"Don't forget Zeev .....Don't forget Zeev ...

Never ever forget him. He has sapphire eyes, and he is the warmest person in the world."

Debbie chanted those lines repeatedly as she woke up startled by a nightmare, where she was shot to death. She did that whenever she felt lonely and gloomy. She didn't know why she kept repeating those lines in her mind, but she felt secure on reciting it.

In the first place, she didn't know who was the Zeev she thought about. Not even a memory or the slightest idea arouse in her mind when she heard that name. Her anxiousness to find Zeev kept increasing, but she couldn't even get a clue about him.

She tried asking people around her, but no one knew someone with such a strange name - Zeev. She browsed the name in the internet and found that the meaning of Zeev was live wolf. 'Parents these days. Why would they name their child as a live wolf?' sighed Debbie.

She buried her head under the pillow and the scar on her forehead started throbbing in pain. She was always suspicious about the occurrence of the scar. Luke said that she slipped in the bathroom and hit her head on the faucet, but Debbie wasn't convinced. She sensed a unpleasant memory behind the scar, which was not just slipping in the bathroom.

Debbie stood up from the bed, wore her glasses and looked around the room. The walls of the room looked abominable, because of Debbie. The name 'Zeev' was scribbled all over the walls, in different colors. Whenever she went crazy on thinking about Zeev, she would take something in her hand and scribble on the walls. Luke and Della thought she became mentally disturbed after her head was hurt in the accident and fixed appointments for her with psychiatrists.

She checked her mobile, and there were twenty missed calls from Della. Della became a nuisance in the past few days. She and Luke were planning to get married the following year. Debbie wanted them to get married in a nearby church, but they planned to have a picturesque wedding at Hayman Island, Australia. Debbie loathed the idea of traveling half the globe, just for a wedding ceremony but participation in the ceremony was a must for her as she was the only family for the groom, and only friend for the bride.

As Debbie held her mobile in hand, it rang for the twenty first time, obviously from Della. Debbie attended the call with a sigh.

"Debbie what were you doing? Did you ignore my calls purposely?" yelled Della. Debbie held the phone a foot away from her ear as Della's wails were unbearable.

"Today is Sunday and the first day of the year Della. I haven't slept for a whole week. I've been sick from morning. How do you expect me to work?" retaliated Debbie.

"I'm really sorry Debs. Take rest. I won't disturb you." moaned Della. She was really an expert on pulling off pitiful acts which moved people's hearts.

"I'm fine. What you want me to do?" said Debbie

"Do you remember Ernie?" said Della, switching back to her bossy mode.

"The red haired Mexican guy who worked in our office?"

"Yeah, its him"

"He's working in the White House. Do you want me to fly to U.S?"

"No, try to listen before talking. He's right now in Westminster on vacation. He's staying at Hotel Cafe Royal at Regent Street. Could you meet him personally and invite him for the wedding?" ordered Della

"Are you insane? There is still a year left for the wedding!" yelled Debbie

"It would be difficult to meet him later. I would've done it myself but I have lot of works right now. My head is about to explode. Please do this one job. I love you. Bye." said Della and hung up.

That conversation with Della, made Debbie really mad. She threw her mobile on the wall and it broke into pieces. Debbie never liked to be ordered around like a slave. Tears reached the rim of her glasses. Gritting her teeth, she got ready to leave. She pulled on a black jean and white jumper. Her short hair was messy as usual, and she tied it into a even messier pony.

Half asleep, she locked the door of the flat. Her stomach grumbled as she didn't eat anything from morning.

"Debbie!" a voice echoed through the corridor. Debbie turned behind and found Adelaide sprinting in her direction. Adelaide McCaffrey was Debbie's neighbor, a kind old woman who lived alone after her husband's death.

"Oh dear! Are you going out like that?" exclaimed Adel, looking at Debbie's hair.

"Adel, please help me from these people. They are torturing me." lamented Debbie

"Hon, its your brother's marriage, so you have responsibility for it." said Adel combing Debbie's hair.

"True. But the responsibility doesn't arise a year before the marriage"

"Your brother is special right? So the responsibility comes earlier in case of special brothers" said Adel

"Keep supporting your Luke" retorted Debbie

"No. My support is always for Debbie. Seeing your face I can tell you didn't eat anything. I packed these sandwiches for you, have it on your way." said Adel, giving a small box to Debbie. Debbie was stunned. She embraced Adel.

"Bye Adel. I'll be back for lunch." said Debbie and left.

"Take care" said Adel as Debbie dashed towards the stairs.

*************

Debbie reached the Hotel Cafe Royal in twenty minutes. Her car was parked by a valet as she entered the ginormous mansion. Debbie didn't know how to describe it, but it was the most intricate piece of architecture. It had a neo-classical touch similar to that of the Buckingham Palace. New year decorations added more grandeur to the place. The reception and lounge were at the piano nobile of the hotel. Further there were music room, ball room, an indoor swimming pool and many other places which were beyond the reach of Debbie's eyes.

Struck in awe, Debbie realized that she didn't ask for the room number where Ernie stayed. She slipped her hand into her pocket for her mobile, and remembered smacking it into pieces. She decided to ask for the room number in the reception.

As Debbie approached the reception, the receptionist gave her a bright smile. She was busy in a call and gestured Debbie to wait. The receptionist, who was probably younger than Debbie had a glowing face, which was lightened up by cherry-red lipstick. She was wearing the hotel's uniform, black pencil fit skirt, white collared shirt and a black overcoat.

"Yes Mam, how can I help you?" said the receptionist, soothingly.

"May I know the room number of Mr. Ernie Macmillan?" inquired Debbie.

"Sorry Mam. We respect the privacy of our customers, so we don't give out their room numbers unless they have an appointment."

"It's okay. Then I'll wait for him here. Could you call him and tell that his friend Debbie Ingrid is waiting for him?"

"Sure Mam" said the receptionist. Debbie walked towards the lounge and sat on one of the throne chairs over there.

A waiter walked past her carrying a tray containing mocktails of different colors, in glasses of different sizes and shapes. A boy who was running around the corridor, nudged the waiter as he ran. The waiter staggered and finally the mocktails on the tray poured over Debbie's white jumper, making it rainbow colored. The weather was cold outside, and with the cold mocktails on her dress, Debbie started shivering.

"Sorry Mam. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it to happen." apologized the waiter

"Its okay. Do you sell clothes here?" inquired Debbie, her teeth clattering in the cold.

"Yes Mam, I'll get you one" said the waiter and ran towards the reception. Meanwhile a woman worker offered a towel to Debbie and the other workers cleaned the floor and the chair. After a minute the waiter came back with a set of dress and a room key.

"You can change at this room Mam" said the waiter giving the room key, "You need not pay for these clothes. Please accept our apology."

"Its okay" said Debbie and got the clothes from the waiter. As the room she was given was on the first floor itself, Debbie took the stairs as usual.

Bracing herself with the towel, she walked through the first floor corridor searching for room number one-twenty-five. The room numbers started from one-hundred, and on walking past twenty four doors she reached her room. She inserted the key and opened the door.

As she entered the room, her heart began to flutter very badly. Inside the room, stood a man by the side of the bed gazing through the window, with his hands inside his pockets. The man took a deep breath and turned towards the door. Both of them stood petrified on seeing each other.

The man had short black hair, broad forehead, sharp nose and a pale complexion. He was very lean, which exposed his facial bones and collar bone. Furthermore he had sapphire eyes.

"You..you are" stammered Debbie.

"Zeev Storm" said the man.

----------------------------------------------------------------

The final chapter would be out on March 10, 2017 at 20:00.

Thank you for reading.