CHAPTER FOUR | A MESSAGE
'Being positive in a negative situation isn't naïve. It's called leadership.'
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"You made it!" Alya exclaimed as she saw Nandini making her way towards her. She stepped down from the stool where she was trying out different sarees and hugged her best friend.
It was time for Alya's bridal dress shopping and Nandini couldn't be under more stress. She had just returned from the florist after having booked flowers for the big day. The wealthy businesses always need to be booked months in advance and Nandini was slowly learning to deal with their tantrums. She hadn't even had time to call Rishabh, her younger brother, since the party last night.
The thought of the engagement party reminded her of the challenge she had accepted from Alya's ex. She had been up all night, contemplating between telling Alya or Mrs. Saxena about Manik's challenge. But in the end, she had decided against it. They would get unnecessarily worried.
Plus, it was Nandini's job to handle Manik Malhotra. He was the biggest threat to her business. If he caused any drama in Alya's wedding, not only will the bride's day get spoiled but the wedding planner will also have to offer explanations on security and what not! And Nandini wanted none of that.
She waved her bag in front of Alya, grinning from head to toe. She had picked up numerous fashion magazines on her way so that they could get designing ideas for Alya's wedding outfit.
But Alya didn't look as thrilled as Nandini had imagined. She frowned at the magazines and didn't say anything as she adjusted the pleats of her saree.
Realization dawned on Nandini.
It was time for another fight between the bride and the bride's mother, and she had to stop it.
"Eww... I look so old! Mom still wants me to wear this itchy, traditional thing yaar. Ugh!" Alya whined, twisting her waist to glare at the crimson red silk saree which her mother had coerced her to drape. It had a printed beige blouse that would go well with white hair, but not with her silky brown tresses.
Nandini shook her head. That was something she had learned in the very first wedding she planned eight months ago.
Generational Bridal Sarees.
Mothers loved them. Brides hated them.
This particular one had been handed down, from one generation of Saxena women to the next for years. And for anyone taking notes, how one handles this situation defines their worth as a wedding planner.
"How do tell mom I don't want this without hurting her? I don't want her to feel bad, I love her but this just isn't me!" Alya asked, facing Nandini. Ever since they had met, Nandini was the wiser one and Alya trusted her to find a solution to every problem.
Nandini smiled, despite being tired. "Let me handle it. I'll sugarcoat it without her knowing. Where's she?"
Alya pointed at the stairs on the other side of the hall and Nandini nodded, hoping she wouldn't get lost in the boutique that was ten times the size of her house.
A few minutes later, Nandini returned, grinning from head to toe. "I told her you will wear this one, but we will buy a lighter lehenga for backup."
Alya clapped her hands and jumped. "You're the best, Nandu! So she agreed?"
Nandini smiled awkwardly. That was the tricky part. "Not exactly... she said it was so sugar-coated it gave her diabetes."
Alya's shoulder slumped. Nandini bit her lips, trying to avoid laughing at her friend's state. "Sorry Al, but seriously nothing gets past your mom. She's a genius!"
Alya pouted. "I'll change and speak to her directly. She can't resist my puppy eyes, can she?" Nandini shrugged and nodded. Some things best stay unsaid.
She didn't want to interfere between a mother and daughter, anyway. So she started stocking the magazines she had brought neatly when her phone rang.
Sighing and praying for everything to be okay, she clicked on the green button and greeted the caterer.
"Hi! Mister Harsh, wait... why are you crying?"
"Whoa.... whoa... whoa... slow down. Why what?"
"What do you mean you can't do the wedding?"
"Look, Mister Harsh, I am sorry you and your wife are breaking up and a wedding can be hard for you but--"
"Yes, I understand but--"
"You can't do this! That's cheating!"
"I will go to court Mister Jain! We had a deal!"
"Jain? Harsh? HARSH?"
Nandini stomped her foot. The asshole had hung up! That call was the cherry on her already difficult day— nope, week!
She turned around, huffing in anger only to see Alya in tears who had overheard Nandini's side of the conversation. A tear fell from her left eye as she thumped down on the sofa and burst into tears.
"My wedding is going to be a flop show, right?" She asked her best friend, covering her face with her palms. "I should have never agreed to marry. I don't deserve this happiness. I mistreated Dhruv in school, I... I don't deserve him! Oh, it's all my fault! Karma is biting back at me!"
Nandini shook her head. "No Al, you are getting it wrong. Everything's great! I mean except for the food, it's everything you wanted, right? Little things happen. And I'll get a new caterer, don't worry, we got this." She sat beside her best friend, offering support.
Alya hiccupped, "But... but-" She couldn't go on as a fresh round of tears touched her cheeks.
"Trust me, your wedding is going to be perfect!" Nandini rubbed her back, comforting her.
"You will make it all work, right?" Alya asked, sniffing. Nandini nodded.
Where am I going to find a caterer at such a notice?! She thought but continued to smile reassuringly at Alya, promising her that the wedding success will be the talk of the town.
The door opened and Rose, Alya's friend, and the second bridesmaid walked in. Alya couldn't decide between her and Nandini, and hence, chose both of them to be her bridesmaids.
Rose was an attractive young lady, trying her talents in the fashion world. However, Nandini liked to refer to her as the jealous snake.
After all, the honorable title of bridesmaid could bring both the best and the worst in people.
Rose was more like the latter. Ever since the news of the proposal spread, she had been behaving like it was her wedding. She wanted everything according to herself and Nandini caught her flirting with Dhruv a couple of times, though he looked quite uncomfortable and unwelcoming to her approaches.
"Seriously! Nandini, this is the same boutique from where I have been planning to get my wedding lehenga. They are so unique!" Rose exclaimed the moment she reached her. "Oh, look at that blouse, gorgeous isn't it? Wait, Alya darling, why are you crying? Is it too red in here? We can get pink, I always wanted pink for my wedding!"
Nandini indicated her to shut up by crossing her fingers on her lips. However, Rose didn't take the hint and continued, "Also before I forget, please tell your caterer I have peanut allergy so none of the dishes should have that. God knows what people put in their dishes these days but at least you've a fine caterer."
Nandini slapped her forehead as Rose continued to blabber causing Alya to wail even louder.
Ayyappa! Save me! Nandini prayed. The day was going from bad to worse with Rose's infantile stupidity.
"Nandini, I think I will have a destination wedding, can you manage that as well? I think you're doing a decent job with this one. Except the colour palette I mean, Alya darling is still crying. I'll decide the colours myself. Okay?" Rose asked as she sat across Alya with her legs crossed.
Nandini looked from Rose to Alya and sighed helplessly. "Rose, this is really not the time--"
Rose didn't let her complete and giggled. "Great! I will let you know when I have a date."
Alya looked up and stared at her college friend incredulously. "Or a boyfriend," she said pointedly.
Rose was her only friend from college who had bothered to stay in touch. She couldn't exclude her out of the wedding without feeling terrible about herself.
Nandini laughed at Rose's expressions. She wasn't expecting Alya to take a dig at her. It was a known fact that Rose had never stuck to a guy long enough to ring wedding bells. And no one could challenge Alya's sarcasm.
"Yeah yeah, that too." Rose coughed, trying to hide her embarrassment. Nandini snorted.
One should never mess with the bride, especially when she was undergoing a crisis!
Or food crisis, for that matter.
Mrs. Saxena chose that moment to make an appearance. Two assistants from the boutique accompanied her.
"Nandini, these ladies will be in charge of Alya's hairstyle and makeup. So your work is done here. I have selected two bridesmaid lehengas for you and Rose, go downstairs and try them on," Mrs. Saxena ordered and Nandini nodded.
Although bridesmaids and groomsmen aren't included in traditional Hindu weddings, Alya wanted to include that. She wished to combine both her and Dhruv's religions and have a wedding people will remember for decades to come.
Alya pleaded with Nandini not to leave her alone. She didn't want to wear the old saree, let alone style her hair with the jewellery her mother was holding. And handling it all without her best friend by her side was a task she was not yet ready for.
Nandini smiled at her, assuring her that nothing would go wrong, and that her mother only wants her best before leaving. She couldn't afford to make Alya's mother angry. Mrs. Saxena was her role model. And she was intimidating enough for Rose to walk quietly too. That says enough.
***
The two girls were trying out the lehengas Mrs. Saxena had chosen for them. They were light peach and made of georgette.
Nandini was satisfied since they weren't heavily embellished and would allow her to move around comfortably. She was the wedding planner, bride's best friend, and bridesmaid, she had more duties than she could count.
However, Rose didn't look too happy. "When I get married, I will get proper lehengas for my bridesmaid, something glamorous," she muttered.
Nandini ignored her. The lehenga-choli looked glamorous enough to her and it was much more than she could ever afford.
"But then again, I won't marry a guy like Dhruv. He is shy and good for flirting and all but only Manik could match this level of wealth," Rose continued, attracting Nandini's attention.
"Manik? You know him?" Nandini asked.
Rose rolled her eyes as if Nandini had asked her the most obvious question. "Of course!" She shrieked. "Manik and Alya dated throughout the senior school. You know that, of course! They were very serious but then Dhruv betrayed Manik. He was his best buddy, can you believe that?"
Nandini dropped the blouse and asked, "Manik and Dhruv were friends?! What happened after that?"
Rose snickered. "He couldn't see his friend get all the credit for their music band. They had a huge fight in front of the entire college and Alya chose to be with Dhruv. Manik and others left shortly after. Too sad, I didn't get to say goodbye. He was a treat to the eyes!"
Nandini had stopped listening though.
Is that way Manik wants to stop this wedding? For revenge on Dhruv? But didn't Mrs. Saxena say he was interested in uncle's business and money and that's why Alya broke up with him? She wondered.
Two hours later, Nandini exited the boutique and exhaled loudly. She was satisfied that she managed to come out alive. Alya, her mother, and her bridesmaid were all crazy! After the dress fitting, the mother-daughter duo had a serious fight while Rose kept muttering how she would never allow her mother to make decisions for her. Nandini was surprised how she even managed to keep her sanity alive between the three of them.
She fished out her phone and texted her brother that she would video call him after reaching home.
And that's when her phone pinged, indicating the arrival of a new message. She furrowed her eyebrows as she saw that it was from an unknown number.
From: 9876xxxxxx
Meet me at The Uranian Delights. 4 pm tomorrow. Manik.
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Uh oh, why does Manik want to meet Nandini? Poor Nandini, she had such a difficult day and now this.
Don't forget to vote and comment if you enjoyed reading tho <3