Second Chance (Vol.1) Squandered

64: All@SA

Arjun heaved a sigh of relief.

Finally Arjun had raced past the HUB, a city-centre kind of a place. He wanted everyone awake before they reached the first signboard to Sanju's Adda. He honked loudly to wake them up.

Arjun: Ladies, this is your Captain Arjun Hooda speaking. On behalf of the Kapurs, let me welcome you to Sanju's Adda. We should reach there before 11:15pm. It has been a pleasure driving you sleepy heads. We have covered a distance of ___ kms in roughly 4 hours. The temperature outside is pleasantly cool. I have been instructed to wake you guys properly before we reach so fasten your seat-belts and hold on to your seats please. Here goes... 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 stop...

Arjun suddenly slammed the brakes. Zoya and Noor had been awake so they only braced themselves and laughed. Arshad who was still asleep got a bad jolt.

Noor hoped Arshad had sprained his neck. No. Appi may sit by his bed holding his hand all through the weekend. No.

Next Arjun moved the SUV backwards and forwards till Noor worried he would damage the precious SUV with his antics.

Arjun resumed driving and accelerated. Though Arjun slowed around the bends it was still scary in the dark. Soon they reached the first signboard. The alphabets in Sanju's Adda reflected back the bright lights from their headlights.

Arjun: (warned) Watch out now.

4 pairs of green lights on either side of the road, triggered by sensors, automatically switched on in front of them. As they moved ahead another set of 4 pairs switched on. When Noor looked behind she found them switching off automatically. Zoya looked at Noor affectionately. Such clever ingenious innovations excited Noor.

Noor: Appi its so magical like we are entering some enchanted wilderness...

And then after some distance Arjun honked hard thrice in bursts of 3s. The show lights at all 10 structures at Sanju's Adda lit up in the distance as if on cue. The changing coloured lights looked beautiful in the distance. It paused on green for a long while and changed colours again.

Noor: (in awe) Did the honking sound switch them on?

Arjun: (laughed) No. Sanju was waiting for my signal. This is her special welcome to the Siddiqui sisters. I am just following orders Mam.

Noor: I feel like Dorothy in Wizard of Oz approaching the Emerald City.

Arjun wondered who amongst them was the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion.

Arshad was definitely the Scarecrow because the moron needed a brain. The Tin Man desired a heart and the Cowardly Lion needed courage; he and Zoya both had a heart but both needed courage.

The resort was the only one in the vicinity on raised ground. So from the approach road one could see SA much before reaching it. Arjun called their attention to the golf course further down whenever no mounds obstructed their line of vision. There was a 3-storey five-star hotel on one side of the golf course and a massive club house at its entrance.

As Arjun finally drove into the parking lot of Sanju's private weekend home Noor saw Clu Flu and Sanju walking down a sloping path with Kapur Uncle followed by Abbu rushing down a good distance away at the rear.

Noor: (secretly to herself) What is wrong with Abbu! Why is he ambling down the slope like an Emperor Penguin. His poor weak heart!

Zoya secretly heaved a sigh of relief. There was no Aditya in that reception committee. Then she saw a shadow separate from the black SUV in the parking lot and salute Arjun and indicate a slot on the left of his SUV.