Never Beyond Me

"Sorry, your name is not in the list. Did you register?" Merlyn got the shock of her life. Blinking away her tears, she looked around for some familiar face. Once again she had to handle a crucial moment without anyone to give her the support.

"Relax, relax, relax." She told herself again and again. In her hectic schedule, she did not have the time to go and recharge her mobile. The minimum balance in the prepaid mobile account made her feel jittery.

Watching her trembling with nervousness, Arun called her. “Excuse me, May I help you?” Merlyn looked at him and thanked him.

"Wait," saying so, she called her colleague who has not yet arrived at the venue. Her colleague asked her to meet the secretary and explain the problem. She also asked Merlyn to tell him that she will be presenting her paper in the conference and she has received the confirmation from the conference committee also.

"Hi, I know where the secretary is. He is there at the symposium hall in the first floor," told Arun.

Merlyn thanked him and climbed the stairs fast and reached the secretary in minutes. She explained him the problem.

"Don’t panic! You can still present your paper." The secretary assured her with a smile. He looked at Arun and asked him to get the conference kit and hand it over to her. Merlyn took out her bottle of water and helped herself with a few gulps of it to relax herself. It took some time for her to be normal. In the meanwhile, Arun brought her the conference kit and told her that the first session will be starting soon in the symposium hall.

Merlyn entered the symposium hall and settled at the corner seat in the front row. From that place, she could view the dais clearly. Sometime later, Arun came inside the hall and took the seat right behind her. The morning session went on as usual with paper presentations and discussion by panel members and guest speakers. After the speech by the key note speaker, the session came to an end and everyone rushed out of the hall to have their lunch.

Merlyn reached the place where they served the buffet lunch. After filling the plate with food, she searched for a place to sit.

"Excuse me! You can sit here." With a smile, Arun invited her to sit in the vacant chair near him.

"Thank you!" Merlyn smiled at him. "Thanks for all the help! May I know something about you?"

"I don’t have anything to tell about me. I am doing my research program here. My professor asked me to come and help the organizers."

After lunch, Merlyn reached the room where she has to present her paper. After two of the delegates presented their papers, Merlyn walked to the stage to present her paper. The laptop that worked fine till then started to misbehave. There was some problem with the LCD projector and she could not project the presentation on the screen. As her colleague presented her paper in another room, Merlyn looked around for some help. Like an angel to help her when in trouble, Arun came inside with his laptop. Without uttering a word, he helped her to set the laptop and project the presentation on the screen.

"It is ready. You can proceed," saying so, Arun smiled at her. Feeling so relieved at heart, Merlyn continued to present her paper. After the paper presentation, the delegates left the venue for sight seeing. Merlyn joined the team as she opted to go around the city and relax for a while. As usual Merlyn did not have anyone to accompany her and so she occupied the window seat so that she can spend her time looking out. Right from her school days, she did not have any intimate friend. Even if she gets someone close, that relationship did not last long. Gradually, she turned toward books and spent her time reading, reading and reading. This made her an introvert and she slowly started to enjoy herself being alone. Though it was painful in the beginning, she learned to grow along with loneliness and also to accept it. This only made her reluctantly accept even the help that Arun volunteered. She felt her heart distanced from everyone around her and somehow found it difficult to accept even a help from her well wisher. Though she tried to come out of her shell and behave normally with every one around, still something made her stay aloof.

On their way to Mahabalipuram, they stopped at the famous Theosophical Society at Adyar. Though Merlyn has been living there in Chennai for more than twenty years, she never got the chance to go there. She has read so much about the Society and has eagerly listened to her friends when they narrate their experience inside the campus of the Society. In the middle of the city, nature has created a paradise to enjoy. Rich greenery with beautiful flowers beautified the campus and till now it is a retreat for nature lovers. Merlyn could feel the breeze from the sea shore once she entered the campus. The guide who accompanied told them about the history of the society. He also told about the different kinds of plants and trees inside the campus.

When they started to walk in the well laid path to see the oldest Banyan tree inside the campus, it started to drizzle and brought in a romantic atmosphere. The chill air and the bountiful nature made her heart palpitate with cheerful feelings and with a sigh she thought how it will be if her beloved be there.

As an answer to her thought, Arun replied her from behind. "Hello! Can I join you?"

"Yes. It is my pleasure," Merlyn replied with a smile.

"Wow! Look at the climate. It is so nice."

"Is this the first time you are coming here?" Arun asked her.

"Yes. I have never been here."

"Oh." Arun impressed her by telling the botanical names of trees and plants inside the campus. After looking at the Temple of light, the beautiful church, and the Zoroastrian Temple, everyone went to the library. Arun accompanied Merlyn as a silent listener. Merlyn, who continued to talk her heart out, suddenly stopped talking. "Look!" she pointed out to Arun. Two cobras entwined together in love stood near a bush. Merlyn held Arun’s right hand tightly and looked at the cobras with fear in her eyes. Their day suddenly turned out to be a romantic one. Arun wished her to be always with him and never go beyond him.