30. Nepal with Teddy, Cash stays behind.
1320 Words
Stella was pouting about not being able to run anymore.
Cash watched her beat herself up over her injury.
He felt compelled to help this beautiful woman. His fake fiancé.
He would get her some help. He called around for a local healer.
He found a yoga studio. He called to see if someone could come to the hotel.
The owner herself called him back. " Sir have you heard of Ayurveda?" the nice woman said in her Indian accent.
He shrugged," Nope, I just need my fiance to get some help for a bad leg injury...I will pay handsomely he said."
The woman smiled. She loved romance. " That is so sweet. I will come, I will come." She assured him.
Cash got Stella some lunch and afterward, he told her to go get dressed in some exercise clothing.
She raised a brow. " You sure?"
He grinned. " I'm your fiance, obey me please."
She smiled, and nodded looking down. She went to her room to change. Cash watched her intently.
In a little while, there was a knock on the hotel suite door.
A woman who called herself Aarya came bustling into the room.
She was followed by a small crew. She directed them to move the furniture as she set up yoga mats and raga flute music to help Stella heal.
Cash forgot her name but she had a lotus flower on her clothing. He asked her.
" What is that flower you wear?"
She smiled,"The lotus, it is like... rising from a dark place into beauty. Maybe like a rebirth even."
From then on that was his name for her.
Stella came out of her room. Lotus took one look at her.
" You need me." was all she said.
She instructed Stella to stand with feet apart as she instructed her on various poses that Stella would use in a yoga flow for her path to healing.
After about an hour, Stella was breathing hard.
" I love this, it makes me feel...well, stronger." She smiled.
Aarya(aka Lotus) Now instructed her to lay on the mat.
"Hand to heart, relax body now Savasana." she said as a soft flute played softly.
Stella had tears running down her face.
She began to develope an emotional release. She cried.
Lotus packed her things and told Stella she would come back in a few days.
Cash gave her an envelope on her way out.
"This is a retainer, please....I need you to come back ..often."
She looked into the envelope, her eyes got big.
"I can come tomorrow."
Stella took a hot cleansing shower. She started to learn breathing techniques to block her pain.
Teddy was feeling restless just waiting for that doctor. He announced that he was going to Nepal to fetch Dr.Ruby.
Stella frowned. "We stick together dad." She said, not wanting him to be away from her.
"Okay if she's not here by the end of the week, we are going to Kathmandu, all together."
Cash disagreed he felt Stella was making progress here with Lotus.
They argued. Stella stood between them.
" They best thing to do, is stay together. If daddy goes, we go." She ended the argument.
Cash was upset because he had a text from Kira. She was in Switzerland.
He needed to end things with her. He wanted Stella, he was in love with Stella.
He told Kira were to find him.
Drake was following Kira. He watched her at the airport. He approached the ticket counter after she left it.
" My girlfriend, she just booked a flight here, I want to surprise her and join her.
Her name is Kira Brownstone, I need to upgrade us to first class as well...I'm surprising her with a marraige proposal." He turned up the charm.
The ticket agent sighed.
" That is so romantic, yes, yes of course I will put you on her flight to New Dehli, first class."
Drake smiled and slid her a wad of francs.
He whistled as he made his way to his gate.
" That was way too easy." He grinned.
He sat behind Kira, not wanting her to see him just yet.....
Cash...
Cash told Stella he had to stay in New Dehli right now.
" I think you should have some bonding time with Teddy, you know just you and him."
She wondered why he really didn't want to go.
"Spill it Cash."She said, her hand on one slim hip.
He frowned and looked away. "I need a damn break, I haven't had any time off since we left. Just a few days alone...shit!" He was acting angry.
Stella felt kicked in the gut.
" Sure, take all the time you need, sorry. Next time, just tell me. I thought we were..well ..never mind." She walked away from him.
Cash went to his room and texted Kira. " Luxory hotel, room 217." He told her.
He didn't want Stella around when he faced his ex lover.
He knew a jilted Kira would cause a scene, he didn't want her to strike out at Stella.
Stella angrily packed her bags. She was very cool to Cash.
He saw her anger and pulled her into his arms.
He slowly slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her goodbye, as he stared into her big eyes. " Trust me."
She just looked at him. Questioning his decision to stay behind.
"Talk to me please Cash, what did I do?" She looked into his brown eyes.
He was silent. He rubbed her lip with his thumb.
She felt abandoned by him.
She limped to the car and didn't look at him.
Teddy put his arm around Stella.
" You still got me kid." He smiled and hugged her.
" Why are men so complicated Teddy?" She asked, frustrated.
They started their journey to Nepal.
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Stella took off her engagement ring and placed it in her purse.
She started to do her deep breathing exercises. She tried to meditate. It was no use.
Teddy handed her a flute of champagne.
She nodded and drank it back.
After the two hour flight, they landed in Nepal.
Doctor Sajna Ruby was part of the doctor's without boarders community.
They hired a guide to take them up the mountain, into the Himalayas.
They were on her trail.
After a day of travel, Stella was beat. She was badly limping and her leg was very swollen.
They stopped for the night in Nargakot. A village family took them in.
Stella saw the little ones were playing in the street.
They were kicking a ball back and forth.
The woman that they stayed with was called Miriam. She was a middle aged widow.
Teddy was drawn to her gentle ways.
She sat outside and watched the kids.
He drank a cup of hot coffee and sat with her.
" These all your kids," he asked.
She laughed. " I guess so, my two kids are in university. These are the ones that adopted me."
He saw how she looked at them with adoration.
One boy had a wood crutch, he couldn't kick the ball, but hit it soundly with the crutch, the other kids cheered him on.
" Miriam your husband?" He ventured.
" He died, avalanche up there." She pointed to the mountain range.
He said," Mine too, died and left me a few years ago, cancer." he told her.
Miriam smiled. "That's why I stay, he is up there somewhere, they never recovered his body."
Teddy put his cup down and touched her shoulder.
She turned to him, it had been a very long time since anyone touched her like this.
She embraced him. They held eachother for a while.
She moved away first." Thank you, Teddy. I needed that hug."
He nodded,"Me too."
- Writer
