Undefiled Queen

Stephen needed to wash away her scent off his body. The dust of the mattress on which they just slept was all over him. His hair was sticking to the neck and for that moment he hated his body more than anything else in the world. How could he get his body to rule over his mind? How could he think of sleeping with her after knowing fully well who she was?

Merlyn was giggling stealing her looks from him but trying to control her smiles by flapping her palm on her lips while she scrolled through the TV channels. Stephen wondered how she could find a reason to grin in the bleakest circumstances.

He had opened the shower, five minutes had passed by but still the water wasn’t hot. Hot was a very big word, it was not even warm. The motel was below average in providing facilities. The management couldn’t look after basic necessities like maintaining hot water for its customers.

The snow continued to drop down the window panes. Of all the negative scenarios occupying him, the only positive thing that he could assume was him leaving the bloody cheap hotel very shortly.

He had to adjust for a bath by using the crappy soap stored in the washroom and scrub his hair and body. Stephen hopped out of the washroom grabbing the first towel which caught his sight striving to stand the cold.

With the intention of blowing a fuse he called the front desk to let them know about the unavailability of hot water. “Sorry sir, the geyser blew, we are working on it.”

“When could we expect a positive result?”

“I have no idea.” There was no use rubbing his head with the lady who least bothered about her guests. With no further words, he simply cut the call.

With the towel still wrapped around his body, he announced it to Merlyn. “We are leaving.”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“What?” Merlyn’s eyes were tuned to the TV. The weather report said there was a massive snow storm in the states of Minnesota and Minneapolis. Much to Stephen’s indignation, they were in the middle of the storm and in the place where the red light was beeping.

“I think it is not advisable for us to leave this place during this weather.” As much as he wanted to deny her, Merlyn was right. She giggled, extending him a hand towel to wipe his head.

Stephen wondered how she could find a silver lining even in the worst circumstances. Merlyn was always found spirited and lively. For the top-notch businessman that he was, who could read people’s minds within a flick of fingers, she was a puzzle he couldn’t yet solve.

It is not like life has not given her equal challenges. She was still recovering from a sodden relationship, she had lost both her parents at a very young age, practically penniless with not even a roof over her head Merlyn still was a cheerful young girl who was smiling before him with an outpouring of positivity and hope.

After hearing the weather broadcast, one thing was certain for him that he would not be able to head to Minneapolis on time. He called his right hand and briefed him to conduct the meeting on his behalf, he sent him mail on points that he needed to talk about and reversed to the strange woman sitting before him.

Merlyn’s positivity was getting on his nerves as she peered at him with that idiotic grin but something about her always attracted him, maybe it was his regard for her being his Flower or her fight with situations even in the discouraging circumstances.

Her phone began to ring and her eyes began to glitter with delight as soon as she heard her aunt’s voice on the other line. Even for a man who is going to die in two days, if he listens to her words, he will be filled with zeal and alacrity. The unapproving weather was a very minute thing for Merlyn’s psychology.

Nevertheless a sort of uneasiness filled the kernel of Stephen as soon as he heard Hana. He had met the woman a couple of times when Merlyn’s family stayed close to them. She was kind and helpful but the sort of a woman who wouldn’t think twice to rip the goblin out of his flesh when tried to harm her family.

Why does he have this intuition that somewhere he and his family were the reason for her devastated state? ‘Rachel and Samuel James are the most common names and unfortunately one of those couples who died with his brother in the accident. They necessarily need not be Merlyn’s parents. – He tried to counsel himself

“Is he handsome, honey?” Hana’s words brought him out of his reverie as he shot Merlyn a perplexing look. At some corner of his heart he wanted to know her opinion about him.

“It depends upon the situation.” Merlyn called in a giggle and gave him an introspective look. She knew she was too much to handle for him. But thankfully he had’t called her annoying as yet.

Her father had always stated to her to be positive and caring. However today the life lessons she learned since her childhood had proved contrary. She lost her parents because of some rich negligent alcoholic and his self conceited asshole of a brother who refused to grant her justice and bury the truth. She lost her boyfriend for a drug addict roommate who was hated by the whole university but for her who still had a hope of friendship with her. The theories she went nourishing from her juvenescence had betrayed her. Why is it wrong to expect love from the person upon whom you have invested your everything?

Nevertheless, she owes a lot of explanation about her missing boyfriend as soon as she reaches home to Uncle Peter and Aunt Hana.

“I can’t wait to see you guys.” Merlyn said and cut the call before her aunt discovered her tearing up. Stephen’s gaze was struck to her face as she discreetly wiped the wetness pooling her eyes. The man felt strangely familiar though she was seeing him for the first time. His hugs, his kisses and his touch felt like she was dwelling in them for many years.

Who was this guy? Why does she develop an uncontrollable familiarity and intimacy with him?