‘Could I assist you with anything else, ma’am?’ Akshay asked, first looking at Rihana, then Zara.
Rihana leaned over the counter and asked, ‘Can you ensure that you have your best-looking stewards attend to us instead of the air hostesses in first class?’ The lady at the counter next to Akshay’s would have most definitely heard this, but she seemed determined to put on her most professional and poised face. Zara, on the other hand, had frozen in the moment, astonished that Rihana had actually uttered those words!
Akshay blushed and grinned at the same time.
‘I’ll try, ma’am,’ he said politely.
‘Have some class, Rihana!’ Zara muttered under her breath.
‘It’s just a survival plan, sweetheart. Like how you have life vests under the seats in airplanes. If I don’t find anyone suitable on the flight, we will at least have some good-looking people to “serve” us! No?’ Rihana teased with a wink.
‘Here are your boarding passes, ladies. Have a safe flight,’ Akshay said.
They went through the security checks and then made their way to the premium lounge.
Rihana got herself a croissant and a hot coffee while Zara opted for green tea.
‘Eat something! You don’t need to either lose or manage your weight; your curves are perfect, lady!’ Rihana admonished Zara, but lovingly.
‘I’m not hungry,’ Zara said, clearly irritated.
‘Uh oh! Someone is mad at me,’ said Rihana dramatically and rolled her eyes.
‘Why are you always embarrassing me in front of people, Rihana?’ Zara finally said.
‘Which people?’ If Rihana was treating this as something funny, she didn’t let it show in her expressions.
‘The guy at the counter!’
‘Oh come on! You are hardly likely to ever meet him again. And for all you know, it could have made his day. You know he will go and tell all his friends about this, perhaps with a little salt and pepper too.’ Zara stared at her, a blankness enveloping her expression. Rihana added, ‘Why should you be embarrassed? I was just kidding. And besides . . .’
Rihana stopped in her tracks. Zara was all misty-eyed, looking like she was going to start crying any minute now. Overcome by guilt, she took Zara’s hand and sat silently, not knowing what to say.
‘I’m sorry, I am a little anxious about this whole trip. It’s been ages since I went out on a vacation like this,’ Zara confessed.
‘Everything will be all right. I am here for you.’ Rihana’s hand held Zara’s tightly, making Zara smile. ‘And you never know, we might get lucky and have hot stewards serving us on the flight.’
Zara pulled her hand out of Rihana’s and hit her playfully, breaking into light laughter. Just then, an announcement for their flight was made and the girls proceeded to the gate. They had priority boarding, and Akshay showed up to usher them into the flight.
‘Wow! You took my request seriously, Akshay!’ Rihana teased, knowing fully well the effect she was having on him. Zara could only manage a weak smile.
‘Be a sport, Zara!’ Rihana begged her, hoping she would join in this rib-tickling fun.
‘I refuse to be on your team in this game of debauchery.’
‘Play the referee then,’ Rihana pleaded again.
The girls took their seats and settled down. Rihana scanned the place to look out for some eligible men, but there were none. Rihana’s definition of eligibility was very opportunistic. It was like a variable with different answers in different situations.
There was a Cabinet minister and his team travelling with them; that made the first-class experience pretty bland for Rihana. As soon as the plane took off and the seat-belt sign was switched off by the airplane captain, Rihana switched on her TV and connected the headphones. An uproariously funny Bollywood comedy movie was playing. As she tuned into it, Zara asked for an extra pillow and lay back. After a while Rihana started laughing out loud while watching the movie. Her laughter continued and was heard in the entire first-class and beyond. She didn’t even realize that people around her were getting disturbed as she had her headphones on.
‘Can you please ask the girl to be a little softer?’ The minister sitting in front requested the steward.
The man had no choice but to ask Rihana to subdue her laughter. Rihana removed her headphones to listen to what the steward was saying.
‘Can you please be a little softer? The minister is getting disturbed,’ he said politely.
‘No, I can’t,’ Rihana said firmly.
‘Ma’am, I’m requesting you,’ he pleaded.
‘Only because you’re asking me to. Can I get some wine in return?’ Rihana said, giving him a naughty smile.
‘Ma’am, I’m sorry, but we don’t serve liquor on domestic flights,’ the steward replied courteously.
‘Why not?!’
‘I’m not sure, ma’am. It is a government policy.’
‘The same government that doesn’t want people to have freedom of expression and laugh heartily? God proposes and the government disposes.’ Rihana was clearly hinting at the minister sitting in front of her. Zara nudged her and gestured her to keep quiet. The steward dared to smile, though discreetly, and walked on to serve another guest. Rihana then took her pillow and started laughing into it to contain the noise. Looking at Rihana laugh like that, the steward offered her a seat that was at the back, away from the minister’s and close to the cabin crew.
‘You can watch the movie and laugh as much as you want here,’ he said, showing Rihana to the seat.
‘You can give me a cup of coffee, if not wine!’ Rihana demanded.
‘Sure, ma’am,’ the steward said, going to the galley to make coffee for Rihana; she got up from her seat and joined him while he was making the coffee. She stood beside and watched him make coffee with an intense gaze.
‘Here you go, ma’am.’ The steward handed the beverage to Rihana and asked, ‘Would you like anything else, ma’am?’
‘Yes, a fantasy to be fulfilled,’ said Rihana, sighing.
‘And what is that fantasy, if I may ask?’ he asked, giving Rihana a naughty smile.
‘I have a superpower—a superpower of inventing fantasies at a speed greater than the one this plane is flying at.’ Rihana winked and pulled him closer to her. The steward could hear his heart in his mouth. Rihana brought him closer and circled his lips with hers, barely touching them.
‘I thought you wanted to watch the movie?’ he asked Rihana, distancing himself from her.
‘I wouldn’t have been able to finish a three-hour movie in a one-and-a-half hour flight anyway. I thought I would invest my time productively. And I request you to not waste it too.’ The steward’s job was in jeopardy, but Rihana knew that the blood flow from his brain had entered his genitals, and his logical side was losing—this fact was further proved when he drew the curtains to prevent anyone watching them. She then brought him closer to her and squeezed his lips with hers, and invaded the inner recesses of his mouth with her tongue. She could feel his hardness against her.
Rihana continued kissing him and he reciprocated with more intensity. Just when he was about to lift her top up to put his hands inside, the plane trembled with turbulence and the captain switched on the seat-belt sign.
‘I’ll have to make an announcement, ma’am.’ The steward disengaged himself from the passionate moment and got on to the handset. His addressing her as ‘ma’am’ turned Rihana on even more.
‘The seat-belt signs have been turned on due to the turbulence we are facing. All passengers are requested to return to their seats and wear their seat belts.’ Rihana heard him make the announcement after clearing his throat and returned to her seat, disappointed.
‘How was the movie?’ Zara asked Rihana while Rihana was putting on her seat belt.
‘I was trying to make a movie of my own . . . but alas!’ Rihana sounded thwarted and picked up the in-flight magazine. She started turning the pages to find something interesting to read.
The moment she registered what it was, she screamed as loudly as she could and threw the magazine on the floor. The whole flight was now looking at Rihana and Zara.
‘It’s okay. It was just a picture,’ Zara said, hugging Rihana and calming her down.
‘What happened, ma’am?’ the steward asked, quickly appearing at their side.
‘Nothing, she has a fear of snakes. I think she saw a picture of it in the magazine,’ Zara replied, wiping the sweat off Rihana’s forehead.
It took some time for the situation created in the plane to normalize. The turbulence outside had stabilized in the meantime and the crew was preparing for landing.
Upon landing, Rihana and Zara picked up their hand baggage and proceeded to exit the plane. The steward stood at the door to bid them goodbye. Rihana just smiled at him.
‘Look at the way he is looking at you, Rihana. What did you do to him?’ Zara exclaimed when they were out of his earshot.
‘I wanted to do so much, but the bloody turbulence ruined everything. With my luck, I may have to start licking my own nipples.’
Zara shooed the graphic thoughts away with a wave of her hand. As they walked towards the exit, they looked at various people holding up signboards, trying to find Rihana’s name in the midst of many others. The Maharani’s help had come to pick them up from the airport. Both of them were exceptionally—and visibly—elated at the ride that had come to pick them—a Rolls Royce!
‘I’ve never been in a Rolls Royce before,’ Rihana said excitedly.
‘I know! We really are in the company of royalty now, Rihana. Thank God I decided to come,’ Zara’s excited voice chimed in.
They headed towards the palace, all eyes on them as they cruised through the city roads. They had no idea where they were to stay, but both of them were nurturing a hope that it would be in the palace itself. Their wish was realized when the car pulled up at the majestic estate. A part of the heritage building was managed by the Sikri Group of Companies, while the rest was the residence to the royal family of Jodhpur.
Zara was simply in awe looking at the beautiful structure; she was lost in thoughts of the old-world grandeur that the palace must have enjoyed in the times of yore. Rihana was impressed, and her jaw dropped when she saw the handsome prince standing beside the Maharani, waiting to welcome them. The man who stood in front of them was one of the most eligible bachelors in India. Zara’s radar was already sensing the signals that Rihana was sending. Zara didn’t want her to jeopardize her profession—work and play should be well-demarcated areas, in her opinion.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you ladies. Hope you had a comfortable flight.’ Prince Shaurya Singh Rathore’s courtesy was enough to ignite any woman’s passions, and Rihana was already burning.
The Maharani also welcomed them and then excused on account of some work. The girls were left to the care of the handsome, young prince. Rihana and Zara were led to the dining room, where they had a sumptuous lunch with Shaurya. After making light conversation about the palace and the royal family, they were directed to their rooms, which were beautifully decorated and reflected a blend of Eastern and Western architectural elements.
‘You can rest for some time now. I’ll come by in the evening to take you both around the palace, hukum,’ the Maharani’s help, Mann Singh, said to the girls.
‘Oh, that will be interesting! I’ll look forward to it.’ Zara sounded excited.
‘It usually takes a whole day to see the palace. It’s quite big. But it won’t take much time now since most of it has been taken over by the government,’ Mann Singh said, sounding dejected.
The girls nodded to acknowledge the disappointment that rang loud in his voice. ‘I’ll see you in the evening, hukum.’ Mann Singh left the girls alone after a customary bow.
‘I’m only interested in seeing the prince’s room,’ Rihana said after Mann Singh had left, looking like she was about to swoon.
‘Rihana, don’t you always say that one doesn’t crap where one eats? Whatever happened to “not mixing business with pleasure”?’ Zara asked, trying to instil some sense into Rihana.
‘Did you even look at him, Zara? How can one resist such deliciousness? Suave, sophisticated—and a looker!’ Rihana sighed.
‘I don’t want all your sighs to end up in lost dreams. Just tread carefully,’ Zara warned Rihana.
‘I think I love him.’ Rihana seemed to completely ignore everything Zara was saying. She just kept smiling like a fool, perhaps imagining herself in Prince Shaurya’s arms.
‘You’ve said this about a lot of men earlier as well, Rihana, and it was always more about their penises than the men themselves. And you haven’t even seen his, for God’s sake! Your love always rests at the tip of your nose.’
‘Oh, come on, Zara! This is love at first sight. You never know . . . I might just change my mind and think of settling down to be the prince’s bride very soon.’ Rihana sighed again, though more dramatically this time.
‘I think we should just get some rest, hukum. Mann Singh will come by in the evening.’
Both of them giggled and then retired to their rooms to get some rest. They weren’t used to words like ‘hukum’, ‘Your Highness’ and the likes, and it was a pity that this was going to be such a short-lived trip. They wouldn’t have minded getting used to all this.
After a few hours, Mann Singh called up Rihana on the intercom and asked, ‘Hukum, if you’re ready, can I send some tea up to your room?’
‘Sure, Mann Singhji.’ Rihana and Zara got up to get ready for tea and then the palace tour.
As Mann Singh took them from one room to the other, Zara could tangibly feel the class, richness and blue blood radiating from every wall and item of furniture displayed. The one thing that marked every object was exclusivity—something Zara had never seen before. It was undoubtedly a treat for the senses.
‘Royalty has taste, I must say,’ Zara said, looking at a painting on the wall by Habib.
‘Royalty has money. We give them good taste through their money,’ Rihana said bluntly.
‘That’s your painting, Rihana!’ Zara said, pointing at a painting hung on the wall of the dining room.
‘Habib loved fruits. I got him this fruit tray on his birthday. Before he could finish eating, I painted them. Trust me, they look more beautiful in the painting. The colours came out alive and deep,’ said Rihana, fondly recalling her times with Habib.
‘Did you love him?’ Zara was inquisitive because Rihana always spoke of Habib wistfully and got this funny look in her eyes. She never spoke of any other man that way.
‘You know what is most intriguing about a man?’ Rihana asked Zara. ‘His depth and intensity!’ she said, answering her own question.
‘His depth and intensity for?’ Zara asked.
‘For anything. Habib was extremely passionate about his work. So much so that his passion was contagious. Everything about him served as an inspiration for me—his life, his habits, even his death. I’m fortunate to have ever been associated with such a legend. I am an ordinary person, and I know that because I got to meet an extraordinary person like Habib. He knew how to live out his desires, not just fulfil them in a tick-off-the-bucket-list kind of way. So yes, if I have loved anyone, I would have to say he came pretty close, in a spiritual way.’ Rihana was being honest, and Zara noticed a spark in her eyes that was otherwise rarely seen.
They walked from room to room through the corridors and their conversation continued, flowing from one subject t
o the other, following whatever their eyes saw and appreciated. Mann Singh was there to fill in the gaps in their conversations with anecdotes and the history of the palace. After the tour, the girls went to their rooms to take a quick shower before the bonfire and dinner that they had been invited to.
Zara wore a black chiffon sari, while Rihana wore a blue cocktail dress. Both of them looked ravishing. When they went out into the lawns of the palace for the bonfire, the girls realized that Shaurya had invited his entire polo team too. From the look in Rihana’s eyes, it was evident she was in heaven on seeing so many handsome men at one place. As they walked towards the men, they could see that all eyes were on them. They had the attention of the gathering.
‘I’m not sure if men would’ve been as interested in women if God had made them without boobs,’ Rihana whispered to Zara, who smiled in response. Mann Singh had made arrangements for a barbeque, the aroma of which wafted enticingly through the air. Shaurya introduced Zara and Rihana to his polo team. All of them were of royal extraction, except Major Shergill, who was from the armed forces.
‘We have a polo match scheduled for the day after tomorrow. We’re strategizing for it,’ Shaurya said, looking at Zara.
‘Don’t you strategize on the field?’ Zara asked innocently.
Shaurya and his team laughed. He said, ‘We do, but the best teamwork happens after a couple of drinks.’
‘Hope you don’t ride drunk?’ Zara smiled.
‘We do . . . but not during a game,’ said Shaurya, and laughed and offered Zara a drink. She told him she’d prefer wine. She was enjoying the attention and was smiling at almost everything that was being said. She looked at Rihana, who was already holding one of her favourite men, Jack, in a glass.
Since the Maharani was busy with some other guests, she came over only for a short while to greet them and the polo team.
Love Bi the Way Page 11
