O couple, my couple.

Yes, I know. No, really. I know. 

I had to reset my password just to get in here. That’s how long it’s been.  But forget that. I come bearing news.  No, not my brilliant euro trip.  I'll tell you about that later. 

This.  This is big. In my universe. It’s defining. I can’t tell you about it, exactly. Because I don’t know if she’d want me to. But I can't not either. Because, well, because. You know, news of this genre usually doesn’t faze me one bit. But it's her! So, I am jittery and excited and nervous and apprehensive and happy? 

I remember all the nights we’d sit in empty college corridors in the dark.  She and I. And talk about boys.  Me about Blue Shirt. She about the tall, dark, fellow from across the hall. We’d talk about sex. If we’d ever do it.  Why we could never do it.

Walking under the lake bridge in Manipal, feeling the electric buzz of a train thunder across the tracks overhead. Me telling her about why I’ll never forget tecchie. She about Catman, and then WoT, the white boy who she'd just started to see. 

Getting into a taxi, grabbing a dripping hot aloo tiki wrap, waving bye to her and the monopoly boy, whom I didn’t like at all and who she dumped just after my flight landed in Hyderabad. 

Bear and I, walking from our hotel to meet them in an airy roadside cafe. Seeing him for the first time, sitting in a corner, with a beer in one hand, a wry smile and a smoke in the other.  Walking away, knowing she’d fall for this one hard. He was, after all, me at 24. 

I didn’t think I’d see this day.  But it is here.  She’s grown up now and setting off on a grand new journey. I hope it will be much like one of our trips - filled with lots of happy accidents, wonder, adventure, peace, joy and heart. Always, heart. 

Congratulations, my sister.