Page 139 of Since the Night We Met
Kashvi passed them by with a quick comment. ‘I didn’t tell her anything, Jiju, but she tried to get it out of me.’
‘I’m proud of you,’ Abhay said with a wink.
Beaming at his praise, Kashvi gave her sister a mocking bow and went down the stairs.
‘Come with me,’ he said, and tangled her fingers with his. They followed after Kashvi, but Siya froze at the first step, shocked at the beautiful sight in front of her.
The beach had been transformed into a small fair. There were wooden stalls, carts full of games, and street food stalls lined along the shore. She recognised a few of the kids fromLumora Children’s Home, running and playing around with water guns.
A small merry-go-round stood toward the far end, just before a Ferris wheel studded with balloons and confetti tassels. With the backdrop of the setting sun, it looked like she’d stepped into a dream.
‘What is all of this?’ Siya asked, pressing her free hand to her heart.
‘You once told me that if I really wanted to earn brownie points for recreating our first meeting, I should’ve arranged a fair for you, so I did it.’
Her eyes went wide and she exclaimed, ‘I was joking!’
Abhay shrugged and walked backward as he tugged her along. ‘I’m a perfectionist and I want to pass with flying colours.’
Siya shook her head, then placed a quick kiss on his cheek. ‘Come on,’ she said, dragging him along with her.
The kids rushed up to greet them, and after some hugs and kisses, ran away to a nearby food stall. The mouth-watering smell of fried snacks and cotton candy mixed into the air.
Meera and Raghav stood near a food stall, eating pav bhaji. Kashvi, Luv, and Swayam were ribbing each other as they played ring toss.
‘Abhay, I can’t believe you did all of this. When did you even plan this?’ Siya asked.
Abhay tossed an arm over her shoulder as they walked up to the rides. ‘When I thought about throwing a fair for you, it hit me that it would be selfish to do it just for us. On the other hand, it would be a day to remember if we spent it with the kids also, so I thought why not let their joy fill our evening.’
‘But how could you manage to bring all the kids along?’
‘Vihaan and Dhruv made it happen. I told them I was planning something for you, and they handled everything, from the logistics to getting me contacts for the resources to bring all this here,’ Abhay gestured toward the rides and food stalls.
‘Those two are here too?’ Siya asked, elated.
Abhay nodded and pointed behind them where Vihaan, Dhruv, and Luv were playing tag with a group of kids. Siya caught Dhruv’s gaze, and he stopped long enough to nod at her in greeting.
She turned back to her husband and said, ‘You’re the most thoughtful and crazy man I’ve ever met.’
‘You’re worth being crazy for,’ he declared.
Abhay led her toward the far edge of the beach where the Ferris wheel rose above everything else. The confetti tassels attached to each seat flowed in the air. A few kids were scattered among several seats and their shrieks roared as it went around in circles.
Within a few minutes, the Ferris wheel had slowly come to a halt and Abhay and Siya climbed into the small seat. Siya’s arm slid behind her back as the wheel jerked once. As the speed increased, the wind caught onto her hair and loose strands whipped into her open mouth as they screamed with joy.
‘I still hate heights,’ she said, gripping Abhay’s other hand as they rose higher.
‘And I still love it because you hold onto me just a little tighter,’ he teased.
After a few spins, the wheel came to a stop, their seat swaying gently at the top. The sea stretched out, endless and glittering beneath the faint orange glow of the sky, and everyone seemed small before it.
‘So, I have some news for you. Do you remember when you gave me the auction cheque and told me to find a good use for it?’
When she nodded, he went on. ‘I set up a foundation in our mothers’ name for children’s welfare, and we’re now benefactors inLumora Children’s Home.’
Her heart soared at the news. She couldn’t have found a better place to make a difference, and the fact that he honoured her mother meant more than she could tell him. So, she settled for saying, ‘I love that you did this. You’re my hero.’
‘Did I pass with flying colours?’ Abhay asked, a glint in his gaze.
