Priyanka and John met on a pen pal site for disabled people. They had both had polio as children. He had messaged her asking if she would like to compare experiences about the disease and growing up with it. Priyanka had agreed and John had messaged a short note about his life. After several days of exchanging messages, they began to chat on the internet. They chatted once a day and soon ran out of stories about the disease and began to compare their lives. It turned out they were both less than happily married. After visiting every day for a month, they came to the realization that they were in love.
They had flirted and suggested different sexual techniques they would use if they ever met and made love. Due to several factors, such as Priyanka living in India and John in America, they often talked about meeting, but neither was willing to leave their spouses. This was partly from a resistance to change and a fear of culture shock.
One day when they were visiting, Priyanka mentioned that her husband had to go to America on an engineering job and would be away for three months. John jokingly asked if he could visit. Priyanka had teased about meeting on neutral ground and having a fling. They had agreed it was a good idea, but the logistics and John's wife's presence made it mainly a joke.
Then one day John broke the news that his wife was going to help her sister, who needed surgery and would be gone for about two months. He asked when he should come to visit. Priyanka had teased that whenever he could she'd have a place for him.
John spent the rest of the day calling travel agents.The next morning when Priyanka signed on he told her he would be coming to India This made her really panic, since she had never seriously thought that they would actually meet. The next couple of days were spent discussing where to meet, she was convinced that he wouldn't come.
Finally Priyanka told him she would meet him at Baga Beach in Goa. Her thought was that he wouldn't be able to get the arrangements made and would back out.
To her surprise he agreed and told her he would make the reservations. The next day, he told her that a bungalow was reserved and she should check in as Mrs. John Hollis.
He had booked her on a flight to Goa that would be leaving Thursday morning. He would be there later in the afternoon, while she would fly straight on to Goa.
Priyanka enjoyed the flight after the bustle of the airport. She had brought her wheelchair and was assisted by a porter to the loading area where she got into the taxi .
After a long drive, the taxi turned into a driveway in front of a large building. As Priyanka entered the office the clerk greeted her, smiling, "Hello, Mrs. Hollis." This startled her, but the clerk explained that her husband had described her when he made the reservations. After signing in she got into the taxi and after a short drive was driven up to the front of a bungalow. While the driver unloaded her luggage, she got out and walked up to the door.
As the taxi pulled away, she noticed how hot it was, even though she was close to the sea. Priyanka locked the screen door and undressed, removing the one leg brace, which was damp from her sweat. Her first thought was to be in bed, waiting for him. Then doubt crept in wondering whether he would even show up!
She slipped on a house dress and wheeled herself onto the front porch. At one end of it, a clump of tall, leafy shrubs would hide her from view of the road, but let her look up the driveway leading into the resort. Priyanka backed the wheelchair into the corner and watched, waiting. Her heart was racing, would he come? She would certainly look the fool if he didn't.
As she sat there waiting, she felt like a child waiting for Santa. She wanted to believe he would come, but the nagging thought kept surfacing that maybe this was his idea of a joke! Finally after ninety minutes, she decided that she would give him another fifteen minutes. As she started to wheel herself inside, her spirits crushed, she heard another car approaching. Priyanka quickly wheeled herself into the hiding place. The taxi stopped. She watched as the door opened. John Hollis emerged.
He straightened up, putting his arms in the crutches. Priyanka's first thought was how big he was and how muscular his arms and shoulders were. She watched as the driver took one small bag and a wheelchair out of the trunk and carried them into the bungalow. John stood there looking at the palm trees and the surf, and then turned and followed the driver inside. She heard John thanking the driver and paying his fare. The taxi drove off and she sat there not daring to breathe. For the first time she was afraid and nervous. What had she done!
John came out the door, looking around; he had a look of near panic on his face. When Priyanka coughed softly, he turned, his face breaking into a smile. "Hello Mrs. Hollis!" Priyanka stood up as he approached. He stood there, looking at her.
She broke the silence. "I was so afraid you wouldn't come."
"That's strange, I about died when I thought you weren't in the house, I thought you'd stood me up."