Story Nine from "A Symphony of Short Stories"

Story Nine: THE HOLIDAY ANGELS

Once upon a time, there were four very different little girls, who grew up to be four very different women.

But they had four things in common – they’re brilliant, they’re beautiful, they’re sassy and they are sisters.

Meet Pandora, Paloma, Patisse and Paris.

Pandora was always the “bohemian” in the family. She goes to great lengths just to experience life. If she didn’t work with the Discovery Channel, she would have become a professional beach bum. Getting her to settle down in one place is as impossible as getting a pig to windsurf. Her father had to entice every man in any land, reachable without a space shuttle, to marry her by offering them a handsome financial reward. Unfortunately, all suitors ran for their lives (and well-being) after spending one week with her. None of them could be reached for any comment at this time.

Paloma was the first to be married. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, three kids, two maids, and one dog. She cooks, bakes, paints and runs the family business. She is a Martha Stewart that looks like a Nigella Lawson. Everything in her life runs on the schedule. Her most prized possession is her house in the Hamptons.

Patisse was the second to be married. She has two girls, and she insisted it was enough. Her daily life revolves around her family from both sides – hers and her husband’s. Whatever time she has left to spare will be spent on home décor. She just enjoys decorating and fixing up her house. She lives in a beautiful large Victorian house in San Francisco with her husband and her in-laws.

Paris jet sets around the world for a living, and is engaged to a famous football star. She commutes between London and San Francisco. London is where she works as a fashion stylist and San Francisco is where her family resides. With the amount of travelling she has to do, she is contemplating on buying a G6.

Every two years the four sisters would decide on a destination to meet and stay for a week - without their other halves, children or parents. This was a tradition that they had decided to create when Paris moved to London, and Pandora moved every other week. They thought it would be a wonderful way for them to bond, catch up and to get a respite from their demanding every day lives.

In 2001, it was Pandora’s turn to organize their sisterly vacation. Although the other sisters were rather apprehensive at what Pandora might pull out of her ‘box of ideas’, they kept silent. Secretly, they were bracing for the worst. Each and every one had their fingers and toes crossed. Finally, Pandora announced that they were going to Bali. It would be the first for all of them.

Pandora had chosen a secluded boutique resort, tucked into the mountains of Ubud. It was to be a week of yoga, aryuveda, organic cuisine with the usual temple visits and shopping. When the sisters arrived into the “Island of the Gods”, they were picked up by a van. It was not the Bentley of vans, but its air-conditioning worked. However, none of the windows in the van could open. Calmly and with stealth, Paloma took out her small bottle of Lavender scented mist and sprayed on the seats of the van. It was much agreeable after that.

Their trip to the resort in Ubud took almost 3 hours from the airport. The traffic was murder. The sisters wanted to wrangle the driver’s neck for his devil-may-care driving. As they approached a steep hill before reaching the resort, the van started choking and hyperventilating. It sounded like the van was about to spit out its engine and die in the middle of the road. The sisters were united in muffled prayer and fear. The driver assured them that it was normal and smiled. Thankfully, they did arrive at the resort in one piece – including the van.

After the girls settled into their four-bedroom pool villa, it started to rain. It didn’t stop until the next morning. Hence, the temperature started to drop to about 16 degrees Celsius. It became much more chilly with the howling wind. It was beginning to feel a lot like Seattle, and less like a tropical island.

The sisters refused to allow the rain to dampen their spirits. Paloma started spraying their villa with her Lavender mist, and Patisse lighted up some scented candles she had brought along. Then all of them took out the hair dryers from each room and started blowing the beds. They wanted to make their beds warm and snug. They had to call for in-villa dining, as it was just too wet to venture out to the resort’s one and only restaurant. After dinner, they started updating one another on what they had missed – the highlights of their lives, the lows, their challenges and their achievements. They were each other’s confidants and advisors. The ladies kept on chatting until 2am. As it got colder, they had to use the hair dryers to warm up their beds again. The sisters ended up snuggling together in one bed and slept. They were like teenagers all over again.

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK: "LIFE IS A JOURNEY - A SYMPHONY OF SHORT STORIES".

THE BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED AS WE SPEAK, BOTH IN HARD COPY AND E-FORMAT. 

HOPE YOU LIKE IT ENOUGH TO BUY THE BOOK WHEN IT IS OUT. I WILL UPDATE AGAIN. 

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