Maya - The Shadow

The day was half way through when he pressed the brakes of his brand new SUV! He didn’t realise he had already reached Naldehra, a hemlet in southwest Himachal! Was it the power of the mean machine he was driving or the beautiful deodar covered valleys on the sides of the road or if it was the mist in the air that made his journey so enjoyable, he didn’t know. Or may be it was something else that pulled him to this place? The fragrance he had inhaled only once, a decade back! The fragrance that still lingered in every breath he took! The fragrance that was  one of its kinds, no Jimmy Choo or Gucci perfume in the world could match! And a fragrance he was ready to drive 350kms for, without the assurance of actually getting to it! That was the magic of Maya! She was the divine and the devil together in one body! She was the master and the mistress together in one body! She was the strength and the frailty together in one body! She was all grace and yet complete mess in one body! 

While he was completely entangled in his own thoughts, the security guard walked upto him, “ you have a check-in sir?”

“Yes! A room in the name of Neel Khurana!”

“ Go straight and the reception is your left sir! Have a pleasant stay!”

He stepped on the accelerator again and the car just zoomed up the slope!

He was in his own zone anticipating what lies ahead while the check in formalities were completed reflexly and he was escorted to his room! The resort had the main building with the reception, the bar, the restaurant and the activity area in it and then across a lush green lawn were two buildings on either side of the road. These two buildings housed the rooms for guests! When the room boy guided him to the building on his left, he enquired gently, “ The rooms in the opposite building must be valley facing!”

“ Yes sir, but don’t worry, your room has a private lawn!”

“ That’s nice, but is it possible to change it to a valley facing room?”

“ I’m sorry sir, but the entire block has been booked by a multinational company! They are having a get together for their employees from all over India this weekend here. You are lucky you got a room. Did you book it a few months back?”

“ No, I booked it last week!” Neel had said that with a wicked smile.

“ That’s amazing sir! Have a pleasant stay!”

He was left to himself, admiring the decor of the room! The sparkling floor, the neatly laid bed with the special towel art and well folded covers and that elegant couch! The room was cosy and inviting! He had arranged the mass booking for the MNC in the hotel. While looking at the data of the employees, he had accidentally noticed her name. It was such a peculiar name, it had to be her! Maya Vashisht! Wasn’t a common name. He dug out a little more to confirm and he was sure it was her! For two days he kept fiddling with what he could possibly do with that piece of information! The woman he had wanted all his life but was foolish enough to let go, was travelling to a place that was well with in his reach! And after two days of juggling, the voice in his head was echoing loud and clear! “ Go you fool, grab your only chance! They don’t come every other day!” And with his influence of being a successful travel agent, he had managed to book a room for himself for the exactly same two days! Bingo! He was here!!!

He didn’t know for sure the room she would be in or if she had arrived already or not! What if she didn’t come? What if he didn’t get to see her? She would be with her colleagues in the specially designated areas rather that loitering around in the restaurant or the activity area! He couldn’t figure out how could he possibly ascertain bumping into her?” He eventually left it to destiny. The only thing he was sure of was that she wouldn’t be coming to his room so he needed to be out as much as possible! On that note he decided to take a shower. He clearly remembered how much she loved the sight of freshly bathed good smelling man! She had just clung to him when he had stepped out of his shower! She would bury her face in his bare hairy chest and breath in deeply! He had said “ stop being so bitchy Maya!” And she spontaneously winked at him and said “ can’t help it you dog, your pheromones turn me so on!”

The cold water from the shower shook him! It took him a few seconds to acclimatise but it was the therapy that always worked for him after a long drive! He gently rubbed all his body with the eucalyptus shower gel! He felt like cleansing each cell of his skin for if she touches him, he should be upto the mark! Ohhhh! He was completely loosing his sanity. He finished his shower and wrapped himself in the bath robe! While stepping out he admired himself in the full length mirror just outside the washroom! And then he slipped off the robe to look at his manhood in all its glory! When was the last time he had felt so hard on? That was the black magic only Maya could have on him! He wanted her, wanted her so bad right then! But then he needed to look for her, so decided to get dressed and move out! 

It was drizzling! He took one of the umbrellas from the main door of his block and stepped out on the road! Across the road a bunch of women came out of the other building. He couldn’t see them clearly because of the drizzle! He slowed down his pace so that he could follow them while they walked to the main building that was about a couple of hundred meters away!  Maya was thin built and small! These women walking in front of him were larger so to say! He felt almost disappointed! Suddenly one of them turned around and after a couple of seconds of gazing here and there asked him “ could you please click a picture for us?”

“Sure!”

She handed him her phone while the other four girls adjusted themselves in front of red ixora flowers that brightened up the otherwise mystified surroundings! 

He obliged them with a few shots, some poses and a few candid ones just when they left the huddle! The girls were impressed with his photography skills! One of them chose to hit at him “I’ve hardly ever seen a man who looks so good and clicks even better! It’s good to have you around!” He couldn’t help blushing! Though he was quite used to getting compliments but they were almost always much more understated! This girl was already high he guessed and quickly moved away from them!

He almost hopped towards the main building! Through the reception area, to it’s left was their restaurant! The large windows from floor to ceiling looked across the lawn   over to the building she was supposed to be staying in. He quickly slipped into a chair from where he could see people getting in and out of that block! The waiter came and he gave his order without lifting an eyebrow! His eyes were fixed on the road! And she appeared dressed in a white flowing gown like a goddess, she walked upto him and with her knuckles tapped on the glass that was standing tall between them. He rose up like a knight and swung open the door! She hugged him tightly and he could hardly breath! It felt like an eternity before he had soaked in the feelings of astonishment and amazement that the waiter came and served his tea and cold sandwiches. He was still seated in his chair, with the glass door closed. He couldn’t help smiling at his day dreaming! It couldn’t be that easy, finding her! He had always believed that nothing worthwhile ever came this easy. On the road It was mostly men so his hopes kept declining just as he finished the last bite of his sandwich! He thought to himself, maybe he couldn’t see clearly because of the drizzle and missed noticing her! Could he have missed noticing her? Missed noticing Maya, the woman he visualised a hundred times each day! He knew exactly how she looked! He had stalked her on social media, though he couldn’t access any information she chose not to make public, he had looked at all her profile pictures on all possible accounts, be it WhatsApp or linked in! It was from the latter that he found out that she was working for the company he was arranging this hotel for! 

Her face looked a little plump in her last few pictures! May be she has put on weight! She would look good even if she was a bit ’fuller’! She was skinny when he had met her last, but that was a decade back! After all age catches up with everyone! Though he had always taken care of his body! He wasn’t lean built but he had maintained his fitness! She would love to run her fingers on his toned arms! He longed for her fingers, as if they were the magic wands that could put life into his otherwise dead body! He had tried dating a couple of women in last ten years but he could never make love to them. He saw her in them and compared them with her only to be disappointed and they were invariably disappointed by him because he was always gazing into the infinity beyond them, as if they were completely invisible. Eventually he had given up on the idea of finding a partner, a few years back. He was better off on his own with her memories!

His food was finished and he got out of the restaurant and strolled into the well manicured lawn! The landscaping at its end seemed intriguing so he decided to check it out! The little red rocky hill looked bathed due to recent downpour! The boundary had a lot of wires hanging around, as if they were guarding a treasure inside! His treasure, he thought and smiled to himself! He suddenly realised he had been on auto smile mode since he had left home this morning! He forcibly controlled his expressions and overlooked the lawn boundary wall. He was awestruck by the sight. A cloud was running down a hill  and completely engulfed every structure that came its way! Ohhhhh! If only he could have been there under that magnanimous cloud! Ohhhh! If he could have Maya with him in this moment! She loved it outdoors! The balcony of her house was the most well kept and decorated area! The hanging plants, the grass carpet, the carved table and chairs, those sculptures she had brought from her visits to different cities, he had thought were overcrowding but he hadn’t dare say a word against! She was obsessed with each one of them! For her they were not just her travel stories but her best friends, who listened to her each night patiently without any prejudices! He was sure she loved them more than she loved him and she would surely kill him for anyone of them! He giggled back into present!

He settled into one of chairs in lawn. The weather was clear now! Looking out for her face in every single person walking around, he completely lost his track of time! It was only when he found it difficult to delineate the faces, that he realised it was already 7:30pm! He then gave up the idea of sighting her for she must be up for the dinner by now…. If at all she had come! He resigned to his fate only knowing he had one more day, that is tomorrow! Ohhh Maya! Where are you? He yelled like crazy. But only he could hear himself for it echoed in his own mind!

With his head down he walked into the bar! It was almost empty except for a couple sitting in one of the corners! They looked at him and probably thought of him as an intruder into their privacy! Guess the bar tender was deaf and blind! He chose to sit on the main table with his back towards them and the door! The bartender was a pleasant looking man in his thirties. 

“ what’s your speciality here?” He asked

“ are you sure you would want to try it sir?”

“Why not! I’m trying my luck anyways, may be your drink can change the course of events!” He laughed hysterically.

“ I’m not so sure about that sir, but it would surely pamper your pallet! Should I make it for you sir?” He sounded like a school boy excited by a new assignment.

“ yes please!” Neel said with anticipation

He observed the boy over the next couple of minutes as he poured different things into the shaker and then with a lot of panache served his drink as if it was the most exquisite diamond on this earth! The boy loved his craft and he could tell that with the way he handled everything, with so much tenderness!