Frequent Traveller (Cathy Dixon #1)

by Pandora Poikilos

  Cathy left the room but paid more attention to the carpet fibres on the floor than any of her surroundings. Losing a child because of someone else's negligence and carelessness would leave anyone tormented. Cathy could find no words to describe the emotions the Coopers were experiencing.

  Other guests at the hotel heard of what happened and approached the front desk. They offered their assistance to search for Larissa. Other departments sent their off-duty associates to assist with the search as well. Four associates took turns going to each room on every floor to ask if anyone had seen the child. It was past 9:00 p.m. now, approximately five hours since Larissa was last seen. Inside Matheus' office, Nela paced and cried. She was worried about losing her job but she knew that asking such a question at a time like this was truly in bad taste.

  Some of the night market vendors also distributed Larissa's picture and were willing to help with the search at the beach area. In the midst of all this, Mindy was fast asleep now. Her parents had never claimed her even after associates had asked people at the poolside barbecue, where she was supposedly found.

  Cathy walked the entire stretch of the night market area. She came back and sat down for a breather at the Front Office sitting area. She watched Mindy in blissful sleep unaware of the panic and strained emotions around her. The unfolding drama to everyone else was an adventure for the little one.

  As the hours wore on, it was well past midnight and the lobby was still a flurry of activity. Refreshments were offered in a corner of the Rio Lounge as more people headed out to the beach area looking for Larissa. Cathy watched as people from all walks of life came together, irrelevant of rank or origin to search for a little girl. Even as Security handed out pictures to guests arriving back from a night out, a young couple was seen rushing towards the check-in counter.

  The man carried a large bundle in his arms and they both looked visibly upset. From across the lobby, Cathy watched expectantly and walked quickly towards them.

  "We came for the high tea promotion this evening and somehow ..."

  Even before they could finish their sentence, Matheus interrupted, "Yes, we have your daughter and didn't understand it at all because we had informed every guest in the hotel."

  Both men were obviously relieved as they spoke to each other. The man gently handed Larissa to Matheus doing his best not to wake her. Cathy called the Coopers who made it to the lobby as the sleepy Mindy greeted her parents.

  "Our hotel is on the other side of the island and she had fallen asleep by the time we had gotten to the car ... we really ... it was dark when we took her and we didn't notice anything amiss until we were changing her into her nightclothes a little while ago ... and we came as fast as we could but with the night markets all around ... and us not familiar with the roads ..."

  Sophia Cooper held on to Larissa tightly, "Oh thank you, thank you ... all of you."

  Matheus instructed his associates to make sure everyone was informed. Cathy watched both couples engrossed in conversation. This time around, it really did have a simple good ending, after all, but MoonStar Guarapari would have to make more effort to ensure there were no repeats of such an incident.

  MUMBAI, INDIA

  February 2009

  This is an Indian city famous for its resounding culture, painted and woven through the centuries by its locals, the brief rule of the Portuguese and the widespread clutches of the British East India Company. Mumbai's growth in recent years has stunned the world, if not its local people. To date it is one of the top five most populated urban cities in the world and India's richest city where economy and tourism are concerned.

  In 1947, when India was accorded independence from British rule, this city was part of an area called Bombay State. Decades later, the Samyukta Maharashtra movement demanded a change of territory and the State of Maharashtra emerged, declaring the city of Bombay its capital.

  In 1995, at the insistence of the winning state party, the city was renamed as Mumbai. This was deemed as part of a 'cleansing' process from all British rule. Mumbai is a combination of Mumba, the name of the Koli goddess Mumbadevi and Aai meaning "mother" in the language of Marathi.

  Indian Cinema which has made itself known to the rest of the world in the last decade is said to have started in Mumbai. This has allowed it the popularity to nurture the most number of cinema halls than any other city in India. These cinema halls showcase local Marathi talent, Bollywood blockbusters and Hollywood movies. The Mumbai International Film Festival and the country's oldest award ceremony, Filmfare Awards have been showcased at the world's largest IMAX dome theatre in the Wadala neighbourhood of Mumbai. The city is also home to Asia’s largest theme water park, Water Kingdom which is a popular tourist destination and Essel World which is an amusement park.

  Tucked away between architectural wonders and colourful culture, MoonStar Mumbai stood tall at twenty storeys high. With more than three hundred rooms dedicated to business and family travellers, its lobby was a constant bustle of activity.

  Cathy observed four Banquet associates drape red satin on the pillars around the Marathi Ballroom. It was the wedding ceremony that would captivate many a local magazine and leave many a girl to dream of such luxury lapping at her feet. Local business tycoon Aravind Rakshit had earned his money the hard way, rags to riches. He had been brought up by his maternal grandmother, in a small village after his parents had died in an accident. He had put himself through school and later started a freight shipping service, literally with his bare hands.

  In two days, he would be giving away his only daughter in marriage and had made it clear to all involved, that cost was no barrier. As long as the wedding was grand and his daughter was happy, he would be content. The marriage had been arranged at Anu's birth, almost thirty years before to Anil, the son of his business partner. In all their lives, Anu and her husband-to-be had met less than ten times, each time they had been watched and doted on, by their loving families.

  The last two weeks were probably the most time the couple had spent together. A temple ceremony in the morning would be followed by a wedding dinner at MoonStar Mumbai, hosted by both families from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. Both families expected at least two thousand people to attend the dinner. They had specifically requested a large sitting area cordoned off at the lobby, should the hall get too congested or if their guests wanted to sit and chat outside the hall. Even guests staying at the hotel who were not participating in the wedding, felt a glimmer of celebration.

  Red and gold cloth hung in big waves through the lobby's high ceiling. The entrance of the Marathi Ballroom was adorned with a flower arch splashed with blooms of all colours and sizes. Lined with stainless plates and dishes, the centrepiece of each table was a decorative photo printout of the wedding couple. Cathy took one of these in her hand and traced the outline of the bride's face.

  "Wishing you were her?" came the voice of George, the property's Director of Sales and Marketing.

  Well past fifty years, he looked half his age. He was well-known for his popularity with the women folk and could talk his way into a potential customer's wallet as sure fire could melt a spoonful of butter.

  "No way. Just observing that's all," Cathy chuckled as she turned to face him.

  "Oh come now, Cathy. You're hot and you know it. Even when you're all 'oh I'm the VP and I'm your boss', you'd make any man go wild for you," responded the man in a brazen manner, staring into Cathy's face.

  "I beg your pardon?" Cathy exclaimed, stepping back, not sure what he was getting at.

  "That was just my absolutely cheeky way of telling you, any man would be lucky to have you and a downright fool to lose you," he laughed as he adjusted a few chair covers.

  She was amused, but did not want to dignify it with a reply.

  "So what do you think Corporate Cathy? Does it meet your approval?" he asked her, pointing to the ballroom still overflowing with Banquet associates and a variety of clanging sounds from cutlery, plates and furniture.

&nb
sp; "It's lovely. Really. And the amount of effort Banquet has put into all the arrangements, I’m impressed. I've been here three days and the way they have transformed the ballroom ... it's almost magical, and yes, absolutely astounding George. It is," said Cathy, as she absorbed the decor.

  The two of them stood back as the Banquet team raised a huge red backdrop at the front of the ballroom. The couple's names were on it, surrounded by little hearts. Hand-stitched with sparkling sequins by the hotel's in-house tailor, it added a further touch of splendour to the ballroom.

  "Do you think you'll ever marry?' George asked Cathy.

  Cathy took a deep breath. "Oh wow, I really don't know. Between work and everything else, I'm not sure if marriage will fit in, just yet."

  "Ah so there is someone. You had us all wondering for a while. I've been to your office and there are no pictures. Rumour has it your apartment doesn't have pictures as well."

  "What the hell is this? The study group on my personal life?" joked Cathy as she threw her head back and laughed.

  "If you even have a personal life, Corporate Cathy ... Nah, it's just ... let’s call it concerned office colleagues. And come on, show me one hotelier who minds his own business and I'll show you guests who never complain."

  "Oh stop it now. You always make me laugh," Cathy elbowed him. "What about you? Are you married?"

  "Twice, both ended in nasty divorces. The first time she wanted loads of kids and the second time, she thought I was too much of a kid. Now, I just live for myself and with a job that has me running amok for more than sixteen hours a day. I think it's better that way."

  "Exactly."

  "Come on then, let me show you the ice carvings we'll be putting on display. The artist said he'd leave the drawings for me to look at. My Communications team found this artist who gives you exquisite ice sculptures. You could even put them in museums, well if they didn't melt. Plus, he works really cheap so I'll have plenty of nice things to say about him."

  Even as they walked towards a corner of the ballroom where Banquet had placed the diagrams, loud voices were heard from the entrance. They turned to see the bride, Anu walking in with her mother followed by a herd of relatives, decked in more finery than the bride herself.

  "Right, here we go ... watch this Cathy. They are either going to change the table arrangements, look for Chef to change the menu or add more guest rooms and ask for a further discount," he whispered to Cathy.

  As soon as the mother of the bride laid eyes on George, she rushed towards him. "George, we need more rooms. Please, tell me you can give me a good rate."

  “Madam Rakshit, I'd give the whole hotel to you for a good rate. Come, give me the details and I'll let my staff know," pacified George. He took her arm and winked at Cathy.

  Smiling to herself, Cathy continued to slowly pace through the ballroom. She saw George leave, with one of the relatives, presumably to finalise the room arrangement with Front Office.

  With a sad, forlorn look on her face, the bride Anu sat at one of the tables. She was listening to her mother speak. A stern look twisted her features as Madam Rakshit pointed to the backdrop at the other end of the room.

  "I do not love him Mama, I just do not!" Anu screamed and tried to get up from her seat.

  Her mother pushed her back down, "You listen to me Anu! We've spent a lot of time and money on this wedding. We didn't send you to school and pay for your university for you to fall in love with someone we do not approve of. You will marry Anil on Thursday and that is final!"

  Anu got up and ran in the direction of the main door but not before her mother grabbed the sleeve of her dress, stopping her.

  "Anu, I will slap you! You ingrate! You are so old. As it is, nobody else wants you. Anil is doing us a favour by keeping his promise to us and to his family."

  Cathy looked around the room noting that the Banquet team could not have disappeared any faster. Some of the relatives stood around the weeping bride, while others calmed her mother.

  "You are not my daughter if you do not marry Anil, you hear me?! " screamed Mrs. Rakshit, even louder than before.

  As soon as he heard the commotion from outside, George walked in. He wanted to make sure Banquet had not screwed up any specific requirements the family had made about the wedding dinner. Assessing the situation, he realised it was not at all work related. He grabbed Cathy's arm and motioned for her to leave the room with him.

  "Come now Corporate Cathy, let's go have a cuppa while they sort their differences out. There’s nothing else we can do here."

  Cathy walked out with him but was more than a little curious as to how the episode would end. "Do you think it'll go on? The wedding, I mean."

  "Sure it will. Then in ten years they'll end up hating each other or he'll end up having a string of affairs, she'll pretend to know nothing about. Old story. Or they'll learn to make the best of the situation and find love where there is none. I really don't know."

  "Wow, look who's all poetic. Next, you'll be telling me you run a relationship column in some magazine," Cathy raised an eyebrow at George.

  "Not a chance. I just know people from both camps, equally disastrous and equally happy. One family I know, both their sons had love marriages which ended in divorces in less than five years. One son almost lost custody of his daughter. Their daughter, on the other hand, had an arranged marriage which is now going into its twelfth year. I'm really not sure what to think."

  "I guess. Come to think of it, even King Henry VIII and his fourth wife Anne of Cleves had an arranged marriage. Although, King Henry was so upset that the artist impression was nothing like the real woman, he ended up dissolving the marriage within hours. Not to mention Marilyn Monroe's first marriage was arranged by her guardian so she wouldn’t be sent back to foster care. Different situations. But then again, these days I think it comes back to family honour. Do you stay because you have to or go because you want to?" Cathy wondered out loud as the screaming match from earlier replayed in her head.

  "Remind me again, how we got on to this topic? At this point, I swear I'll make sure Anu gets married even if I have to personally carry her on my back to the temple and to the dinner. We've already bought tons of ice for the carvings and all those props have months of work put into them. The deposit they've paid will barely cover the food ... ha ... and try telling Chef nobody's going to be eating his Lamb Biryani for two thousand people. Trust me, the wedding's going to happen."

  Cathy chuckled and sipped her tea. She noticed a Front Office associate making his way to their table at the coffee house and knew that she would soon have other things to keep her occupied. In his hand, he held a brown envelope that she was certain had her name on it.

  JAKARTA, INDONESIA

  March 2009

  Nicknamed Big Durian for being the Indonesian equivalent to the Big Apple, New York City this city is currently the most populated city in Southeast Asia and the tenth largest city in the world. Jakarta was previously known as Batavia but Indonesian nationalists renamed it to Jakarta in 1942 after conquering the city from the Dutch. Derived from the word "Jayakarta", its name originates from Sanskrit and can be literally translated into phrases such as "Victorious Deed" or "Complete Victory". While the city still possesses influences left behind by the Dutch who dominated it in the seventeenth century, it was the Portuguese who were the first European influence to arrive here in 1513.

  Commanded by Englishman Sir James Lancaster, the East India Company was given provisions to build a trading post which the British steered towards lucrative earnings until 1682. When the Dutch felt threatened by their growing popularity and strengthening economic ties, the port was eventually burnt down and the English were forced to retreat.

  Air and water pollution are known to be significant problems in Jakarta. The government continually struggles to regulate and enforce open burning and sewage management. Their efforts are further hampered by lack of enforcement and corruption in the public sector. Another problem that the city
faces, are the recent findings that it is steadily sinking about five centimeters, each year.

  In a bid to resolve this looming disaster, the Netherlands has pledged $4 million to analyse the option of building a ring-dike on Jakarta Bay to regulate and control sea water. The project also includes improved piping systems throughout the city. Researchers estimate that the project will be completed by 2025.

  The International Java Jazz Festival and the Jakarta Fair remain huge tourist attractions, alongside the annual Jakarta International Film Festival and Jakarta Fashion & Food Festival. With more than sixty-eight shopping malls located in one district, it is no wonder that the city continues to thrive on local and foreign goods. MoonStar Jakarta was located on one these busy street corners. Its two hundred guest rooms catered towards business and transit travellers.

  “It's amazing what people do when they think they're not being watched," Cathy murmured to herself, as she watched the video files the Security Manager of MoonStar Jakarta had given her.