Chapter 1, Nun and Her love

Keeping her phone on the bed, Euthra walks towards the dressing mirror. Standing in front of the mirror, she smiles. She has worn the dress that he has gifted her last year on 6^th anniversary. She is wearing this for the first time and it’s a surprise for him. As the phone rings suddenly, she turns her face. Ignoring the phone, she gives a final touch to her make-up. Picking up the perfume, she sprays on her dress, filling up the room with scent as if welcoming the bees to the room.

Then she goes to the cupboard and takes her handbag out. Swinging the bag gently on her shoulder, she picks up the phone off the bed and walks out of the room when the phone starts to ring again. She ignores the call again and walks into the sitting room where her sister, Shaycham, sits on the sofa, eyes fixed at the television and an IPad rests on her lap. Going next to her sister, Euthra says, “Nalay, don’t go anywhere. Stay home.”

Her sister does not even look at her. Neglecting her silence, she walks directly to the door. Catching the door knob, she looks back at the kitchen. Walking towards the kitchen, she seeks Zam’s attention, “Zam?”

Closing the tap slowly, keeping her plates down, Zam, looks back at her, “Sorry, I didn’t get you Ashim?”

Standing at the door, Euthra says, “Parents are coming back from Trongsa today, so keep dinner ready. I will be late tonight.”

“Okay, Ashim.”

She smiles and gets back to dish washing when Euthra adds, “And don’t let Shaycham out.”

She nods. Walking away from the kitchen door, as she gets back to the door, Shaycham shouts at her, “Why can’t I go out, if you can?”

Infuriated by these words, she turns back, “Because you are just a child and I am an adult.”

Ignoring Shaycham’s dark eyes, she pulls back the door and checks the shoe rack for her sandal. Not finding her sandal, she shouts at Shaycham, “Nalay, did you touch my sandal?”

Shaycham roars from the inside, “I didn’t. Your friend did.”

Taking out another sandal, she rushes out as her soon-to-husband, Tshegyel, waits in the car. They have been in relationship since class 11, when they were classmates in YHSS. They both graduated from Gaeddu College of Business Studies two years ago.

Reaching the car, she smiles as Tshegyel gets out of the car and welcomes her with a big smile opening the front door.

“I thought, you would have sent your driver,” says Euthra, getting inside the car while Tshegyel pushes the door. Getting inside, with hands on the steering wheel, he looks at her, “This dress looks familiar.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Pressing the accelerator gently, he speeds away through the heart of Thimphu town, brightened by the street lights and the so-called ‘brakes light’ adding beauty to the traffic, giving a feel of celebrating ‘Diwali’ the festival of lights. There was a heavy rain in the morning, but now there is no rain and the roads are covered with mud and water stuck in the potholes looks beautiful reflecting the moon up in the sky.

Driving through the town, playing a soothing music, he stops in front of a building. Taking the car’s key, he looks at her, “Here we are.”

“Thank you, my Prince Charming for your smooth driving.”

Getting out, going to the other door, he opens the door. Holding his hand, taking out her legs out first, she stands up, looking around the hotel decorated with lights. Only expensive cars are parked here. Hotel looks expensive. Without saying a word, she follows Tshegyel. Walking through the lobby, he walks towards the reception desk and asks about his table, but sadly there is no table booked by him. Surprised by this, he looks at Euthra, who stands a few metres away from the entrance.

Observing the room carefully, he asks the receptionist, “What about upstairs?”

“All booked sir.”

Without saying a word, hiding his worry, he walks towards Euthra.

“So, Gentleman, where is our table?”

Walking her towards the seat at the corner, he says, “Our table is occupied just now. It will be empty very soon. Just a minute.”

As she sits down, he walks away from her when she asks, “Where are you going?”

“I will be back in a minute.”

He walks upstairs and looks around. Every table is occupied. On seeing his friend’s wife all by herself at a table, he walks through the tables. Going to her, he smiles, “Waiting for Norbu?”

She smiles, “Yes. No sign of him.”

He has seen Norbu at a bar, so he lies, “Actually, Norbu called you at another hotel. Tashi’s Bar. Olakha.”

Thanking him, the woman stands picking her bag. Following her slowly, as she leaves the hotel, he walks down the stairs to Euthra. Taking her to the table, he takes out an envelope. Looking deep into her eyes, he says, “Before I give you these, I want to thank you for being my Princess for last seven years. I know, I am not perfect but you make me feel perfect.”

Then he hands the envelope to her. Taking the envelope gently, Euthra opens it and shouts, “Air Tickets?”

“Yeah. It’s our honeymoon gift from my parents.”

“How sweet. Wait a second!”

She shouts taking the tickets out.

“Korea?”

“Yeah, your dreamland.”

She stands up and hugs him tightly, saying, “I am so lucky to have met you.”

“Welcome baby.”

Honeymoon? Today is their 7^th anniversary and they planned to marry today but their parents didn’t agree after consulting with Bhutanese astrologers, considering that today was inauspicious, so they will marry after a week, in a traditional way and invitation cards have been delivered.

“How come gift is before marriage?”

Euthra asks, making a funny face.

“I asked for that,” says Tshegyel, looking at the waiter walking towards their table. He has ordered nothing, so why is he coming to the table? The sudden ring of his phone takes away his attention from the waiter. Picking the phone, he stands up, “It’s my friend, Nidup.”

Walking past the waiter, he answers the call, “Nidup, where is the table, you booked?”

“Where are you? I have been waiting here for you.”

“What?

Tshegyel shouts confused by Nidup’s words.

“I am here at Druk Hotel.”

“I booked table at Namzang hotel, opposite to Druk Hotel,” shouts Nidup into the phone.

Hanging up the phone, he walks back towards the table. Going near to Euthra, he says, “I am sorry, we are in the wrong hotel.”

After eating dinner and going to a party, Euthra walks towards her building trying to balance her feet, as Tshegyel left after dropping her. Ringing the door bell, she waits when Shaycham opens the door with dreadful eyes.

“Again drunk?”

“Shhh, be silent!”

She walks directly to her room. Leaning her hand on the door, she takes sandal off her feet when she smells something horrible coming from the inside of her room. Catching the latch, she pushes the door gently her nostril fighting back the smell. Ignoring the smell, she switches on the light. The sudden glimpse of a dark object on the bed opposite to her bed frightens her.

“Azai!”

Shouting loudly, she rushes out of the room immediately. Standing outside the door, he hangs her head inside slowly. Actually, there is only one bed in her room but on a new bad opposite to her, is an old, grey haired woman sleeping wrapped under a new blanket. Not being able to resist the smell, looking at Shaycham, who is watching television, she shouts, “Who is she? Why is she inside my room? What if I become sick? Take her out! Now!”

Story by: Phurpa Dorji (PJIKKS)

Chapter 2 Tomorrow @9PM