Rejuvenating Love

14) Mehendi

Chillies to notes nothing has escaped Mrs. Rathore's hands for distracting the evil eyes from Kuhu since morning. The reason was obvious her beauty could enliven even a dead from the burial. Her glowing white skin graced with smoothened pink shades made Mrs. Rathore spit twice aside in belief of throwing away the malevolent glares. Kuhu looked beautiful than usual, as if the lost gleam in her body redeemed again after two long years. A long after cheeriness sparkled through her dark chocolate orbs. She giggled at the jokes that Rashi cracked, she twirled to the tunes that the Dj played, and gulped all the orange juice with love that Rohan helped her to drink. Rohan pulled a strand of her hair leaving a pouted expression on her face.

She shied for the first time after many days when the mehendi designer asked,"Groom's name?"

'Raghav Rajput' Smriti and Kavya together rejoiced with the name teasing her. Tickling her eyebrows with her fingers to hide the blush she dropped her head.

'Conceal Raghav's name in her palms so cunningly that he spends the whole wedding night trying to reveal it.' Kavya poked the fun making everyone giggle boomingly.

"Don't let him touch you on the first night until he discovers his name in the mehendi. Don't forget now you've to rule over him." Smriti warned her to follow the rules of the girls' side.

"Spare him in some way. What if he never finds it out? Celibacy would become a compulsion in his part for the rest of his life." Rashi spoke to the mehendi designer with a serious concern at first but soon a laugh burst out of her mouth.

"Do you think a groom as eager as Raghav would even wait for this mere ritual of mehendi? The night will be spent on claiming and pouncing and marking as fast as possible." Kavya's words left Kuhu nowhere to hide her face, she couldn't even abandon the place with her half done mehendi. She threw the cushions nearby, on them. Only if her friends had been present, she would've made them payoff. But here she was surrounded by all the female relatives who accompanied her friends in their dirty jokes despite discouraging them. Only if she could burn them with the fire of her eyes. And that too this was not the end, her ringtone played-displaying the name of Raghav! She cursed the embarassing situation being not able to pick up the call by her engaged hands.

"Aaaaa hannnnnn! No no no no. You needn't worry. I'll answer him. Just 48 hours to marriage and he doesn't trust us of being capable of taking your care?" Said Rashi after immediately grabbing Kuhu's mobile from her lap.

"Hello jiju(brother in law)!" So sweet her voice as if she recently drank nectar of all the flowers. It was none other than Rashi who walked a little distance from the noises to converse on phone.

'Hey Rashi?'

"Yeah I'm. Kuhu is busy putting the mehendi on." Rashi looked back at Kuhu's curious face to chuckle out.

'Its okay. I called to talk to you. Let it be half-wife, if not wife. What say sister-in-law?' Raghav chortled on playing his flirtacious tone.

"No need to butter jiju. I know whom you called to talk. Now may I know the reason?" She couldn't stop from asking him by watching at Kuhu's questionable remarks on her face.

'I've booked Hotel Presidency for girls' bachelorette party. Everything is planned, and arranged and its safer for you all girls over there. Okay?' Raghav enquired if Rashi agreed to it as he detailed everything in just one go.

"Rashi!", called Mrs. Kalyani from the kitchen for some help urgently. She had been taking all the burden of functions on herself and a daughter like Rashi, expert in all household work was a gift and of great help to her. She always insisted Kuhu to be like her but both of them were different. Like good for two different reasons.

"But we've already planned the fun and set the lawn for the night at Kohinoor Continental. I don't think girls will agree with the last minute changes especially when they all worked for this very hard." Again she said,"I got to go Kalyani aunty is calling. Thanks for your concern but we are done with the arrangements for bachelorette party completely by now." She hung up the call.

"Yeah coming aunty!" Rashi yelled back for her aunty to hear in between those loud noises of music.

'What was he saying?' Kuhu asked eagerly when Rashi reached her to return her mobile.

"Surprise! Not now. You'll get to know tomorrow." Rashi hurriedly left to see Mrs. Rathore.

Rajput Mansion

"Both of you patched-up and we didn't get any clue? And what kind of a friend you're! You invited us directly to your wedding. This is astonishing. Are you sure you're marrying Kuhu? Kuhu Rathore?" Entering the drawing of Rajput Mansion Amit handed his luggage to Ramu kaka (house keeper of Rajput mansion). He emphasised her surname to make everyone realise the truth of that time.

"Chillax Amit. Do you think Raghav would let go of his possessions so easily?"Raunak reasoned Amit and hugged his brother like friend.

"Only you can marry not I? How is Tanya doing now-a-days?" Raghav chortled while asking Amit his whereabouts. He patted his back while bromancing with him through a deep hug after a long time. Three of them walked hugging sidewise towards the sofas in the drawing.

"Tanya will join girls for sangeet directly. Kavya picked her up from the airport. Girls must be enjoying there. And here we're getting bored being jobless. Why don't we disguise into their mehendi?" Sahil who had reached there in the early hours of morning due to his flight schedule was comforting himself on the sofa, prompted an idea.

"Not again! Remember last time we were beaten up to death by the girls with their heels after getting caught by Tanya's mom. This stupid Amit didn't reveal his identity as the son-in-law. And Raghav, he cherished the moment from a distance." Raunak who was lying on the diwan beside Amit punched hard on his chest and complained reminding the pain everyone after a year.

"Okay but what about the bacherolette party? All arragements done? Raghav?" Sahil enquired.

"As far as I remember Imported whiskeys - Balvenie 50 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Macallan 1926, “Fine and Rare” , wines - Grover-Zampa Chêne, Charosa Tempranillo Reserve, some local rum from Raghav's favoured lists are some major attractions of the party let alone other branded liquors specifically checked by his cousin Ankit. He couldn't make it for the party but would join us in the marriage ceremony. And last but not least sexy stripfests!" Raunak spoke out of fascination with a wide grin to which Raghav snickered. He had taken a glimpse of the catalogue for the party while handing it to the manager of the hotel.

"Ankit is coming! Then its definitely gonna be a Punjabi rock-n-roll baarat (wedding procession)." The excitement on Sahil's face was nothing compared to the thrilling beats in his heart.

"Do even girls have strippers in theirs? Tanya's bachelorette had them. Then they're surely having it for Kuhu's party too. Drinks are okay. But....we know what happened that night, right?" Amit got worried being possessive of his wife Tanya.

"Yeah, one of the strippers dragged drunk Tanya into a private room and tried to force on her. Thank god Sahil howled for Amit and Raghav immediately. Raghav beat that bastard to death until Kuhu reached there looking for Tanya. Only Kuhu holds the ability to subdue his animalistic behaviour. Otherwise it was difficult to stop him. Sahil got the opportunity to free the stripper from the clutches of ferocious Raghav and handed him over to the cops.' Horrified Raunak spelt each and every word of the sentences carefully from his memory.

"My mind skipped this completely. What do we do now?" Raghav became restless to this thought which didn't let his legs stay calm anymore.

"If you want I can book Hotel Presidency in this last moment. The manager their is my acquaintance so keeping a track on the girls won't be a problem. They would be safe under our sight." Raunak hinted the idea. Amit and Raghav had to follow it anyhow for the manly possessiveness and the safety concern they had for their wives.

At Kuhu's sangeet

"Oh my god! I can't believe Kuhu, you're getting married to Raghav. I'm so happy to see both of you together again." On entering the sangeet hall excited Tanya examined the wedding name-board inscribing the wedding couple's name with petals of red roses; to make herself realise the situation.

"Again?" Baffled Smriti asked in order to decode her words. Realisation hit all three of Kavya, Kuhu and Tanya. Widening her eyes to Tanya, Kavya nodded her head to hint a 'No' to her.

"You're Smriti right? You're so naive. So simple." Tanya paced where Kuhu, Smriti and other ladies sat with the mehendi on their palms and she tried to manipulate the situation by shaking hands with Smriti and getting introduced to her all by herself.

"No, no, no. Don't mistake this girl as innocent. She's the one to pamper Kuhu in our absence. Kuhu learnt drinking, rash driving, commenting on boys and whistling to tease them only from her." Kavya warned Tanya with the signature smirk of hers.

"Then she's definitely of our type.", said Tanya and four of them hugged together for long. The meet occured after a long time.

"I missed us so much." Kuhu spoke her heart out. It seemed everything was falling into its place perfectly. At sangeet Mrs. Rathore played the music and all the ladies danced to the traditional dance forms in brightly coloured ghagra cholis, sarees clapping their hands keeping in tune with the music and moving in circles. Dholaks and spoons were the major attractions of Rathores sangeet traditions.

At Rajput Residence

After the call

"They agreed?" Amit asked Raghav eagerly.

"No!" Raghav shook his head.

"Then Raghav is definitely planning to crash into their bachelor's party,"said excited Sahil to which Raunak rolled his eyes but Raghav and Amit grinned with white visible teeth as they had already plotted a brief plan in their minds.

*Flashback 3 begins*

"Men seldom get to adore and compliment the charms adhering to you.",said Anshuman standing far behind Kuhu consumed with the desire for her. Her radiance had already besotted Anshuman even when he faced her back and the traditional desi lehenga clung tightly to her mesmerising curves had bewitched him since the last one hour when she arrived for Tanya's Haldi ceremony.

Kuhu raised her eyebrows to expose her eyes to such a sudden compliment that too from an unknown source of voice. So she took some time deliberately to recognise the unfamiliar voice before turning around completely yet slowly. Bewildered eyes of her asked,"Do I know you?"

She felt awkward on asking the question. She thought this would be way too embarassing to tell him straight that she couldn't recognise him if they already knew each other. So she further asked,"I mean anywhere at school or college or work atleast?" No wonder any girl would get as confused as her if any admirable man with a handsome height and a reserved personality comes to talk to her especially in a way like this.

"No. But it's not late that we get acquainted with each other. Hi! I'm Anshuman Singh, Tanya's favourite cousin." He forwarded his hand for a shake with Kuhu. "I'm Kuhu Rathore, Tanya's bestie" Kuhu shook her hand confidently like any successful man would do with a strong gaze. This is the little confetti that amplifies her charms and her sagacity. "Oh! You belong to Rathore Empires, I'm heading towards the right direction, isn't it?"

"Yeah I'm the Managing Director of Rathore Constructions, just a wing of Rathore empires. What do you do?" Garnishing with the petals of rose she picked the haldi bowl and both of them walked together towards Tanya while gossping.

"Well I'm a doctor by profession and the CEO of Dew pharmaceuticals.", he said with the general pride of being a doctor.

"Both of you met already, haven't you?", asked Tanya raising her right eyebrow to Anshuman and definitely hiding their silent conversation from Kuhu. The haldi ceremony got a lot of emotions evolved from the deep core of several hearts. The melancholic feelings of Tanya and her mom was outshone by the cheerful play of haldi soon. Kuhu ushered Tanya to bathroom for a bathe after the tiring play of haldi. They didn't enjoy any less than like the day of holi.

"How's Anshuman? You met him now." Tanya asked kuhu standing infront of the bathroom.

"He is nice but a hell lot cheesy." Kuhu answered squeezing her curvy parot like nose.

"Anshuman has been asking about you since the time you've arrived. He's getting smitten by your charms. Now I can be no more a middle-man. I need a bathe urgently." Blurting out she breathed eventually and dashed into the bathroom.

"You're too ugly for this middle-man job." Kuhu chuckled standing at the bathroom's door holding Tanya's new clothes to hand over her after her bathe but accepting such a sudden thing was not her cup of tea. So she brushed that thought off her mind instantly considering Anshuman's strong feelings to be just an infuation.

×××××××××××

'Lets play truth & dare. What say guys?', asked Raghav. He reached at Tanya's wedding destination hotel along with Amit(the groom), Sahil, and Raunak in the afternoon to accompany everyone for the bachelorette party in the evening. Kuhu and Tanya strolled towards the table to join them. Definitely having Raghav around after complete one year made her uncomfortable. Feeling his burning glares on her, she thought stealing her eyes away from him to be wiser especially when he sat after Amit who was beside Kuhu who had Tanya on the other side of her. All of them including others sat in a large circle around the table.

A green slender necked whiskey bottle spinned quickly on the table and had to stop facing Kuhu and backing Kavya.

'Whoooaa hoo! Hoo!' (Indistinct yells.)

'Truth? Or Dare?'

"Truth!"

'Kuhu,Tell us the name of the most decent boy sitting over here between us.' Kavya chortled knowing how Anshuman had gone head over heels for Kuhu and this was the perfect time to tease them.

"What sort of question is this? I'm not gonna play." She knew where the question was directed that too having Anshuman sitting opposite to her in the cirlce was way too embarassing to answer.

'It's so simple. Just say the guy's name. Remember you can't leave in between.' Kavya cautioned Kuhu.

'You can take the name of any doctor. Doctors are way too decent by behaviour you know.' Tanya chuckled at Kuhu. Only if Raghav hadn't been there this wouldn't have been this difficult for her. A year and two months to that incident still Raghav had the same dominating effect on her. How could she give up to his subjugation? The question was now upon her self-esteem. At once she spoke,"May be Anshuman!" Her answer sternly told upon Raghav's manly ego. His fingers curled into a firm fist ready to punch that Anshuman any moment. But staying confined to his seat he could only sprinkle corrosive and acidic lours on Kuhu.

"Guys I've my appoinment at the parlour. I should go. You all continue." She quit the game in the middle to further not drag herself into any controversy.

'You want anyone to drop you? I'll be going out for Tanya's last minute wishlist shopping so I can drop you at the parlour.', said Anshuman when Kuhu was just getting up from her seat.

"Thank you but..." Kuhu hopefully looked at Tanya for a support to her lie.

'You should take him along.' Kuhu turned for the first time at Raghav as she picked up in his tone of voice indicating fury. Everyone too stared at him getting conscious of his tone. 'For a good company of course! This place is all new and unknown. We don't even know if it's safe for you to roam all alone.' He changed his tone into a casual and normal one which subdued the seriousness among all their colleagues who were foreseeing a menance from Raghav.

"My safety is my lookout. I have my driver to accompany me. I'm not alone.", snapped Kuhu giving a deadly look to Raghav. She took large steps to her room with filled eyes and heart. Climbing the stairs, unbolting and bolting the door to confine her voice within the room she cried so loudly. This cry showed her helpless condition, the broken herself unlike the demanding ones that babies cry for. Letting the endless tears through their streams she slid to the ground with the support of the door. And she didn't realise when sleep overcame her sorrows there.