The Retreat © Roopal Badheka
“Look, it's time. We need to go to the retreat….we have to get it done” Zenia says. “Why do we have to? Things are fine Zenia. Quit over-reacting.” Jay turns away from her and responds non-chalantly. Zenia's face is still and she looks out of the window in the moving car thinking that this whole conversation is pointless. We have to get it done . Why won't he listen? Things are not fine at all. He's just not the same guy I once met. We don't even hold hands anymore. In silence, the car continues to wind up the curvy road until it reaches one of the highest points on the ridge. Jay is focused only on driving, his face intent on the road, ambivalent to Zenia's sulking face. Upon getting home, Zenia slams the car door and marches up the stairs. She maneuvers her way into their dressing area and closes the double doors, stopping a minute to catch her breath by leaning behind them. Then, in her closet, she opens the top drawer of the marble topped island in the middle of the room. Inside, she carefully picks up a stack of letters and starts reading. “Zenia, you are the most amazing woman. I want to live every day with you and show you the world in my eyes.” Jay had once written. “To my dearest Zenia, we will have a lovely chateau in France someday.” “I promise you a life full of adventures.” Zenia's face is full of silent tears. She rummages thru more letters and then finds the pictures of them walking in hand, kissing each other playfully. There are pictures of them sailing, rock-climbing, and visiting exotic locations. All those days seem so long ago. It's been almost five years together with little to no excitement in the last two years. Now, I'm just a machine of cooking and cleaning. There are no adventures anymore. I'm just a prisoner living in $2 million jail cell. What happened to us? Where have Zenia and Jay lost each other? I know it's time we go thru with it. I can't let us just disintegrate. Something has to be done. Zenia leaves the items and walks out towards the balcony of her home with just a slim discrete catalog in her hand. A beautiful ocean dances in the sunlight thousands of feet below. Today, she can even see the white crests of the waves; the ocean is fiery too today. Underneath the balcony, she can hear the television turned on with the poetic crescendos of the “Law and Order” theme song blaring loudly. Sighing upwards, Zenia's mind starts to lose control. All this beauty and he can't stop watching TV! That's it, I'm making the decision for us. I'm going to make the arrangements. We're getting this done. Thumbing thru the catalog labeled “RMT Luxury Retreat: Re-Initialize to Re-Ignite the flame” , Zenia calls and makes the reservations at The Retreat for next week-end. *** The Retreat was settled high in the mountains with huge planes of clear glass windows facing the ocean. The weather was perfect up here. Both Zenia and Jay were instantly relaxed at the sight of the multiple fountains and the palm trees blowing in the wind. The limousine sent by the Retreat was a large and comfortable ride for the journey and it allowed them to watch the instructional video en route. The Retreat all sounded very impressive with top notch facilities and the best technology in the world for their procedures. The limo finally stopped at a grand entrance while silent valets took their luggage away as if it would no longer be needed. Zenia smirked at Jay. “Trust me, this will be great for our relationship.” Inside the Retreat, an unencumbered view of the mountains kissing the ocean quieted their thoughts. A Concierge quickly greeted them and took them into expansive living room with suede couches and a luxurious view of the gardens below them. A huge lotus shaped fountain was in the middle of the gardens with water spraying softly all around. They could see other guests of the Retreat roaming around in the gardens enjoying the tranquility of the surroundings. Zenia and Jay were calm, relaxed, and listened intently to the briefing given by the Concierge. “I'm sure that you will enjoy the whole experience. As conveyed in our instructional video, RMT provides a complete package which includes the identification and cataloguing of all of your individual assets. You will receive full access to your financial assets back after the procedure. All other personal possessions such as letters, pictures, and computer files of a personal nature will only be returned at your request depending on the type of experience you choose to have. All of our clients are extremely satisfied. Do you have any other questions from watching the video?” “No. We're just excited to get started. We've already filled out all of the necessary paperwork” Zenia said with the glee of a teenager. “Very well. You understand the risks. The retreat will also have other post procedure clients waiting too. There is no guarantee of your original choice.” “We understand that. I'm confident we'll make the right choice.” She replied forcefully. “All right then. We have you set for an appointment tomorrow morning at 8am. You can go right to our clinical facilities at that time on the 8 th floor. For this afternoon, we have you both scheduled for cranial sacral massage therapy sessions at 2pm. Tonight, please enjoy complimentary dining at our award winning restaurant ReNee . We always make early dinner reservations for 6pm so our clients are relaxed for their sessions in the am. Thank you again for choosing RMT Luxury Retreats as your optimum choice for relationship adventures.” *** The next morning, Zenia and Jay took the elevators to the 8 th floor and walked thru a set of double glass doors into a modern, white mirror filled hallway where everything glistened with newness. The receptionist was a jovial woman that oozed of kindness and innocence despite her age. She smiled and took down their names and told them the associates would be in to get them in just few minutes. No signs were on the walls…just a bouquet of flowers looking unusually fresh in an ornate crystal vase. Probably from the gardens thought Zenia as she took a deep breath of the flowers as the doctors arrived. A set of doctors arrived to take Zenia and Jay into the patient rooms. Though he was relaxed, Jay was still not happy about being here but he knew that Zenia would not give it up once she had decided. Besides, he was getting a little bored anyway with their routines. She no longer surprised him with a romantic breakfast in bed or any sexy lingerie at night. Zenia used to be such a beautiful and creative woman in his eyes…so interesting, so full of life, so well read and cultured. Now, she was used to accepting being home all day with no other desires at all. Most of all, she never seemed to be impressed by or appreciate all the money he worked so hard for to give her such a beautiful carefree life. The doctors led them to the Renewal Room where they were asked to sit in two cone shaped matching chaise lounge chairs with sleek silver headgear connected to them. Zenia looked hopefully over at Jay as they settled into their loungers putting their heads into the gear. The grips were tightened to their heads by the Comfort-Lock System as explained by one of the associates. Then, the medical team checked all of their vital signs. “It all looks good. See you 5 years ago” the nurse chuckled. “I can't wait” said a smiling Zenia. *** The next day, Zenia found herself roaming around the gardens. She could hear the birds flying above her and feel the spray of the lotus shaped water fountain nearby. She took a deep breath and enjoyed the clarity of her mind. There was just peace, tranquility, and soft winds blowing in the air. The mountains looked majestic and the sea below was sparkling too . What a glorious day! She thought to herself looking around the various flowers in the gardens. Across the fountain she saw a man that looked familiar. “Jay, is that you?” “Hey Zenia. Wow. You look great. It's so nice to see you. How have you been?” “Doing well I think.” They both laughed. Zenia and Jay sat underneath a coconut tree in the gardens and talked for hours. They had first met each other in college and it had been some time since they had seen each other but it all still felt so familiar. He loved her spirit and wanted to know her better. She loved his attention to her and how incredibly romantic he was. She wondered why they never got together sooner…they had so much in common. “I'm so glad you were at this retreat Jay” “Yes, maybe I was here just to meet you Zenia” he whispered as he kissed her hand. He held her hand and she listened to his every word. They soon found themselves in a warm embrace enjoying the long lasting feeling of never wanting to let go. One month later, they left the retreat hand in hand. Another five years passed in absolute bliss. *** A totally annoyed Zenia and stoic Jay found themselves in a limo to a retreat high in the mountains. The air was so refreshing up here. For a moment, Zenia and Jay looked at each other with a strange gnawing feeling of déjà vu. Zenia shook it off wondering if she had pushed Jay too much into coming here today. But it would be okay. Everything would turn out for the best she knew. RMT Luxury Retreats were the best in the business. The Concierge greeted them smiling, knowing that these were repeat clients. WOW…they have been together for so long without knowing. It must be true love between them. The next morning, Zenia and Jay arrived on the 8 th floor thru the glass doors into the modern hallway of white mirrored walls and an ornate crystal vase filled with flowers. Soon, the doctors took them to the room to begin the procedure. He repeated the words she had heard from the Concierge yesterday. “Remember that this procedure will wipe away the last 5 years of any personal memories of your relationship. It will be as if you've never met before. You have already been informed of the risks. The park will also have other post procedure clients waiting too. There is no guarantee of your original choice.” Both Zenia and Jay were ready and willing to go on with the procedure. With their heads held in place with the Comfort-Lock System v5.0, both Zenia and Jay drifted soundlessly to sleep while a humming noise filled the air. Technicians in the control room individually scanned memories on wide screens and erased them according to the guidelines they were given. One the walls behind them were posters and new articles “RMT succeeds in reaching 5 year rewind threshold!”, “RMT offers the ability to fall in love, again and again”, and “Rewind My Time Luxury Retreats offers the best renewal options.” Hours later, the humming stopped. Like before, as part of their post op recovery, Zenia and Jay slept all night peacefully in separate rooms. *** His haziness was wearing off now and Jay looked at the sky above him and felt the wind against his face. It felt great against his skin, cooling him in the warm sun. This retreat was a great idea. Though he couldn't remember whose idea it was that had brought him here. Jay stretched out his body and felt his muscles feel alive again. Wow…what a great day! He thought. Across the lotus shaped fountain, he saw a beautiful woman. She looked so familiar to Jay but he just couldn't place her name. Suddenly, it was as if she noticed him too at the same time. “Jay, is that you?” “Wow…it's so good to see you” “You don't remember my name do you Jay?” “Well, my memory is just not what it used to be.” They both laughed. “I'm Rena….remember me….from high school?” “Yes, of course, Rena….wow…you look fantastic.” Rena and Jay sat underneath a coconut tree in the gardens and talked for hours. Across the other side of the fountain, Zenia looked up with the sound of the laughter from a couple ahead of her. That's funny, she thought. That guy looks like Jay from college. What a great couple they make. I'd be smiling too if I had a guy like that in my life . And with that, Zenia threw a penny into the fountain and wished for Mr. Right to come into her life.
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