“Ah …that explains why you hate girls.” Aryal was taken aback with the sudden snort. “What do you mean Meg?’ he retorted. ‘I mean since I know you like you where this big!’ marking his adolescent height with her hands. Meg and Aryal were in his office, when sudden the door bell announced someone’s arrival. The conversation stopped and Aryal excusing himself rushed to answer the door. Meg was watching with the corner of her eye, to know who it could be. It was well around 11pm, an unusual time for someone to be at the office, she thought.

“Hey” Meg heard a women’s voice across the other side of the half opened door. Aryal was leaning with the door handle to his right claw. ‘Hello!’ he said with utmost gleeness in his voice. Meg found this behavior of his surprising, and leaned on the hand rest of her chair to see who was there, on the other side. But Aryal and the door left a tiny gap which was utterly useless, for her to see anything standing beyond it. While leaning a little further, she actually risked falling on to the office floor. So she gave up the idea to prevent herself from looking like a bloke. “Not in front of a stranger” the woman at the door was now already inside, standing a surprised stare at Meg. Entering past Aryal, she strewed her sandals off her feet with a little flick of her lower ankle. The stilettos flew and landed away from the shoe rack, that is where they was supposed to be.

Aryal closed the door behind him, and now both Aryal and Murrie were facing Meg. The suspense was finally over, Meg saw a gorgeous woman standing few meters from her, with her hand loosely placed a little above her hips. She was staring back at Meg with a questioned glance. “This is Meg!” Aryal interjected. ‘Hi!’ Meg smiled at her, ‘…and Meg! This is Murrie.’ Murrie didn’t say a word; she just kept a blank face towards smiling Meg. Meg suddenly felt she was the stranger there; she hooked her eyes and glued them on the clock, ticking away past eleven behind Murrie’s tall figure.

“Here have a seat.” Aryal reached for a chair and slipped it at Murrie. Smiling a familiar glance she took it and made herself comfortable right next beside where Meg was sitting. “So you are Meg?” Murrie crossed her legs while turning herself towards Meg, Their chairs almost touched each others arm. Meg recovered her elbow from off the rest as it was about to make contact with Murrie’s. Meanwhile Aryal excused himself to get her a glass of water.

“Yes! Why…” Megs smile was quick at a frown “Do you happen to know me” the temperature was getting hot. “Meg  …could you please turn up the Ac?” Aryal requested while filling the glass from across the room floor. Meg wasn’t listening; “Aryal mentions you! I don’t know how many times, you know!” Meg’s forehead was now distorted with creasing lines. “Really?”  “Yeah! Like yesterday….”  Aryal caught the conversation handing the clear glass of water to Murrie. “Thank you!’ she winked at Aryal. “Oh! So what were you ladies chatting about…eh?” he took to the chair across his office desk. He was now facing them both, “Nothing Aryal” Murrie said placing the glass on the table “I was telling her  …Oh never mind?’

“Meg! When did you get back from Santander?” Murrie was about to lit up her cigarette. “hey! No cigarettes in my office.” Aryal said with serious laughter. “Opps! …sure boss!” Meg couldn’t help but smile at their chivalry.  “Yesterday! …I flew back here yesterday.” Meg said while turning down the AC temperature. “You know meg …I so wanted to meet you.” “Meet me? Meg had just cleared her forehead line, they were back again. “I mean you don’t even know me  …Murrie?” Murrie nodded her head as if in agreement “But Aryal here keeps telling me so much about you  …Meg! That I have come to know everything about you.” “Psst” Aryal hissed at Murrie to seize her from blurting further. “She is just exaggerating meg.” He said giggling like some adolescent girls. “Aryal talking about me!” Oh wow! That’s a surprise.” Both Meg and Murrie were eyeing Aryal. “Would you ladies like something to chew?” “Help yourself Aryal, we are not hungry!” Meg said on behalf of Murrie.

The conversation was getting interesting as the clock broke the chime at 2AM.  “And I always thought he never even remembered me.” Meg let out a deep loud sigh to emphasis her thought. As if struck by something, she raised her lowered head “I am sorry, but why is that I don’t know nothing about you Murrie?” she was expecting Aryal to say something. “Don’t look at me, ask her.” Aryal pointed his finger towards Murrie.

With a brief silence “I told him not to!” Murrie’s face was serious.  “Can I know why?”  Meg gave away an assuring smile.

“I don’t know how to tell this to you Meg?” Sensing something wasn’t right; Meg exclaimed “it’s okay if you don’t feel like saying it…”

Just immediately, Aryal came and stood behind Murrie’s chair. Placing his hand on Murrie’s shoulder it appeared as if he was standing there to console Murrie who might as well was about to cry. He looked down at Meg; “Ok Aryal!” Meg said sternly ‘What is going on here …I demand an answer.”  He kept staring at her for a brief moment and out of nowhere in that silence filled office, a smile rose on his mischievous face. Murrie too was hiding her lips glinting with a smile. Meg face joined in and everybody in the room burst out in laughter. The stare in their eyes were that serious. The three of them avoided any eye contact as long as they could.

Except for Aryal and Murrie; Meg didn’t had the faintest idea why they were supposedly laughing! “So Aryal …are you going to do it or should I tell her? Pausing for a breath “…myself?” Meg was confused as to what was going on, but she was sure something was up between those two, Murrie and Aryal. Aryal almost blushed with Murrie’s remark “Are you sure!” He wasn’t joking. “Surely sure mister …now say what you always wanted to say”

”Murrie! ,,you are not exactly helping me out here girl” Murrie let out a chuckle “say it now.” Murrie screamed at Aryal with an excited tone. “Ok ..Ok!” Aryal reached his pocket and took out a little pink box. Revealing a shiny ring, he stumbled while getting down on his knees. Meg was watching him do all this, altogether trying to control her laughter. “Will you marry me ..Meg?” his eyes glowed. It was quite a surprise for Meg to expect all of this. Not from Aryal. She couldn’t believe it, “Ummmm…!” She took her time. Murrie was watching all this from a little distance all the while enjoying every moment of it. “Marry my sweet Aryal?” Meg exclaimed biting her lips. “….yes” Meg rose from her chair and embraced Aryal with a pouncing hug. They both were now leveled on the floor with Meg showering Aryal’s face with passionate kisses. He was returning them with the same with equal zeal.

“Guys ..guys ..guys! I am still here you know” not wanting to end the lovely scene in front of her, “I guess my work here is done!’ she threw some sarcasm around them. Meg and Aryal took to their feet, “opps we nearly forgot you …Murrie!’ Aryal said mockingly. “Ha ha …very funny Aryal!”

“Well, so this was all a setup, huh!” Meg was expecting answer from both of them. “…it was all her plan. Inching himself away from Murrie “…to meet this way.”

“Awww …How can I ever thank you Murrie?” Murrie just smiled. “I was just helping my friend here  …that’s all.”

The clock chimed again, this time nobody was interested in it…..finally every love story has a happy ending.