by Zara Zenia
“Absolutely,” Jinurak said.
“It’s just…I have a couple of deadlines and—”
Jinurak chuckled. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I am just thrilled that you said yes in the first place.”
“Oh good,” I said and pulled up the calendar on my tablet. I began inspecting it, but I didn’t see anything over the course of the next few weeks that wound hinder a trip for me. “The good news about my job is that I work from home,” I explained. “I work for myself, which means that as long as I meet the deadline requirements, I can really come and go as I please. I can work off a flexible schedule.”
“Great,” Jinurak said. I could practically picture him beaming on the other end.
“Do you mind if I call you back in a day or so and we can fine tune the details?” I asked.
“Certainly,” Jinurak said.
“Thank you.” I was grinning from ear to ear.
“Oh, and Ariana?” Jinurak said right before we hung up.
“Yes?”
“I can’t wait to meet you in person.”
My heart skipped a beat. I was swooning over him already and I hadn’t even solidified the specifics yet. He just had that charismatic effect over me. He was extremely charming.
“Me too,” I said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. I can already tell.”
“I’ll talk to you soon, alright?” he asked.
“Yes of course.” I nodded. “I’ll be in touch. Again, thank you so much for the invitation.”
I could hear the smile in Jinurak’ voice. “You’re welcome.”
As soon as I hung up the phone, I tossed it onto the couch, stood up and began jumping up and down. I shrieked with glee. I knew it was a superficial and juvenile reaction to Jinurak’s invitation proposal, but I didn’t care. No one was in the house to see me react this way.
It wasn’t very often that something exciting happened to me out here in these woods. I could use some company and some attention. I could use some contact with the outside world and bonding with peers.
I couldn’t wait to visit Jinurak. I had never been to Baltimore before. In all honesty, I hadn’t really had a lot of free time to venture outside of upstate New York, but I was willing to put myself out there in the path of adventure.
I wasn’t normally this spontaneous, but I trusted Jinurak and he had sold himself well to me over the past few months.
What could possibly go wrong?
I wandered to my bathroom and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. For the first time in days, I saw a shimmer of excitement flickering in my ocean blue eyes. There was a rosiness to my cheeks that hadn’t been there before.
“He wants me to visit him,” I stated out loud to my own reflection. “Isn’t that incredible?”
I grinned wildly and started a shower. I felt vivacious all of the sudden, rejuvenated. I knew that a nice, steamy, hot shower would make me feel somewhat refreshed too. I twisted the nozzle on the tub and waited until the water was the perfect temperature before stripping off my clothes and climbing in.
I let the water run over my back and shoulders for a few moments. I closed my eyes and felt the water dripping down my hair. I was incredibly relaxed, but underneath it all, there was a delicate gnawing of anxiety about the trip in general.
What happened if I got there and he realized that he wasn’t interested in me after all? What if we got in the same room together and realized the chemistry just didn’t click? What if he introduced me to his friends and family and they weren’t impressed?”
I placed my hands against the shower walls. “Stop telling yourself ‘what if’ scenarios, Ariana. You are only going to drive yourself crazy that way.”
I blew out a frustrated puff of air. I needed to pull myself together. I had known Jinurak for a number of months now, and there was nothing about him that raised any red flags so far. There was no reason for me to distrust his motives for the trip.
“You’re going to go. You’re going to have an incredible time,” I told myself as if anything other than that mentality wasn’t up for debate.
I had been isolated for way too long. I lived a comfortable life and enjoyed the solitude more than the average person, but enough was enough. I didn’t need to stay desolate out here by myself any longer. I would go on the trip and not worry about what happened in between.
I got out of the shower and put on a fresh pair of clothes. I could hardly contain my excitement. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my work until I discussed the trip in greater detail with Jinurak.
I looked at my calendar again and moved some things around. There wasn’t much to do though. I had a scattering of jobs here and there, but the deadlines were not pressing.
I took a deep breath and looked at my phone. My thumb hovered over the call button. I didn’t know why I was hesitating.
“He asked you to come visit him,” I reminded myself.
But he was probably busy. I knew that he had a lot of work to do while he was here on Earth. We had never discussed how long he would be here, or if he expected to go back to Trilyn any time soon.
My guess was that he was here for the long haul, especially if he was asking me to come visit him for a couple of weeks.
My heart did another flip. I took a deep breath and decided to bite the bullet. I hit the call button and held my breath. I didn’t have time to work myself up into a fluster, nor did I have time to mentally talk myself out of hanging up before he picked up.
Jinurak answered on the second ring.
“Hello?” His voice sounded cheerful, giving me a boost of confidence.
“Hi,” I said with a grin.
“It’s good to hear from you again,” he said.
He was so polite, so different than all the other men out there in the world. I didn’t know much about Trilyian men, only that they were here for an intergalactic trade purpose. There was perhaps something more underlying. I didn’t have all the facts, but I knew for certain that Jinurak was more of a gracious gentleman than any human male I had ever encountered or dated.
I thought it would suffice to place our relationship under the category of ‘dating’, and I found myself elated that he wanted to take things to the next level. If he wasn’t interested in pursuing something more serious with me, then why would he ask me to come to visit him?
“I was thinking about the trip,” I said with an eager grin that I wished he could see.
“Yes?” His voice rang with optimism.
“Yeah,” I chuckled, “I actually couldn’t wait to get back to you.”
I immediately regretted that confession. It made me sound desperate. I winced and waited for his response.
“That’s wonderful.”
I let out a small exhale of relief. I hadn’t repelled him yet with my enthusiasm. If anything, it seemed to only coax him on further.
“Thank you again for inviting me,” I said. “I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“Really?” He sounded concerned.
“It’s just that…it snows a lot here and it’s dreary all the time. I’ve been cooped up in my house for a while. I guess you could say that I have cabin fever.” I ended with a chuckle.
“Well I am honored to pull you out of your funk,” Jinurak said obligingly. “I think you will really enjoy yourself here in Baltimore.”
“I concur,” I said and traced the edge of my desk with my index finger.
“I can pay for your flight,” Jinurak said.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that—”
“I insist,” Jinurak cut in.
“Are you sure?” I nibbled on my bottom lip. I felt guilty with him footing that expense. “At least let me pay for half.”
“No,” he said as if he didn’t want to argue the point. “I am the one inviting you here. I am the host and you will be my guest. You will not have to pay for anything. Think of this as an all-expense paid trip.”
My head was swimming with joy. “Thank you so much.
I don’t even know what to say…”
“You don’t have to say anything.” Jinurak’s voice was friendly. “I am happy to provide the comforts for you. You won’t have to worry about a single thing.”
“Really?”
“No. I will also hire someone to bring you to and from the airport.”
“Thank you,” I said with deep relief. “The conditions of the roads are dangerous. I wouldn’t feel comfortable driving on them. Even with chains on my tires.”
“Good. I will send a professional out to get you.”
“That’s wonderful.”
Was there no end to his chivalry and accommodating behavior? There seemed to be an endless supply. I shouldn’t complain.
We discussed the details of a few more arrangements, including a house sitter if I wanted one to make sure my cabin stayed in working order while I was gone.
When I hung up, I told myself that I needed to swallow down my trust issues and just enjoy the trip. It was time to let go of my past and live for the moment. I wasn’t going to get hurt again. Not by Jinurak. He wasn’t the type.
I had to take a chance. It was now or never. I didn’t want to be hindered by the fact that I had been hurt before. I didn’t want to have any regrets. As soon as we hung up, I squealed with delight. It was time to embrace my future and the brightness it had to offer me. If I wanted to pursue happiness, there was little time to waste.
I had to trust my instincts on this one. I was looking forward to meeting Jinurak in person, and I would be counting down the days until that finally happened.
Chapter 3
Jinurak
Up until the day before Ariana’s departure from her upstate New York cabin in order to fly down to Baltimore to visit with me, we had been corresponding over the phone, email and text for a number of days as we finalized all the details.
I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I was growing increasingly excited, more so by the minute, for her long-awaited arrival.
I was on the phone with her at the current time, giving her the information for the housesitting company. I had hired a team in order to make sure her house remained well cared for while she was on an extended visit with me in Baltimore.
“That’s right,” I nodded, sitting back in my office chair, “They will be coming in once a week to make sure everything is in working order and to do a mop, dusting and cleaning of the bathroom.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Ariana said. “And it should be relatively easy for the employees of the company to accomplish too. There won’t be any yard maintenance to worry about in the dead of winter. Everything is covered under a foot of iced over snow.”
“Good.” I was pleased with the plans I’d made for Ariana’s arrival, and I felt confident that I was prepared. “Not about the foot of snow, but about the fact that the work for the housesitting team will be minimal.”
Ariana chuckled. “Of course. I knew what you meant.”
“And you got the flight information I emailed you, right?” I asked.
“Yes,” Ariana assured me. “My shuttle driver arrives at eleven o’clock in the morning and will drop me off at the airport. From there I’ll check in for my one o’clock departure on the plane.”
“Great,” I said. I had been looking at the information on my own computer screen to check and make sure we were on the same page and had the same accuracy of the details. “I can’t wait to see you.”
I could practically feel her blushing. “Me too.” She cleared her throat. “I mean, I can’t wait to see you, not me. I see me all the time.” She chuckled nervously. She was so adorable I could hardly stand it.
“I knew what you meant,” I said with a lighthearted laugh in response. “I think you are really cute. I can’t wait to give you a giant hug.”
“That sounds really nice.” There was friendliness and glee laced in Ariana’s tone.
“I think you are really going to enjoy it here,” I said. “It’s still cold, but I’m sure anything south of upstate New York will feel warm to you.”
“I think you are right,” she said with a laugh.
The sound of her voice was like a beautiful ocean breeze. I couldn’t get enough of it, and I couldn’t wait to see her charismatic smile brighten a room in person.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate on anything else until I’m there with you,” Ariana confessed.
I appreciated her honesty because she reassured me with her direct and open thoughts.
“I feel the same way.” I found myself with a permanent smile. “I can’t wait until you get here.”
“Is there anything else we need to go over before we hang up?” Ariana asked.
I suddenly felt disappointment in the fact that she had to go and couldn’t stay on the phone with me for longer. If it was up to me, I would want our conversations to last forever. I never wanted to hang up once we got going in a chat.
“No, I uh…” I cleared my throat and stared at her flight information that was still pulled up on my computer screen.
“I’m sorry,” she began. She must have sensed my crestfallen change in mood. “It’s just, I have one final deadline to complete before I begin my vacation and make my way to you.”
“There’s no need to apologize,” I reassured her. “I understand.”
I made sure my voice sounded peppier after that. I didn’t want her to feel like she was being pressured in any way, most certainly not by me.
“Thank you.” Ariana sounded relieved.
“One last thing before you go,” I said as a reminder. “I have arranged for your room and the driver will escort you there straight from the airport.”
“Will you be waiting for me there too at the room?” Ariana’s voice fluctuated between a mixture of excited anticipation and jitters.
“Absolutely.”
There was one major detail about her room arrangements that I had yet to present to her. I was just hoping that by the time she got here, she’d be alright with the fact that I had worked it out for her to stay here with me in my palace.
To be fair, I would give her a separate room in the guest quarters away from me if she requested it, but I didn’t want to have her far away in some hotel in the middle of the city. I hoped that she wouldn’t presume me to be a bit too forward, but I was prepared in the event that she became combative about staying with me in the palace.
Up until this point, I hadn’t observed any red flag or alarming behavior from her that would suggest her to be a fiery spirit or one to assume something of someone without hearing the other person’s side of things before seeking judgement.
“Well I will be counting down the hours until you get here,” I said one last time before we hung up.
“Me too.” She sounded so sweet and gentlehearted. “Goodbye, Jinurak.”
“Goodbye. See you soon.”
As soon as I hung up the phone, I placed it onto the surface of my desk and sighed, leaning back in my chair. I gazed up at the ceiling and rubbed my eyes. My heart raced. I was already extremely motivated by Ariana’s impending arrival. I couldn’t wait to show her around and give her a good time.
I was going to be the host of the year. I would make her feel comfortable as soon as she stepped foot on my property, and I would provide her with every amenity that she desired. I wanted to ensure that she would love it in Baltimore enough with me to potentially stay long term. I couldn’t wait to spoil her, even if she didn’t ask me to do so in the first place.
I stood up and wandered over to the window. The weather here in Baltimore had improved over the last several days, and I hoped that it would linger long enough to welcome Ariana. There was always the risk of a snow storm here, but I didn’t want Ariana to endure more of what she was trying to escape back in her upstate New York cabin.
Either way, I knew that even a brief snowfall here would be nothing in comparison to what she was accustomed to, so that gave me slight reassurance.
I walked back to my des
k and sat down with a sigh. I would have to keep myself busy until Ariana’s arrival. I couldn’t wait for her to call me and let me know that she got safely on the plane.
We had planned to be in frequent contact with each other up until she boarded, and then after landing in Baltimore, she would call me once the shuttle car came to whisk her to my palace. From there it would be smooth sailing. I still had some time to calm my fraying, wired up nerves.
There were still a lot of factors to consider. One of the biggest worries that I kept trying to push to the back of my mind was the fact that weather might play a deciding role in whether or not Ariana got here on time.
There wasn’t a blizzard expected overnight where she lived, so I knew it was safe to assume that her flight probably wouldn’t be delayed, but I had to prepare myself for failure in the event that something happened.
I just couldn’t wait to see her, that was all. My mind was just going over all sorts of worst case scenarios. I knew I would calm down as soon as I saw her beautiful face and had a chance to wrap my arms around her in a wonderous hug.
I closed my eyes and pictured her walking in the door of my palace and gazing around in inspired awe. I wanted her to drape her arms around my neck and hug me tight. I sighed with contentment and opened my eyes, realizing in humiliation that I wasn’t alone.
“Are you okay?” My twin brother Lortnam was standing in the doorway of my office.
“Do you know how to knock?” I asked a little too gruffly. I loved the face that he and Kelly had chosen to split their time between Norna and here. Working to build relations between us and the humans through the Cultural Center.
Lortnam took a step or two inside the room. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt…” he trailed off. “Whatever it is you are doing in here.”
“I’m not doing anything,” I blurted defensively. “I’m just resting my eyes.”
“Dreaming of Ariana?” Lortnam’s lips were spread into a vivacious grin.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” I rolled my eyes and gave him an aggressive glare.
“Oh, calm down, won’t you, Jinurak?” Lortnam plopped down into the chair across from my desk and helped himself to a mint candy in a crystal glass at the edge. “I’m just trying to have a little fun here. It wouldn’t kill you to admit it.”
