Parking the car in the front of the hotel
Druk, Khandu takes out a box from the front seat and locks the car. Getting
inside, going directly to the counter, he books a single room. Taking the key,
he walks up to the third floor. Unlocking the door, he gets inside. Switching
on the light, he keeps the box on the bed. Room is clean but he is worried
about something. Checking his phone, he locks the room and walks down back to
the counter. The boy at the counter looks young.
There are a few customers in the lobby.
Looking hesitant, he walks to the counter when the boy says, “How can I help
you sir?”
“Umm.”
Khandu looks around when the boy stands
looking at him.
“Sir?”
“I need some help bro,” says Khandu, his
face going red.
“Okay. How can I help you sir?”
Going silent for a while, finally Khandu
says, “How do you celebrate a birthday?”
“Birthday sir?”
“I mean, I am planning to celebrate my
wife’s birthday, so the procedures?”
“Oh.”
After listening to the boy as he tells him
everything about the birthday celebration procedures, Khandu thanks him and
waits at the lobby when finally, his phone rings. Standing up, he goes outside,
as Tshoki appears in front of the hotel, looking very beautiful, taking his
breath away for a moment. Greeting her, he walks her inside, when the boy at
the counter looks at them, looking very confused. As Khandu smiles at him, the
boy shows him thumbs up, as they walk upstairs.
Unlocking the door, he lets Tshoki inside
first. Getting inside, she stands inspecting the room when he follows her.
Latching the door, looking at her, he says, “Please sit on the bed.”
Looking shy, Tshoki nods and sits on the
bed holding her phone. As she sits down, he takes the box and place it on the
small table beside the bed. Unwrapping the cake, he sticks candles on it when
Tshoki looks at him smiling. Then he lights the candles and taking the table in
front of her, he asks her to blow the candles when his phone rings. It’s his
wife. Switching off the phone, he sings birthday song. Cutting a slice, she
gives him and then he puts a slice in mouth, touching her lips softly.
Then he takes out a new box and gives her,
when she unwraps the box and takes out a new Samsung phone. She screams out of
happiness and hugs him tightly.
“You are so sweet. Thank you so much, my
love. I Love you.”
Holding her tightly on his chest, caressing
her hair, he whispers into her ears, “Welcome, love. Love you, too.”
As she switches on the phone and starts
playing with the phone, he calls the counter for dinner. Sitting next to her,
he looks at her happy face, when the waiter knocks. Keeping the food on the
table, he looks at her, “Tshoki. Dinner?”
“Oh!”
She keeps her phone aside and brims with
surprise as she sees varieties of dishes on the table. Eating dinner, talking
about her days, he finally calls the counter. Then, a few minutes later, there
is knock at the door. Going to the door, he gets drinks and keeps it on the
table, when Tshoki says, “I am not going to drink.”
Making an innocent face, Khandu goes near
her and says softly, “Love, it’s your birthday. Without drinks, there is no
charm. A little.”
“No!”
“Pease!”
He keeps pleading and finally Tshoki says,
“Only a little.”
Glass after glass, eyes get reddened and
Tshoki loses her balance, when he looks at her pretending to be drunk. Going to
her, he touches her hand slowly when she says, “Not today.”
“Please, baby.”
At Taba in Dema’s house, she is about to
sleep after eating dinner when Tshoki’s phone rings. Frightened by the ringing,
she looks at the phone and remembers Tshoki’s words to lie. Going to the table,
she picks up the phone and keeps staring at the number. It’s her sister.
Finally, she answers the call.
“Aunty, Tshoki is here at my home studying
with me. Just now, she is in the toilet,” says Dema, her voice cracking and
hands trembling.
Luckily, Tshoki’s sister hangs up the phone
saying, “Okay, Dema.”
Thinking that she saved Tshoki today,
keeping the phone on the table, she arranges her books when she hears knock.
Frightened, she walks to the door and opens it when Tshoki’s sister stands
there looking very angry as if she is going to swallow her alive.
Story by: Phurpa Dorji (PJIKKS)
Chapter 3 Tomorrow @9PM
