Once Again...

Part 2 - The Hung Coffee Date

She stayed minutes away from there. She got off the car. "Thanks, Rohan" she said. "Hey, Maya, it was a pleasure driving you here. You were a great company." he said, but did not take his eyes off for even a minute.

She was not sure whether to stay or leave. Normally, she wouldn't waste time on the niceties, but here, she was not herself. "Ugh.. Yes it was great indeed. Thank you again." she said. Their words had already closed the conversation. But neither moved an inch, which kept them standing facing each other, eyes staring into the other's.

Neither knew what to say, to make the other stay. Yet neither wanted this small rendezvous to end either.

Finally, Rohan gathered some courage, and said... "Maya, would you like to join me for a quick coffee? I need to meet my interior designer by 7, and I still have a half hour with me..." He was hopeful. 

Maya didn't know where this was headed, but she reluctantly nodded. "Yes, sure.." and Rohan signaled her to follow him to the nearby coffee shop. 

At the coffee shop, Rohan held the door for Maya, and walked in after her and made himself comfortable on a low chair, and saved the sofa seat for the lady. This was what the heroes of the books and movies were made of, this was what Maya wrote about in her relationships-based stories. But, this was what Maya had never before experienced first-hand. 

Rohan called for the menu. Once it arrived, he handed it to Maya, "What would you like?" he asked. Maya was lost in the past of her life, where she had never been asked what she liked! Not in the last few years! Not in many years! 

"Well, I am not sure. I am not a frequent coffee shop visitor. I am not sure of their offerings, I'd go for a regular hot coffee, perhaps!" she nervously said. 

"Ah, ok. One regular hot coffee for the lady, and ditto for me... Thank you" he smiled and waved at the waiter. 

"So, Maya... what do you do? Tell me about yourself, before I start chatting away endlessly..." he was curious. 

"Ugh... well.. I am Maya. I work as a writer cum editor for a magazine. I answer queries on relationships, I am the "agony aunt", in short... and I have been doing this for the last 20 years." she said in a more-or-less bland tone. She was living a monotonous life, and she didn't attempt hiding it. She just could not!

"Hey that's so cool.. Writer! Relationships guide! Whoa! And look at me, single, rich, passionate, spoilt bachelor! You are my savior now then!" he said, and laughed. 

His laughter was what she read about in the hundreds of Mills&Boons novels she grew up on. His teeth sparkled, as he smiled. She felt weak in her knees. He continued in his deep seductive voice, "Maya.. I need help. Really.. I need a woman in my life and quite desperately. I know you don't know me, and my saying this makes me sound like a cheap man. But trust me, I have everything one can think of, except a partner, a lover, a woman in my life. And now that I know you are the agony aunt, I am making most of it... Please help me, Maya..." he put his hand on the back of her hand, and pleaded. 

His touch again sent ripples of excitement inside her. She withdrew her hand slowly, and smiled. "You would not believe it, but I am not your savior. I am a failure myself when it comes to relationships. So, what help can i do to you, I wonder.."she said matter-of-fact-ly.

He was quite taken aback at what she said. He didn't like the word 'failure' coming from a sweet and charming lady who sat in front of him. 

"Ah, don't say that. You aren't a failure, lady. It's only a bad experience I am sure. And, how you can help me, is so simple. You need a man, I need a woman. And here we are!" he spread his hands dramatically, as if to announce to everyone something he had just discovered. 

She quickly got up. "Rohan, I am sorry! I am not comfortable with the way our sudden encounter has taken a turn. I don't know who you are, you don't know me either. I am just sorry I accepted your drop, and your offer to have coffee... I am not comfortable with all this. I am just ... I am sorry!" she said and started walking towards the exit.