I walked on with big strides and entered the kitchen. I took a seat in the dining area.
"Let's eat," I said to her when she sat down.
I put spoonfuls of food in my mouth. All that running left me famished. After a moment, I realized that Ms. McCrae was not moving across the table. I looked up to her and her hazel green eyes were regarding me with interest. She blinked at me twice before turning away.
"I'm sorry sir."
"It's okay," I mumbled with my mouth full.
She smiled. Probably in amusement.
I can't help but smile back. I like those kinds of smiles, the ones that reach her eyes.
"The edge of the clearing is really far from here sir."
She scooped a spoonful of pilaf and also started to eat.
I nodded with my mouth full.
"I'm glad you made it back safely."
I can only nod back again.
We ate in silence except with the occasional scrapings of the utensils.
"You must be nervous with the thought of living and working in this foreign country," I said to her after I finished the food on my plate. I reached out for the glass and for the pitcher but she took hold of the pitcher first. She filled my glass.
"I admit that I am Sir. But I will do my best to adapt as soon as I can."
"Yes. I hope you can adjust and navigate well at work even without Senti."
She nodded.
"I will, sir. I'm confident. "
"Good. By the way, I need to get to the garage. You should rest first. You had a long day," I said and stood up from my seat.
"Okay sir. See you tomorrow. Good night."
"Good night Ms. McCrae."
I intersected with Otto while he was on his way to fetch me.
"How can we bring back the car? Do you mean to tow it away with the old pick-up?" I asked him as we walked together to the garage.
"I managed to get a small amount of gasoline from the pick-up sir," he answered me.
"Ah."
I feel guilty and sorry for the trouble I'm causing him.
"By the way, is it the car you used when you picked up Ms. McCrae from the airport this morning?"
"Yes sir. How did you know?"
"I caught a sniff of her perfume when I first got inside the car," I answered him.
He could have refueled the car by that time too, but I decided not to point it out anymore.
We entered the garage and approached the old pick-up. He took the driver's seat while I sat beside him in the front seat. We drove in silence, following the paved road. Looking back on the distance we've covered, I realized I did run such a long distance in a short time. I did a day's work out I had intended to skip.
Up ahead, the headlights reflected against the white Range Rover.
"Why did you not refuel the car when you picked up Ms. McCrae? You could have had a stop-over and also have breakfast," I spoke, breaking the silence.
Otto is a thorough man and I don't think he simply missed such an important concern.
"It would mean going through the city sir and I did suggest it to Ms. Dahlia. She said she prefers to just get home. And I thought it was best since she must be tired from her flight. Going through the city would mean going twice the distance."
Home?
"She said home?"
Otto nodded.
"I guess she must have intended that wherever she's going is her new home. I don't know sir."
"Well, yeah. I guess."
That is strange. She never knew where she was going exactly.
"She looked scared when we were going through the thick trees just before this clearing."
Otto pulled to a stop next to the Range Rover.
"I guess I should have come with you," I told him when we hopped out of the old pick-up.
She must have been nervous because of the remoteness of the road.
"You could have sir. You are a familiar face to her at least," he said as he walked off to the back of the pick-up.
I say, Otto has a knack of making me feel guilty.
He emerged seconds later, carrying a container. I handed him the key and he walked off towards the abandoned car. He refilled the fuel tank. When he was done, he handed me back the key.
"You drive the car back sir," he said to me.
"Thank you Otto," I said, giving him a thin smile.
I got inside the car and the faint scent of Ms. McCrae wafted its way to my nose again. I've never smelt such scent before but it feels strangely familiar. I turned the engine on and out of curiosity, I turned to look at the backseat. Maybe she sprayed some of her perfume on the car seat by accident. The scent should be long gone by now.
As I scanned the backseat area one last time, a glossy material caught my eye. I reached out to take it from the floor but Otto interrupted me when he knocked on the window. He motioned that he will go ahead. I nodded at him then stretched my arms back to the floor. The glossy material turned out to be a tourist brochure. I looked it over with the help of the yellow light of the car. I frowned.
Albuquerque? New Mexico?
What was she doing all the way to New Mexico? That is a long distance from New York.
She is quite a puzzle, that woman.
I put the brochure on the dashboard and drove to the direction of the Üy Dalasí. Otto left the big gate open for me and I drove on to the garage. The old pick-up is in its parking space again and no sign of Otto. I took the brochure from the dashboard.
I used the lift and went out on the second floor, next to Rayana's room. My eyes strayed to my right, to the very last room.
I wonder if she is finally sleeping.
Feeling the brochure in my hand, I turned the other way towards my room at the other end of the hallway. I placed the brochure on my bedside table together with my phone and went straight to the bathroom.
Unbidden, an image of Ms. McCrae's face appeared in my mind's eye when I laid down myself in bed. I would not have run in the cold if I was not too distracted by her. Even now, her face and her alluring hazel green eyes are filling my thoughts and it's very distracting.
I shook her face away from my mind. I should get my act together. Unnecessary interest could lead to something dangerous. I cannot let myself be distracted, especially now that things are getting hectic again.
I reached out for my phone to check the time. It's only 9:30 in the evening. Too early for me to go to sleep.
I took the brochure and looked it over again. It features scenic tourist spots in Albuquerque. The more I think about it, the more puzzling it becomes. Did she really go to New Mexico? And if she did, why in the world did she go there?
After a few minutes of deliberation, I decided to call Senti.
His phone rang but he did not pick up. I called again and this time, Arina answered on the other line.
"Hello Arys? Senti is already asleep."
Her voice sounded groggy.
"I'm sorry to wake you Arina. I called because I had something to ask Senti. But don't mind it anymore," I told her.
"Okay. But I'll remind him to call you tomorrow. Good night."
She ended the call and I set my phone aside.
I laid back on the bed, faced up.
Alright. Let's stop thinking about it now. Whatever she did in New Mexico is not my concern and I should try to keep my concerns strictly about work.
I don't know why she makes me feel so... restless. Is it because I know her secret? Or is it because she still had more secrets that I don't know about?
No matter how I tried to distract myself from thinking about her, she kept on assailing my thoughts. This is driving me mad.
I walked down the stairs with my guitar. Gentle strumming makes me feel relaxed sometimes and it helps with my sleep. I reached the end of the pathwalk in the garden and I went for my mother's favorite couch. She loves sitting here because she can enjoy the serene view of the vast plain and the hills.
Tonight, the vast plain is illuminated by the moon and the hills are black sketches in the background. I improvised a melody on the guitar, feeling the soft vibrations of the strings.
I hope to know your mysteries Ms. McCrae. It is affecting me more than I can care to admit. It's driving me crazy.
*************************