Lea pulled her purse out of her cupboard. She looked around. Her apartment was spic and span, precise as a pin. She aligned the last diary against the side of the study table. Black leather against mahogany. Perfect. She then went and stood in front of the mirror. And asked it, Am I ready? Her reflection stared back with the beginnings of joy. Her life would change, irrevocably. Her apartment would not be so perfect anymore. But she was ready.
Her cellphone rang. She eased it carefully off its throne, a stylish leather case, thought for a minute, then flung the leather case into the dustbin. Three pointer! Wow, she really was taking some risks today, she thought with exhilaration. She answered the phone – “Adi… Yeah. I’ll be there in another 25 minu… uh, about half an hour” She put the naked cellphone into her purse, then, after a last yearning look at the dustbin, left the apartment.
Aditi had already reached and was in the waiting lounge. She looked up from the magazine she was reading, as Lea walked in. Her noiseless feet glided across the floor and she walked up to Aditi.
The whole office was steel and glass in shades of aquamarine and a blushing pearl, it gleamed with efficiency and a saucy undertone of promise. Promises of the third degree, thought Lea wryly.
“Nervous?” Aditi asked her
“You bet! You sure you don’t want to join me?”
“Naa, not yet. Too much work.” Aditi was dismissive. “Im not even sure YOU should be doing this”
“I’m ready” Lea said confidently.
A man walked in and past them into a distant door. They both followed his progress intently. He didn’t give them a second glance. He was a fine specimen, tall, broad- shouldered, lean hipped, with a strong angular face. His hair was long and straggly and the clothes were shabby. He looked supremely out of place there. Familiar primitive emotions swept over Lea – Pain, fear, anger, and a little …longing? She looked at Adi and saw some measure of the same confusion reflected in her eyes.
They both stood up in unspoken synchrony and walked up to the receptionist. Lea spoke up. “Lea, appointment for 12:30”. The receptionist smiled mechanically and said – “Tanya will see you now. Please step through the door to your left.” They were halfway there before she had finished speaking. Lea had been obsessing about this for six months now, and they could have found their way around the place blindfolded.
They both walked into the darkened auditorium where Tanya sat at a computer in the lone pool of light. She looked up and said with a smile– “Hello Lea. We thought we could never get rid of you!”
They all laughed, Lea, a little nervously – “Can we have a look at the finalists again?”
“Certainly” Tanya switched the projector on. A bluish holographic image of a man waving at them appeared in the middle of the room. His hair was almost completely gray, he was handsome with a very square jaw and smiling eyes
“Gentleman No.1 – Jan Hardwell. Age 53. Owns two ranches in Nevada, made big money in Texan oil, a millionaire several times over. Harvard, of course. Plays golf, and is up to scratch, and in every sense of the word ladies!” Tanya finished with a wink.
They both sighed with approval. Aditi gave her usual “please go with him” squeeze on Lea’s hand. Aditi was completely in love with Jan after hearing about his millions over six months. They were growing on her. But Lea wasn’t so sure. Sometimes, choices were the worst things to have.
Lea looked at Tanya. Tanya nodded and switched to the next.
Jan faded off and another man appeared, much younger, very dark, geek-handsome, with glasses, smiling rather shyly into the camera
“Gentleman No. 2 – Ekundayo Roho. Creator of the Nanowitch. Is said to have developed the idea of the supernanocomputer when he was ten. Not in the big league yet financially, but definitely going places! Very low profile. A chess prodigy and above average squash player”
Lea was almost certain she was going to pick him. She stared hard at the hologram memorizing every detail. This was the only man who had seemed human to her, and very attractive too. Aditi, who thought him a rather soft choice, folded her arms in resignation and sat back.
Lea spoke – “I’d like to see the last one” Tanya nodded and switched again.
An extraordinarily beautiful man, of uncertain age, appeared. He had very dark intense eyes, and a smile to stop hearts with. He was very well built wearing a thin sleeveless shirt that showed off classically defined biceps. All three women drooled a little guiltily at this vision of male perfection.
“Gentleman No. 3 – Ashraf Ras. Actor, superstar. The highest paid artiste in the world. Magnetic personality, immensely talented and passionate. Crazed fan following of millions, you know the rest, he’s a household name ladies! Between you and me, I would pick him everytime!” Tanya said with a roguish smile
Lea went back to indecision again. She kept remembering the man they had seen in the waiting room. The greek god. Maybe she should have approached him directly. Talked to him. She felt a little edgy and disturbed about it. Then she dismissed him. Besides, he was probably available here. She wasn’t here to try to capture one in the wild. They were civilized people!
She asked Tanya hesitantly “There was a man who just came in…Rather tall and a little unkempt. Do you have his profile?”
Tanya’s face beamed in recognition – “Oh he’s just a regular profile. I can even give you a big discount on him if you want!”
Tanya switched to the hologram of the unknown man. He was the same as Lea remembered. He looked strong and rather attractive. She puzzled over why she was drawn to him so much, over so many others, and then gave it up.
Tanya read dutifully “Gentleman No. 4, Tano Naiman, is…um… in between jobs right now…That’s all I have” she looked at Lea very doubtfully
Lea had decided. She didn’t even know why. Couldn’t bring herself to care either.
Tanya put her hand on Lea’s “Are you sure dear?”
Lea nodded with resolution she didn’t know she had. Tanya hugged her. –“Then all the very best dear! I wish you a world of joy with the gift”
Aditi looked at Lea frowningly – “Lea, for crying out loud!”
Lea looked back at her – “Whose decision is it?”
Aditi sighed and flung her hands in the air.– “Whatever! SIX MONTHS we hunted like madwomen and she goes and picks him” Aditi swept her hand at the offending hologram and smacked her forehead in frustration.
They both went back to the reception and waited. Finally Tanya came from the laboratory with a supercooled sealed jar with “Tano Naiman” on it.
Tanya handed the jar to Lea and said “Remember, use within forty eight hours, and see a gynaecologist within two weeks! All the best darling!”
She hugged Lea and went back to the auditorium. Lea stared at the jar, more sure than she had been all day. This was the right thing to do.
Aditi, normally undemonstrative, hugged Lea tightly “I can’t believe you’re going to be a mommy!…Although I wish it was somebody else” she couldn’t resist a parting shot.
Lea smiled through sudden tears. “Yeah…Yay!” She wiped them and said – “Look on the bright side! Remember the stories my grandma used to tell. Remember what they had to do for a baby?”
They both relived the stories and the details of what men and women did in the years gone past and shuddered in disgust. And Lea thought of Tano …And felt it again… The unfamiliar longing…
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