213 Boss Lady

With a sheepish grin, Jia Li fed in her number on Wei's phone.

"Uh, I usually have an early start to the day, so there is hardly any time for breakfast. Lunch is often taken at my desk, but we can definitely do dinners," she replied to his query.

"Oh, someone is being the new boss lady. No time for meals, for old friends… I wonder what else has changed!" he frowned in mock seriousness.

A mile away

Eric was having a jolly good time, trying to learn the basic steps from a 50 years old lady who had been practicing these moves even before he had come out of his diapers. She had already dismissed his ability to pick up the steps, just by the fact that he was an American and not British! He had tried telling her that Tango germinated in Africa & Native America and not Great Britain.

All had been going well till his phone started to vibrate. Despite being ignored a couple of times, the caller didn't stop. Giving into the persistence, he pulled out the phone from his coat's pocket and looked at in surprise. The call was coming from a number whose owner should have been extremely busy elsewhere. He made his excuses to the old woman, who harrumphed and told him that she had known all along that Tango wasn't his cup of tea.

Shaking his head, he had gone searching for his friend in the overcrowded place.

"What do you mean??? She wanted to leave suddenly, that too all by herself and you let her go? God, what am I going to do with you?" Eric shook his head ruefully.

Hui said defensively, "what was I supposed to do? How could I order her to do something against her wish. She seemed dead set on leaving by herself. And it was a logical reason that she gave me. How was I to refute it?"

"That's it. I have had it with your 'logical reasoning'. You are going to let the girl slip away from your hands and will be left with only LOGIC," he replied, irritably.

Hui didn't want to tell Eric about Jia Li wanting to leave because of being upset over something. It had seemed like a personal issue and he didn't think it was right on his part to share it with even Eric. He knew that his friend's heart was in the right place but he was a curious cat and would try and find out the reason behind her sadness. For some reasons, he didn't want Eric to dig into it. He knew his friend wanted the best for him and would be disappointed in him right now.

Using a cajoling tone, he said, "I am sure you will help me find a way to make up for tonight. Can we leave this place now, please? I am getting a headache myself".

Eric made a face but nodded his head.

Hui reached back home after dropping off a slightly inebriated Eric. He had some thinking, some analysis to do!

Wei had insisted upon walking her home post the coffee and had bid her a reluctant adieu below her apartment. He was ecstatic that he had found her but on the other hand, he worried that she may vanish in thin air again. He knew it was a juvenile reaction. But he couldn't help but feel anxious while walking back towards the hospital. He had deliberately kept the conversation light the entire time.

Jia Li had a nervous, guilty look about her and seemed like a skittish new foal, ready to bolt at the first provocation. He would not rush her like the last time but he would not let her be out of his reach. He hadn't been joking when he said that he would visit her here every weekend. In fact it was better that she was here and not in China. There was no impediment, no competition, nothing stopping him from being with her. Yes, this was definitely better!

Jia Li took off her high heels and gave her poor feet the much needed break. When she had donned them that morning, she hadn't been expecting to go on a roller coaster ride into the long buried past or to dance away her grief or to face her cowardice. It sure had been a long day and she had a feeling that this was one of many more to come. The things that she had tried running away from, had come calling…

It was time to grow up, own up and be honest, if to no one else, then at least to herself. Her parents had raised her better than this!!

Next morning, feet encased in a sensible pair of ballerinas, hair braided, Jia Li was ready to face a new day.