Broken Hug

Fai, the Planner

Another taxi flashed by, slowed down and halted. Stepping on to the pavement was Fai.

Rohan’s heart thumped. He quickly paid for the drink and crossed the street. Moving with quick steps, he pushed open the large big glass door. The entrance was empty except the two security guards sitting inside. Fai was on the last step of the first flight. She turned for the next flight. Rohan took the first flight and when he reached the end of that flight, Fai was entering the gallery. He tiptoed ahead. He was at the door. The gallery was empty save her. She was looking at the painting of the old man. Light fell on the entire painting.

 He tiptoed closer to her. He stood behind.

“Isn’t it a nice painting?”

She swung.

And she froze for some seconds.

Her eyes suddenly opened wider. Her mouth into a big O. She gazed at the human being in front of her. She blinked. Her hand instantly shot up to her mouth; her eyes widened further. Next she brought her hand down.

“Yes,” he whispered. “It’s me. Rohan.” He shook his head. “Raw-han.” And he rested his arms on her shoulders.

“What?” she kept on staring at him open-mouthed. “Your flight?”

He smiled. “I cancelled it.” He nodded.

A mark of disbelief glinted in her eyes. He shook her shoulders. “Hello. Yes. I cancelled it.” And he wrapped his arms around her.

She still found it hard to believe it was Rohan. Her arms lay hanging loose by her side, while his arms were wrapped around her. The only thing that she sensed was the smell of his body. She closed her eyes and the smell began filling her mind. And she pictured both of them, she and he, together in the room and as their bodies came together in nudity yesterday, it was the smell in his body that brought the primeval attitude in her to locate him now, as human beings and animals would follow the scent of their partners and single him or her out from the common herd.

Fai’s hands went up, they touching his body to examine if he was her real partner. She took her nose close to his throat and breathed in a deep breath. She buried her nose into his hair, close to his ears and his neck. And with closed eyes she inhaled, studying the smell. “Yes, it’s him,” her instincts announced. “It’s Rohan, your Raw-han.” Her arms drew into a natural close around his body. She kissed his neck and buried her face in his hair as if confirming to her instinct that this was him.

Her arms loosened their hold and both the lovers looked into each other’s face and smiled. He put his arm around her shoulder and walked to the door and down the stairs. The security guards were seated, deep in conversation. He went up to them in slow steps. Sensing someone next to them, they looked up at him and paused in the midst of their conversation.

“You know,” Rohan smiled, looking at one from the other. “I was supposed to go back to my country today. But I’m not going. And that’s because I want to spend more time with this lady.” And he pointed to her and he smiled again.

The two guards only looked at him, their mouths open.

“I love this lady.” He then turned to Fai. “Tell them what I’m saying. They don’t seem to understand anything even after my strong and beautiful Thai language.”

Fai looked at him, smiling. She turned to the guards and rattled off in Thai. He could only make out the Khop khun ka trailing at the end. They smiled and nodded. They looked at him and smiled.

She held Rohan’s hand and began proceeding towards the main door.

“What did you tell them,” he asked when they were out on the pavement.

“I told them,” she was smiling, “that this friend of mine loves me and he is not going to India today because he has cancelled his ticket, and so is very happy.”

They walked to his hotel. Once in his room, he told her his plan.

“I would want to check out of the guest house,” he said. “As I’ll be here for two weeks, it’s better I take up a place that’s economical.”

She thought for a while. “You know, there are condominiums that rent out their rooms. And advertisements appear in the newspapers.” She paused. “Okhay, you want coffee?”

“Oh yea. Yea.” He said. “Two. Anything else you’d prefer?”

“Yes. Ask for today’s paper.”

He called up at the room service, then at the reception for the paper.

She came and sat closer to him. “That was a surprise. A big one to throw me off. I think the best gift.” She held his hand. “Yes, you will get a place in a condo.”

“Now that I have to stay alone, I’ll have to pay the full amount of BHT 1,800/- per day,” he said. “Till today, we divided it, and it came to one-third.”

“Um, now it will come to,” and Fai calculated, “BHT 25, 200/-“

The coffee arrived and so did The Bangkok Post.

Fai opened the classified advertisement page. She ran her eyes.

“Yes,” she said. “There’s one, but it’s close to the airport. And here there are two more. But they too are quite far.”

He began to wonder at the outcome.  A look of anxiety trapped his face.

“It’s okahy Raw-han,” and she held his hand. “Something will work out.”

She dug her hand into her pocket and fished out her cell phone. She Googled to the condominiums in Bangkok. He sat next to her and both went through the various sites.

“There are quite a lot, but mostly about ten kilometers from this place.” She looked up. “Would you take up one?”

“No, Fai.” He looked at the couch and then here and there. “I would want to stay somewhere around here.”

She poured the coffee into the cups. They sipped in silence. After a while, keeping her cup on the saucer, she looked up at him.

“Listen to this.” Her eyes brightened. “You come and stay with me.”

It took him some time to swallow what he heard.

“And your parents?” he questioned. “What will you tell them?”

She smiled. “I will sneak you in.”

“But how will I not ever come face to face with them? Two weeks is not a short time as far as hiding and staying is concerned.”

“I’m not saying you hide in my room for that many days. Come today, and I’m sure something will work out about a condominium.” 

“Ok,” he said at last seeing the conviction in her tone.

“Let’s go now. Now because my dad’s in his shop.”

“Your mom’s too at office?”

She looked at him. “I don’t have a mom. She passed away when I was three years old.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He put his hand on hers.

“I was raised by my aunt, dad’s sister.” She gave a small smile. “Let’s go. You can pay the bill at the reception.”

“The room rent till today has already been cleared,” he said. He checked the cupboard, she brought his toiletries from the wash room and checked the drawers. Standing at the door he swept his eyes over the entire room, nodded at himself, before taking the lift.

Paying the bill and signing in the check out column of the register, he smiled at the receptionist and came out. Fai stopped a taxi, and they got in. She told the driver their destination and the taxi sped off.

She sat back leaning against the back rest. Turning her face to him, she smiled. “A new adventure. I’m feeling nice.” And she sighed. “And what about you?”

He was thinking of the consequences of being caught. Her father might think him to be an intruder and complain to the police. In the eyes of the law he was a tourist.

He looked at her. “What are the laws against a tourist quietly getting into the house of a citizen when he has come for a holiday?”

Fai laughed.

“May I know what makes you laugh?” he enquired.

“Well, at the face you have made.” She put her arms around him. “Raw-han, everything will be fine.”

“Well, may you tell me how things will be fine?” he forced a laugh, but it was little.

“Well you see, you are a tourist and as you say, come for a holiday.” She paused in her South-East Asian accent. “And as you have asked me about the laws of Thailand against a tourist for getting into someone’s house, let me tell you this. You are not secretly coming into my house, but you are coming because I’m bringing you.”

He looked out of the window. “But,” he began, “I’ll be hiding in your house, so I’m not less than an intruder.”

“Um, from your point you are true. But think. Are you actually coming quietly into my house? So if by chance my father finds out, I’ll say I have invited you, and that you are my friend.” She kissed him on the cheek.