Romance fiction: Ved and Carlos are now ready to take the next step – a big fat Indian wedding

A singular question was weighing on his mind as he went up in the elevator, repeating itself over and over again, as if on a loop: Why had Akshay, suddenly out of the blue, after years of no communication, decided to get in touch? Ved wasn’t really looking for a reason of any sort; rather, he was more annoyed as to why Akshay had disturbed the agreed-upon silence between them. It felt like a grave from his past had suddenly been dug up; flashbacks of the time they spent together occupied his mind.

After their terrible break-up, as the years wore on, Ved had somehow managed to remember him fondly, as one remembers an ex in hindsight, forgetting about all the bad times and only recalling the good. After all, this had been his first big love – The One – someone Ved had felt so strongly about that he was willing to come out to his parents and the world about their relationship. But Akshay seemed to have other plans. They split up acrimoniously when Akshay chose to get married to a woman to keep his parents happy. Ved was devastated, heartbroken, certain of never finding love again. That is, until Carlos walked into his life one day and changed everything.

He pushed the keys into the lock and opened the door. A ball of fur leapt into his arms and started licking his face. After cuddling Fubu and kissing him all over, he got out a bowl of milk from the refrigerator. When he saw Carlos walk in and look at him, he stared slightly guiltily.

“I think there’s something you need to talk to me about,” Carlos said sternly, with folded arms, standing in front of him. Ved was taken aback. How had Carlos known? Had he visited the office? Had Sheetal called him?

It wasn’t that he was going to hide what had happened today in office – the crazy number of rose bouquets and Akshay’s messages. He was going to tell him. But first, he needed to process it himself. Now, he felt like a deer caught in the glare of oncoming headlights.

Carlos sighed and threw his hands in the air. “I mean, what is it with all this healthy food you had sent home? Are you trying out some diet that you’ve kept hidden from me?”

“Oh that!” Ved forced a laugh, looking at all the food from the dabba laid out on the kitchen table that he’d had a driver drop off. He was relieved, his body decompressing from the anxiety. “That’s from Dollyji. She’s all about eating healthy now. No oil, only vegan food … she kept telling me how the body is a temple and we should respect it.”

Carlos squinted his eyes. “Dollyji? Really? Why?’ he asked, surprised. “She’s one of the best cooks I know. So what if her food makes your waist pop? It’s finger-licking good. Are you telling me I’m never going to get to eat her delicious mutton biryani again? My life will be sorely incomplete,” he said, making an unhappy face.

Ved reached over and hugged Carlos. He had wanted to do this all evening, feel the strength of his body around him. It made all the stress in him go away. Now more than ever.

“Although I have to say, the zucchini pizza was really good. I ate both slices,” Carlos smiled sheepishly.

“You can eat all of it,” Ved said, nuzzling Carlos’s neck. “You can eat me also if you want.”

Carlos laughed, hugging Ved tighter as Fubu began squealing at them.

“He’s become a prima donna since we’ve gone. I think the neighbours really spoiled him. That, or he’s scared of us leaving again.”

“No one’s leaving you, my sweetie,” Ved said kneeling on one leg, pacifying Fubu by stroking the inside of his furry chest as he lay sprawled on his back. “You’re our little baby, no? Cutey little baby.”

“Did you tell Dollyji the good news?” Carlos asked, kneeling and rubbing Fubu’s ears softly. “I bet she’s already started making a grand guest list inviting the who’s who of India.”

Ved shook his head. “No, I didn’t get a chance. It was all pretty rushed, and work was hectic today. Too hectic,” he groaned.

“Okay, you relax then,” Carlos said, getting up and lightly massaging Ved’s shoulders for a while, before saying, “I’ll get dinner ready in a minute.”

At that moment, Ved looked at Carlos with such love, so deeply grateful to have him in his life. Not only was he the most caring, loving person he’d known, but it was also his ability to comfort Ved in every possible way. Like he could almost read Ved’s mind. He had learnt with experience that a person can never complete you, that each of us completes ourselves. But Carlos added so much to his life, that it felt like they were both part of one big circle.

Ved woke up in the morning to something wet licking his nose. When he opened his eyes, he saw two black pin-ball eyes staring back at him with a moist button nose.

“Oh my, who’s this?” Ved asked alarmed, sitting up in bed.

“This is baby Peppers.” Carlos was cradling a little black poodle. The dog twirled and pranced with pure exuberance in his arms. Its eyes, round and bright, held an innocence that seemed to capture the essence of pure joy. “He’s only two months old and your belated birthday gift.”

“Ohhh!” moaned Ved with delight, holding the pup up as Fubu barked excitedly at the foot of the bed, wanting to climb up. “Welcome to the male bastion, Peppers.” He kissed him on the head and then gently held him in his arms. His tiny ears, velvety soft like petals, perked up and swivelled at the slightest sound. “He’s such a little darling. I could cuddle him all day long.”

Fubu was now whining and scratching the side of the bed, demanding to jump up.

“I thought it would be good for Fubu to have some company, especially when we go out of town. That way he won’t feel so lonely. Right, Fubu?” Carlos looked down at Fubu who kept barking back in annoyance for being ignored.

“Come here, Fubu. Come. Meet Mr Peppers, your new buddy,” Ved said, lowering the pup next to Fubu who immediately jumped a step back, surveyed him with suspicious eyes and began barking again. After a moment’s pause, very slowly, he stealthily came closer and started sniffing him all over.

They laughed looking at the two of them.

“I think they’re going to get along just fine,” Ved said, reaching over and pulling Carlos in for a kiss. “Thank you for the best gift ever, sweetheart. You really think of everything.”

Peppers started yelping, feeling lost on the floor. Carlos immediately scooped him up in his arms and put him down in a large plastic box in the corner of the room, where he had laid out a soft furry towel as a mattress.

“For the next couple of months, I think we should keep him in our room so he doesn’t feel lonely. He’s still a baby. Let him get used to the house and then we can let him crawl all over.”

“I agree,” Ved said, looking at the clock and jumping out of bed. “I wish I could spend more time playing with Peppers, but it’s another long day at work.”

Ved started removing his suit from the cupboard as Carlos got busy feeding Peppers milk from a tiny bowl, dipping his fingers in it and then letting Peppers’s tiny tongue lap at it.

“Don’t worry, babes. I’m working from home today, so I’ll look after him. He needs to have someone around, especially on his first day.”

Ved came over and kissed Carlos on the head.

Then he headed for a shower, his mind half occupied by yesterday’s strange events that kept nagging at him.

Excerpted with permission from Queerly Beloved: A Love Story for All Seasons, Farhad J Dadyburjor, Penguin India.