Proserpina

Proserpina

I sat at my desk, busy with my work. I had been reviewing the work done by my team in Japan and was finding it difficult to concentrate. In fact, I had had to go over the mails and the attachments twice before I could make sense of what I was reading.

The only news that made me feel thoroughly happy was in the short mail my friend, the Professor had sent me. Dear child, he had written in his affectionate way, I have a surprise for you. A gentleman you knew when you were in Bhutan, is in the US and will be delivering a series of lectures in and around New York. He will be speaking at the Duke’s Hall this week and wants to come and meet you. The name of the gentleman as the Professor so quaintly put it was Brian.

Brian Gaulle.

The Frenchman who had loved me years ago, during my stay in Bhutan. He had adored me in a gentle fashion, never touching me but his eyes had spoken words. He had proposed to me, urging me to marry him. I had held back…

***

Pensively, I leant back in my