A Temporary Affair

Chapter 11

Soft music coming from the reception hall a few steps away from her cottage bore into Nina's consciousness, carrying her dazed mind between sleep and wakefulness. She laid on her back and slowly opened her eyes to see shafts of sunlight peering through the screened window.

"No reason to hurry," Nina said to herself as she burrowed herself deeper into the waiting softness of her bed. Closing her eyes again caused memories to rush in, making her blush.

As the memories came rushing and engulfed her newly awakened mind, Nina made a resolve; she would ride this wave. She will take the risk. What has she got to lose anyway?

She propped herself up from the bed and stretched her arms and limbs. She stood up and did the few stretches and squats that she always did at home. She then proceeded to the small fridge, got a pitcher of water, filled a glass and drank from it.

Quite not the coffee she was so used to having first thing in the morning, but water is better than nothing. She grimaced as the cold water touched her mouth and placed the glass back on the counter. She'll have it later.

She crossed the room to her windows and opened them, letting fresh air in and making the flimsy white curtains dance as if to a tune only they could hear.

Riiiinnngg....

Nina walked over to the bedside table and picked up her mobile phone.

Her nuisance of a sister again. Nina smiled to herself as she pressed the "Accept" button.

"Hello, sister dear." she said through the mouthpiece.

"Hey, Nina. So how has your first day at Buli Island been?" her sister chattered excitedly.

"Oh, nothing extraordinary, Jinny. I just met a man." was her playful reply.

A shriek from her sister's end made Nina laugh.

"Why?", she asked Jinny.

Jinny answered," Finally.!"

"Finally, what?" Nina asked, feigning she did not understand.

"Don't play games with me, Nina. You know what I mean." her sister said on the other end of the line. "And I know you are excited." Another shriek from Jinny made Nina giggle.

"Okey, okey.... let me just say I met a man. I will spare the details for when I get to meet you again in 7 or 8 days time, dear sister.  For now, let me get to be excited." Nina told her sister, her tone apparently in jest.

Walking around in her rented hut, Nina glimpsed of a familiar figure walking towards her building.  Her heart skipped a beat and she gasped audibly into the phone.  Her sister apparently heard it because there was laughter on the other end of the line, distracting her from her haywire emotions for a while.

"He's there, right? Hahahahaha!" Jinny's voice was so damn teasing she surely would have pinched her if she were anywhere near her.

"Right outside, Jinny. And I haven't even brushed my teeth yet." Nina sighed, pretending to be irritated at Matt's presence even when in truth, she wanted nothing more than to spend another day with this man she just met.

"Oh.... I would hate to intrude.  I'll drop this call for now, dear sister," and the line went dead.

Nina smiled to herself. Glancing one more time at the figure of the man walking towards her door, she briskly went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and tidy up.