A Chance Meeting

"And what have you concluded so far?"

"Three things. First, you are not a threat to me. Second, you live alone, no wife, no children, no girlfriend. Third, you are easily distracted. You wanted some answers from me but got strayed on the way. You need refocusing."

"So far, so good."

"Last, but not the least, you are very handsome," she interrupted me. "Which is a problem because you also seem like a pervert, judging by the way you keep ogling my body; trying to see down my cleavage or up my legs. But I guess it's natural since I have such gorgeous breasts and sexy legs. And I have been kind of testing you."

"You bloody wicked woman!"

"Okay, now that I've said it all out, can I have something to eat? I'm starving."

"What would the lady like to have as late night dinner?" I asked with mocked reverence.

"Oh, a fruit salad, no vinegar, no onion, but lots of mozzarella cheese, and a glass of red wine," she quipped with the same superior-to-you smile. But then she added almost pleadingly. "Seriously, I am feeling very hungry after all the adrenaline that had run in my body since the beginning of this adventure. Now that things have calmed down I crave for food."

"OK. Let me see what I can do."

With this I went into the kitchen to find something to give my guest. There were some biscuits on the shelves, some fruits in the fridge and the leftovers from my lunch of the day. Beena had followed me into the kitchen and grabbed the plate from my hands. Without losing time she started eating using her fingers.

It was so funny. A filthily rich girl in my kitchen, voraciously eating my leftovers and with her fingers.

I almost started laughing. Suddenly, she stopped, complained about the food being too spicy but kept on eating. That's when I burst out laughing.

"Not fair!" she cried out with her mouth still full.

Still laughing, I filled a glass of water and handed it to her.

"You must be savouring the one chance you got to enjoy the upper hand on me tonight," she taunted.

I just nodded, realising at that precise moment that it was completely true. I had been kind and foolish enough to let her manipulate me the whole evening.

When she finally finished the plate, I took out another half filled take away container and handed it to her.

"Here, you may finish this if you want," I said teasingly.

To my utter surprise she took it and started eating again. She was doing it because she was real hungry and not because I was teasing her. Finally, I pulled out a chair and led her to sit on it. Then, I left for the spare bedroom to make the bed for my rich uninvited guest.

This room is usually my working space from home because I rarely receive guests due to my odd hours of work. There were a lot of files, document holders lying here and there. On the bed was laid a heap washed clothes that I planned to iron and fold on the next day. I know it sounds odd considering my obsession for order, but it was the workspace. Some bits of information were in this sheet, some in another. This chaos was ordered. I knew exactly where each item was and could restore them quickly.

I started by collecting the documents for work first and put them in their pre defined spaces. For the clothes, I pulled together the four corners of the bed sheet, made it in a ball and laid it in a corner. I will keep it in my room later. Next, I took out a fresh sheet and spread it on the bed. When the bed was made, I went in the kitchen to inform Beena that the bed was made and show her the way.

But she was not in the kitchen. I went to the bathroom. Not there too. Room by room I searched for her everywhere in the house. But she was nowhere to be found. I started worrying. By the time I searched the whole house, my fear had increased ten folds. I even searched outdoors in vain.

It was like she disappeared into thin air. But the plates in the sink, the drape of the couch, my laptop on the coffee table with the browser still open on her profile, the dirty clothes in the bathroom, all indicated that I did not have an illusion. The doors were closed, I had checked during the search.

So where was she?

Did the kidnappers come in, catch her and leave without my noticing?

So many questions came to mind. In addition to the one nagging me since the beginning: What did I get myself into?

-*-

oot! Toot! TOOT! TOOT!

The alarm woke me up. I pressed the snooze button and laid my head down. Then I jumped up when images from last night came to my mind.

I was in bed under the quilt. But I couldn't remember at what time I got in here. All I remember was the headache I had developed with so many unanswerable questions running in my head.

Trying hard to find any logic was bringing back the head ache again. So I got out of bed and freshened myself. When I opened the cupboard to take out fresh clothes, the bundle of clothes I had hidden in there tumbled out. Further proof that last night was not my imagination.

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This is my first story, written a while ago and finally submitting now. Your suggestions and comments are welcome.