Anniversary Bhool Gaya
3rd wedding anniversary. Maine bhool gaya. Completely. Totally. 100%. Subah uttha — normal din. Office gaya. Meetings. Lunch. Wapas aaya. Ghar par — Swati ne darwaza khola. Saree pehni thi. Ghar sajaa hua tha. Candles. Balloons. Meri favourite biryani ki khusbhoo. "Surprise!" usne kaha. Mera chehra — deer in headlights. "Happy Anniversary!" usne kaha. Mere pet mein gadhha. Anniversary. ANNIVERSARY. Aaj. Maine bhool gaya. Koi gift nahi. Koi plan nahi. Koi flowers nahi. "H-Happy Anniversary!" maine kaha. Fake smile. Internal panic. "Gift?" usne expectantly pucha. "Gift... gift toh hai." Nahi tha. "Par woh... delivery mein hai. Kal aayega." "Kal?" Uski smile slightly drop. "Haan... special order tha... Germany se aa raha hai." Germany?! Kya bol raha hoon main?! "Achha? Kya hai?" "Surprise." Crisis. Mission: 12 ghante mein anniversary bachao. 9 PM — Swati kitchen mein thi. Maine bathroom mein phone uthaya. Amazon — overnight delivery. Kya gift? Kya?! Search history: - "best anniversary gift wife" — 2.4 million results - "last minute anniversary gift" — bhi bahut - "anniversary gift jab bhool gaye ho" — oddly specific results the Ordered: Personalized photo frame — shaadi ki photo — "Tum meri duniya ho" engraved. ₹1,299. Delivery — next day 10 AM. Par raat toh guzaarni thi. Dinner — biryani. Candles. Music. Swati khush thi. Maine usse 3 saal ki har achhi memory bataayi — improv — "Yaad hai jab Goa mein bike kharab ho gayi thi? Aur hum 5 km chale the? Best walk of my life." "Achha? Tab toh tum ro rahe the — 'joote kaat rahe hain.'" "Par tumhare saath tha na. Toh achha tha." Nice save. --- Agle din — 10 AM. Doorbell. Delivery. Photo frame. "Yeh hai tumhara Germany wala gift?" "Haan." "Amazon ka sticker hai." "Germany ki Amazon." Swati ne frame dekha. Photo dekhi — shaadi wali. Aankhein bheegi. "Yeh achha hai," usne kaha. "Sachchi?" "Haan. Par ek baat batao — tum bhool gaye the na?" Silence. Caught. "Haan," maine sheepishly kaha. Woh hansi. Zyada hansi. Bahut zyada. "Mujhe pata tha. Subah se tumhara chehra padh rahi thi. Germany se order — seriously?" "Tum naraaz nahi ho?" "Naraaz? Main toh dekh rahi thi ki tum kya karte ho. Aur tumne — puri raat achhi baatein kahi, biryani ki tareef ki, 3 saal ki memories sunaayi — sab guilt mein. Par sab sachhi. Shayad Anniversary yaad hoti toh itni achhi baatein nahi kehte." "Toh... forgiven?" "Is baar. Agla Anniversary bhool gaye toh — Germany nahi, actual Germany jaana padega. Mujhe leke." Deal.