A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 62

         She hummed a ditty as she drove her car on the wide and wind-blown road with gorgeous scenery surrounding her. This was bliss, she thought, enamored by the visual delight of profusely flowering trees, colorful bougainvilleas of every conceivable shade covering the walls of villas by the roadside, a blue, cloudless sky and a cool breeze that promised her a new life at the end of this journey. 

         She thought about John and herself. She imagined themselves as a normal, happily married couple, bickering and making-up, having kids and raising them together and growing old together comfortably. She was very, very happy. Life was looking up for her. The Doctor had told her that she could meet John in his presence, after she completed her novel. Thus he could determine whether the characters in her novel still held her in their hold or had freed her of their shackles! That was a very reasonable suggestion, she thought pleased with the way the Doctor was handling the situation. He was surely the best psychiatrist in town. Who else would go out of his way to ensure the well-being of his client? He hadn’t even billed her as yet!

          When she reached his apartment complex and parked her car, she got her heavy suitcase and purse and lugged it to the lobby. She took the elevator to the floor where his apartment was situated, walked crisply to his neighbor’s apartment and rang the bell. As if on cue, the door opened immediately and the eager and nosy neighbor gave her the keys. “Oh, have you come for a longer stay this time?” she remarked. As a defiant retort arose in her throat, Martha checked herself and said as coolly as she could, “Yes. Thank you.”

         Seeing that Martha wasn’t about to divulge any information about her stay at the Doctor’s apartment, she just watched her from top to toe and back to the top. Martha knew that this was a deliberate ploy to undermine her self-confidence; hence she gave her the brightest of her smiles and smartly walked the few steps to the Doctor’s apartment. She could feel that pesky lady’s eyes on her back long after she had closed the door.

        She lugged her suitcase to the guest-room where she had stayed earlier and came back to the living-room. She called the Doctor. “Doctor, this is Martha. I have reached your apartment. May I make coffee for myself and have something to eat from your refrigerator, if you don’t mind?” “Please stop being so formal, Martha. Feel at home and help yourself to anything that you want. Take rest for a while and then start writing. You’ll feel better then. Happy writing! See you in the evening.” As he disconnected the call, she felt warmth spreading in her veins. He was so kind and considerate!

         She did exactly as he said. She got cheese and bread from the kitchen, made some coffee and relaxed on the couch in the living room. She watched some television show featuring a rock-band and enjoyed the diversion. It had been ages since she had watched television. Then she walked around the huge apartment aimlessly, admiring the objects de’ art, beautiful original prints on the walls and the exquisite furniture. When she came to the balcony, she was amazed at the view from there. She could see far into the distance.

         Fishing boats bobbed on the placid waters of the bay, white clouds scudded lazily across a clear blue sky, the road that wound to the beach was covered with small shacks and people going about their chores; and lastly the unending waves gently lapped the shore. She shivered as it gave her a sensuous feeling, like a lover kissing his beloved, gently with unending yearning! Immediately she remembered John and blushed, happy that she was alone. Yes, solitude was indeed bliss. She could be herself. She was happy that the Doctor was not around, constantly analyzing her actions and expressions with those piercing, hawk-like, bright eyes. She decided to be alert when he was around.

          Feeling slightly drowsy with the exertion of driving the car, now washing over her; she decided to take a small nap. She wore a gown sensibly, just in case she overslept and had to open the door for the Doctor! Then she fell on to the bed and was soon fast asleep. She awoke when her cell-phone rang. “Martha, it is me,” said Dr. Hussey. “I’m sorry if I disturbed you, but I just wanted to check on your well-being. I will be home by around 7.30 p.m. Then we’ll go for dinner. Will that be fine?” “Sure Doctor. Thanks a lot for all the trouble that you are taking to make my stay comfortable!”

          She glanced at the bedside alarm clock. It was 4 p.m. She was refreshed and raring to go. She could write continuously for 3 hours without a care in the world. No chores and no interruptions. A dream for a writer! Sara, Juan, here I come, she declared loudly to the walls and unpacked her suitcase, got the folder and located the sheet on which she had last written. The date was one that was three months ago. She’d have to read a little of the last chapter to get a hang of the story or rather where it was headed to and then continue writing, she decided. She started reading…..

To be continued..... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 61

              “Hello, Nancy, how are you my dear? I’m sorry that I haven’t called since quite a while. As usual, I was immersed in my work. Are you feeling better now? How is your chemotherapy going on? I hope your nurses are properly tending to you.” On the other end, Nancy couldn’t help but wonder at his platitudes. Both of them knew that her end was very near but she couldn’t blame Norman for wanting to be sweet to her. What else could he say, “Good Bye? Have a safe journey?” She gave a small laugh that Norman knew meant to say, “Come off it buddy! I am as fine as a corpse in a coffin!”

               Still he valiantly continued in the same vein till she got bored and said, “I’m tired Norman. Good night.” He knew that he had been dismissed. He was relieved that he had got that phone call off his chest. It was long overdue. He usually liked to avoid unpleasant situations. Not that he was averse to handling them, but he just didn’t have the patience needed to deal with them continually. He was a very cut and dried person.

              He was of course; sensitive to people's needs but there was only so much that he could do for anyone! He couldn’t spend all his energies on anyone even close to him. Hence even with Martha, he was biding time for her to gain her mental stability.  In fact, he had even mentally decided on a time limit of one year and not a day more! Then he would move on in life. “Time and Norman don’t wait for anyone” was his favorite motto, tweaked from the original adage 'Time and tide wait for none'!

              Sometimes he secretly wondered why he ever bothered with Martha. Then he would remember her chubby, glowing face and pleasing demeanor and get his answer. She was worth it. But off late, she had started testing his patience with her fainting spells and vague behavior. He surely couldn’t withstand it more than he thought necessary. As it was, he had lost his cherished long-time associate John, due to her. Ah John, now that was another cause of concern.

              He had rocked the boat by growing close to Martha, his fiancée! He had even caused her to grow more fearful and phobic. It remained to be seen that who would ultimately marry Martha, himself or John? Now that John had decided to shift base to India, he doubted the second possibility. Martha was a true-blood Brit who wouldn’t ever leave her Motherland. That left him. But his deadline for her ended in another month! Probably, if she became well in the next week or fortnight, they could very well be on their honeymoon thereafter! If wishes were horses!

            Martha was on cloud nine. She would soon be finishing her disturbing novel that had caused so much upheaval in her life and start life anew. Who would be her companion in that new lease of life? She could only wait and watch. She wanted only John D’ Costa as her soul-mate. If wishes were horses!

           Dr. Benedict Hussey was scheming to have her in his life. He’d have her by hook or by crook! His nights were spent plotting devious plans to ensnare her attentions. He had to wean her off John and keep Norman out of the picture. Meanwhile she had to get her novel out of her system. Life was tangled but he enjoyed challenges. This case would test his psychology to the hilt. Martha, dear sweet Martha, I can’t wait for you to be mine! If wishes were horses!

          He had decided to play on her psychology to get her. The ball was truly in his court as both Martha and Norman implicitly trusted him. For the first and last time in his life, he would betray a client’s trust as everything was fair in love and war. He had led a very lonely life till then. Surely God had destined him to have Martha otherwise she wouldn’t have ever walked into his office! Weren’t there ever so many psychiatrists in town? But she had chosen him and now she had no choice but to have him as her life-partner!

         The next day, Martha packed a suitcase filled with all the essential things that she’d require for her week’s sojourn in Dr. Hussey’s house. As she packed in her black undergarments she blushed at the torrid memory of that day when she had opened the door for the Doctor dressed in only those items of clothing. She couldn’t forget his expression, ever! She’d incorporate that scene in her forthcoming story.

         She took her folder containing all the loose sheets and notepads with her novel written on them. She had of course, written the page numbers and date of writing on all of them. She had decided to get them typed later as she always wrote long-hand. She loved the feel of the pen gliding on paper as the words took shape from her fertile imagination. Nothing could beat that heady sensation.

          As she locked the gate to the cottage, she looked around her, half-expecting to see that beefy man peeping from behind a bush or tree. No one was visible. Arnold had told the body-guards to be off-duty for the next week, on the instructions of Norman. He was happy that a solution was in sight for curing Martha permanently. He hadn’t contacted her after Norman’s return from Scotland as he wanted to keep his distance from her for his peace of mind and for keeping his marriage intact. He had been getting too attracted to her. He didn’t want to betray his best friend Norman; hence the self-imposed exile!   

        As she got into her car and secured the seat-belt across her chest, she received a message on her cell-phone. “Please go straight to my apartment. The key is with my neighbor.” She messaged him in return “Yes Doctor. Thank you.” With that she was on her way. To freedom! From her worries once for all! Or so she thought!

To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 60

           They were on their way to the same restaurant where they had dined earlier. The waitress graciously inquired about their menu, after warmly wishing them a good evening. She was evidently under the assumption that they were a couple. Norman was well-known in that town’s community and commanded respect and admiration due to his successful firm. Martha was also quite well-known due to her lucid and authoritative writings in several reputed magazines and the magazine published every month by Norman’s publishing house.

            Martha and Norman kept their conversation confined to ‘safe’ topics like the weather and the movies, while they ate. Afterwards, Norman dropped her home and went home. His light farewell kiss didn’t evoke any response in her. She realized that her motions were also rehearsed as she said “Good night” and waved to him from the porch. She also realized that it would be very easy to get accustomed to this routine if she ignored how boring it was! She needed some adrenaline rush from her relationship with a male and only one person could invoke that heady feeling in her. John D’ Costa. 

            Though she felt like immediately calling him up, she voted against it. She would give him space instead of acting like a besotted teenager. She however kept hoping and waiting for his phone call. She was slightly disappointed when he didn’t call. Didn’t he miss her as much as she missed him? She saw her cell-phone. “I miss you,” it said in a message on the screen-saver. She knew who the sender was and was instantly elated, her heart dancing with joy.

           The next day passed uneventfully and sooner than expected as Martha worked feverishly to complete all her pending work. She was sure that Dr. Hussey would call Norman to ask him permission for Martha’s leave the next week and she knew that Norman would agree. Throughout the day, she was on tenterhooks, waiting for Norman’s call to tell her about her leave being sanctioned. As evening neared, she couldn’t contain her restlessness any longer and sent a message to the Doctor.

           “Did you call Norman, Doctor, about my leave next week?” She received an equally terse message from him. “Yes, spoke to him and he agreed.” She was chagrined that Norman hadn’t yet bothered to brief her about her leave. Was he angry? Did he suspect that she had already connived with the obliging Doctor to ask for and get her leave sanctioned? Then he would surely be hopping mad. He would have expected her to have the decency to ask him directly for the leave instead of firing the gun from the Doctor’s shoulders! No wonder, he had kept her guessing! She felt guilty and ashamed. But now there was hardly anything that could be done about it. She could just wait and watch.

             After the staff called it a day, when only the two of them remained in that quiet office, Norman called her over the intercom. “Martha, please could you come to my cabin?” With great trepidation, she knocked the door and entered his cabin. He was having his back towards the door and appeared lost in deep thought. He whirled around when he heard her light footsteps. His shoulders appeared stiff and his expression was inscrutable as he offered her a seat.

            He couldn’t help admiring her poise and elegant sense of dressing even then. She wore a crème colored dress with pale peach flowers patterned on it. The dress had wide collars and a belt. She wore nude flat sandals and very light make-up. Her face appeared fresh and beautiful even after working the whole day. He was sure that he appeared tired and haggard to her! Seeing her had removed all the irate thoughts from his mind.

          “Martha, Dr. Hussey had called in the morning. He told me to grant you leave of absence the next week, so that you could complete your novel in his house. I think that it is an excellent idea. Please go ahead and get the vexed story out of your system. It’ll do you a world of good. But I am sorry that you didn’t confide in me. Trust me Martha. I want you to get well soon.”

             She graciously said, “Sorry Norman, this was the Doctor’s idea not mine. So I just put the ball in his court entirely by asking him to do the needful. I didn’t know that it would upset you so much. I’m sorry, once again.”

             Pleased with her apology, he shrugged and urged her to show him what was pending on her desk so that he could have someone else on the job. She smiled and said “Nothing is pending Norman. I wound up everything neatly. Here are the keys to my desk’s drawer. All the files are neatly arranged therein.”

             He guffawed as he said, “You are very smart and efficient Martha. I can’t help admiring you. You were certain about my granting you leave, hence finished all the work, didn’t you? Well, I’m pleased that you are having so much faith in me and can read me so well! Thanks!”

             On that happy note, they went and had dinner. Then as usual, Norman left her home, kissed her and drove away. Now he was confident that she could look after herself as she had proved that she indeed had her wits about her! He was delighted at her progress! Dr. Hussey’s counseling was having the right effect on her! The week after the next, she would be as fit as a fiddle, he had no doubt. Then he’d propose to her! Wow, just 7 days to go!

             Then he sobered as he remembered Nancy. He’d phone her tonight. She had forced him to return to work and he hadn’t been regularly keeping in touch with her. He was a workaholic who couldn’t remember anything personal, once he was in his office. Even at home, he perused the files that needed his urgent attention, which was of course, daily! So he had neglected his ailing wife altogether. Now he felt lousy. Shame on him!

To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 59

        Martha was very pleased with herself as she retired for the night. She slept very soundly. The next day as she was having her breakfast the phone rang. Thinking that it was John, she picked it up excitedly and was surprised to hear Dr. Hussey’s voice instead. ‘Think of the Devil’ she thought and said, “Hello Doctor. Good morning. I was going to call you today. How did you guess that I wanted to speak to you?” He replied evenly, “I was thinking about you since yesterday. I have come to a conclusion about your peculiar dilemma. I suggest that you finish your novel at the earliest to prevent your recurring nightmares and delusions. In fact, I want you to do it in my house, under my supervision, if you don’t mind! Thus I’ll be on hand to administer to you in case of any eventuality.”

        As she mulled over his unusual solution, she wondered whether she should tell him her version of what she wanted to do in his presence. Talk with John D’ Costa! Would he consider her suggestion foolish or would he consider it seriously. She had to tell him that as John would be banking on it!

        Cautiously, she said, ‘Well thanks Doctor. But I wanted to have your opinion on another more important matter. “I want to have a conversation with John D’ Costa in your presence so that you could actually see my reactions on seeing him and counsel me. It is imperative that I get over my hang-up over his physical resemblance to the hero of my novel. I, we have decided to give our fledgling romance a try,” she felt her cheeks flaming as she said that.

        Thoroughly disappointed that he was nowhere on Martha’s personal radar for a real relationship, the Doctor gulped silently and said, “Sure Martha. But only after you get that darned novel out of your system!” He knew that he was buying time but wasn’t prepared for her infectious enthusiasm. “Thanks so much Doctor, I will do as you say. When should I come over to your apartment for writing the remaining part of my novel? I propose to do it in a week’s time at one stretch. I’m sure that Norman will be convinced about this exercise if you could speak to him and arrange for my absence from work the next week.”

        Not happy with the way Martha had controlled the situation, Dr. Hussey could only say a reluctant “Yes.” He regretted his suggestion as things were moving too fast for his liking. If Martha had her way, she’d complete her novel, meet John at the clinic and get married to him, all in the space of a fortnight! She certainly seemed determined to have her way. He’d have to find a way out of that imbroglio. He had to ensure that she remained his and didn't belong to anyone else! Of course, he had the pawns in his hand. He had to only play his game well enough to declare “Check-mate” at the end. The Queen would be at his command! Martha was his Queen!

          Blissfully unaware of the turbulence in the Doctor’s mind, she happily wished him a nice day and ended the call. In a pleasant frame of mind she called John and briefed him about the conversation with the Doctor. Again she pleaded with him, “Please, have you cancelled your reservations as yet? Promise me that you’ll not leave for India right away?”

          Patiently he reminded her, “Martha you have the next week to finish your novel, don’t you? I’ll not be needed then. I suggest that I go and join my new job and come back the week after next. I cannot just wait around agonizing over you and my life. I need work to keep me constantly occupied. I hope you understand that. I promise that I’ll return after 8 days and call you. Meanwhile, we can keep in touch over the phone. Will that be O.K. with you?”

         She guessed that she had sounded selfish. Yes, she couldn’t expect him to just sit around at home twiddling his thumbs while she went about her job. That would be very unfair. Hence she acquiesced with a heavy heart. She had to go to Norman’s publishing house for two more days this week. She couldn’t wait enough for the weekend.

         The next day, Martha sat till late after office hours, completing editing of that voluminous tome that he had given her the previous day. Norman worked in his cabin and she in her department. Much to her relief, Norman hadn’t mentioned anything about the previous day’s conversation. He wanted to let sleeping dogs lie. After working till 9 p.m. Norman dropped into her department and was pleased when Martha told him wearily that her work on that manuscript was over.

         It had been decided earlier that day that the manuscript would be edited and changes recommended to the author, who if pliable, could revise it or the publishing house would publish it in exactly the same way as it then stood! They had to do it to keep the firm running as the author could turn to another publishing firm who would be only too pleased to publish that boring novel. Though Martha resented the inevitability of publishing it and Norman’s commercial stance, there was little that she could do about it. He knew better and she had long ago decided that she’d not interfere in his decisions.

          It only gave her one more reason to question her relationship with Norman. If she were to continue working with him even after their marriage, she’d have to reconcile herself to be relegated to the background in the face of such important decisions. She had a mind of her own and would certainly not take it lightly if her suggestions were never heeded to. She couldn’t even imagine such an unpleasant scenario. Could they ever remain really happy?

          Then she chided herself. Whom was she kidding? Was she really contemplating their marriage when her heart just yearned for John? She was really losing it!

To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.