Double party
It was a joyous Saturday afternoon in Royal Woods, Michigan. The day had started out like it always did, calm, quiet, peaceful (except in a certain part of Franklin Avenue, but even the Loud House got quieter as more and more sisters moved out) and the atmosphere was relaxed, especially since it was the month of June, the time of year when Summer was starting to creep around, and the days got warmer and longer. For one coupling in particular, Ruby Patel and Shannon Tannenbaum, today was especially cheerful, as it was the day before their wedding.
Ruby's parents, the Patels, were more than happy to donate the use of their conference hall as the venue for these festivities, as well as shell out for the entertainment, while the Tannenbaums handled catering and the guest list, on their insistence. The Tannenbaums thought it only fair that they foot half of the bill, since the two pre-wedding parties would be rolled into one, the Sangeet, an Indian pre-wedding custom that saw the bride's family sing and dance merrily together, would be combined with the Aufruf, a Jewish blessing tradition where the two to be married the next day would be called to the Torah to receive the Aliyah blessing from the attending rabbi, after which the congregation would pelt soft candies at them to wish them a happy life together (Ruby joked about getting to eat said candies after Shannon told her about that one).
However, it wasn't all sunshine and kittens getting to this point. When Ruby's grandparents found out about Ruby and Shannon's relationship, they were worried that Ruby was turning away from her Indian heritage, and they called her relationship with Shannon a 'Western deviation'. They even went as far as to try and instill some of their culture into Ruby, despite telling them they celebrate Tulsi Pujan Diwas every year. When the grandparents tried to set Ruby up with a grandson of a friend of theirs, the Patels stepped in. Mohammad, Diya, and Ruby all convinced the grandparents that the LGBT were everywhere, despite some leaders' best attempts to hide and suppress them, and that Ruby was serious about Shannon. The parents even shared their own experience with questioning Ruby's choice in partner, initially dismissing such as a 'curiosity'. Eventually, the grandparents relented upon seeing Ruby and Shannon together, realising that they did look every bit an item, but did insist on the wedding having some Indian tradition put into it, which all agreed to.
That was preferable to Shannon's grandparents' reaction. When they found out, they wanted nothing to do with Shannon, treating her as if she killed the family pet and essentially cut her out of her life, which was devastating to Shannon, as she had previously been very close to her grandparents. Despite several attempts to bring them around over the years (her aunts and uncles came around, with some convincing from Shannon's cousins) the grandparents stood by their toxic belief that the LGBT were an aberration. The straw that broke the camel's back was when Daniel Tannenbaum, Shannon's father, found out about a plot to take Shannon to a conversion camp under the guise of a Jewish retreat as a reconciliation attempt. That got Judge Stein, a federal judge and Benny's mother, involved. The camp was raided, the grandparents were taken in, and no-one, not even Shannon, wanted anything to do with them after that. Shannon was inconsolable for weeks after the ordeal, but in time, she came to terms with what happened, and found a way to move on, but only after months of gruelling therapy.
Since then. Ruby and Shannon have only found new heights in their relationship. After they graduated high school, Ruby and Shannon went on a pilgrimage of sorts to honour their respective heritages. The first stop was India. Ruby used this opportunity to see what it was like for her great-grandparents before they moved to America. Ruby and Shannon had to say, India's climate was preferable to cold, frigid Michigan, although Shannon went through a lot of hair product to treat breakouts of frizzy hair, which Ruby found humorous. They visited the Jewish holy sites in Jerusalem next, and Shannon learned that she did not have to forsake her faith in light of what happened, as she came very close to doing so.
During that year, Ruby and Shannon had time to think about their future together. More specifically, what they would do as a career. When Ruby and Shannon revealed their relationship, while the Patels were welcoming and even encouraged the pairing, they did have concerns regarding their future, especially when Shannon brought up her dreams of stardom. The Patels were concerned that Ruby would end up in some drab apartment with little income, and Shannon had to admit that was not what she wanted for Ruby either. When she was rescued from the conversion camp, Shannon developed an appreciation and admiration for the court-appointed therapist that looked after her, and thinking back to all those psych-classes she took in high school, Shannon decided to pursue that career path. Shannon is now a licenced family counsellor studying for her PhD. She enjoyed working with the kids, helping to improve lines of communication between them and their parents/guardian figures.
Ruby, too, thought about what she would want to do. During the conversion camp incident, Ruby was inspired by the prosecutor's drive and determination to seek justice for Shannon, and also Judge Stein's demeanour in overseeing the proceedings. She wasted no words when the guilty verdict was handed down, in awe of her brutal honesty. It was clear Judge Stein did not get into this profession to please people, something Ruby had been guilty of doing to an excessive degree. She decided to study law at college. She and Shannon went to the same college to study their respective degrees, and upon graduation, a friend of the Patels offered Ruby a paid internship at their law firm, to get her some experience. It wasn't long before Ruby passed the bar and got her licence to practice and joined the firm officially as a family lawyer.
All that was ancient history, as Ruby was in one of her family's hotel rooms, getting ready for the party downstairs. Everyone would be waiting for both her and Shannon, and Ruby wanted to look her best. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist. Ruby looked in the mirror and saw that they belonged to Shannon, her fiancée, until tomorrow, when she would officially become her wife.
"Rubes, you brush that hair anymore, you're gonna pull it out," Shannon teased.
"You could stand to straighten yours up a tiny bit," Ruby fired back.
"Hey, I like my locks curly. It's my signature look. You yourself said you loved my hair," Shannon countered. While embracing Ruby, Shannon took this opportunity to 'explore' her fiancée further. Her hands made their way down to the one area she particularly enjoyed. Ruby gave a short 'oh' when Shannon playfully grabbed her rump. "Just like I love this," Shannon flirted. Ruby then turned to face Shannon.
"Oh you, could never get enough of my 'hot Indian ass', could you?" Ruby replied in kind. She then made a grab for Shannon's chest. "I only have myself to blame. After all, I can't get enough of your 'hot Jewish blintzes'," Ruby seduced. Shannon let Ruby play with her breasts like a child's favourite toy. Ruby then started to feel her way past Shannon's buttoned shirt, her actions getting friskier and friskier.
"Rubes, you know it's bad luck the night before the big day," Shannon teased.
"Yeah, the 'night' before. It's still daylight. Come on, just a quick taste?" Ruby playfully begged.
"With you, a 'quick taste' quickly becomes a three-course meal," Shannon retorted. Not that she minded. Nights with Ruby as your bed partner were always exhilarating. Shannon began to slowly unbutton her shirt to let Ruby in when a knock on the door interrupted them.
"You are expected downstairs, ladies. Proceedings begin in five minutes," the attendant notified. Ruby and Shannon broke apart after that buzzkill.
"Awwww, dang it. Way to kill the mood, paid hotel employee," Ruby pouted.
"Think of it this way, love. We can both have full banquets on the wedding night. Something to look forward to," Shannon enticed. Ruby then started picturing what that night would entail in her head and decided the wait would be worth it.
"I'm sure it will be heaven on earth. We better get down there. My parents are sticklers for punctuality," Ruby commented. They made their way down to the ground floor event hall, where their friends and family were waiting on them. At the end of the hall is the Torah, and standing in front of it was someone Shannon never expected to see in a million years. It was an elder gentleman, dressed in typical Rabbi garb, though he seemed reluctant to be here.
"Rabbi Stone? How in the…. How did you convince the most conservative Rabbi I know to perform a blessing for a same-sex couple?" Shannon wondered in disbelief.
"Ask Luan. She was the one that got him here," Daniel answered.
"It was nothing, really. I simply appealed to his inner liberal and sense of humour," Luan bragged.
"He doesn't have either," Benny observed. Luan gave a very evil grin at this point.
"Oh, I know," Luan responded.
Flashback begins
After tying Rabbi Stone to a chair and moving him to the Loud House basement, Lola and Lana ripped the bag off his head. Stone could see Luan pacing back and forth, menacingly. She gave Rabbi Stone the evil eyes, then walked over to a table with various pranking instruments on it.
"So, my good Rabbi. Word on the street is that not only did you refuse to give Ruby and Shannon the misheberach blessing, but you also forbade every Rabbi in town from doing it as well," Luan recalled.
"Absolutely. Love only exists between man and woman. I could never bless such a perverse union," Rabbi Stone insisted.
"Ugh, when do we get to torture this guy, Luan?!" Lola asked impatiently.
"Torture? This is America, not Afghanistan!" Rabbi Stone rebutted.
"Yes, you're right, this is America, where same-sex unions and pairings have just as many rights as heterosexual couples, including the right to marry, a fact you seem to have forgotten," Luan rebuffed.
"I gave you and Benjamin the misheberach blessing before your marriage, or have you forgotten?" Rabbi Stone defended.
"Yes, and now your betrayal deeply sickens us. What did Ruby and Shannon ever do to you to warrant such scorn?" Luan interrogated.
"Whatever, I'm still not blessing them," Rabbi Stone dug in.
"Seems it's going to take more than kidnapping and lecturing to break this guy, toots," Mr. Coconuts chimed in.
"You're right, Mr. C, but we better start small, see how high his threshold is," Luan hinted.
"You can do whatever you want, it'll make a good story for the cops when I report all of you for this," Rabbi Stone implied.
"You know what else would make a good story for the cops? Intimidation of Rabbis. I heard from some of them that you sent them threatening messages through the mail 'reminding' them of their clerical duty to 'discourage' pairings such as Ruby and Shannon. Yeah, they kept records," Luan disclosed.
"Doesn't change a thing. As long as I'm in charge of the clergy in this town, those two aren't getting any blessings," Rabbi Stone said hatefully.
"OK, you leave me no choice," Luan then picked up a small book, hardly what one would call a torture device, until Luan started to read from it. "Oh, this is a good one; A Rabbi and his wife were cleaning up the house. The Rabbi came across a box he didn't recognize. His wife told him to leave it alone, it was personal. One day she was out, and his curiosity got the best of him. He opened the box, and inside he found three eggs and $2000. When his wife came home, he admitted that he opened the box, and he asked her to explain the contents to him. She told him that every time he had a bad sermon, she would put an egg in the box.
"In 20 years, only three bad sermons? That's not bad," the Rabbi commented.
"And every time I got a dozen eggs, I would sell them for $1." The wife clarified. Luan, Lola, and Lana started laughing at the Rabbi joke, while Stone was unfazed.
"A Rabbi joke book? Surely you can do better than that," Rabbi Stone resisted.
"Oh, I think he wants to hear another one. How about it, ladies?" Luan continued the 'session'.
"I've never been one for your jokes before, Luan, but I think I'd like to hear another," Lana agreed.
"Me too, this is getting fun," Lola added.
"OK, how's this one; Issy and Howard were brothers disliked by the entire community. They ran a crooked business, they lied, and they cheated the poor. But they were also very, very wealthy. When Issy died, Howard went to Rabbi Bloom and said, "I will donate one million dollars to the synagogue if at the funeral you say that my brother Issy was a mensch." The Rabbi thought long and hard but eventually agreed. When it came time for the funeral, the Rabbi recounted Issy's wrong doings during his eulogy at length. He then closed with the sentence "But, compared to his brother, he was a mensch!" Luan told another Rabbi joke, to which all but Rabbi Stone laughed hysterically.
"You dare make fun of Rabbis?!" Stone yelled.
"We're just getting started," Luan replied. She then found another joke in her book. "Ooooooo, I like this one; Rabbi Epstein, who shall we say was "humour impaired," attended a conference to help him improve his public speaking skills. Among the speakers were many well-known and dynamic speakers. One such speaker boldly approached the podium and, gathering the entire crowd's attention, said, "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman that wasn't my wife!" The crowd was shocked! He followed up by saying, "And that woman was my mother!" - The crowd burst into laughter and delivered the rest of his talk, which went over quite well. The next week, the rabbi decided he'd give this humour thing a try and use that joke in his sermon. As he surely approached the bimah that shabbat, he tried to rehearse the joke in his head. It suddenly seemed a bit foggy to him. Getting to bimah he said loudly, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of another woman that was not my wife!" The congregation inhaled half the air in the room. After standing there for almost 10 seconds in the stunned silence, trying to recall the second half of the joke, Rabbi Epstein finally blurted out, "...and I can't remember who she was!" Luan finished her latest Rabbi joke, which again sent Luan, Lola, and Lana into hysterics while Stone just sat there, deeply troubled that his profession was being mocked in front of him.
"You can tell a hundred Rabbi jokes, I'm still. Not. Blessing them!" Stone doubled down.
"Looks like you're gonna have to get out the heavy artillery, toots," Mr. Coconuts suggested. Luan sighed heavily.
"This was going to be my last resort, but alas, you've forced my hand," Luan said mockingly. She opened the basement door and two women walked in. "May I introduce my sister Luna and her wife Sam," Luan introduced.
"What are they gonna do?" Stone probed.
"Oh, you'll see, soon enough. Lola, Lana, the brace please," Luan requested. Lola and Lana then attached a Clockwork-Orange-style brace onto Stone's face, forcing his eyes open. "Luna, Sam, why don't you show our dutiful cleric just how much you mean to each other?" Luan indicated.
"With pleasure, sis," Luna complied. She then faced Sam. "Ready, love?" Luna hinted.
"Always," Sam replied. The two then started making out in full view of Rabbi Stone. The more intense the show, the more disturbed Stone became. He pleaded for them to stop, to think of their eternal souls, but every time he did this, Luna and Sam's make-out session got even hotter. When Sam made to suckle on Luna's clothed breasts, everyone in the room knew they had broken their victim.
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I'll do it! Please, no more!" Stone relented.
"You'll also allow other Rabbis to do this same blessing for similar couples and won't say a word of this to anyone?!" Luan bargained.
"Anything, anything, just please let me go," Stone whimpered.
"Awww, just when it was getting good," Luna complained.
"Race you home, loser eats out the winner," Sam flirted. The two girls booked it out of the basement. Luan then addressed Stone one last time.
"Be grateful, the alternative was making you read 'Satisfying curiosities' over and over again," Luan commented.
Flashback ends
"You actually kidnapped and tortured a Rabbi just to get a blessing?" Benny inquired.
"You should know by now that us Louds go the extra mile for those we care about," Luan pointed out. Benny then knelt down so his head was level with Luan's stomach.
"Please don't get any ideas from your mother. I beg you," Benny pleaded with the unborn child in Luan's womb. Luan then got Benny back up.
"Oh, Benny, I'm sure our baby will get enough ideas from their aunts without us putting in anymore," Luan mused.
"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of," Benny replied.
"I still can't believe you two are expecting. Wasn't it just yesterday that you two were getting hitched?" Shannon pined for days gone. Luan rubbed her stomach lovingly.
"Four months gone and another Loud's on their way," Luan answered.
"Now that I think about it, Luan, do you think we should ask them now?" Benny wondered.
"Yeah, I think it's time, too," Luan agreed. She then turned to Ruby and Shannon. "Benny and I have thought about this a lot, and we think it would be the greatest honour if you two could be the child's godmothers," Luan requested. This was a lot for Ruby and Shannon to take in. They weren't even married yet and they were already being asked to be godparents. Neither of them could find words to say at that point in time.
"We understand if it's too much pressure on you. It's just you two were the first people we thought of," Benny assured. This tugged at Ruby and Shannon's heartstrings so much that they found their voices. Shannon turned to Ruby, who only gave a small nod and a smile. This was all Shannon needed.
"We'd be honoured to be your child's godparents. Do you know what you're having yet?" Shannon replied.
"Not yet, no, but my mid-pregnancy ultrasound is coming up next month, so we'll know then if it's a boy or a girl," Luan informed.
"Either way, it'll be adorable," Benny complimented.
"Take our advice, don't have twins," came a voice from the side, which belonged to Amy, and she was accompanied by her husband Rex.
"Ah yes, and how are little Josh and Emily doing?" Benny inquired.
"They're already two peas in a pod, whose sole mission is to deprive us of sleep. As soon as you get one down, the other starts up. I swear they must have some sort of code," Rex raved.
"We're just super grateful my folks were kind enough to take them off our hands so we could be here," Amy said gratefully.
"You know what I'm grateful for; that our old drama club are still friends even into adulthood. I'm so glad you're all here," Shannon gushed.
"Yeah, it seems almost everyone is here," Ruby noticed.
"'Almost' being the appropriate word. Where is Spencer?" Amy asked. Ruby looked around nervously.
"Yeah, I kinda told my parents what went down between us back in high school. Even though I told them over and over that we're past it all, they still don't have that good a view of him, so he decided to stay out of it, so as not to bring down the festivities. It's also why he won't be at the wedding, but he sends his love," Ruby explained.
"How's he doing with the Lions? He training hard for next season?" Amy inquired.
"I think he got traded to the Panthers. Either way, he's flying high," Ruby clarified. Spencer got a football scholarship after graduating high school and studied a Drama degree, to further his acting skills, with a minor in communications, just in case his football career ended suddenly due to injury and any acting work he got dried up. Luan found modest success in television as a current-events show host, headlining a weekly comedic take on the news. Benny became a talent agent, as he was good at finding people steady work in the theatrical arts. Amy studied Cosmetology in college and opened up her own boutique, while Rex became a dentist, finding work at a clinic that was next to Amy's boutique. They saw it as a married couple that worked on ensuring people looked their best. Just then, Mohammad, Ruby's father, gently tapped a spoon onto a glass to signal that he wanted the crowd's attention. Everyone ceased mingling and turned to face him.
"Ladies, gentlemen, thank you all for coming to this combination Sangeet/Aufruf party to celebrate the upcoming union of my beloved daughter and her beautiful fiancée. We should all thank my wife, Diya, whose wonderful idea it was to combine these two traditions into one fun-filled night of frivolity," Mohammad praised.
"Try saying that five times fast, dear," Diya interjected.
"Anyway, without further delay, I present Rabbi Stone, who has agreed to bless the happy couple this day. Proceed, Rabbi," Mohammad indicated. Rabbi Stone approached the Torah, followed by Ruby and Shannon. Rabbi Stone then faced the congregation.
"I am here to bestow the misheberach blessing, but I do so…" Rabbi Stone began, but then he saw Luan cracking her knuckles and saw fit to amend what he originally planned to say. "…of my own free will. Will the brides please step forward to recite the blessing," Rabbi Stone began the ritual. Since Ruby could not speak a word of Hebrew, Shannon took it upon herself to speak the assigned blessing. Then Shannon could've sworn she heard Stone mutter something under his breath that sounded like 'couldn't even marry a Jew, let alone a man'. She would speak out but did not want to ruin this joyous occasion.
"Now, for the misheberach prayer itself. Join me now. May the one who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, bless Ruby Patel, daughter of Mohammad and Diya Patel, and Shannon Tannenbaum, daughter of Daniel and Candice Tannenbaum, since they have come up to the Torah in honour of God and Torah. May they merit from the Holy One of Blessing protection, rescue from any trouble or distress, and from any illness, minor or serious; may God send blessing and success in their every endeavour, together with all Israel, and let us say, Amen," Rabbi Stone recited.
"Amen," the congregation all said together. After Shannon said the same Hebrew line again to the Torah, Stone spoke again.
"Now, to conclude this wonderful ritual, I invite everyone to chuck the ceremonial fruit and candy at the adorable couple to wish them a happy future. Namaste," Stone begrudgingly finished the blessing. Ruby and Shannon braced themselves to be pelted with said fruit and candy, of which the guests brought a lot. It was a good thing Ruby and Shannon brought bags to catch it all in to eat later. Luan seemed particularly taken with this part of the ritual, as she and Benny were on the receiving end of it when they had their misheberach blessing, mostly from the Loud sisters and Lincoln, who saw it as sweet revenge for all the pranks she pulled over the years. Luan remembered Lynn's throw being especially hard. Mohammad then banged his glass with his spoon again.
"Now that the Jewish half of this party has finished, we can proceed with the Sangeet, which consists of singing and dancing, so let's party like they do in New Dehli!" Mohammad announced with joy, as Indian music rang across the hall. As the congregation danced in merriment, Rabbi Stone made his way out of the venue, but not before coming across Luan one more time.
"Find someone else to do the wedding, because I'm sure as heck not doing it!" Rabbi Stone insisted in a hushed tone.
"Oh, don't worry about that, I found someone much less hate-filled, much more liberal, and is an all-round better person than you, good sir," Luan replied in kind.
"May God have mercy on all of your souls," Rabbi Stone scoffed before skulking off out of the hotel. Ruby and Shannon saw this exchange but couldn't make out what they were saying.
"What was that about?" Ruby asked.
"Oh, Rabbi Stone sends his best, but he has a bat mitzvah to get to and can't stick around. Enjoy!" Luan lied.
"Come on up, Ruby. It's time for the family dance," Diya beckoned. Ruby's face went redder than her dress for this party. In preparation for this occasion, Ruby and her family rehearsed dance choreography almost non-stop. They picked out the songs Ruby wanted for the Sangeet, and now it was time to strut her stuff in front of Shannon.
"For the convenience of our English-speaking guests, we procured the English translations for the songs you are about to hear. Feel free to dance and clap along," Mohammad invited. Ruby then joined her family, consisting of her, her parents, her aunts, uncles, and her cousins, on stage. The music then swapped to vocals, and an unfamiliar song rang out across the hall. Luan doubted that even Luna, as musically gifted as she was, would've heard of these numbers.
Nachde Na Saare (Everybody is dancing)
The guy is a bit offbeat
But he's very sweet with the girls
The guy is a bit offbeat
But he's very sweet with the girls
He's fake and stubborn
This Tweet has gone viral
But you're cool in fooling people
You're very sharp as knife
For your ceremony and the wedding
We've made the preparations
Everybody is dancing together
Today, shake your body and enjoy
Everybody is dancing together
Today, shake your body and enjoy
You idiot!
Hurray ... hurray ... hurray ... hurray
The potatoes are crispy
Even Mr. Laalu is fun loving ... aa ha
Climbing up the courtyard
Even Sweetu is having fun ... aa ha
The potatoes are crispy
Even Mr. Laalu is fun loving ... aa ha
Climbing up the courtyard
Even Sweetu is having fun ... aa ha
Hit it!
Many guys have gone sentimental for me
They've gone sentimental for you
They've gone sentimental for you
I'm the perfect one for you
That's a guarantee
But you're cool in fooling people
You're very sharp as knife
Wearing a headdress and jumping boundaries
This time I have to steal you
Everybody is dancing together
Today, shake your body and enjoy
Everybody is dancing together
Today, shake your body and enjoy
You idiot!
Shout it out loud
Hey DJ come to play the song
The family members are upset
We have to make them all happy
Shout it out loud
Hey DJ come to play the song
The family members are upset
We have to make them all happy
But you're cool in fooling people
You're very sharp as knife
For your ceremony and the wedding
We've made the preparations
Everybody is dancing
Everybody is dancing
Everybody is dancing together
Today, shake your body and enjoy
Everybody is dancing together
Today, shake your body and enjoy
Everybody is dancing
Everybody is dancing
You idiot!
Everyone in the hall applauded the Patel family's song and dance number with great adulation. Throughout the entire performance, Shannon was staring at Ruby, and Luan noticed that she was drooling slightly. She snapped her fingers in her face to get her to focus.
"Shannon, there'll be plenty of time to ogle your wife-to-be later," Luan teased.
"That was….. mesmerising," Shannon commented, still in her entranced state. What she didn't want to tell Luan was that she was almost hypnotised by Ruby shaking that 'hot Indian ass' she loved so much. Not to mention Ruby shaking her chest as well. It made Shannon tempted to whisk Ruby away back to their room, rip that dress off and make sweet love to her. But Shannon was brought back to her senses yet again by the sound of Mohammad's voice amplified by a microphone.
"Now, how about a dance from the blushing brides?" Mohammad urged. Everyone cheered at this prospect. Shannon was wondering when this would come up. Ruby had put in a special request for her and Shannon to share a Bollywood dance or two. Shannon then joined her love on stage. The next song then began in earnest.
Girls Like to Swing
These sparkling girls, these shining girls
The ones whom You all are crazy after
These smiling and singing girls, these giggling girls
What all they desire, get to know about it now
What all they have in their hearts, what lies in their heart-beats
Get to know what dreams are there in their eyes
And what desires are there in their hearts
I Hear My Body Talk To Me
Summersault Shake It All Boogie And Shimmy
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah...
I Hear My Body Talk To Me
Summersault Shake It All Boggie And Shimmy
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah...
Girls Like To Swing
Swing…
After putting a step forward
Swing…
After getting coloured in new colours
Swing…
After changing style, which means no hesitation
Swing…
Life should be lived in an exciting manner
Swing…
Nectar of life should be drunk
Swing…
This is what we agreed to, which means no more shyness
May there be a celebration every moment, may there be a shower of music
May every moment of life sing
Pa Ra Pa Pa, Pa Ra Pa
May every part of body start melting
May the heart become lost
May an enchanting scenery be spread
May there be some shivering, some tickling sensations
As if some unique intoxication is spread in every breath of mine
I Hear My Body Talk To Me
Summersault Shake It All Boogie And Shimmy
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah...
I Hear My Body Talk To Me
Summersault Shake It All Boogie And Shimmy
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah...
Girls Like To Swing
Swing…
After putting a step forward
Swing…
After getting coloured in new colours
Swing…
After changing style, which means no hesitation
Swing…
Life should be lived in an exciting manner
Swing…
Nectar of life should be drunk
Swing…
This is what we agreed to, which means no more shyness
These sparkling girls, these shining girls
The ones whom You all are crazy after
These smiling and singing girls, these giggling girls
What all they desire, get to know about it now
What all they have in their hearts, what lies in their heart-beats
Get to know what dreams are there in their eyes
And what desires are there in their hearts
I Hear My Body Talk To Me
Summersault Shake It All Boogie And Shimmy
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah...
Girls Like To Swing
Swing…
After putting a step forward
Swing…
After getting coloured in new colours
Swing…
After changing style, which means no hesitation
Swing…
Life should be lived in an exciting manner
Swing…
Nectar of life should be drunk
Swing…
This is what we agreed to, which means no more shyness
After putting a step forward
Swing…
After getting coloured in new colours
Swing…
Let's change our style, which means no hesitation
Swing…
Gotta Swing Swing
Swing…
Yeah Swing Swing
Swing…
Let's Swing Swing
Swing…
Swing Swing Swing Swing...
As before, everyone applauded, but with one notable exception. Upon hearing the lyric 'swing' so many times, Luan suddenly became sad and left the building. This did not go un-noticed by the drama club. They made to go after her, but Benny intervened.
"I've got this, you stay here and keep having a good time," Benny interjected and rushed after his wife. Benny found Luan on the front steps of the hotel, looking over old photos of her sisters on her phone, specifically Lynn. Her mind kept going back to the last time they saw each other, which was far from pleasant. Words said by both sides during their last heated argument kept ringing inside her head. Luan had said things during that exchange that she deeply regretted, and the guilt ate at her. She was brought back to the present by the words of her husband.
"Hey, this step taken?" Benny asked. Luan gave him the go-ahead to sit down beside her. "You OK?" Benny probed. Luan then showed him the photos of her and Lynn in happier times.
"You remember Lynn, right? The sporty one of us Louds," Luan reminded.
"How could I not? She once tried to get me to strip on stage," Benny recalled.
"Yeah, typical Lynn," Luan lamented. She then sighed heavily before continuing. "Last time I saw her, we had this huge dust-up, not like our other fights back when we were kids, this was….. personal," Luan disclosed.
"How personal?" Benny queried. Luan thought about how to answer this question. The subject matter was one she never in a million years would've thought she'd face. She didn't know how to handle the shock back then, and she still had trouble processing it even now.
"Benny, what do love and sex mean to you?" Luan questioned. Benny was taken aback by this question. It was clear from Luan's tone that she wanted a specific response, but he didn't know what it was.
"Clarification request," Benny requested.
"Do you think you can have one without the other?" Luan clarified. If Benny was hoping for clarity, he was sorely disappointed.
"You could, but you'd be missing something. Sex without love is just cheap thrills, and love without sex is depriving oneself of expressing love physically," Benny answered.
"Wow, you sure you're not a philosophy student?" Luan joked. The two shared a brief laugh before Luan continued. "Benny, I'm gonna tell you a story, but you have to swear to keep it between us. This is sensitive," Luan pleaded. Benny could tell from Luan's tone that she was serious.
"OK, I swear," Benny promised.
"Thanks. It all began when I went to Reininger's to go dress shopping for this party…." Luan began her story.
Flashback begins
Luan had just finished picking out all the dresses she wanted to try on to see which she wanted to wear for Ruby and Shannon's upcoming Sangeet/Aufruf party. She had only picked out two or three, as she was saving now to prepare for the baby's arrival. True, she was only a couple months gone, but raising a child takes a lot. It also helps when your sister owns the clothing store and was willing to give you a family discount. Luan had shown her picks to Leni for her opinion.
"Now those are some totes cute party dresses. Great picks. You're gonna knock them dead," Leni complimented.
"Thanks, Leni, but it's Ruby and Shannon's day. I don't want to upstage them," Luan replied.
"Sure, but that's no reason why you can't look your best. I also have this amazing line of maternity clothes for you, if you're interested," Leni offered.
"Leni, I'm only two months gone," Luan reminded.
"Fine, I'll keep them on hold for you. Changing room's in the back. I reserved some for you and Lynn. She and Margo are in here getting new sports gear. Go ahead and say 'hi'," Leni directed Luan to the changing rooms she always kept in reserve for her siblings. Luan took one, which was next to a closed changing room, which Luan guessed was for Lynn. She set down the bag of dresses, got them out, and inspected each of them. She picked out different colours; yellow, violet, and silver. She did like the red one, but she figured Ruby would be wearing that colour, so she opted out. She held out the yellow one first.
"It was always my colour. Can't go wrong with a classic," Luan thought to herself. The silver dress reminded her of her wedding day, and the violet had trimmings Luan found rather appealing. Before she could try any of them on, she heard a sound like a curtain pulling from the other room.
"Oh, hey Margo. You picked out your goods?" Luan heard Lynn ask Margo.
"Yeah, but what I want to know is how you convinced Leni to let us share a changing room," Margo responded.
"Easy, I told her we saw each other get changed all the time in the locker room, plus we're both girls," Lynn answered.
"True enough. Will that throw off her suspicions?" Margo inquired. This had Luan really confused. What suspicions did they think Leni would have? Why were they even talking about suspicions in the first place?
"Should do, so long as we don't get too rowdy," Lynn surmised. Luan had more questions at this point. What did Lynn and Margo mean by 'get too rowdy'? What was going on here? Luan could hear clothes being taken off, which was normal in a changing room, so she didn't think too much on it, but Luan couldn't be prepared for what happened next.
"I still can't believe you talked me into this," Margo stated.
"Are you gonna talk…" Lynn began, before Luan could hear more clothes coming off. "….or are you gonna ravish me?" Lynn goaded. Luan had to cover her mouth with her hands to keep from screaming. They weren't seriously doing 'the deed' in there, were they? What about Francisco, Lynn's supposed fiancée? Did he know about this? Why would Lynn cheat on him with Margo, of all people? Luan knew Lynn and Margo experimented when they were young, but she thought that was a one-time thing. Luan could hear kissing and suckling from the other room, indicating to her that it was indeed not a one-time thing.
"You're right, this is exhilarating," Margo said lustfully. Lynn started to moan softly, but still audibly.
"Woah, I never get tired of your tongue-work, Margs," Lynn flirted. Luan couldn't hold it in any longer. She screamed loudly and rushed out of the store without buying anything. She made it to her car in the parking lot, got in the driver's seat, and just sat there, hyper-ventilating into a paper bag. She just managed to calm down when she heard a knocking on her car window. She turned to see Lynn, thankfully fully dressed, standing there.
"How much of that did you hear?" Lynn probed. Luan promptly got out of the car, grabbed Lynn and started shaking her wildly.
"What the HELL is wrong with you?!" Luan interrogated.
"What? I thought you were all for two girls having sex. You walked in on your room-mate enough times," Lynn joked.
"One time, ONE TIME that happened! Luna and Sam never did it in a clothing store changing room!" Luan corrected.
"Then they're missing out. There's nothing like the danger of getting caught at any moment, makes the rush twice as intense," Lynn gushed.
"To repeat my earlier question, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?!" Luan reiterated.
"I take it that's not the only question you have," Lynn guessed.
"Why are you even having sex with Margo? Does Francisco know about this? Just what is going on in general?!" Luan questioned.
"If you'll let go of me and calm down, I'll explain," Lynn soothed. Luan let go of Lynn and took a few deep breaths to bring her rapidly accelerating heartbeat back to normal.
"Go on," Luan pressed.
"OK, to answer one of your questions; yes, Francisco does know, but it's not cheating. In fact, we're not even romantically involved. He, along with Margo, are just two good friends I happen to have the occasional romp with," Lynn explained.
"Occasional romp?" Luan quoted.
"OK, we do it pretty much every day, but we keep it interesting. For example, we play 'oral sex poker' where, instead of chips, we bet on how long one person has to go down on the other. They blow their load, they're out of the game," Lynn replied.
"OK, eww," Luan recoiled in disgust.
"Hey! I still have vivid memories of your strip games, so don't judge me. I could give you some pointers on 'naked hide and seek'. That one's a favourite of mine," Lynn continued.
"ENOUGH! But what about your engagement? You said Francisco proposed to you during a game and it got on the jumbo-tron," Luan recalled.
"Oh, that was an accident. You see, what happened was a box with an engagement ring fell on Francisco's head from some other guy's pocket. He knelt down to pick it up and give it back, and the camera pointed at us at the worst possible time," Lynn explained.
"But why not just tell us the truth?" Luan asked.
"What truth, that I have regular, no-strings-attached sex with Francisco and Margo, with no romantic attachment whatsoever, and no plans to be? How do you think that would've gone down with the rest of the fam?" Lynn postulated. Luan didn't know what to make of this discovery. She had just learned that Lynn's 'engagement' was a lie and that she was apparently a bisexual sex addict.
"And when did this 'arrangement' start?" Luan queried.
"When Margo and I started experimenting. It really is such a rush, you should try it sometime," Lynn suggested. Luan then held up her hand.
"You see this ring? This means that I swore a vow, in front of his family and ours, to remain loyal to Benny, to be only his, for the rest of my days. I meant every word of it. No way would I forsake such a sacred vow for cheap, loveless thrills," Luan asserted. Lynn started to get really offended now.
"Oh, so just because I can't feel romantic love means I have to miss out on the pleasures of sex, is that it?!" Lynn rebutted.
"The way you talk about sex, you make it seem like a game, or worse, a narcotic. Sex is love, expressed via physical intimacy, not some commodity to be played with," Luan responded.
"Haven't you been listening?! I'm AROMANTIC! I can't feel the same love you have for Benny! I tried once and I just couldn't do it! I'm sorry I led you and the others on all this time, OK! You were all going on about how great your romances were. Even Stinkoln was in a relationship! I didn't want to be left out! Even more so when you were all getting married and having kids! This is why I didn't tell anyone. You wouldn't understand. I'm not the kind of person who settles for vanilla flavoured ice-cream!" Lynn ranted.
"There is NOTHING wrong with vanilla! I love Benny! He's the only one I want that way! The proof of that is in my stomach right now!" Luan countered.
"That may be fine for you, but I prefer a little more variety! You're only proving my point! You're making me out to be the oddball of the family! Don't go around judging other people's life choices just because you're tied down, Ms. High-and Mighty!" Lynn riposted.
"I'D RATHER BE TIED DOWN THAN FLAUNTING MY BODY LIKE SOME… SOME…..SOME CHEAP HARLOT!" Luan blurted out. She covered her mouth in horror when she realised what she had just said, and it had struck Lynn deep because she could see tears forming in her eyes.
"You have a nice evening," Lynn said with great pain before going to her car and driving off. Luan was filled with remorse and regret in this moment.
"Lynn, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it! Come back. Lynn. LYNN!" Luan shouted to an empty lot. When Lynn's car was out of view, Luan sunk to her knees and started crying uncontrollably.
Flashback ends
"After that night, Lynn texted me asking to keep her whole deal quiet before blocking me on her phone and all of her socials. I was…. I was so mean to her. She tried so hard to make me understand and I just….. fobbed her off. No wonder she hates me," Luan lamented. Benny then gave his pregnant wife the loving hug she desperately needed at that moment.
"For what it's worth, I don't think our sex life is boring and vanilla," Benny consoled.
"I know it isn't, Benny. I do love our role-play sessions," Luan joked.
"Yeah, especially when the Chauffeur gets the Duchess pregnant," Benny recollected, referring to the role-play scenario that led to the conception of their first child.
"But still, I was so judgmental, so harsh, and when I called her that… ugly word. I think I've lost a sister," Luan said mournfully.
"Luan, your family has faced many things; dream demons, evil witches from other dimensions, dark dragons, legal troubles. You'll find a way past this, I'm sure of it. There's nothing the Louds can't overcome. I should know, I married one," Benny encouraged. Luan smiled upon hearing these words. Knowing Benny wasn't judging her was the consolation she needed. Luan took a deep breath and got back up.
"Let's get back inside, I'm sure the others are worried about us," Luan resolved. She and Benny made to re-enter the hotel, only to find Ruby and Shannon standing in front of the door.
"How much of that did you hear?" Benny inquired.
"All of it. We were worried about you and came to see if you were OK, but we weren't expecting….. that," Ruby answered.
"I'm not going to pretend to try to understand what's going on between you and Lynn, or what her deal is. To be honest, I'm still a little bitter about her and Luna spying on us back when we were teens. But it sounds like you two need help to resolve these issues, so if you're willing, I can lend you an ear, no charge," Shannon offered.
"Thanks, Shannon. If she ever decides to talk to me again, we'll take you up on that," Luan agreed.
"Now come on, we're itching to start the final song and it's getting cold out here," Ruby urged. Everyone made their way back to the party, where everyone was waiting. Ruby and Shannon then took to the stage once more.
"Now that the crisis has been averted, we can proceed with the final song of the evening, and this one's for the couples in the house. Grab your partner and we'll get started," Shannon announced.
Afreen Afreen (Praise to her creator)
It is not possible to praise the beauty of my beloved
Praise to the creator; Praise to the creator;
Even if you see my beloved, you would agree
Praise to the creator; Praise to the creator;
I have never seen anyone so beautiful
Body is like the statues of Ajanta Caves
Body is like a spell on eyes
Body is like a beautiful song; Body is like a perfume
Body is like mesmerizing music
Body is like perfumed moon rays
Body is like a blossoming garden
Body is like the first rays of the Sun
Body is like carved statue, eye-catching and arresting
Like Sandalwood
Like Marble.
(My Beloved's) face is as fresh as flower
Is it her face or the moon?
Face is like a Ghazal, face is like the heart of Ghazal
Face is like a bud, face is like lotus
Face is like manifestation of imagination
Face is like a dream, and its interpretation too.
(My Beloved's) Face is like a tales of Alif Laila
For one moment real and in another, an imagination
Face is like no other
With a forehead which is moon like
so is her body.
When I saw her eyes I was transfixed
They are like two cups of wine that are ablaze
Are these eyes? or the two doors of wine-house
Do I call them eyes or a part of my dreams
Her downward glance is the symbol of shyness
Her upward glance is like prayer
When her eyes look down after upward glance, it feels like a style
When her eyes look up after downward glance, it feels like a punishment
Eyes, in which the sky and earth are captured
like Narcissus (plant)
(and) Greyish
The story of the tresses of beloved is also long
Tresses, like shadows on my heart
Tresses, like over-cast dark clouds
Tresses, like some black specter
When tresses get entangled, so does the world
When tresses become straight, then writing this song becomes easy
When tresses spread apart then black night encroaches
When tresses sway then the night sings
Tresses, like chains, but so beautiful
Like Silk
(and) perfumed
Everyone slow-danced to this song and forgot about all their troubles and tribulations, just for this one moment of pure bliss. Luan felt the conflict melt away upon hearing the song and dancing with Benny. At that moment, she knew he was right. As a family, the Louds have weathered all kinds of storms. This would surely be no different. But she didn't want to think about that right now. All that mattered was this dance, and the wedding to follow. Family drama could wait another day.
Ruby and Shannon were dancing along to this song, which perfectly encapsulated how they felt about each other. Had you asked Ruby about her love-life back in high school, she would not have considered a romance with a girl. She always assumed that she would find a nice guy, go out on dates, and be crowned King and Queen at their senior prom. However, she never expected to fall for Shannon, and now that she was here, dancing with her on the day before their wedding, she couldn't picture herself anywhere else, nor would she want to be anywhere else. Whatever came next, they would face it together.
Author's note: Behold, the before-party. This took a while to construct, and Grace and I had to sort through loads of Bollywood songs before we settled on these, so you owe us. This will be part 1 of 3. Part 2 will be the wedding ceremony, written by me, and part 3 will be the wedding night, helmed by Grace. Be nice, it will be his first M-rated anything. You can thank me and my influence for getting him to do this. You're welcome. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. All properties belong to their respective owners. Enjoy.