It was January. It meant it was the slack period for their hotel. Guests came scarcely in this period. And zero meetings conferences wedding ceremonies. So there were major wage cuts from the employees of the hotel. So an all-round loss to everyone.
Rosalind was an average looking middle height petite young lady. In her college days she had not ever imagined that she would be a hotel receptionist. Not because she was not pretty. But because she always preferred more a decent job, even if she got lower wages. But as she lost her father, the only earning man, she had to burden the responsibility of earning bread for her big family including her newly widowed mother, two younger sisters – both prettier than her; and a younger brother now studying engineering but was always daydreaming to become a rock star one day. – Her spoken English was very fine and she had done a certificate course in Communicative English. These things bought him the job. She had been working here for last seven months. She had started to like it here. As it was slack period she remembered every guest and their features with details these days. Around ten in the morning a tall gaunt woman entered the hotel. She directly came to the reception counter. Rosalind said, "Welcome to Grand Hotel madam. How can I help you?"
"I was looking for Antonio and Veronica. Can you please check these two names for me," the lady said.
"Yes, sure," said Rosalind. But as she had entered almost all the guests' names herself into the computer system. She knew there were no entry on these two names; and she would say no to the lady; but for formality's sake she searched those two names. Few seconds later she informed the tall gaunt ugly and outlandish lady that there were no such guests in the hotel having that kind of names. What she told was true. Yet she knew at the back of her mind who she was searching for. A couple – or perhaps a father and a daughter. They had checked in here two days ago. They were dressed as usual, but they were out and out outlandish according to her. She knew she had a sharp observation power. She did not know what other employees think about the old short bald man, the beautiful girl and their two bodyguards. Yesterday she was passing them and they were unaware of her and they were talking in a very illegible different and unheard of language. Noticing her, the short bald man shifted his gaze and changed the language and perhaps the topic too. He was telling the girl that the dress she was willing to buy is too pricey. In that much of money he could buy her a dozen of other dresses. The girl also was quite an actress. She thumped her heels on the ground and in a sulky tone told the man that she would not change her decision and she would not change her choosey character. These things they were telling not to each other, but for Rosalind to hear, she was quite sure of it. They were such fools as to consider Rosalind buying into such cheap acting. Her younger sister did better acting before her when she needed money. Even she herself would have done better acting. She thought: It is ok. Who wants to listen to your conversation? Go on talking in your outlandish tongue. Who cares?
As if those two were not enough, here came another. This lady was not walking like other ladies – somewhat seductively; rather she walked straight like a man. And she looked strong enough to beat two men at a time if put inside a ring. She seemed some kind of wrestler with tall and lithe body and muscular biceps. Rosalind who was of medium height always wanted such a tall body and almond color skin and brown mysterious eyes, just like this woman before her. Besides these her hair reached her waist part. Wow. Strong jet black hair. But there were other striking features which made look outlandish. Her manish gait. The cruel and confident glint in her eyes. An expressionless face. And more over an overbearing bossy natured talking. Rosalind hated the lady as she was silently scrutinizing her.
"Hmm, so they are not here," the tall lady said.
"No mam," Rosalind answered. "They are not here."
"Thanks," the tall lady said, but she did not sound at all grateful. And she did not buzz from her place. She said, "I want you do something for me."
Rosalind thought: Who do you think you are? Queen Victoria? Yet she said, "Yes mam, please tell."
She got her mobile phone from her pocket and showed a picture of two people captured in it. Seeing the picture Rosalind said to herself: I knew this old girl has something to do with this outlandish couple. One, a middle aged short bald man and the other, a tall and very beautiful girl of his daughter's age. Thinking about them Rosalind consciously noticed for the first time why they seemed outlandish from the very beginning. The girl though beautiful, walked like proud male and she had a white scar on her right eyebrow. And the girl seemed an angry sort.
Rosalind saw the picture and informed the tall lady that she could not leak any information about their guests.
"I did not ask to leak information. I ask you if they are here," the lady asked.
Now Rosalind understood everything. And felt pity for the lady for the first time. Because she was ugly she was suffering. Her husband the short bald man was cheating on her with younger girls. She now even pitied her. She thought: So that is why she is expressionless. Oh poor old girl. I will look like you when I will grow up. But I will have Nikhil, my boyfriend. The best man in this bizzare world. He will not ever cheat on me. He is so handsome and cute and gentle and kind-hearted. I am glad that I have got a place in that great heart. Even if we don't meet at the end – even if we do not marry each other he will always remember me. I am very sure of his love for me. And I know I am the only one near to him. The poor boy has no relative, no friend to look after him. Do not worry Nikhil, I am there for you.
"Excuse me miss," the tall lady said seeing Rosalind lost in her thought. When Rosalind returned to her senses now she was a completely different girl. She was full of sympathy for the tall lady.
"Yes mam we are forbidden to answer such type of unauthorized queries. If you do not have perfect authority like an F. I. R. or a search warrant or at least a lawyer or a police man by your side we are not bound to disclose the information. Sorry mam."
The tall lady nodded her head and was about to walk away. Rosalind said, "But if I were in your position I would have waited in the lobby in order to examine if the man and the girl were here or not."
The tall lady stopped and slowly turned. She watched Rosalind and beamed. Rosalind smiled a restrained smile and tried to imagine how the tall lady would be feeling. If Rosalind were in her place she would have totally freaked out. Now she wanted to thoroughly scold the short bald man. For his amoral desires. He should stick to his wife. He must. No matter how ugly she is. She is ugly, but she has a heart. These sorts of husbands should be put to prisons. She was really angry upon the young girl. She is beautiful. Of good height and very young. Rosalind doubted whether she was a major or a minor – eighteen or not. She appeared sixteen – sweet sixteen. Why then is she doing such scandalous things? These days kids have no ethics at all. They do whatever they like. Never even afraid what people will say. The tall lady was standing undecidedly. Rosalind felt for her. A new idea crossed her mind: Is the short bald man a rich man? Yes, he is. Why else a young girl seems to belong to a good family doing such things! Money is the cause. The girl must be very poor. And taking benefit of her situation the old man is reaping benefit. Or the young girl is a prostitute. No it can not be. Given that case this tall woman would not be carrying the young girl's photo. She would have asked is the man with any girl. So it is an affair. A long exposed affair. Extra marital affair.
The tall lady cleared her throat and said to Rosalind, "Thank you miss. I can not repay you anyway. But I need a favor from you."
"Yes please," Rosalind said, eager to help the other.
"Ahem, it is nothing. I do not know, I think you are a strong girl. And I think money can not buy you," the tall lady faltered.
"Please tell me mam, what can I do for you?"
"It is nothing legal you know."
Rosalind pressed, "It is ok mam. If it is ethical then it is legal." Try me. I will do anything for you.
"I was just asking you to, you know, to have an eye upon them," said the tall lady and waited for a while to examine Rosalind's expressions. Rosalind had turned expressionless now. Then the lady added, "I mean if you could ..." and handing her a card she resumed, "This is my mobile phone number. If you could tell me where they will go next, I will be very glad. It will be really helpful."
Rosalind did not speak a single word but the lady seemed confident that she would comply. Then beaming the lady left the hotel. Rosalind thought that the lady looked assured that she would be informed of her incestuous husband's next whereabouts. Rosalind really felt high now. She waited for twenty minutes. No one came nor went. She thought: Why did they take two rooms? Next moment it occurred to her that these two adjacent rooms were unlike other rooms, interconnected. Yes now it makes sense. Why the old man had asked for room number sixty eight and sixty nine, and the key to the inside door. Now she went upstairs. Now near the door of room number sixty eight was standing – the lean and scholarly man. Now she doubted whether he was Mr. Stone or simply was his name a fake name, for fake identity cards're thriving everywhere. He along with the bulky one, who got out few minutes earlier, seemed a bodyguard to the old man. The lean and scholarly bodyguard eyed her suspiciously. She had come with a plan to peeping through the key holes of the two rooms. But she had not expected a bodyguard guarding the room. But now she only passed the room smiling at him. She almost bumped on a fold on the rug near the steps. She almost fell down. But Mr. Stone rushed to her. He asked, "Are you all right, mam?"
She nervously said, "Yes!" and slowly went down and sat at her place.
After half an hour Mr. Stone descended down. He watched the news on the television for some time. Then nodding at her he called someone. Then went out of the main door smiling at her. He is not going away: she thought deducing from his get up. For he was in a casual half hand Polo tee shirt. And did not order a car from the hotel. Perhaps he is going on a walk somewhere nearby. And besides he had left his entire luggage here. She sat blankly for another ten minutes. She played poker on computer.
They must be late for a movie. So the boss is sending them away: thought she. Let's see what he does.
She sat for another ten minutes. She was then rising from her seat to go to room number sixty eight and sixty nine; and intrude their privacy by peeping through their keyholes; and if possible she would get some pictures of them from the keyholes silently. You never know what can come handy anytime. A similar case had occurred to her in this hotel. A famous Pop actor (married) along with his mistress had come here. She had captured their private time photos. When paparazzi came to the hotel she showed them the private photos and it got her a good amount of money. She had asked her name clear out of the affair.
She was thinking like this then came off the lift the old bald man and the young girl. They were grinning and they had their entire luggage set. So sending the guards off they are slipping away. Nice plan. So this is it. Poor wife. Poor guards. And poor young girl. This man is deceiving everyone: she thought.
"Mam," the short bald man said. "We want to check out."
Rosalind cleared their records. Took cash from them. They asked for a car to drop them at the airport. She called and arranged it soon. In time the car came and they went away by it. Rosalind sent a message from a temporary number of hers to the tall lady's number: To the airport.
A message from the otherside came: Thanks.
Rosalind seemed glad imagining the tall lady glad. But her happiness faded when she found out that the two guards did not return.