Short Story - A Tour Guide

It was 8 AM in the morning, of just another day in the routine life of Myra, who worked as a tour guide for a famous travel company in Tbisili. She was getting ready to leave for work. She was wearing a red top under her grey colored Dungaree, with black shoes. Red lipstick made her pinkish white face look even more beautiful. She quickly combed her short and wavy golden brown hair, took her green scarf, green overcoat, black goggles, and her green handbag, locked her apartment, and left in her car to meet an Indian family who had booked her as their tour guide.

She was about to spend next 7 days with this family of 3 people - husband, wife and a little 6 months old chubby cheeked baby - Yagye. With her usual, big smile, she met the family at the reception of the hotel where the family was staying in. But the moment her eyes fell on their cute baby, who was cuddling her mother like a panda, she forgot being professional and forgot everything around her. Walking straight to the mom, who was holding him, she brought both of her hands forward, as a gesture of taking the permission to hold him in her arms.

She had been doing tours for past 5 years with the company, but it was her first time with a baby this young. The moment she picked little Yagye, he gave her a beautiful smile and hugged her with his tiny hands. His his made her firgwt about all the tensions that existed in her personal life. She hugged him back, gave him a kiss, then another,  and then a third one before giving him back to his mom.

Over the next 7 days, she took the family to various places in the country. She would never leave any opportunity of holding Yagye. She was  going  through a very tough time in her life. She was the only earning member of her family, after her father lost his job in a recent recession, and had many responsibilities on her shoulders. She recently had a terrible fight with her boyfriend, who wanted to get married and have babies with her. But, she was afraid to take more responsibilities.

The time spent with Yagye and his radiant smile was helping her forget all about her worries. She clicked various selfies with Yagye to capture all the beautiful moments spent with him. She even started posting her pictures with him on her Facebook account. After a very long time, she was again behaving like a 25 year old girl. The challenges in her life had matured her so much that she had started behaving like a woman in her 30s.

She was enjoying her tour with the family. She became a personal photographer for them and clicked hundreds of pictures at all the beautiful spots. She wanted to capture all the beautiful moments for little Yagye.

As days passed, she became too attached to Yagye. She would carefully observe all his lovely activities. She loved how he would hold his colorful toys with his tiny hands that were still learning  to grip things, how he removed his tiny shoes by rubbing his feets together continuously, become stylish in his little goggles and cap, play in the arms and lap of his parents, sing songs in his baby language and make strange sounds, rub his hands against each other, and eat with all his clothes spoiled. She was joyfully observing everything about him.

Time was fast to fly away and she didn't realize when the time to say goodbye arrived. She reached the hotel to pick the family up for the drop off back to the airport. She was happy to see Yagye yet again, who was looking so fresh and happy, as always. By now, he had started recognizing her. The moment he saw Myra coming towards him, he started to jump in the arms of his mother and started to bend towards Myra indicating her to pick him.

Myra smiled and quickly grabbed him in her arms. She knew that the time to say good bye was very close now. She hugged him tightly. Smile from her face was gone. In a rush, she returned Yagye to his mother.

"Let's Go" said Myra to Yagye's father.

Driver placed all their luggage in the car. Myra sat on the seat next to the driver's. She was very serious. She didn't have strength to look back at Yagye. In twenty minutes they reached the airport. Myra came to the family to say final good bye.

"So you have another tour tomorrow" asked Yagye's father

"Yes, from tomorrow I will tour a group of 30 people" said Myra

"Which one do you enjoy most - a private tour or a group tour" asked Yagye's father

"A group tour" Myra paused for a few seconds and then continued "because then you don't get attached to someone to an extent that" she paused again.

Tears started to flow out from her eyes.

"I am sorry" Myra said bursting into tears "Its just that I am so attached to Yagye now, I don't know how and why"

She controlled herself, wiped her tears, looked down towards the ground and looked back up with a smile.

"You have a very cute son" said Myra smiling "God bless him always. He won't remember anything about me, but do tell him my stories when he'll grow up"

Yagye's parents smiled back and hugged Myra.

"Good bye my little angel. Come here, give me nice hug" said Myra

She picked him up and hugged him for good five to six seconds. Then brought him back in her arms, gave him few kisses and said "Goodbye"

She gave him back to his mother and kept waving them bye until they went inside the airport.

She then turned back towards the car, took out her goggles from the pocket of her jacket, wore the goggles and started walking towards the car.

She took out her mobile from the pocket of her jeans, dialed a number. When the phone was answered on the other side, she said "Let's get married"

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