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.