“Online matrimonial sites wanted a fair, slim and ‘homely’ girl. I didn’t understand what ‘homely’ meant. One of the matrimonial services suggested that I lose weight if I wanted to find a husband. In spite of all these ‘shortcomings’, I continued searching for my soulmate on online marriage portals. I met a few interesting people on these portals. However, I hit rock bottom when a guy I met on one of these sites ghosted me. He just disappeared from my life overnight after we had spent weeks getting to know each other. This was when I boxed my search for a soulmate, moved from matrimonial services to dating services, and installed a dating app.

Most of the people I came across on the dating app were either married or not the kind I would date. Some of my friends told me to compromise, and the funny thing is, I really was willing to do so. I had become so cynical by the time I met Vivek that I did not give him an easy time.

After our first date, I bluntly told him that I’d been through many relationships. I’d done all the work for people who weren’t really committed. I wouldn’t initiate contact but if he texted me or called I would respond. He was pretty shocked, but understood where I was coming from. He kept texting me. We met again, this time at my restaurant. I wouldn’t call it a ‘normal’ date. I put him to work; he helped me close the restaurant for the day and text vendors. Poor soul! After a few days, he would even make home deliveries for me.

Within a year we were married. We celebrated our anniversary by going to the same restaurant where we had first met, wearing the same clothes that we did on our first date. Vivek had kept a copy of the bill from the first time we met. I like to believe that he kept it for romantic reasons but he insists that he kept it ‘for tax purposes’. He framed this bill as a souvenir from the first time we met, so I think I’m right. I am glad that I did not fall for the ‘fair-slim-homely’ syndrome and followed my heart."