Many years ago when I was working in Africa I had a lovely Chinese friend with whom I spent lovely times. Those were good 4 years and we were both very sad to separate. But my family compulsions did not allow me to renew my contract and I had to return home to India.
Alice is a wonderful woman, small in size and a bundle of joy when we were together. I was more or less in touch with her through emails and she let me know what she was up to from time to time. She worked for a tour operator taking Chinese clients from China on African safaris.
One day, two years ago, I received an email stating that her daughter, Kerry, was on her way to China to visit her grand-parents and would like to stop over in India to visit a few places, including the Taj Mahal in Agra. She asked if I would show her around if it wasn't an imposition.
I replied immediately asking Kerry's itinerary and assured Alice it was no trouble.
Kerry was all of 10 when I last saw her, and two years back she was nearly 20. Twelve years had passed since I left Africa and settled in my native place.
I was no longer working and had settled with my family on a farmland. I had enough savings and a bit of earnings from my farmland to make do comfortably. There was not much demand on my time. My wife, of course, knew all about Alice. Not the intimate relations I had with her, but that she was a good friend. Whenever my wife spent a few months every year with me in Africa Alice's family and mine would meet socially over meals. Kerry was also known to my wife.
Soon it was time for me to receive Kerry in Delhi. Her itinerary included Jaipur along with Agra. I reached Delhi the night before the day her flight was to land. I booked myself a room in a hotel not far from the airport and booked another one for Kerry. Her flight came in at around noon and I was there to receive her as she came out of the arrival hall after an hour or so.
I was stunned. What happened to that little girl in pigtails? Here she was, a complete younger copy of her mother. She saw me and immediately recognized me. She rushed to meet me and gave a tight hug and said, "I'm so happy to see you, Uncle."
"So am I, sweetheart," I replied returning her hug and adding, "For a moment I thought it was Alice standing there."
"I bet," she cheekily replied with a mischievous smile and twinkle in her eyes.
As we drove to the hotel I asked about her parents and we made small talk.
"You know Dad, not much fun to be with. Always serious and always busy with his work. Mother is something else. I wish I would be like her when I'm her age."
I looked her over and said, "Not bad. You look so like your mother. She is a lovely woman and has enriched my life in many ways."
"Uncle, I'm here for exactly 4 days. Make my stay memorable so I can tell my kids that you enriched my life!"
I laughed, "Barely out of your pampers and already thinking of kids of your own! Don't worry; Taj Mahal will be an enriching experience."
At the hotel her bags were taken to her room across the corridor from mine, which she said looked very comfortable. I asked her if she wanted anything to eat but said she had eaten on the flight. I told her to rest and that we would be leaving for Agra early the next morning.
I retired to my room, changed into something comfortable and settled down with a book. Soon there was a knock on the door and there Kerry stood in her red Chinese pajama top and bottom. I had a sense of déjà vu when I saw her. She gave me a hug as she came in. I returned her hug and felt her breasts, bare under her top, against my chest. It just hit me with shock that she probably had nothing under her pajama bottom also.
"I don't feel like sleeping and I can rest here. Why did you book me a separate room? You said we'll be leaving early tomorrow," and she plonked on my bed.
I turned to sit on the chair but she objected and patted the bed. I sat there, very conscious of a sparsely clad little nymph sitting nearby. We sat crossed legged as we talked of the times we spent in Africa. I was a little surprised that she remembered quite a few things from her childhood.
As we talked she said suddenly in a very child like voice, "Can I ask you something? Promise you will not get annoyed."
"Go ahead, sweetheart. Why should I be annoyed?"
"Did you like my mother?"
Of course, I still like your mother. She is a great friend."
"No, no, I did not mean that way. Did you really like her....you know...in a man-woman way." She looked at me but I could not read what was in them.
"Now, sweetheart, you should not be asking about such things and I am definitely not going to answer."
"You know, Uncle, your refusal itself answers my question."
"Kerry," I said sternly, "There is no answer to your question. Your mother was and is a good friend. Period."
She went into a long monologue, and I kept on listening unbelievingly.
"I asked my mother the same thing and she very much reacted in the same way you did. Do you remember you used to take us out on drives and for lunches? I always saw my mother very happy after these outings. I was, of course, too young to understand. Then I started noticing that on certain days she would be humming and singing while doing her chores about the house. She used to have a mysterious smile and that made me happy, as well. You know Dad. He never had much time for us. I could see what Mum was like around him. She was not very happy.
"Then I started noticing that whenever she returned home late some evenings, she would be very happy and flitted around the house humming. Other evenings would be normal but she generally started to look and feel better. When we used to be together I started noticing how you paid attention to her and many times I spied you holding hands. Those were the days when I saw Mum the happiest."
She looked at me with such tenderness in her eyes and said, "Uncle, you were the man who made my Mum so happy, when it should have been my father. You know, when I was 10, I once saw you hugging her and then you gave her a kiss. Mum put her arms around you and gave a tight hug. I should have felt bad about Mum doing that but I was happy because Mum was happy. When you left she was sad for a few days but I saw later she was as happy as before. Humming and singing about the house. I started noticing that she was happier after spending some time on the net. I realized it was probably an email from you that had her prancing about."
She looked up at me and had tears in her eyes. "Thanks for bringing such happiness to her."
She spread her arms asking for a hug. I moved closer to her till our crossed legs touched, spread my arms to hug her, and pulled her towards me. She moved into my embrace and was practically straddling my lap. I straightened my legs and hugged her. She put her head into the crook of my neck and her tears flowed silently. I patted her back and started to rub it from her neck downwards and back. Soon her crying subsided. She sniffed, looked up into my eyes, tears on her cheeks. I kissed the tears from her cheeks. She gave a weak smile and kissed me on my cheek in return. Still holding me she got off me and pulled me down till both of us were lying down next to each other.
She put her head on my shoulder, moved one leg over my hip, snuggled closer, closed her eyes and was soon asleep in my arms. I hugged her tight, caressed her back a few times and she whimpered and sighed. Soon I too was asleep.
******
When I woke up it was around 6pm. We had been sleeping for nearly 3 hours. She was still entwined in my arms and her breathing was soft and silent. I felt the urge to take a piss. I quietly disentangled myself from her embrace and she protested in her sleep.
When I came out I saw her stretching and yawning. Her pajama top moved up, baring her flat midriff. Her pajama bottom moved slightly down exposing the top of her sparse pubic hair. She saw me standing in the door of the bathroom and gave me a smile. I smiled back and asked her if she wanted tea or coffee. She yawned and stretched and said, "Coffee please, Uncle."
While room service was bringing coffee I asked her if she was interested in seeing the city. She agreed and went to her room across the corridor to change. She arrived with the coffee and we had it sitting, side by side, on the sofa. She put her right arm through my left as she held the coffee in her left hand. She put her head on my shoulder and sighed.
We left after coffee and returned in time for dinner. She said she was famished and we went straight to the restaurant. After we finished we asked for coffee to be served in my room. With coffee over she went to her room but was soon back after changing into her pajama top and bottom.