Ride on Time

Chapter 89

Shree dressed up for the event with the help of her mother. It wasn't easy getting into the elaborately pleated garb. And then came the makeup, which was mostly natural with thick black eyeliner and eyeshadow. Devi had wanted to her eyeliner, which was by applying the thick kajal with her fingers alone.
"No, no, don't want," Shree quickly said. "You put one eye thicker than the other. Then one eye look smaller."
"This one only good, you know?" Devi reasoned, showing her the small tub of black kajal eyeliner. "That one all nothing." She added, pointing at the drugstore brand that Chandrika was holding.
Shree frowned slightly before getting an idea. "Mom, put for me that one."
Devi happily handed the kajal tub to her daughter.
"But use brush," Shree quickly said.
Devi still agreed as Chandrika gently brushed a thick layer of eyeliner onto her upper eyelid and bottom waterline. After that, Shree sat with her grandmother to do her hair.
"Y'all not coming for the event ah?" Shree asked while Devi tugged at her hair. "Come lah!"
"For what?" Devi piped up, securing the black kunjam at the bottom of her plait. "We come there and do what only?"
"Come see me dance lah," Shree reasoned.
"Vasu coming with you lah," Chandrika added. "I not close to them also lah..."
Shree sighed. It was right, after all. Chandrika nor Devi had anything to do with Shruti or Shridhar Industries.
"Fine..." Shree sighed. "Where's Vasu?"
"Still bathing lah he," Devi nonchalantly stated.
"Again ah?!" Shree gasped. "Awah!"

Mitsuo looked at himself in the mirror, dressed in the red satin button-up he wore to Shree's last performance. He thought a blazer would look good, but he sadly didn't bring one.
Who even brings a blazer with them when going for a casual vacation?
Mitsuo sighed and sprayed on some cologne before looking at his phone. Shree mentioned that she was on her way and he quickly grabbed his things and went down to the lobby. He was just in time to see the Lapis Arteon pull up in front of him.
This time, he got into the back as Shree sat at the front beside her brother. There wasn't anyone else in the car besides the three of them.
"Where's Obaasan and Okaasan?" Mitsuo asked the siblings.
"They decided to stay behind," Shree simply stated. "Anyway, nice outfit."
"Thanks," Mitsuo grinned, scooting over to the middle slightly so that he could see the road. "I wanted to wear a blazer but didn't have one."
"Aiya, why never tell me, I would've brought for you," Vasu piped up.
"Sorry..." Mitsuo apologised. "But it's fine, right?"
"Yeah, you look nice enough," Shree stated. "No need blazer."
Mitsuo turned a little red at the compliment. "Thanks."
He scooted back to the side and looked out the window throughout the journey to Shridhar Industries. They passed the Assunta Roundabout, the Assunta Hospital, and the Assumption Church, before arriving at another roundabout.
"Why are there so many roundabouts here?" Mitsuo asked, puzzled. "Also, the hospital we passed just now was called Assunta like the roundabout. What is Assunta, is it a place?"
"No, it's a person, a nun," Shree explained. "She was an Italian nun, named Maria Assunta. The hospital, school, and church were all named after her."
"Ah... I see..." Mitsuo nodded. "What about that school, that girls' school we passed yesterday?"
"It's the same Assunta, just that they didn't have space in this area to build the secondary school, only the primary school."
"Right, right..." Mitsuo nodded, typing this piece of information on the notes app on his phone since it was much too hard to write in a moving car.

They arrived at the Shridhar Industries building and saw Shruti waving at them at the entrance. Vasu stopped in front of her and Shree and Mitsuo got out.
"Okay, you two come first," Shruti said, taking Shree's arm. "Boy, you go park that side and come." She told Vasu.
Vasu nodded and watched them enter before driving to the parking lot that that Shruti had pointed to. He was also a little annoyed at being ditched, considering how he was technically the lost one in this situation. There was nothing he could do now besides find a parking spot and try and find his way to the event hall himself.
And he had no clue where it even was.
Vasu sighed and got out of the car, making his way into the building, unsure where he was even supposed to go. He made a beeline for the receptionist as soon as the front desk came to view and asked the young man where the event was being held.
"Sorry, it's invitation only," the receptionist said in Malay. "I don't think you can enter."
"But I was invited too," Vasu reasoned. "Mrs. Shruti asked me to park get in."
"Can I have your name?"
"Shrinivas."
"Oh..." the receptionist frowned, staring at the guest list. "How do you spell it?"
Vasu sighed and spelled it out for him.
"Not on the list," the receptionist shook his head after scanning the list of names, much to his dismay.
"Then what about Shreenika? That's my sister and she's performing."
"I'm sorry, I still cannot let you in unless I really know you were invited."
Vasu groaned and took out his phone, going to a corner to call his sister to ask her to come out and bring him in. He kept on and on trying but she just wasn't answering since her phone had been put on mute.
At this point, he was exasperated. He decided to just turn on his heel and go home, coming in later to pick up his sister and Mitsuo after the event was over.
"Shrinu!" A voice suddenly called. "Hey! Shrinivas!"
Vasu heard someone calling him and turned around to see Madhavi waving at him, clad in a purple and white chudidhar with a matching white scarf across one shoulder.
"Madhavi?" Vasu went to her, a little surprised. "You're not performing?"
Madhavi shook her head, her long curls gently wavering. "No lah. I didn't want to, especially since my mother's workers are all here and I don't really like them. Besides, your sister's already performing."
"Oh..." Vasu nodded understandingly. "Actually, your mother should've just let you perform. You're a good dancer too."
Madhavi was a little surprised. "You got see?"
"I came to see the performance at the temple during Pongal, what," Vasu pointed out with a small smile.
"Oh yeah... your whole family and that Japanese guy came, right..." images of Pongal night were refreshed in Madhavi's mind. "Ah... yes, now I remember."
Vasu paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping the lobby before landing on her again. "You're not going inside?"
Madhavi seemed to realise something. "Oh yeah! I was waiting for you. My mom asked me to wait here since they won't allow you in if not."
"Yeah, I'm not supposed to be here, am I?" Vasu sighed.
"No no no, the guest list just doesn't have your name, that's all," Madhavi quickly said. "My name isn't on the list either, you know?"
Vasu nodded. "Okay..."
"Let's go, the event is gonna start," Madhavi smiled motioning for him to follow her. "Your sister's performance is the first act."
This time, Vasu had no trouble entering since the receptionist knew Madhavi very well as the CEO's daughter. Messing with her wouldn't be a very good idea. Vasu even gave him a sarcastic smirk as they walked past the front desk.

So this is a chudidhar, also known as salwar kameez. Madhavi wore a purple and white one but of course, she neatly folded hers to not sweep the ground like that.