by J. J. Kapka
The city appeared to be a sprawling mix of opulent office and apartment buildings set side-by-side with low-cost structures that had seen better days. Still, the hustle and bustle and the varied shops and restaurants were fascinating, and she was glad for the slowdown that afforded her the chance to look around.
After nearly an hour of travel, they pulled up to the fabled Oriental. Since she and Becker had not had to pay for the sailing holiday, Maddie decided they deserved the treat of staying at the hotel that was synonymous with Bangkok. She was taking a risk, though, as she didn’t even know if the hotel would have a room.
Luckily, the hotel did. Despite her disheveled appearance and lack of baggage, the reception clerk didn’t even blink and proceeded to treat her with what she soon found was typical Thai friendliness. Everyone she passed smiled and invariably gave a bow of the head in greeting, along with hands clasped together near the chin. Since the man at the desk spared her the embarrassment of asking if she needed help with her bags, it was obvious he was quite observant. Handing her the room key, he directed her to a bank of elevators over to one side of the lobby.
As Maddie walked across the expansive space, she took the time to marvel at its sumptuousness. It certainly was quite a juxtaposition with the humble fisherman’s cottage she’d just stayed in. When she got to her room on the eighth floor and opened the door, she was thrilled to find that it faced the Chao Phraya River. Walking quickly over to the window, she pulled back the curtains and soaked in the view. The variety and number of boats plying the river’s waters reminded her of Venice, as well as of her plan and the need to put the wheels in motion.
Madison knew she desperately needed a shower, a nap, and fresh clothes. Before the shower, however, she called down to the concierge to describe what she hoped to do, and set up an appointment in three hours to go down and discuss things further. Hesitantly, she also asked about where to buy clothes, explaining only that she and her husband had been forced to take separate flights and that he and their baggage wouldn’t arrive until the next morning. The calm, reassuring voice at the other end gave her confidence that he could help point her in the right direction.
Putting down the receiver, Maddie made a beeline for the bathroom and wasn’t at all surprised by how luxurious it was. In fact, she decided to skip the shower in favor of a bath in the big tub, replete with fragrant bath crystals. She had a good, long, relaxing soak; the only thing that made her emerge was the certain fear that if she stayed much longer, she’d fall asleep right there in the tub. Wrapping herself in one of the soft hotel robes, she set the alarm and crawled into bed.
~~~
July 26—Midday
When Maddie’s alarm rang three hours later, she awoke with a start. After a minute of orienting herself to where she was, what day it was, and what needed to be done, she took stock of her own condition. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the short nap—and the bath—had done her a world of good. How long her energy would last after two nights of little or no sleep was another question, but she’d cross that bridge when she came to it.
Rising up from the bed with a big stretch, she looked down at her robe and then remembered the pile of odiferous clothes she’d stuffed into the closet. Ugh, she thought, I do not want to put that outfit on again. Rather, she was inclined to burn the items, but regretfully, that wasn’t an option.
Padding over to the closet, she noticed, for the third time on this trip, that a note had been slipped under her door. Curious, she bent down and picked it up. As she started reading, a big smile swept over her face. “These people are good,” she said aloud with wonder.
The note advised her that a bag of clothes was hanging on her door. If she was happy with them, the cost would be added to her bill, but if not pleased, then she should phone the concierge, and they would try to get appropriate substitutions.
“Wow!” Amazed, Maddie opened the door and pulled the bag off the handle. Walking over to the bed, she opened the bag to find a pair of shorts, a T shirt, and even underwear. Everything was in her size; the concierge must have conferred with the reception clerk, who obviously had a tailor’s eye. Better still, the clothes were a perfect match for the hot, humid weather.
As she dressed, she made a mental note to give the concierge a big tip: talk about above and beyond. Since she was heading down to confer with him, Maddie resolved to thank him heartily for his kindness. Locating his desk in the lobby, she held out her hand to introduce herself.
Before Maddie could get the words out of her mouth, the man bowed a hello. “Good afternoon, Ms. Wolf,” he said.
How does he know who I am? she thought, confused. But then she nearly smacked herself in the head when she remembered that this was the man who had arranged for her clothes. She was a walking bulletin board.
He motioned for her to sit down, and before she knew it, one of the many other attendants gracing the lobby brought over a tray with a pot of coffee and some tea sandwiches.
This is getting scary, Maddie thought, unaccustomed to such attentive service. Taking a minute to enjoy a few bites of sandwich and sips of coffee, Maddie thanked the concierge profusely for all of his help with the clothes. Then she brought up the topic at hand. “So, can you make some recommendations or give me some contacts regarding what I called you about earlier?”
The man nodded, opened his top drawer, and extracted a folder. He proceeded to pull out one tentative confirmation after another, showing that he had already taken care of every last little detail, soup-to-nuts. All he needed, he summarized, was Maddie’s approval to make it final.
Flabbergasted at his efficiency, Maddie wished she could invite him to come back to New York with her to organize the rest of her life. She didn’t have to do another thing, she told him in awe, except get up at the crack of dawn and go pick up Becker.
That made the man remember one other thing, and he told her of his proposal.
“Works for me,” Maddie enthused. “Do I need to do anything? Or is that a silly question?”
The concierge only smiled and shook his head no.
Maddie got up to leave, but realizing she had extra time on her hands now that he’d taken care of everything, she asked him to recommend some shopping spots. The T shirt and shorts were okay for the remainder of the day, but she wanted to find a few things to wear for herself and for Becker. The man diligently wrote down a number of places, including the rather upscale mall next door. He also passed along the names of a few tailors, saying that they regularly got orders on short notice and still produced beautiful, fitted garments, particularly using the gorgeous Thai silk for which the country was famous.
That suggestion sent Maddie’s imagination into flights of fancy, and she set off immediately to begin exploring what the tailors and shops had to offer.
~~~
The Becker Chronicles—Bangkok
July 27—Very Early
The long journey finally over, Becker’s plane taxied to the gates, while he scanned the terminal windows hoping to catch sight of Maddie. He’d been terribly disappointed to arrive in Athens and find she wasn’t there waiting for him. But noticing a representative for the airline holding up a sign with his name, he walked over and received the note from Madison explaining the circumstances that had forced her to skip ahead to Bangkok. It was sheer torment that it would be yet another day before he could see and feel her again, but he resigned himself to making the best of it.
Once again, he’d taxied into Athens and spent the rest of the day and the following morning exploring the landmarks of ancient Greece. The worst part was eating alone. It seemed he was surrounded by lovers at all the other tables, which made it even harder to look at the empty chair across from him. Becker took small comfort imagining Maddie spending her day in Bangkok in a similar fashion, also facing an empty chair during her meals. In his loneliness, he felt a camaraderie with her, while yearning for the time they would be together again.
Now that the plane was finally pull
ing up to the gate, Becker’s heart thudded in his chest. It was all he could do to resist the impulse to push ahead of the other passengers already standing in the aisles, extracting their gear from the overhead compartments. He knew they’d all end up in the customs line anyway, so he forced himself to be patient—one more time.
His patience wore thin, though, as he waited at passport control. He thought he’d chosen the shortest line, only to find there was a problem with one of the people ahead of him. Becker couldn’t make out what was being said, but he gathered that the person’s passport wasn’t in order, and the person made it worse by arguing vociferously with the agent, not a good move in Becker’s estimation.
Sighing, he decided to cut his losses and move to another line, even though he was close to the front. No sooner did he position himself at the back of the next line, than police came to escort the troublemaker to a supervisor’s office. That line now started to move briskly, whereas Becker’s new line seemed to go at a snail’s pace. When he finally stepped forward to the agent, he looked to either side and found that there were only a handful of people left in the immigration hall. So much for getting through quickly, he thought to himself. He could only guess what Maddie must be thinking out in the arrivals area as the time dragged on.
Luckily, he didn’t have to wait for his bags, as they’d already been taken off the conveyer belt and conveniently piled to one side. Grabbing a cart and loading it up, Becker had a sudden spring in his step as he passed through the customs checkpoint and went through the automatic doors. There was a large crush of people on the other side of the railing, and as he made his way along, he scanned the crowd for Maddie’s face. The crowd was composed overwhelmingly of Thais, so Becker was confident he would spot Maddie in a heartbeat. But he kept looking and looking, even pausing to backtrack again. Still, there was no sign of her.
Now what? Becker thought, slumping over the handlebar of the cart. He decided to give it one more try. This time, though, something caught his eye. It was his name printed on a placard, held by one of the many drivers bunched together in the greeting area.
Questioningly, Becker stepped up to the man and identified himself as the person on the sign.
The man bowed slightly, stepped forward to take over the cart, and steered it toward the exit doors. Confused, Becker held back for a minute, then rushed forward. “Where are we going?”
The man grinned and shook his head. “No tell. Surprise.”
Okay, Becker thought. This should be interesting.
It sure was. They stepped outside, Becker following as the man headed to a Rolls Royce and opened the door for him to step in.
Sinking into the soft leather seat, he experienced the same relief when the rush of cool air hit him that Maddie had after the brief exposure to the intense heat. Becker then spent the first few minutes looking around the luxurious interior and marveling. He started making mental comparisons with the Ferrari and came to the conclusion that if he were doing the driving, he’d want the Ferrari, but as a passenger, the Rolls was the way to go. Not that I’d ever have to make that choice, he thought with amusement.
After his inspection, Becker idly looked out the windows, his mind filled with curiosity over what Maddie was up to. Why did she send a car and not come herself? And what’s this surprise? As Maddie did before him, he had a while to mull it over, while the traffic built up as they got closer to town. When the Rolls finally pulled up to the main entrance of the Oriental, he thought the hotel was the surprise. It was more than appropriate to ride in a Rolls to the Oriental. His thoughts jumped ahead to Maddie waiting for him in their room, imagining her in various states of undress.
One attendant opened his door and another opened the trunk, loading the bags onto a cart. The first one of them led him into the lobby, where Becker anxiously looked around for Maddie. He stopped in confusion, not knowing if the attendant knew his room number or if he should check in at the desk to get a key.
The young man hurried back to get him. “Please follow me,” he said.
Oddly, they continued right across the lobby, through a few other public rooms, and then headed out a door again. What on earth is going on? Completely baffled, all Becker could do was follow the attendant’s lead as they walked through the outdoor dining area of one of the hotel’s restaurants.
A-ha, Becker thought, we’re going to have breakfast by the river. He didn’t even have time to finish that thought because they’d walked past the length of the tables and were practically at the river. The man turned left, and when Becker followed suit, his eye caught sight of a beautifully carved houseboat moored to the hotel’s dock. At the bottom of the ramp, the attendant stepped to one side and motioned for Becker to climb up. Surely, Becker thought, this isn’t ours.
When he reached the deck, he turned around to await further instruction. The man only stood there, bowed, and motioned for Becker to continue on.
Gazing around, Becker saw no sign of life on the deck, either in the immediate vicinity or farther forward, so he started to circle the “house” to find an entrance. When he came to a door, he paused before turning the handle, his heart ready to leap out of his chest. Shaking with anticipation, he had to admit Maddie was doing a masterful job of drawing out the suspense.
When he entered the room and shut the door behind him, it took his eyes a minute to adjust to the cool, dark interior. As he began to discern objects, he saw that he was in an exquisite bedroom full of carved wood, with a large bed up on a pedestal, draped in embroidered silk. There were two mahogany side tables on which several fragrant candles had been lit. Looking down to the floor, he saw that flower petals had been strewn in a path that led from where he was standing to an internal doorway.
Although the room was somehow delightfully cool despite no apparent hum from an air conditioner, Becker found himself breaking out in a cold sweat. His heart caught in his throat as he followed the trail that had been laid out. He opened the door, expecting to find Maddie standing there, but he was again surprised to see no one there at all. Instead, situated in the middle of the room was a large black marble tub nearly brimming with steaming water. Several candles and large white lotus flowers floated on the surface. Draped on a chair nearby was a single pair of silk pajamas.
It was obvious what was expected of him, and as crazy as he was to get his hands on Maddie, he couldn’t help but be swept up in the moment. He gladly started stripping off the clothes he’d been wearing for the past twenty-four hours and more. The scented air enveloped his skin and did wonders for his mounting libido. He climbed up the two marble steps and stepped into the tub. Easing himself down into the water, he felt all the stress of the long journey gradually melt away. With each successive breath, his pent-up tensions eased, and his muscles relaxed.
The sound of a motor starting caught his attention. With a few brief shudders, the boat began moving forward. Hmmm, I guess Maddie wants to ensure a captive audience, Becker mused, enjoying the pampered sensation of being in a luxurious bath while cruising on a riverboat.
After soaking for ten minutes, he stirred to look around for soap and shampoo. Almost on cue, the door opened. Becker glanced quickly up, thinking Maddie was at last joining him.
Instead, a beautiful young Thai woman, silky black hair flowing down her back, came softly over to the tub. Picking up a basket that had been sitting behind the tub, she knelt down on a step. From the basket, she extracted a long-handled brush and an aromatic bar of soap, both of which she then dipped into the water.
Startled, Becker pulled himself into a fetal position, incredibly self-conscious at being seen in the altogether by this unexpected stranger.
But with soothing, circular motions, the woman calmly reached out and gently scrubbed his back.
Her ministrations soon had Becker abandoning his defensive posture. “Ummm,” he murmured softly. If my own wife arranged this, who am I to protest?
The woman reached around and did his chest and then his arms, and then
one by one pulled up his legs, at which point Becker discreetly positioned his hands in his lap. When she put the brush away, Becker thought she was done, but she then pulled out a soft mitt and started the whole process all over again. Becker couldn’t imagine someone doing this for a living, but if this was a profession, she certainly excelled at it.
Last, she gently pushed him farther down in the tub. Becker wasn’t quite sure what she had in mind until she showed him the bottle of shampoo in her other hand. Relaxing, he slid back and let her pour water over his hair and massage the shampoo into his scalp in such a strong but gentle way that before long, his scalp tingled appreciatively with the new sensations. When she was done with that, she picked up a fluffy white bath towel and held it out in front of her, discreetly turning her head to one side. Scooching over to the rim, Becker slowly rose and pulled the towel around him, exposing himself as little as possible. The woman nodded toward the silk pajamas, pointed toward the door, and departed.
I’ve heard about the pleasures of Bangkok, thought Becker, but what he’d heard wasn’t quite along these lines. Customer service is definitely the name of the game out here. Because the pajamas were made of fine Chinese silk, he took care to scrub every last bit of dampness off of his body, lest the silk make any unsightly hitches. Spotting a comb by the mirror, Becker stopped to towel dry and comb his hair before turning and walking out the door the woman had indicated.
To his disappointment, the bedroom was empty. Glancing around for a clue, something caught his eye. The flower path had been altered: it now led from his present doorway to the bed.
Becker grinned. I definitely like the looks of this. Bounding over onto the bed, he seated himself in the middle against the headboard, expectantly waiting for Maddie to come through the door. As the door opened, Becker caught his breath, only to exhale it in a rush.