Rishbala SS: Lovefools Chap6 Updated (Pg 16) - Page 2

3 weeks before the Sangeet..

Madhu was frantically making the last minute formatting on the presentation she was about to give to her management. It was her only chance to impress them with the results of her project, her first independent project. She had given her days and nights for the last 6 months to see to its fruition and today was the day. Hence, she did not notice when her phone (on silent mode of course) rang for the seventh time followed by a string of text messages. When she came back to her desk after 2 hours, she felt relaxed, somewhat overwhelmed too. Her effort had been paid by the praises and encouraging words from the management. She indeed had nailed it!

"Oh god, I am starving!!" exclaimed Madhu and picked up her phone to see if any of her colleagues were available to accompany her to the cafeteria.

"Oh dear!! 15 missed calls and 7 texts from Trishna and Raika!"

Before even reading the texts, she called Trishna, fearing some emergency.

"So finally our corporate madam had the time to call me back!" said Trishna on picking the phone after the first ring.

"Hey I am sorry, Trish. I had this project meeting with the management and then..."

"Yeah yeah, I understand. You are busy, not a vella like me with a 2 year old son and no career."

"Trish, please stop saying that. I am sorry sweetheart. Tell me how I can make amends," pleaded Madhu.

"Did you have your lunch already?"

"Nope."

"Then come over to my place. I am calling Raika too to join us. There is something really important to discuss."

"I will be there in 10 minutes," said Madhu and picked up her car keys.

Trishna lived quite close to Madhu and Raika's workplace, so often they had lunch together during the week. They missed Preeti, who was working on her doctorate thesis in Delhi. But thanks to Skype, they would have their girls' time together over the internet.

As Madhu arrived at Trishna's home, she saw a serious discussion already on the way. Her friends were talking about some flight and hotel availability, and Preeti telling about her existing leaves, etc.

"Hey, what are you all discussing about? Where are you planning to go?" asked Madhu.

"Your hen party!!" shouted all the three girls in unison.

"And?" exclaimed Madhu, as she was still not sure about the link with all the logistics discussion.

"It's going to be in Maldives," Raika filled in.

"Maldives? Are you crazy? It will take days and I cannot ask for anymore leaves before the wedding," replied Madhu anxiously.

"If we tell you this is going to be our last shot to have unlimited fun, just the 4 of us, then also you will say no?" asked Trishna with a pouty face.

Madhu stared at all of them and then it dawned to her. Indeed this was their last opportunity of fun together. Trishna had been married and now was a mother of a 2 year old son. Preeti was married and relocating to US the next month to join her husband. Raika was a happy-go-lucky girl, changing her boyfriends like clothes every now and then, so marriage was definitely not in her plans in the near future. But to think of herself, Madhu was also not sure how her life was going to alter after her marriage.

"What the hell! Let's go to Maldives!" screamed Madhu as Trishna and Raika jumped over her together.

Two weeks before the Sangeet...

As the flight landed at the international airport at Hulhule, Madhu and her friends were all brimming with excitement. Madhu was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of jeans and that was all she had with her. Raika had strictly instructed her not to bring any of her boring wardrobes to Maldives.

"My wardrobes are not boring," protested Madhu.

"Oh yeah, the whites and greys and navy blues are the colours of the season! Definitely they are!" replied Raika vehemently.

"Look, a 28 year girl working all week in the office cannot think of wearing bright pink and orange to her work," retorted Madhu with her hands on her hips.

"She will, definitely she will wear the brightest colours in her hen party and I am going to buy it for her. You know, wedding gift!!" replied Raika.

And that was it. Madhu had absolutely no idea what that big carry-on luggage in Raika's hand had in store for her. But soon she had the first glimpse when her friends hurried her to the ladies' room in the airport before taking the seaplane to their resort.

"Forget it! I am not going to wear that!" exclaimed Madhu as she was handed a beautiful short bare-back pink sundress.

"Yes you will, sweetie," said Raika and showed her their identical dresses as well.

Trishna and Preeti jumped in excitement and snatched their dresses before entering the cubicles to change. Madhu stood dumbfounded for a moment and then followed the suit.

It was a fact that Madhu had become a bit boring and workaholic at her age. The only fun moments would be her time spent with these girls. So, in spite of her initial hesitations, she decided to open up and be care-free, just like old college days.

After Madhu came out of the cubicle in her new dress, the three girls almost pounced on her with make-up kits and hair stylers. After 20 minutes Madhu looked at herself in the mirror, and admitted that her friends had definitely done a great job with her make-over. Finally a sash was put around her, saying "The bride to be".

"Now you look fit to be entering the Paradise," commented Preeti with a wink.

The seaplane flew over the magnificent atolls before landing on the private runway of the resort. The white sand and the turquoise blue ocean water surrounding the lush green island was definitely a perfect setting for the Paradise resort.

"I love you girls! This is amazing!" exclaimed Madhu and hugged her friends.

"Wait baby, the fun is just about to begin," said Trishna and signalled with a click of her fingers.

All the girls turned simultaneously to see four young men surrounding them while singing. Two of them played the guitars and one stepped back to the drums and started beating. The vocalist held Madhu and pulled her out of the girls.

"Gulabi aankhen jo teri dekhi sharabi yeh dil ho gaya...

Sambhalo mujhko o mere yaaron sambhalna mushkil ho gaya..."

Madhu was mesmerised by the smile and the voice and started giggling like a small girl. "Thank you," she mouthed silently to the girls as the singer turned her into a spin. At that moment she felt all her worries and stresses being drained out, and thanks to her friends she was feeling this exuberant in a very long time. All this attention and frolic around her made her blush bright red.

Trishna and the other two girls started swaying around the guitarists. The singer took out a rose from his pocket and gave it to Madhu. As she thanked him he took out another rose from the other pocket and this continued for some time till Madhu's hand was full of roses.

"Main loot gaya maan ke dil ka kaha

Main kahin ka na raha

Kya kahu main dilruba.."

He knelt before Madhu and gave her the last rose bud.

"Bura yeh jadu teri aankhon ka yeh mera qatil ho gaya..."

He showered Madhu with rose petals and made a gesture with his hand showing he was dead. Madhu laughed out loudly seeing his childish attics.

"Zara sa haaske jo dekha tune...

Main tera bismil ho gaya..."

Madhu realised that she was literally ogling the singer. He looked really young, and extremely good looking, and god help her if she could take her eyes off him. "Who cares? This is my hen party, I am allowed to have my fantasies come true," thought Madhu while giggling helplessly with her friends at the end of the song.

"So let me introduce these lovely boy band to our lovely bride," said Trishna, "this is Rishabh the vocalist, Jimmy the drummer, Krish the lead guitarist and Danny the bass guitarist."

"And we are the Wavebass!" screamed the guys in unison.

"Wonderful performance I must say," exclaimed Madhu and before she realised herself, she spurted, "and when will we hear you sing again?"

Rishabh beamed at her and said, "We are at your service, my lady. Anytime, anywhere."

"Great!" replied Madhu and looked at her friends, who were looking at her suspiciously.

As the guys went away and the girls headed to the hotel reception, Raika nudged Madhu, saying, "Someone looked quite smitten today."

"So? He is unbelievably good looking and I do not think it is prohibited to appreciate good looks in this country," replied Madhu with a smug smile.

"I am so happy to see our old bubbly Madhu back," exclaimed Trishna and hugged her tightly.

"So where did you find these bombshell of a band Trish?" asked Preeti.

"Sultan came here last month for some convention of his company. He saw them perform and was very impressed. He only suggested me to pep up this hen party with the Wavebass," replied Trishna matter-of-factly.

"Hmm, it seems our Sullu dear has got lot of faith in his dear wifey. My boyfriend would never have allowed me to be in an island with such sexy men around," commented Raika.

"See, it is a party of Madhu, by us and for Madhu. So let her have the first say in picking her guy for this weekend," suggested Preeti with a nod from the other girls.

Madhu bit her lower lip in a seductive way and replied, "If you insist so much, I will go for the cute Rishu baby," and laughed out loud.

"Oh man!" whined Raika and laughed out loud at their unabashed display of playfulness.

It was definitely a great start of a great party weekend for Madhu and her friends.

P.S.: I know there are not so many Rishbala moments, but I assure you there will be more in the coming updates. As for Madhu and her friends I may seem to be bragging a little on things like her career and friendship, because I love to visualise her as a self-esteemed independent woman with strong bonds with like minded friends. Hope you do not get bored with it 😛