Rings and Receptionists

Rings and Receptionists(Tahameem Sultana) The winter camp idea was great. It had a catching name plus it served as the ultimate yearly excursion for the girls of Golden Vista High School.
Sarah did not like the new sports coach in the staff room; she talked way too much and had no sense of understanding chemistry between her fellow co-workers. But since her subject, English Literature, and Sports seldom crossed each other's way and also since she could not be acidic to a person with such a contagious sense of humour, her dislike for the coach hadn't gone past anything except mild hostility. But she'd have to give the coach an 'A' for the great winter camp idea in Shimla. The girls had almost fainted in thrill and excitement at the idea. It thrilled her too, for it might serve as a distraction for her fellow-teachers to gossip about something else other than herself and Ajay's closeness.

Ajay was the senior accountant in the school office and she had met him on his first day at work. Their relationship hadn't slouched ever since. He was single, interesting, good looking and popular, and she had no chance of finding faults with him. She had always been too harsh as a critic in Literature and had seldom liked any book just because it was a best seller. Even the textbooks she taught in class were sometimes too bland and boring for her taste and the students feared her exam papers and even more so, her corrections. Assignments which were a day late were never looked into, and anyone looking too dull in class was riddled with impossible questions on the subject.
Her acidic character had seeped its way into her relationships, and seldom did a guy catch her attention. But at 29, and with worried parents nagging her into marriage and 'settling down' in life, plus terrified at the prospect of an arranged marriage, she started looking for commitment.
Ajay did nothing which displeased her.
And suddenly it turned into a full-fledged relationship.
But it was hard to keep it a secret and she hated curious colleagues and friends more than anything else.
He was a part of the staff so he had been invited in for the excursion, but he had refused. Sarah was disappointed, but he said he had to visit his parents. And, he added, he'd tell them about Sarah. She'd smiled then. She had told hers just a while ago, and they had eagerly approved after knowing about his faith and family.

Now, silently sitting in the hotel room after a tiring train journey from Delhi to Shimla, followed by a hearty supper, she examined herself in the mirror. What had Ajay liked about her? She definitely wasn't too good looking, neither did she earn much. Whatever it was, she was happy and content and suddenly felt like she could not wait to get married.

It was almost 11 pm and she could hear the winter's cold wind rattling softly at the window. It was really cold.
Then her mobile phone rang a little message tone and she picked it up. The message was from Ajay.
"Today's a gr8 day. Guess where I am?"
"Home?" she texted.
The reply was immediate. "Duh.....I'm closer to u,"
Her heart fluttered. "Shimla?" She guessed.
"Yup....at the Poornima Hotel....just across the street from Florence Hotel...dat's ur hotel right??" He replied, and Sarah texted him back: "r v gonna meet soon?"
"Can u meet me in the woods behind ur hotel's parking lot?"
"No way......it's too damn scary."
"C'mon....pls..." How could he ever expect her to sneak out when she was a senior staff member and with all the spying colleagues? But she knew she could never say no to his persuasion.
"V'll meet 2mmorow?" She texted him back, half hoping he'd disagree.
"Have gr8 news 4 u..." Now he had played his best card. She knew she was now compelled to obey him.
"ok, gimme 30 mins."
Immediately Sarah grabbed her coat, re-tied her pony tail and jogged her way to the elevator.
As the lift surged down, and the ground floor was announced with a tinkle when the doors slid open, Sarah felt butterflies in her belly. There would be teachers in the reception, she was sure. She had to go past them, now, without arousing suspicion. Damn, it was like being a rule-breaking teenager.
The reception was empty, except for the awful sports coach and the receptionist, who were chatting animatedly. The receptionist was a tall young man in his early twenties, dressed up formally. Sarah glanced at her wristwatch. It was a gift from Ajay.
Out of the 30 minutes, five had already flown by. Now she had to figure out a good excuse to walk out of the hotel so late into the night, while being watched by a vocally inquisitive sports teacher and an equally curious polite-acting receptionist. Great.
Sarah sighed inwardly and sat down in one of the many armchairs arranged in the reception. She picked up a magazine from the coffee table and pretended to leaf through it while she tried to eavesdrop on the pair's conversation. But it wasn't very easy.
Sarah waited like that anxiously for a few minutes. Amazingly, the coach did not spot her. Perhaps because the lights were dimmed now. Fifteen minutes later, Sarah was beginning to think the conversation would take forever and she reached down into her pocket for her phone. She had to tell Ajay now that, unfortunately, she couldn't make it, thanks to the talkative sports coach.
Damn it!! She'd forgotten her mobile phone in her room. Forget it.
She was almost going to return to her room when the coach finally ended the conversation and walked across the reception to the elevator, still unaware of Sarah's presence.
Sarah smiled inwardly. She walked to the door. The receptionist was busily sorting through some papers, and he did not seem to notice her. But suddenly, he called out.
"Yes ma'am?"
"Oh, hello. I just thought I could check the parking lot for a lost ring." She spoke, amazed at how easily she could lie.
"Is it valuable?"
"Not really." She randomly picked a metal. "It was a bronze one," She added quickly. "A gift,"
"Er...I'll have someone look for it the first thing next morning ma'am. I think it's really cold out there" he was looking at her curiously now.
"That's fine," she said. She walked over to the desk. "Well, I could not sleep. I just thought I'd have a look."
"Ah,"
"So what was it all about? The lady, the sports coach...what was she talking about?" She had to talk him into it now, otherwise he might get curious.
"Oh," He said, caught off guard. "Um...nothing much. She was just saying about how girls sometimes sneak out for a bit of fun, you know," He smiled a little, as if signalling to a well-known thing. What? "She was just warning me to keep my eyes peeled in the night. So no girl gets out." He chuckled. Then he went on to talk of the number of tourists that year, and how pollution in the hill station was increasing.
She felt like rolling her eyes. This was getting boring. It was way past the 30 minutes now, and poor Ajay, he must be shivering in that cold.
She was beginning to think of other quicker excuses, when the phone on the desk rang and he answered it. She glanced at the clock, and seriously thought about giving up the whole thing.
But he turned away from her speaking into the phone busily and she quickly slipped out of the main gate.

She hastily walked across the hotel's parking lot, into the woods. She stopped. She looked out in every direction, but she couldn't see anyone in the silvery moonlight.
The trees shed creeping shadows and an owl hooted nearby. She swallowed. It was scary.
She called out his name and uncertainly walked a few steps deeper into the woods. The ice-cold wind whistled through the trees. Her heart beat was fast now. She was afraid.
For four minutes, she saw no one. Then she heard someone walking. Her heart gave a lurch. The tall shadow approached her and she hastily grabbed him by the shoulders and hugged him hard. His warmth was reassuring.
"Ajay, I'm so sorry I was late. You won't imagine," She paused, her head against his shoulder. She did not let go. "There was that nosy sports coach and a talkative receptionist. Whatever, it is nice to meet you."
He grunted.
"She blabbered on. "Good news, did you say? I mean did you talk to your parents? I know. But it is a surprise you came here. After all the fuss you made back in the staff room about not coming...and I had to deal with a nosey receptionist, plus the usual sports coach..." Her voice trailed off.
He sighed a little and moved away.
"Ajay, I'm sorry. It's so cold. Just don't go like that."
He cleared his throat.
"Ajay, are you okay? Love?"
He pried her grip away from him now and held her at an arm's length. Sarah panicked inwardly. What was going on? Suddenly the man seemed too tall to be Ajay. And what was on his neck? A woolen scarf?
"Er...ma'am?" the receptionist's voice said. It rang through Sarah's ears. Suddenly her ears and neck felt too hot. Embarrassment swept through her. What had she done?
"The coach wanted to give you an extra blanket but she couldn't find you in your room and your phone was lying on the dresser and the door was open. She couldn't find you elsewhere. So she called the reception to ask me if you had gone out somewhere...and...I....umm..."
"Stop," Sarah pleaded weakly, too embarrassed. Of course, he must have told the coach she was right there, talking, when he turned around to find her gone out. Concerned, he had looked for her in the parking lot, where she should be looking for the lost ring. When he couldn't find her, he proceeded into the woods where he found her and she had....
As she realised this and regretted, he was already walking away, perhaps just as embarrassed as herself. A moment later, Sarah walked to the hotel and then into to her room, thinking furiously of Ajay. Where had he been?
As she closed the door, she caught a glimpse of her mobile phone on the dresser and found two messages from Ajay at 11:15 pm and 11: 20 p.m.
"Sarah, sorry our recptnist is asleep and he has locked the main gate. Moron!! I am so sorry. C u at Sunrise cafe at 7 am 2morrow for brkfst. (I'll pay)"
Then at 11:20 pm. "Sweet dreams.:)): )"
Sarah flopped down on the bed, feeling sheepish. She smiled a little at her folly, then before she knew it, she was asleep.

The next morning, she walked out hastily amid sleepy faced, but excited sounding students, who were being briefed (unsuccesfully) about safety while ascending the local hills. Sarah walked out of the gate and into the crisp morning air. She found the cafe without difficulty.
Ajay was all apologies, and over croissants and coffee he told her the good news. But she was looking out of the window, smiling bemusedly.
"Sarah?" He asked, confused. "Are you listening?"
"Yes...I..."
"My parents said yes," he grinned.
Sarah grinned back.
Then he pulled out a small ring from his breast pocket.
"I thought this little bronze ring which I bought from a train station hawker would suffice till we reach Delhi and shop for proper engagement rings," he said, and without warning he slipped the ring onto her finger. "Wow, it fits your finger!"
Sarah laughed so much she had to wipe her tears with a tissue.