FORTY EIGHT
Maya had come back from office a little more drained than every day. It was a busy day with no room left for anything else. As she headed towards her bed she saw Esha glued again to her laptop.
“It doesn't tire you. This machine?” she asked Esha.
“That's my distraction. It keeps me busy,” she replied. Maya sighed.
“You had your dinner.” She asked Esha as she cuddled to find comfort.
“I wasn't very hungry. Had a bite before I left office,” her eyes glued to her screen. “What took you so long today?”
“Loads of work. Every part of my body aches.” Maya sighed again.
“What are you doing”, she was curious.
“FB and some chatting,” Esha smiled. 'What's your Facebook account. I will add you.”
“I don't have an account,” Maya smiled.
“Whoa! You aren't active on Facebook?” Esha asked. For her, the first thing to do on the internet was to log into Facebook.
“Well, not much!”
“That means you're a cave dweller!” she said, laughing.
By now they both knew quite a bit of details about each other. Esha had given positive signals about Maya's chemistry with Vikram. She was unable to figure out why Maya was not taking it to the next level. “Let me create your Facebook account tomorrow,” she smiled.
“You know what, I wish we were as rich so as to we wouldn't need to work. Someone should just give us money for sleeping.” Maya said peeping into the laptop.
“Yeah, after all it helps world to be at peace,” Esha chuckled.
As they chatted lazily they heard a knock on the door and Esha went to open it. There was a very handsome man at the door.
“Is Maya in?” he demanded rudely. His manners were in contrast to his looks, she noticed.
“Yes! Who are you?” she demanded.
He barged in, pushing Esha aside.
It was then that Maya saw him and she was instantly afraid.
“Why aren't you taking my calls?” Raghu demanded.
“What are you doing on the computer? Show me!” he snatched the laptop from the table.
“Raghu. That's not my laptop,” she said, disgusted by his behaviour.
He threw the laptop on the floor.
“Hello, what do you think you're doing”? Esha exclaimed, and stared at him. She bent to pick up the laptop from the floor.
“Stay out of this if you want to stay alive!” Raghu threatened her.
Esha was flabbergasted. She went to Maya, but Raghu was closer.
He grabbed Maya by the wrist.
“Excuse me. What's wrong with you?” Esha asked.
“Shut up and stay where you are. Or I'll throw you down from the balcony,” Raghu said, though he didn't know Esha.
“Don't get into it, please,” Maya pleaded.
“This is between me and her. Leave us alone and get out,” he told Esha.
Esha, didn't know what to say, thought it was wiser to step out and close the door behind her.She was embarrassed at what was obviously a private matter.
“She got scared. All your friends leave you with me,allowing you to die,” he laughed as if it were a joke.
“What do you want?” Maya snapped at him, her dislike palpable.
'Don't you know?”
“No, I don't!”
“I love you!”
“I've already told you that I'm not the one for you, Raghu. You can't barge in and abuse me whenever you feel like,” she said angrily.
He glared at her. He'll use his hands on me next, Maya thought, scared.
“You bitch. You can't be a good lover. You couldn't be a good wife. You can't be a good daughter, either. That's why your mother must have killed herself,” he shouted, wishing to wound her.
“Raghu,” Maya screamed.
“You are the biggest whore I have ever met.”
“Why are you here then?”
“You think you will escape from me so easily, you cunning bitch,” his eyes were red with anger.
He shouted abuse like there was no tomorrow. Maya did not bother to listen or protest. Finally, his fury drained off, “Don't mess with me girl,” he banged the door so hard it seemed it would come off its hinges. But thank God, he left. Seeing him leaving, Esha ran back in.
“Who was that swine, Maya? Are you alright?” she asked looking concerned.
Maya told her all she knew of Raghu D'Souza as Esha looked on, dumbfounded and mouth open. She sighed in reply.
“Why don't you complain to the police?” she asked.
“For all he does, he's genuinely loves me, Esha,” she said. Esha was even more dumbfounded. What was wrong with this girl, she wondered.
“He's a sicko, Maya!”
“I'll have your laptop repaired,” Maya said.
“Screw that. You must be really desperate to put up with such behaviour,” she sounded sad. “He's stalking you, Maya. That's a crime.”
“I know, but I also know that he can't help it. He thinks he loves me. He has nothing in his life, but me.”
“I haven't heard anything more nonsensical in all my life. He loves you? How can he hit you, then? That isn't love, definitely not,” Esha reasoned, trying to drive some sense into Maya's head. “I have been in relationships before Maya, but never been stalked or bashed up for that matter. Things go wrong. People drift apart, hearts do break, but this is not what it is.” An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room.
“I need a drink,” Esha announced. She got up and made a small vodka with lime cordial for both of them.
“Here, I guess you need one too,” she offered Maya who willingly took the glass.
Why you and Kartik don't talk it over and sort out matters, Esha suggested.
“There are others involved,” Maya was tearful. “Plus some questions have no answers Esha.” Esha understood clearly now that it was not just Raghu who was in a mess. Maya was in a mess too, of her own making. Look what momentary passion can cause you, she thought.
“Why don't you leave Kartik,” Esha asked her.
“Mentally, I'm trying to leave Kartik, Esha. But leaving is like losing. It is like the death of the relationship and no one ever did train us to face death. It gets difficult. But there is one thing I've learnt. To be loved is more important than to love. Life is sometimes weird. I've felt that way sometimes. Yes, this is the person I needed, that I've found my destiny. Then it ends. It disappears into thin air as if it never was.”
“I'm tired of being alone. I'm tired of being with others. I am tired of just being tired!” she said helplessly, lapsing into tears. “There have been times when I stood under the shower, endlessly trying to wash off my indecisiveness, my pain, and my tears. I feel hopeless and when I want to give up I hear my heart talking. It feels as if my stronger heart tells my weaker part to rejoice in all those moments when love has touched me. It tells me that there are people who crave for love. It tells me to be hopeful once again and move on. Still at times my weaker part takes over and asks me why I crave for unknown bliss when this journey brings me so much of pain?” she looked towards the window.
“Are you alright?” Esha inquired.
“No, I'm not,” Maya said.
Esha didn't know, how and what to say to that.