Eighteen Minus (COMPLETED)

Epilogue - Final

KARTHIK
✨

I looked at my watch. It was ticking eight past thirty and I still kept looking for her.

My...My wife!!!

Wow!!! That still sounds surreal. Everything offlate sounds like a dream. I got married to my best friend and tonight I'm waiting for her here by the beach side to join me for our first official dinner date. I mean... that's so damn unbelievable.

Looking at the beach waves hitting the shores indeed reminded me of the very first time that I met her. Back in Mangalore. She... wanted to end her life. I didn't like the fact that she was giving up on something and I tricked her and practically 'kidnapped' her taking her home. I felt terrible when she narrated her story to me.

Many thought Shika was weak and shallow but I know life isn't easy for anyone. Doesn't matter if you are born to multi millionaire parents or a single mother struggling to meet ends after your father left her to fate. And I was happy that Shika understood how wrong her decision was and I was proud of her when she decided to begin fresh and look what a beautiful woman she's blossomed into... MY woman.

Wow that kinda brought a smile on my face.

She is Mrs Karthik Shetty now. Wow!!! That gives me goosebumps.

I rubbed my forearms with my palms.

It's strange that we humans keep looking for love and happiness around the world where as in reality we would always have it within us. We tend to ignore what we have been blessed with and start looking for happiness everywhere. I kept looking for love around me. I had a long list of crushes who either ended up marrying my bosses or dumped me for being with a more settled man like my very first girlfriend did. It made me bitter over the years but today when I see I'm married to someone as beautiful inside out as my Shika it actually makes me wonder if I was blind throughout.

I kept looking for love everywhere and came back every other time with a broken heart which Shika moulded with her love, care and friendship. Frankly speaking she is the most beautiful woman I have seen in my life. Not just because she looks like an angel, her heart is made of gold.

We have spent best of the times with each other. As besties we have had late night movie dates, eaten last packet of noodles from the same bowl and fought over it for the last spoon, hugged each other and slept I don't know for how many years on that sofa in my living room as my mother covered us both in the same quilt as we were squeezed into each other on a lazy Sunday until 10 am.

I can't believe I am nervous about meeting the same Shika on a date tonight. This was an unexplained nervousness. I was excited as well because this would be officially our first night after marriage. I have requested the hotel staff to decorate our honeymoon suite when Shika would join me for a dinner. But I pissed my newly wedded wife as her best friend overruled her husband. I try to be more sensitive and romantic with her but the best friend personality at times overpowers it.

LOL!!!

Not that I'm complaining. How many of us are lucky to have got married to our own best friend. I would cringe at that thought in the past but today when I'm actually married to my best friend it feels... different. Actually No!!! The word is comfortable.

Shika is my comfort zone. She's my home. A man may keep roaming anywhere but at the end of the day, home is where your heart lies. And this woman is the queen of my heart and tonight I intend to show her how much she owns me. I intend to make this night special forever.

Pushing my hands into the pockets of my pants I still kept looking at the gushing tides when the waiter came to me and said

'Ummm Excuse me Sir!!! Would you be having any company tonight? Or shall I serve somethi-'