Chapter 3 Back Home, Encountering A Stranger

• (REYA'S POV)
• “I am going back to Kingsterdom.”
• I have to go back regardless, I want to go or not. My sister needs me. With that thought in mind, I removed the needle that was inserted in my hand and got up from the bed. A little blood oozed out of my hand. Avimay came forward to support me but Aarush beat her to it. He stepped forward, placing one hand on my back and the other on my shoulder, helping me to stand up.
• I excused myself and went to bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, water running down from the faucet, I looked myself in the mirror. I was a total mess. My face was all pale. Hair was all matted. There were huge dark circles under my eyes and my lips were all chapped and lost its color. It was like that someone has sucked the life out of me. I was looking like a ghost.
• Splashing my face with cold water multiple times, rubbing my eyes vigorously, I tried to compose myself.
• 'No, I cannot break down, Marsha Di needs me.'
• With this determination in mind, I dried my face with a towel and got out of the bathroom. Avimay tried to support me again but I refused. "No need, I am not that weak."
• Respecting my words, she did not divulged any further. Then she spoke up, “I have booked your flight to Kingsterdom. It is 10 o’clock tonight. I would have come with you but one of us has to stay here because of that raw material issue. I will finish that task and be there as soon as possible.”
• “As I told you, I am not that feeble. I will be alright going alone. You don’t have to stress on it much. Take care of the company matters first, it is very important as well”, I spoke, trying to sound fine. Then taking out my suitcase I started picking my clothes out of the closet to pack them. I went to the bathroom to gather all my essentials and zipped them in with other items, packed inside my other bag. There was not much to pack as I will not be staying there for long.
• __________________________________________________
• *Around 8:50 p.m.*
• Taking my things out of the house, I glanced at my place one more time. Somehow, I had a feeling that I would not be able to return to this place in the near future. Shaking my head from side to side, I subsided that feeling within me. “I will be back after the funeral processions are over”, thinking like that I got out of my house.
• Aarush helped me with my bags and kept them in Avimay’s car.
• *Sigh* “Let’s go”. We all sat in the car and headed towards the airport.
• The street lights were brighter than normal and all the places we passed by were lit up with diyas and decorative lights. Everyone on the streets were lighting fireworks and sparklers but there was all darkness in my heart. The world was all shimmering and glowing but I was all gloomy. I felt like a person who has not eaten in days and when the food is sitting right in from of them but they still cannot eat it. The car was moving fast but the time passed by at a very slow pace.
• At about 9:30 p.m., we arrived at the airport. I got out of the car and taking my luggage out from the car’s trunk, I started heading towards the entrance. Avimay stopped me mid way and handed me a statue of Lord Shiva. “Keep it with you. It will give you strength”.
• Holding the statue, my eyes got all teary. I knew that it was the most treasured possession that VMay had. Taking a deep breath, I replied, “Thank you VMay. I will keep it with me at all times and return it to you when I am back”. We both hugged and cried.
• Interrupting both of us, Aarush said to VMay, “Avimay, Let Reya go otherwise she will miss her flight”. Holding herself together, VMay let go off me and we said our goodbyes.
• Without looking back, I headed inside the airport. There was not much rush at the airport, it was almost empty. I sat inside and waited for the announcement for boarding the plane. With boarding pass, passport and the statue in my hand, thoughts of all what had happened on that day kept coming to my mind. Jeff’s calls, the news article, Jaden’s demise, Marsha’s condition, everything kept on repeating in my head. Suddenly, the announcement for boarding for the flight to Kingsterdom broke my chain of thoughts.
• Getting up from the bench, I directed my steps towards the boarding gate. Checking my boarding pass, the air hostess, in an extremely polite manner, showed me my designated seat. Keeping my bag in the cabinet and holding the statue of Lord Shiva, I settled down in my seat for the long journey ahead. I kept the statue in my pocket for safeguarding.
• As the announcement to fasten the seatbelt were made, the flight took off, I watched the scenery of lighting and fireworks getting smaller and smaller. The dimly lit view made me all emotional as I did not know what was about to come.
• I sighed and closed my eyes, as exhaustion took over me.
• ________________________________________________
• About four and a half hours later, the journey came to an end as the flight descended at Kingsterdom. Gathering all my stuff, taking my essentials’ bag out of the cabinet, I got off the plane. Waiting for my suitcase, I glanced outside. My entire view was filled with white color, as it was all covered in snow sheet.
• I felt cold, freezing cold, as I looked down at my clothing. I was in a casual black blouse with a blue pair of jeans and white sneakers, my go to wearables. I forgot all about the weather here in Kingsterdom as the winter here is not the as same as winter back home, with hardly any snowfall there. My suitcase appeared amongst the swamp of baggages on the luggage belt. I rushed to claim my bag when I noticed that somebody else has already taken a hold of it. That person started walking towards the exit with my luggage in his hand, bewildered, I ran behind him hasitly, calling him out ,“Excuse me, Mr., but I think you are holding my suitcase.
• A gentle and well bred faced dude came into my view. I must say, he was quite the looker with his strawberry blonde hair and hazel colored eyes. He was wearing an off white handmade sweater with a maroon shaded muffler around his neck, paired with a pair of dark blue denim jeans and black leather boots. He took his earphones off and looked at me, confusion quite evident in his eyes. He peered at me and then at his sleeve simultaneously where subconsciously I was griping it.
• Abruptly, letting go off his sleeve I apologized and stated, “Sorry, but the suitcase in your possession is mine”.
• Giving it a glance, he replied, “Ummmm and how can you prove it that this is yours?”, he said with a curious look in his eyes.
• “Mine has a small VK badge near the lock. Take a look at it, you'll know.”
• Searching for it, he immediately saw the badge and got flustered and returned the bag. “I am so sorry Ms. I was in a hurry and didn’t see whose luggage I got hold off. Mine is the same as yours, just no badge."
• “It’s ok. Then”, courteously I nodding at him and started making my exit towards the gate when he suddenly stopped me mid way.
• “Ms, I want to apologize to you properly. Please, can you tell me your name and give me your phone number”.
• 'Huhhh, is he trying to flirt with me or what' I thought. Same old tricks, too naive.'
• “You have already said your sorry and I have already accepted it. So, the matter is done and dusted already, now I will be off”.
• “Ok, but here’s my card. In case, you change your mind. And here”, saying this he gave me a charming and boyish smile and handed over his maroon colored woollen muffler. “Your clothes are not suited for this weather. It will keep you warm”. Out of politeness, I took his card from his hand, thanked him and went ahead to the exit point, giving him a practiced smile in return.
• Coming out of the airport, I was greeted with a bone chilling windy surrounding. Rubbing my hands together from all the cold I was feeling, I hugged the muffler tightly, buried half my face in it and took a glance at the business card which read, ‘ATLAS ROOT, CEO Root Textiles’.
• 'He seems too young to be a CEO, and how does it matter to me?'
• Keeping it in my side bag, I hailed a cab. The cab driver enquired about my destination and I told him to take me to Grace Hospital, Kingsterdom’s most prominent and well known medical centre as all the high class and important figures gets their treatment there. The facilities there are all top notch and they are said to be good at keeping their patients' condition confidential.
• The driver, an elderly man noticed my chattering teeth and shivering, glanced at my outfit, which was clearly not suitable for the weather conditions out there. He had sympathy and pity written all over his face. In a very polite and kind manner he asked me, “Ms, Aren’t you feeling cold? Would you like to go to a clothing store first”.
• “Thank you, would love that”, I replied with a genuine smile.
• To be continued. . . . . . . . . .