Transit- Chapter 5

It was fifteen minutes past 6 by the time Ayaan jumped up. He had overslept and Trisha would be home any minute from the spa. He had to leave before she could ask him questions. He was running out of excuses. He ran into the shower for the third time that day. He couldn’t start their date without feeling fresh and clean. He wasted no more time. Splashing cold water over himself, he soaped his body and scrubbed his face with one of Trisha’s many face washes. As soon as his body was free of the lather, he wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped into their bedroom. He checked the wall clock. ‘6.30! Damn… Trish I hope your held up somewhere,’ he thought as he pulled out a black shirt with lavender stripes and a clean pair of jeans. With his pants now buttoned, Ayaan walked over to the dresser and searched for his favourite perfume. XS for men by Paco Rabanne one of the best presents Trisha had ever given him. Buttoning his shirt, he looked at his reflection in the mirror. The stubble that lined his jaw gave him a distinct look at always turned heads but Trisha hated it. It always scratched her whenever he kissed her or ran his lips down her neck. But he was running out of time so Trisha would just have to bear the scratching. He grinned to himself at the thought of making love to her on the beach.

Buttoned down with his sleeves rolled to his elbows, he grabbed his wallet, keys and jacket and headed for the door. He glanced around the bedroom and realized that he always left a mess for Trisha to clean up but he knew she loved picking up after him. Shutting off all the lights, he headed for the door. Picking up a piece of paper, he wrote out a note:
Baby get dressed as soon as possible. A car will be coming to pick you up at 7.
I love you. A.
Placing the note on the table next to the door, his gaze fell on the bouquet of roses that Trisha had left there. He looked for a note but didn’t find any so he shrugged it off and left. He stopped just before locking the door to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. When he was certain, he left.

Driving down to the beach now, he knew he was running late and the light was quickly fading. He had to set up the tent in a hurry now. He knew that if he drove like a maniac, he’d cut an hour’s long drive into half. Besides, it was the weekend so once he was outside the confines of the city, he’d be able to make up for lost time.

He pulled into traffic and headed toward the highway. Driving within the speed limit, Ayaan was slowly starting to lose his patience. He was only praying that he wouldn’t get caught in a traffic jam. The weekends usually meant people took trips to the country or had the same idea he had, a big Saturday night date with their girlfriends. The sun light was slowly starting to fade into the horizon, turning the cloudless blue sky into a kaleidoscope of blazing orange where the sun was setting, with deep indigo-purple hues around it. Pulling onto the freeway, Ayaan was finally out of city limits. Pressing on the accelerator, he began racing toward the beach. Checking his watch for the millionth time since he left their apartment, Ayaan realized that he would have everything ready just in time. It was 7. 17 p.m. now and he had about 20 minutes of the drive left. He slowed down just a little, and rolled down the windows of the SUV. The cool evening breeze brought with it the scent of the country, the fresh flowers and green leaves of the sugar apple trees that grew along the highway. He felt a sudden rush of excitement, a thrill he had experience when he first met Trisha and realized how important she was. He was lost in the breeze that he almost missed the trail. He drove a little ahead and pulled off the road into an open ground and parked under the shelter of a Banyan tree.

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Trisha raced to the front door of their apartment, screaming for Ayaan even before she unlocked the door. She pushed open the door in a hurry, throwing the keys on the table that had the bouquet resting, untouched from the morning. She made her way to the bedroom to find Ayaan’s dirty clothes scattered about the floor ad the bedspread crumpled where he had napped. Her annoyance at his complete lack of tidiness started to add to her anger from before. Instinctively, she took out her cell phone to call him. She let it ring till the line cut out on it’s own. He wasn’t answering his phone and that only seems to aggravate her further. She ran to the front door to close it. In her haste, she left the door open behind her. Moving into the hall, she glanced that the flowers on the side table. Picking them up, she went out to the front and dumped them into the open garbage bins. Taking a few deep breaths, she calmed herself as she walked up the stairs and back into the apartment. She was in a daze and she hadn’t noticed the note. Picking up her keys that had fallen to the floor in her irritation, she placed them on the side table, her hand accidentally touching the card as she placed the keys against the smooth wooden surface. Slowly she lifted the paper and read what it said.

A small smile spread across her lips as she wondered what Ayaan was up to now. All the anger and frustration seemed to fade as she walked to the bedroom, reading the note over and over. She glanced at the wall clock. It was 7.13 p.m. which meant she was already late. The car would be here any moment and she wasn’t close to getting ready. She didn’t need to wash her hair so her bath wouldn’t take that long. Running into the bathroom, she switched on the heater, letting the water fill into a bucket. Tying her hair into a bun as she ran to her wardrobe, Trisha was mentally visualizing what she would wear. As the bucket filled, Trisha decided to rummage through he closet to pick the perfect outfit for tonight. She knew that Ayaan would plan something extravagant so she wanted to look her best. Picking out a beige and brown floral printed skirt with a black t-shirt, she knew that it wasn’t formal but it wasn’t too casual either. Debating whether she should wear heels, she picket out a pair of black dress slippers with a tiny heel. She checked the watch again, it was 7.23 and she knew she’d be dressed and ready to leave by 8. There was a tap on the door along with the ringing of the door bell. She ran to open it. A Man with a crisp white shirt, black pants and a hat stood outside. “Good evening Madam. I’m Tony and I’ll be you chauffer for tonight. Sorry I’m late, I got caught in traffic. What time will you be ready to leave?” he asked with a smile. “Umm, give me 20 minutes. I’ll be right down.” He nodded. “I’m parked right outside,” he said before turning to leave. Trisha closed the door behind him and ran to the bathroom. She didn’t have time to neaten up which meant she’d have to do it when they got back later.

The water had just begun to overflow when Trisha undressed and stepped into the bathing area. She didn’t bother closing the bathroom door, letting the cool air from the room mix with the steam from the hot flowing water. Soaping her body as quickly as she could, Trisha poured the hot water down her body, turned the water off and reached for her towel. Patting her body dry, she walked over to her side of the bed where she had laid out her clothes. Now standing naked, in front of the mirror Trisha pulled up her black lace thong and then secured the clasp of her matching bra. She quickly wore her clothes and ran over to the dresser. Spraying one of Ayaan’s favourite perfumes over her clothes, one of the many presents he had given her, she reached for her eyeliner and lip gloss. When she was convinced that she looked perfect, she grabbed her bag and stuffed her wallet, iPod and cell phone before she switched off all the lights. She reached for her keys and locked the door behind her. She stopped just outside the door, took a deep breath as she straightened her t-shirt before she descended the stairs.

Tony had noticed the lights go out and he was now standing outside, holding the door open for her. She smiled, getting into the back of the limousine as Tony closed the door behind her. She looked around the lavish upholstery and interiors of the stretch limo that was covered in rich black leather. There was a box of chocolates and Champagne cooling in an ice bucket next to her. She looked ahead at Tony. “Umm…Tony, where are we going?” He glanced at her from her rearview mirror, “I’m afraid I’m not supposed to tell you where I’m driving you. I was given strict instructions to remain tight lipped,” he said with a smile. “We should be there in about 45 minutes if we don’t run into any traffic so please enjoy the Champagne and chocolates in the meantime.”

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Gaurav waited patiently, carefully watching Trisha’s silhouette through the drawn drapes of her bedroom window. He noticed a stretch limousine pull up the drive way and he was curious as to what was going to. Twenty minutes passed in silence as he kept his eyes fixed on Trisha’s house, darkness enveloping the grayish-silver ford. His desperation was beginning to surface and he was determined to have it out with her, if it meant hurting whoever came in his way. Reaching into the glove compartment, he felt for something in the darkness. Feeling it’s sharp coolness against his fingers, he pulled away satisfied that he was well prepared for a showdown. Relaxing in his seat, he began playing with his mobile phone. Sharon had called frantically ever since he was at the Four Seasons but he ignored her like he did everyday. He’d only call if he needed her and right now he was beginning to feel the lump in his pants grow, watching Trisha get ready, and picturing her naked body from earlier this evening. He had left himself unattended to earlier, feeling the urge to have his way with her return with a vengeance. He couldn’t control it anymore. He unzipped himself and began fondling with his throbbing organ as he let his mind wander to the spa cabin and Trisha lying naked and vulnerable. He spent himself at the thought of having her against her will, exerting his control over her body, marking his territory and overpowering her with his strength. Cleaning himself off with a few tissues from the box, he zipped his pants and diverted his attention back to Trisha’s bedroom window. But the lights were out. He strained his eyes to look at the entrance and managed to catch a glimpse of Trisha getting into the limousine.

Gaurav straightened himself, prepared to follow the car. He waited patiently as the limousine pulled out the driveway and onto the street. He let a few moments pass before he set the car in drive and turned onto the road, in pursuit of the limousine, now a hundred meters in front of him.

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Ayaan had just finished unloading every last item from the car, taking one thing at a time down to the beach. It wasn’t a very steep trek down the rocky slope but being the fourth and final trip to the car, he began to wish he had planned out something else instead. He would have to make one last and final climb up to wait for Trisha to come. He still had half an hour before she got here but with the night already sent in, setting u everything n the beach would take longer than it normally would. As he descended the last few feet of rock, navigating his way in the darkness with the help of a torch. As he placed the last item onto the sand—the firewood, he realized that lighting a fire would make it easier to set everything else. Moving a little away, he placed a few rocks around, making a circle. In the centre, he piled a few logs of wood and poured a little kerosene over it. The breeze had started to pick up, making the beach chilly. Turning his back to the breeze, he lit a match stick and threw it on the fire. Almost immediately, the kerosene soaked logs burst into a bright orange-red glow, warming the air around. Immediately, he set up the tent, spreading out the sleeping bags on the nylon plastic of the tent. He checked his watch, it was 8.13 and he knew that Trisha would be here in a matter of moments. The half an hour he had seemed to fly away before he realized it. He spread out the blanket on the sand, just in front of the tent and placed tiny candles with glass coverings all around it. This would stop the blanket from flying with the breeze and the candles presented a beautiful picnic decoration. They were English- lavender scented candles and would perfectly set the tone for his proposal. When he was certain he had everything, he slowly climber back up to wait for Trisha. He didn’t seem to need the torch any more because the silver glow of the moon lit the way. Ayaan was finally on top, sitting on a big rock at the beginning of the trail. All that was left to do now was wait.

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Trisha sipped on the Champagne, nervously biting on her lower lip. She watched as the city lights faded behind her, eagerly waiting to know where she was headed. She bit into a hazelnut filled chocolate from the box that was now on its way to becoming half eaten. She gulped the wine and poured herself another glass. The limousine was snaking it’s way up a hill and she now began to feel the intoxicating liquid take effect. The car finally came to a stop. The insides of her stomach slowly ceased to turn, making that nauseated sensation fade. She glanced out the window and saw Ayaan’s smiling face. He couldn’t wait any longer. As soon as Tony brought the car to a halt, Ayaan reached for the handle and opened the door, peering in at the tipsy Trisha who was grinning at him from her seat. Before he helped her out, she glanced at the half empty bottle of wine that sat I the ice bucket. He smiled at her because this meant that he would have her leaning against his chest the whole night.
“You didn’t waste any time with that did you?” he asked her with a grin.
She smiled back. “What’s all this Ayaan?” she asked with a hint of inebriation in her voice. “Why are we here?”
“You’ll see,” he said as he waved thanks to Tony and led Trisha down the rocky trail. She was struggling to keep her balance as she held onto the box of assorted chocolates. Smiling at himself, Ayaan effortlessly lifted her in his 6 foot frame and carried her down to their picnic. She rested her head against his shoulder and drifted into a light euphoria. They were almost at the spot when he softly began to call her name, to wake her from her sleep.
“Trish, we’re here. C’mon wake up now.”
“Nooo…let me sleep just a bit longer. I’m so comfortable here.”
“Alright then, you’ll just have to wait for your present…” he let his voice linger on the word present, making her instinctively open her eyes. He set her down, letting her feet touch the sand. When she realized where she was standing and stared open mouthed at what lay in front of her, Ayaan’s laughter, a deep chortle cut through the crisp night air. She swirled, almost losing her balance in the process to look at him. She leaped into his arms and held him close. He lifted her off the ground and held her. “Happy birthday baby,” he whispered in her ear. She moved her head to look at him, her hands wrapped firmly around his neck. “Thank you,” she whispered back, leaning in to kiss him. They held each other for several moments, kissing. Finally, breaking to catch their breath, Ayaan gently let Trisha’s feet kiss the cold sand. He took her hand and led her to the blanket he spread out in front of the tent. “Is that the…?” she asked as she made herself comfortable. He grinned, “Yea it is. I knew you wanted it and I thought that this was the perfect chance to get it for you.” He walked over to the tent and pulled out the picnic basket. “When did you have the time to plan all this? I mean this must have taken a lot of time…” she said, opening the basket. She wasn’t very hungry because of all the chocolates she had eaten earlier. She peered into the basket at the sandwiches, chocolate brownies, pasta and garlic bread. He had done everything for her. She began to feel the guilt surface. The smile she had slowly faded. “What’s wrong Trish, don’t you like it?” Tears began to sting her eyes as she fought to stay in control of her emotions. But she couldn’t hide it anymore. “I have something to tell you.” His excitement faded with the sound of her voice. “I ran into Gaurav today. He’s been following me for a few days now. I didn’t tell you this earlier because I didn’t want you to worry but today things really got out of hand.” Ayaan’s face was expressionless as he listened to Trisha’s story. She narrated everything that happened. She even showed him the message he had sent her. “And the flowers? Were they also from him?” he finally asked. “I don’t know. There was no note but with what’s been happening now, that’s the only explanation I have.” They sat in silence, staring out at the shimmering water, at the waves breaking on the shore. Trisha finally broke the silence. "Baby please say something…Don’t let this worry you. I told him off… It doesn’t matter, it shouldn’t matter anymore.” But he didn’t flinch. Gaurav was going to pay for what he did to her. He got up from the blanket and walked toward the water. He stared out into the black of the night, processing everything he had just heard. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the tiny box. He stared at the ring, glittering in the moonlight. His perfect night was ruined and there was no way he could ask her to marry him now. Not like this. He was going to have to put an end to any traces of her past seeping through into their lives. Turning around, he marched to Trisha. “Help me pack up, we’re getting out of here.” Without a word, Trisha picked up the blanket ad dusted the sand away. She folded it and took it into the tent. Searching for the bag in he little light that fell in from the opening, Trisha began rolling the sleeping bags to one corner. “Ayaan, where is the bag. I can’t find it.” She called out after him he didn’t reply. “Ayaan!” she screamed, turning to look at him. Her words immediately got caught in her throat. She saw Gaurav glaring at them, holding out a gun. “I told you I’d find a way to make you listen,” saying that, he pulled the trigger, shooting Ayaan in his chest.