Chapter 19

Megan walked up to the lobby and patiently waited her turn on the small queue.

The Four Seasons never failed to dazzle, especially with how beautiful and busy it was. Everything looked so surreal and modern and she bitterly remembered the one room reservation she had made with a huge chunk of her savings just to share this with Nick. How stupid she had been!

She shook the memory off, determined to let everything about Nick become a distant memory.

After it occurred to her that Matilda might be a key part of decoding the huge puzzle that her life was, Megan had spent the past few days trying Matilda's number but the number didn't go through. She had left so many voice mails but was yet to get any response. At last, she had decided to just come to Four Seasons. If things panned out well, she would be able to see Matilda. And if she didn't see her, at least she would get some information about what happened.

The Indian couple ahead of her finally moved away and she stepped before the impeccably dressed receptionist.

"Hello. Welcome to the Four Seasons. How may I help you, ma'am?"

"Hi. I am here to see someone who works here."

"If you would provide me with her name, perhaps I will be able to direct you."

"Matilda Mercedes. She's a receptionist here as well, I am just not sure about her current shift."

"Oh. Matilda is currently on a short leave from work."

Megan's face burrowed in concern. "Is she fine?"

"She requested a short leave last week."

"Can I get her working number then? The one I have isn't going through."

"I am sorry but we are not allowed to provide you with her personal information."

Megan felt there was no point asking for Matilda's address since that would also be considered personal information. There was nothing she could do. She was sure Matilda had once told her her home address but Megan hadn't followed it up with a visit. They had spent most of their time, or at least, the part that she could remember, outdoors and sometimes in Megan's apartment. Now, she felt ashamed for not offering to visit Matilda.

All she could do was wait for Matilda to either return to work or listen to her voicemails.

She asked the now impatient receptionist when Matilda's leave would be over but the woman informed her that she couldn't share that too. Megan sighed dejectedly and thanked her before leaving.

To think she had nursed the hope that Matilda would provide her with answers, but now, even Matilda was becoming a part of the puzzle.

She was walking past the lobby towards the door when she heard her name. She turned to find Roman Harrington walking towards her. She felt annoyed with herself that the first thing she noticed was how hot he looked. He was immaculately dressed in a navy blue suit with a white shirt and striped tie underneath. His straight black hair was styled back in its usual fashion and she was sure that if she looked, his shoe would reflect her face. He was easily the most dashing man in the entire lobby.


She drew her gaze back to his face, growing wary.

"What are you doing here?" She asked harshly.

"I just finished a brunch meeting with a prospective client at the hotel's dining room. I saw you as I stepped out. You?"

"Well...it's none of your business."

"That's so unfair." Roman declared.

Megan knew he was right but she couldn't face him for the first time in a while still looking clueless about her life. Plus, why had he called her? Even if he had seen her across the lobby, he shouldn't act like he knew her. She started to walk away when he grabbed her arm gently.

"Look Megan, I am sorry."

That stopped her in her tracks and she sent him a questioning gaze.

"I know we started off on a bad note. Or at least, we restarted off that way and I think that's mostly my fault."

Megan wasn't buying his sudden apology and she snatched her arm from his grasp. "I don't know what game you are playing now Roman, but I need to leave."

"I am not playing games, Megan. It can't be just a coincidence that we met here again. The same place where we shared so much connection and had fun with each other."

His words and the sincerity in his eyes caught Megan. She was curious. Everything pointed to the fact that she and Roman must have connected at some point and she wanted to know why and just what it meant. She just couldn't shut down the possibility.

Roman must have seen the indecision in her eyes. "Let's just sit in the lobby and talk for a bit. I promise to try not to annoy you." He said teasingly.

Megan reluctantly followed him to the seats in the lobby. They sat across each other, Megan perched on her seat, ready to take flight at any time. Roman's gaze zeroed in on her midsection and Megan's hand automatically went there, as if to protect her baby.

"How is the baby doing?"

"The baby is doing just fine."

"And you?"

"That's not what we're here to talk about."

Roman nodded before starting again.

"I am sorry Megan. I know I have given you a hard time so far. It's just been a lot for me to process too. "

Megan relented, knowing that it must cost a proud man like Roman a lot to apologise so sincerely to her. "It's alright."

"We should talk over dinner. There's so much to discuss."

Megan's guard went up "I don't think so, Roman. We can talk about anything we need to right here. "


Roman leaned forward, a strange longing plain as a text on his face. "We have become strangers for two people who were always looking forward to each other's company."

"What do you mean?"

"We were going to go on a date, a real one. We both wanted it because it was the obvious next thing with the kind of chemistry we shared. But you suddenly texted me that you were pregnant, and the next thing that happened was your memory loss. I was...I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend."


Megan was shocked. Had they been that serious? Before she could ask questions though, her phone rang. She took it out of her bag and saw it was her mother. They had cleaning plans for the afternoon.

"I have to leave now. I have another engagement."

Roman stood as she stood up, walking her out of the lobby and even hailing a taxi for her. As soon as she stepped into the cab, he peered through the window at her with his piercing blue eyes.

"I will come to see you later. And Megan? Pick up when I call."

Megan nodded, feeling hypnotized as the car drove away.



******

Megan twisted into pigeon pose, trying to catch up with the class. She usually had a difficult time with hamstring poses but she was even slower than usual today and the yogini constantly had to personally guide her into the poses.

Ever since she had spoken with Roman the day before, her head had become muddled up. She didn't know if it was the confusion of a cooperating Roman or the revelation that he had almost asked her out that was more shocking. If they had been that good together, why had she still slept with Anthony?


As soon as the corpse pose was over, Salma who had been beside Megan, turned to her as she folded up the yoga mat she had used.

"Girl, you were so off today. You okay?"

Chloe was much calmer. "Come on, Salma. You should at least properly come out of savasana first. "

"Megan ruined savasana for me with all the heavy sighing she was doing. I got worried."

"Well true. What's up, Meg?"

"I'm sorry guys. I just have a lot on my mind, that's all."

The girls walked together to their usual spot on the balcony and sat. They both turned expectant eyes towards Megan. The women had grown closer over time, sharing pregnancy tips and yoga videos with each other. The bond she felt with them felt wonderful but she wasn't sure she wanted to taint it with the mess her life was.

Chloe grabbed her left hand and clasped it in both of hers, her eyes filled with concern "You can talk to us, Meg. We are your friends."

Before Megan knew it, she started to talk. She started from the beginning that made sense to her, waking up at the hospital without her memories. She went on to tell them about Nick's betrayal and the current situation with Roman and Anthony and how confused she was.

By the time she was done, Salma's eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Holy Fuck!"

Salma's reaction absurdly made Megan smile. "I know right?"

"Wow, Megan. This is the kind of situation Brent would call straight out of Hollywood. You have been through a lot."

The girls put their hands around her and asked her questions, holding no judgements at all. They made talking about the whole thing so easy that Megan started to feel herself relax.

"Girl, you are so strong! I would have totally exploded with all this that you have been through."

"And I wouldn't even know how to pick up my life. But you get stuff done as if nothing happened."

The praises from the girls boosted Megan's mood and she started to feel pride in herself. Perhaps, she wasn't such a mess as she had thought. Maybe lesser women would have broken down in her situation.

The girls talked on and on and before Megan knew it, they were joking and making fun of Nick and Camille, calling them names. Even gentle Chloe joined in.

Before they left for the day, they made plans to meet for brunch in the evening and Megan walked home with an extra bounce in her steps.