the other day he was chatting with someone he met while I was out on my work trip.

I looked at him with my sharp eyes and asked him, Someone guy you met at work? I knew it was a dumb question, but I was too desperate to hear a yes, I wanted to believe it to be true.

No, my family introduced me to her. He said that very calmly, weighing every single word well to not show any excitement or regret. I was also listening to him carefully and calmly but my heart was racing like a runaway train inside my calm face. I was hoping that he will conclude it by saying—But Ananya, it was nothing. I love you and you are the only one! But rather he told me—She seems nice and I like talking to her!

My mouth went dry and I coughed. He offered me some water to drink and tapped me on my shoulder, Are you alright? I drank some water and said Yes, I’m fine. Sorry, you were saying!

I was saying that she is my dad’s ex- colleague's daughter. We met at a wedding function while you were out for your work trip. I didn’t know at that time that it was a setup for us to meet but later that night when we came back home, my mom told me that two they were talking about that for quite some time now. He said that looking down.

Talking about what? I asked.

He looked up and said, Don’t play this dumb game with me, babe!

I’m not playing any game, but I’m confused.... you can’t be serious.... your parents know about us, don’t they?

Yes, they know about us. Leaning forward he put his elbows on the table and continued, They know that we are friends and have dated in past for some time.

My face drained of color and I almost yelled, Dated...Dated in past for some time? We were still dating, like 5 days back and from last three years, even more! Last year when I asked you about your marriage plans you said you were not ready for marriage yet! What is going on here? Why did you tell your parents that we are just friends and when did you tell them that we stopped dating? And why were you meeting other girls for arranged marriage?

I paused for a second and then raising my voice again I put my hands down on the table and said, "I want to know everything! I want to know if you are talking to anyone else or has talked to anyone else in past as well? Forget that, tell me who is she? What does she do? Is she prettier than me? Is she younger than me? Is she fair looking, tall and speaks the same regional language you speak at home? I can’t believe you’re going to just sit here and say nothing! What do you have to say for yourself Arjun, tell me why are