Lex's beach house was huge. The sprawling two storeyed structure spread over a sizeable piece of land on the Dumas beach.
One had to drive a few miles off the coastal highway through a dense cover of palm trees and sandy road to reach it. The entrance had a spacious parking lot with a water fountain in its midst. The entrance was actually the rear of the house. The facade opened directly onto the beach, just a few metres away from where the tide stopped.
Huge French windows with tinted glass adorned the facade as if the house were staring into the sunset through sunglasses in the evenings. These windows shielded Lex's massive bedroom, which occupied almost half the first floor and faced the sea. The other half had a personal music library and 3 guest rooms.
Lex was a jet set executive of a multinational manufacturing firm by the week and a reclusive music afficionado by the weekend.
Lex spent many a weekends at his house on Dumas, high on music, in his fancy music library. It was replete with sound proof walls, high tech sound systems, connectivity, a mixing device and most of all, solitude.
On the ground floor, there was a massive hall, few guest rooms, a kitchen and an annex to the house. Lex had converted the annexed side courtyard into a covered performance theatre.
Bands, orchestras, professionals, groups, college kids could inform in advance, book and come over for practice, rehearsals or just impromptu jams at this venue. It had a stage, lights, some seating for an audience of 20 or so and latest in electronics. The house staff had instructions to 'let music prosper.'
This winter weekend, Lex was having some of his usual culprits over to the house for a jam and later stay over. Winters in his city were pleasant and in fact the best time to indulge in the breeze on the beach. Lex was to drive after work while his friends were to head to the house much before him.
Wes played keys, Meha played base, Rahul played lead, Nitya and Kabir vocals. Lex jammed with the group frequently. He was a percussionist. Drums, Cahon, cymbals, ethnics, you name it and he played it. The group had people from different fields, with different ideologies and a varied taste in music. But at the jam, all genres were indulged and enjoyed. They were all versatile instrumentalists and slaves to music.
Lex's Jag turned In to his slot for parking and he made a dash for his bedroom. In a few minutes he had changed into a slim fit black shirt, black leather pants and suede shoes. He left his first shirt button undone to show off his slim but lithe physique. He gelled his hair, showered in a masculine perfume and put on a black hat. Lex was one hell of a performer and one hell of a ladies magnet. Chiselled frame, angular face, talented hands and a charm to die for. He cocked his hat a bit and left for the theatre.
He could hear the music waft from behind the thick wooden doors and he smiled at the fact that the session had already become warm. His friends would have been ushered that morning by the staff and made comfortable in the guest rooms. By now they would have had a beer or two and begun jamming. He could already hear one of his favourite songs play. Rock and roll.
Lex liked to make a dramatic entrance. He breezed past the doors into the theater and was welcomed by cheers. He pecked Nitya on the cheek, raised his pint as an ode to the group and sat beneath a spotlight behind his Roland electronic drums. Style!
He merged into a cover of jail house rock on drums and the beats were welcomed with loud applause. Rock and roll was a genre that could go into unending medleys and Lex's drums set the groove tight.
Kabirs cousins had come over to listen. They cheered as he thundered in a baritone Elvis voice. Wes had brought a couple of friends and Lex thought the shy couple sitting near the mini bar would be them.
Meha the bassist had invited a friend of hers too. Her friend hadn't come in yet or hadn't come at all. There were 3 or 4 more people in the audience that Lex couldn't identify. But that was alright, people were welcome to come by and listen.
Thanx to Lex's flare for the dramatic, one of his staff was now lighting him a nice Cuban cigar which he was puffing onto, without missing a beat on his drums. Beer pints changed without notice. Wes on the keys and Meha on the base took the rock and roll set to a rocking climax and everyone cheered. The evening had begun.
Lex inhaled from his cigar as Kabir sang few notes of his favourite Indo-western fusion medley. This, Lex knew was a soft rock medley with nuances of Indian classical and western rock which ended in hard rock. Lex prepared to give his drums a beating.
That's when he noticed a petite, gorgeous and breathtakingly beautiful girl walk into the door. She actually glided through the door. She sat demurely at one of the bar stools and crossed her legs. Did he catch a trace of perfume or was he imagining things. He saw Meha blow a kiss to her with one hand on the frets and that confirmed she was Mehas friend. Lex couldn't remember her name though Meha might have mentioned it to him.
She smiled at kabirs fusion rendition and Lex was mesmerised. His drums were on auto pilot. His Cigar burnt gently in an ashtray near him, which looked like a giant castle from a chess board. He literally stared at the newcomer through his light brown shades. She was now whispering her choice of drink to the bartender. One stanza into the song and the bar tender came out with a vodka martini. She sipped gingerly from lush lips that clamped around the goblet in the most sensuous manner.
Kabirs fusion songs ended after a crescendo and there was fresh cheer and a round of introductions. Meha gave her friend a tight hug and introduced her to the others as Tiya, who was the creative director of a reputed travel channel. She said Tiya could sing and loved music too. Tiya shyed away as if she was a mere mortal amongst the talented lot she was with today.
Her mannerisms and expressions were driving Lex crazy. Soft flowy hair fell over one side of her face and cast a shadow over the other side. Her luscious lips had a hint of pink gloss. Yellow lights reflected off her bare shoulders like moonlight reflecting off the cool sands on the beach. Delicate earrings dangled off her ear and shone tiny dancing lights around her.
