[6]

We pulled in before a house. I thought we would check in into a hotel.
He stopped right outside the house and chivalrous, as we know him, he came out opened the door of the car for me.

“Where are we? What is this place? And…and whose house is this? Why did you bring me here?” I threw a series of questions at him.

“Okay! I know you have questions. I will definitely answer them one by one but please, first get in.”

“Ah! Well! I don’t know you…I mean we met a couple of times…And why should I get in with you?”

“Trust me.”

I shouldn’t. Right?

I followed him, anyway, a few steps behind him, in case I have to run.
He went to the door and knocked. The door opened and a lady in her mid-sixties stepped forward. She was overwhelmed to see us and hugged us…him first, and then me. She invited us in.

“Do you like cookies, my dear?” she asked me.

“Yes…Ma’am. Sure.” I said, hesitatingly.

I don’t know where he went. He still hasn’t answered my questions. But my curiosity was at work. I started looking for my own answers. I found photographs by the window. I went to see them. Soon one question was answered. The lady is his grandmother.

“Ya, she is my Granny.” I heard his voice from behind me.

“I got that.” I reply smiling. I had never met any of my own, and I always wondered what it feels to have them. But… “Why did you bring me here?”

“Well I guess I wanted to visit her and we were on our way with no fixed destination…so I thought why not pay them a visit?” he said smiling.

Was this the reason? Or was it something else? I didn’t ask, he didn’t say. Topic closed. For now.

“How long are you two staying here?”, we turned to find Granny behind us. Ya, I called her that. I looked at him to answer. It was my question too, although I hadn’t asked him.

“Will be leaving in half an hour.”

“What?! Do you think I will leave you this easily?”

“Gran, I have a job. She too does. And we never planned to come here in the first place.”

“No. You two are not going anywhere. You finally bring your girlfriend to visit your Granny and stay for what just mere 45 minutes? I thought you are better that that!”

“No…No…” I protested.

“Gran…firstly, she is just a friend. We were stressed with our jobs, needed some fresh air so we came here. But…we can’t stay.”

“No. Call your bosses and take a day off. You and your friend are staying. One day won’t hurt. The world will survive. Plus it’s just an hour drive. Leave early the next morning you will reach there on time.”

“I really can’t. We are working on an important project right now. The deadline is in three days. I would have stayed if I could.” I told her.

She heard me. She was silent for a few moment and then she said “Okay. Then just tonight. Go tomorrow morning. I will make arrangements for you.”

“But! But!” She put a finger to her lips. I looked at him, helplessly. To my surprise, he simply shrugged. Great!
[To be continued…]