‘I have a surprise for you!’ whispered Joy in Sirin’s ears. Sirin had been sulking the whole day, it was their marriage anniversary and both of them had to leave for work. Joy had a pressing client meet, which he could not give a miss while she had a deadline today for submission. Though their Companies would not shut down if they did not go to work, they were not granted leaves by their respective Bosses! Such was life!

The news of a surprise did not make her jump with joy instead she looked at her husband demanding a more detailed explanation. ‘You always keep saying that there are too many people around…. So today we will go for a candle light dinner and a late night movie after work. It being a Saturday tomorrow, there will not be any hurry. And then… We will spend the evening together watching a movie. What say? Happy?’ Sirin was so happy to hear the plan that she let out a little shriek and hugged Joy with all her might.

‘But, there is one little thing… that we have to keep in mind….We can’t tell anyone about this plan….otherwise it will not work out. Everyone will want us to stay at home for the evening. We will get back from work, and then just say that we are going for little drive, and then get the plan going. What say?’ Sirin was already feeling the adrenaline pumping in her veins. A lie to cover up for a dinner date with her husband…. How exciting was that? She was reminded of their days together before marriage and how they met each other without letting anyone know…. Wow…it would be really nice…she thought.

All charged up for the plan tonight they left on their separate ways to work. The primary task at hand now was to leave work early…. No matter what may come! Sirin was thinking if need be she will submit her resignation and leave early…. Resignation… No…No… that would be a bit too much… may be she will be a little sterner in her request to leave early! Joy had a more friendly work environment at office and it would not be a problem for him to leave early. So now, the success of the plan depended totally on Sirin.

The long hours at office were passing in a daze with Sirin checking the watch every few minutes. By the second half of the day she could not take the strain any longer and almost broke out in a fight with her team member over an issue. Her Boss summoned her to his cabin to ask about the issue. That was the icing on her cake of worries… however; she calmed herself and tried to give him a sane justification of her reaction. Although not fully convinced, he let her go and carry on with her work.

At 5.30 in the evening her phone buzzed with an incoming text from Joy: ‘Leave now… or we will be late. I am on my way to home!’ She knew that…. She knew that all too well that she had to leave soon, but she was yet to get her permission. She peeped into her Boss’s cabin to see him laughing heartily over the phone. That was, by far, a good sign, he was in a good mood and she could get her permission. And right she was in assessing the situation! He did not cause her any more worry and gave her permission to leave in 10 minutes sharp. Happy was too less a word to describe her state of mind… ecstatic was her mood! She rushed to her work station to wrap up the pending stuff and give some instructions to her colleague in case her work encountered some problem and rushed out of the building to reach home.

She jumped off the cab and almost sprinted the distance till her building gate and in the process bumped into Joy. ‘Oh…O… Slowly! You will hurt yourself!’ joked Joy and they broke into laughter. She was feeling so much in love with him again. This stolen moment was all that they needed. She would quickly change into his favorite sari and then leave for dinner and movie. Together they stood outside the door of their flat, after ringing the bell. It was taking a bit longer than usual to open the door and then….

‘Surprise!’ shouted a voice as the door opened. Their flat was full of relatives, close and ‘far’ ones. Joy and Sirin had been smiling before the door opened, and now they were stuck with those smiles! They used those smiles trying to cover up their disappointment at seeing so many people together!

‘Look at you…. So happy you two look together…. Come on in and pose for a nice picture’ exclaimed an over-zealous aunt, dragging both of them by the arm. ‘Say Cheese!’ she continued. Joy looked at Sirin with an apologetic look but found her smiling actually, in the real sense. ‘It’s alright! It’s not your fault…..Happy Anniversary!’ she mouthed with a happy face.