Confusion

"Bye, Jenny." Waving goodbye, Susan stepped out with her bags and belongings. Jenny left too. She had some business to attend to—something about her passport or visa.

They had met on the plane. A wonderfully smart girl. She was touring Asia. Alone. When she casually mentioned that she'd be landing in Dhaka, not Delhi, Susan was taken aback. What! Of all the places in Asia, Bangladesh came to her mind first? Later Jenny explained that wasn't quite it. She had a pen friend in Dhaka, and it was on his invitation that Jenny—Miss Jennifer Reynolds—was visiting Bangladesh first.

The lounge buzzed with activity. Little clusters of people here and there. With all the noise inside, there was no way to hear the microphone announcements. Dhaka.

Where should I go now? Susan wondered. Should I head home first? Or go straight back to the office? She checked her watch. No, office hours weren't over yet. So she could go. Let's see.

Jenny's face floated before her eyes. Such a brilliant girl. She'd already traveled through Europe and Australia. And she'd been in America since childhood. Now Asia. She was planning to visit Africa too. Well, some people have this wanderlust... Susan admitted to herself.

Of course, she herself had never had such wanderlust. As a child, her parents had gone to see the Sundarbans. Susan was nine then. She hadn't gone with them. Once, she had stayed at her aunt's house for a full eighteen days. She had, but that Susan was very different from the Susan of today.

Ashfakur Rahman Susan was now a senior officer at a foreign business firm. Now she had to travel constantly—London, Hong Kong, New York. Work and more work. Was there any shortage of work? She had just spent two weeks in Amsterdam. Returned today. In her imagination, Susan appraised Jenny. The face was certainly beautiful. The figure was attractive too. Moreover, she was frank. Simply quite charming. Susan realized she liked Jenny.

A moment later, it occurred to her that Jenny was an American girl. Damn it, do they even have character and morals? Nonsense! Rather than that, yes, Milu was much better. So lively, good, such a sweet girl. Susan remembered that before leaving, she had said, "Let this tour end. As soon as I return, I'll make you my wife, you'll see." Milu had said nothing then. She had just smiled sweetly while fidgeting with her shirt buttons. When she smiled, she looked absolutely beautiful.

Looking around, Susan felt foolish. She had been standing in the lounge, filled with the buzz of people's conversations, all this while. Damn it, what kind of thoughts were these! Going to the office was especially urgent now. Well, if it wasn't urgent, would she have had to return home suddenly after not even staying abroad for a month! Damn! This Jenny had really distracted her. Susan quickened her pace.

"Hey Susan, it's you!" Susan stopped for several reasons at once. One, a woman was calling her. No, no, not a woman, a young woman. Two, someone was running toward her. Running, and would surely collide with her. If she didn't stop walking, the way she was going... with all these people crowded around... ugh. Three, that woman's call of "Susan" sounded exactly like Milu's call, sweet.

It was Milu! She was quite surprised to see Susan. She was both angry and happy. At least she could have written a letter before returning. The man was cruel.

"What's the matter, Milu! What are you doing here?" Susan had composed herself. She too was surprised.

"That's my question too. Didn't you write that you'd return on the eleventh? Why suddenly today?"

Susan had just opened her mouth to answer Milu's question when she saw Jenny approaching.

Jenny came and stood before the couple standing side by side. She said, "Do you two know each other?"

Seeing Jenny's surprised look, Milu glanced once at Susan's face. Then she burst into laughter. Susan said, "I don't know her."

"What? But she's my...!" Susan stopped. She seemed to have nothing more to say.

"What? She's your what?" Jenny asked softly. Milu was anxious, wondering if Susan might actually say "wife" or something.

Oh, you rascal...!

Susan was thinking, what should I say? We're not married yet. So should I say girlfriend? Ugh, that sounds awful! Besides, what else can I say? What?

Jenny was thinking, what would Susan say? Whatever she says, I have to forget these two people forever. I'll have to throw away Susan's address that I've kept so carefully in my bag. And tomorrow, if possible today itself, I'll have to flee this country.