Page 16 of Knot So Romantic

“Can’t my son find a woman he likes?”

I did not know my mother was serious about finding a woman for me again.

“Now that Elena is getting married, I hope that you will too, Neel. I hope you find a woman that you like. It will let me die in peace knowing both of you are settled and happy.”

Just like my mom to equate our settling down with a peaceful death. I’m annoyed at her for putting it like that.

“Did you enjoy shopping?” I ask Elena, eager to change the subject.

“Dilip made quite the effort for me,” she says, snuggling up to her fiancé.

“I enjoy Elena’s company more than I do shopping,” Dilip says. “That’s the only reason I go along.”

Elena smiles coyly and gives him a soft nudge on his shoulder. “And I enjoy his company.”

Mom looks on at Elena and Dilip, her eyes filling up. They make such an adorable couple. Elena is a graphic designer working at a creative agency. She met Dilip when he visited her office to collaborate with their companies on an advertising campaign. They hit it off professionally while working together, and now, three years later, they’re ready to tie the knot.

As I watch Elena and Dilip, I can’t help but feel not only happy but a sense of relief. He’s good for Elena; there’s a gentleness in his eyes, especially when he looks at her, and it reassures me.

He has an easy-going smile, thick, wavy hair kept neatly styled, and rich brown eyes that often carry a hint of laughter. He’s not just respectful and caring, but he exudes a sense of calm that’s comforting. I’ve always wanted someone who could provide stability and be genuinely in love with Elena, and in Dilip, I see those qualities.

He strikes me as the kind of guy who’s both grounded and ambitious. And that he values her dreams as much as she does, something I believe is important in a partner. Elena’s always been the heart of our family, and Dilip, with his loving nature, seems to be the perfect match for her.

“Where are the new crotchet threads I asked you to buy?” Mom asks Elena as she displays all the shopping she did.

“Oh!” Elena slaps her head. “That’s the bag I left at Kavita’s, and I asked Neel to pick it up.”

“Who’s Kavita? Is she one of your friends?” Mom asks.

“Mom, have you forgotten already? She’s our wedding dress designer.” Elena says and turns to me. “Neel, did you pick it up?”

“No, I don’t think I’m going to have any time.”

Elena brushes off my excuse and tells Mom and Dilip all about our time at Kavita’s boutique. “Do you know, it was so funny when Neel stumbled all over her mannequins as soon as he walked in,” she adds, laughing.

Mom smiles, her eyes filled with curiosity. “Really, Neel?”

“She crashed into me,” I explain.

“Oh, you should have seen them. It was as if they were tangled together. It was quite the scene!” Elena giggles.

“That’s the first I’ve seen Neel blushing because of a woman,” Mom says, gazing at me oddly.

“I’m not blushing,” I remark, patting my cheeks.

Elena laughs. “It was like the time Dilip came to my office for a charity event coordination and ended up getting his face painted by a bunch of kids. You should have seen his face when I walked into the room!”

“How could I forget?” Dilip says. “I walked into her office thinking I’d be helping out behind the scenes, and there I was, sitting across a line of kids waiting to turn the volunteer’s faces into their canvas. I suppose that’s how I became the star attraction in Elena’s eyes.” A silent look passes between them, and for a few moments, they forget that Mom and I are here, gazing at each other like they’re the only people in the room.

Mom laughs, not missing the genuine affection between the two.

“That’s when I knew he was special,” Elena says, her eyes twinkling. “He was great with those kids.”

My heart is filled with something for these two. I cannot put a name to it, but it has something to do with how much they’ve grown over the years and how much they still love each other.

Mom smiles at Elena. “Oh, you’re good with kids too, Elena.”

Mom passes a quick glance in my direction before looking away, her eyes misting. It’s as though the subject of me not having kids hangs briefly in the air, but it quickly vanishes when Elena moves on to another story of what happened while they were out shopping today.