If you want to read the story from the beginning, click here. (https://wp.me/p2b25R-fw)

**************

On one of his weekend visits in late March, Akaash catches up with Dad in the study. Dad is doing something on the computer. It’s late morning, and each of us is doing something or other after our breakfast. It is uncharacteristically warm for March, much like early spring. On the radio, they are talking about whether the cherry blossoms will bloom early. Over the last year, Lakshmi and Akaash have met several times. I am getting a sense that something is brewing in the relationship.

After ascertaining that he is alone with Dad, Akaash asks Dad’s permission to marry Lakshmi. Dad is overjoyed. He gets up from his chair and comes around to shake hands with Akaash.

“Welcome to our family. I’m delighted.” Dad says.

Akaash requests Dad not to tell anyone about this. Dad promises and goes back to whatever he was doing. We learn all of this from Dad later.

Aakash wants to surprise Lakshmi with a proposal, but Lakshmi has other ideas. It is getting late in the afternoon.

“Why don’t we go to a movie and go out to eat?” Lakshmi asks Akaash

Akaash has an ambitious plan to propose to Lakshmi in an art gallery or some unique place.

“A movie? Why?” he asks.

“I feel like it. Besides, the weather has been so nice today.”

“Precisely. Why would you want to be cooped up in a movie theater on a day like today? I tell you what. Why don’t we drive to DC?”

“And?”

“We’ll figure out something.”

“Blahhh.” Lakshmi pouts to show her disinterest.

“Okay. I’m willing to compromise.”

“Tell me.”

“We can go to a fancy restaurant in DC like the Bombay Club or Rasika near the White House.”

“Those places are expensive. Besides, you won’t get in unless you call months in advance or if you are a famous politician or a celebrity.”

Lakshmi is in no mood to go to a fancy place.

“I’m in the mood to splurge. We can try. Sometimes, lady luck will shine at the most unexpected times.” He had made a reservation for two at the Bombay Club two months ago.

“You won a lottery or something? And I don’t believe in lady luck.”

“I am about to finish my internship, and I want to celebrate with you.”

“Okay. In that case, I’ll leave it up to you.”

“Great. We can leave around five.”

At five, Lakshmi comes down, ready to go out. She is wearing jeans.

“You’re coming like this?” Akaash is hoping she would wear something dressier, especially when he had mentioned that they are going to a fancy place to eat. He, on the other hand, is wearing a crisp button-down shirt and a blazer.

“Why not?” Lakshmi adds. “Who’s going to look at me in a restaurant?”

“We’re going out to a fancy place, remember. I’ve heard we might come across some famous people who frequent these places.”

Lakshmi grudgingly goes upstairs and, after a while, comes down wearing a black dress that Mom had bought for her birthday.

“Are you happy now?” She turns to Akaash and turns this way and that as if she is modeling the dress.

“Perfect.”

“Have a great time and enjoy,” Mom says as they are leaving.

Akaash selects a station on Sirius XM that plays smooth music. He maneuvers his Audi through the traffic on Highway 66 without changing lanes too frequently or getting mad at other drivers. He often looks at Lakshmi and smiles.

“What?” Lakshmi asks when he has done it the third time.

“Nothing. It’s just that you are looking so pretty today in that dress.

“Thanks.”

When they reach DC, Akaash takes the Independence Avenue exit from Highway 66 and turns into the parking lot of the Roosevelt monument. All the parking places are taken up. Surprisingly, so many people have decided to come to this place, Aakash thinks, and it is not even spring yet.  

“Aren’t we far away from the White House and Bombay Palace?” Lakshmi is curious to know what’s happening.

“Yes.” Akaash doesn’t elaborate. After making three rounds of the parking lot, he notices a van pulling out and rushes in to take its place.

“Let’s take a walk around the basin. It’s such a nice day. We can work up an appetite,” he says as he turns off the engine, and then comes around and opens the passenger side door.

The scene around the tidal basin is serene. A couple of people are in paddle boats making slow rounds. A young woman in sweats is running along the path toward the Martin Luther King memorial statue. Akaash puts his arms around Lakshmi’s waist, and they stroll towards the Jefferson monument.

“This is sooo beautiful,” Lakshmi says, looking around and taking a deep breath.

A small plane flies over, preparing to land at the Ronald Reagan airport. The reflection of the rising quarter moon is bobbing up and down with the waves in the Tidal Basin. The couple in the paddle boat has moved far away. The Washington Monument is magical. A few people are sitting on the steps at various levels, taking in the beauty of the basin.

Aakash and Lakshmi are standing in front of the Monument.

“Lakshmi,” Akaash says in a soft voice, turning towards Lakshmi.

As Lakshmi turns around to face him, he gets down on his knees, holds her hand, and in a sincere, almost choking voice says:

“Will you do the honor of being my wife?”

Lakshmi is caught unaware. “Is this for real?” She almost screams.

“Yes. We have been seeing each other for over a year now. I have decided. There’s no other person I would like to spend the rest of my life with, other than you.”

“Oh, Akaash.” Lakshmi tries to bend and kiss him, but he gets up. She is on her tiptoes as she reaches and caresses his cheeks and kisses him. Akaash holds her tight, and they stay like that for a while.

When Lakshmi lets go and they separate, he asks, “Is that a Yes?”

“Yes. Yes.” She says excitedly. “I wonder how Mom and Dad will react when we tell them.”

Akaash takes out the ring from his jacket and slides it on her ring finger.

“We shall see.” Akaash has a sly smile on his face.

Lakshmi keeps looking at the ring and then again at Aakash. A small crowd of passersby is standing close to them. They have seen the scene and start clapping. They come one by one to shake their hands and offer congratulations.

It’s almost eleven o’clock at night. Akaash and Lakshmi are still out.

“I don’t know about you, but I think I’m ready to go to bed,” Mom says, getting up from her recliner.

“What’s the rush?” Dad says as he looks at his wristwatch. “It’s the weekend. You can get up late tomorrow.”

I know Dad is trying to stall, hoping that the love birds don’t take much longer.

“I’m tired,” Mom says. “You can stay up if you want. I am going to bed.”

As she approaches the front foyer, she notices someone outside the front door trying to open the door. Mom opens the door after looking through the sidelight windows.

“Well, well, someone looks all chirpy,” she says as Lakshmi enters first, followed by Akaash.

Instead of saying something, Lakshmi raises her left hand with a glittering diamond ring on the ring finger.

“What? Oh my God. I can’t believe this. Am I dreaming?” Mom cannot control herself. She hugs Lakshmi as she wipes her tear-filled eyes. Dad has sauntered toward them and is watching the whole thing.

“Vijay, Vijay,” Mom’s voice is breaking. “Do you see this?”

She has forgotten that she does not call him by his first name in front of us.

“Yes.” Dad has a curt response as he walks over close to Mom.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Say something.” Mom says, looking at Dad.

“Congratulations and welcome to our family.” Dad walks toward Akaash and shakes his hand. He then turns towards Lakshmi and hugs her.

It looks like Mom is disappointed by the lack of eagerness and enthusiasm in Dad.

“You knew it, didn’t you?” she finally asks Dad, now that she is composed.

Dad smiles.

“I promised to keep it a secret, and it looks like I succeeded,” he says, looking knowingly at Akaash.

When we all move to the family room, Dad turns off the television. Mom is not tired anymore.

“Arjun,” Mom says, “take a picture, take a picture.”

I ask the couple to stand by the fireplace and take a picture on Dad’s new iPhone. We take turns taking group pictures.

Dad walks down to the basement and comes up with a bottle of champagne. I’m sure he did some shopping in the afternoon.

“Let’s celebrate the happy occasion,” he says, then turns to me and continues. “Arjun, Beta, take out the wine glasses, the ones that are narrow and tall.”

“Yes, sir,” I say, and go to the kitchen to take out the glassware. I hear a loud pop as the cork from the champagne bottle ejects. Luckily, Dad had the mouth of the bottle wrapped in a towel. I bring four glasses.

“Today, you are allowed to have one, too,” Dad tells me.

When everyone has a full glass, Dad makes a toast.

“We welcome dear Akaash into our family. Let this be the beginning of a bright future and a happy and prosperous life for both of you.”

We raise our glasses and take a sip.

“Congratulations,” Mom, Dad, and I say in unison.

************

To read chapter 18, click here. https://wp.me/p2b25R-ht