Chapter – 2
Time – the Intermediate
Place – Kolkata
Insalubrious. That’s what Ashok felt as he entered his bungalow with the girl following him coyly . He was already repenting what he had done . He wanted to ask the girl to leave ,but it was close to midnight , and the streets of Kolkata were not safe for a jejune girl at this time of the hour .
He entered the drawing room ,turned back and motioned the girl to sit . This was the first time he saw her . As he looked at her face the familiarity of her face struck him .She wore a mauve saree which she was finding extremely difficult to manage .The kohl lining her eyes could not hide the fact that she had been crying . Yet there was a simplicity in her face that dazzled him .
The girl sat where she was asked . She did not look up and kept staring at the granite floor .
“What is you name ?” he asked .
The girl did not reply . Ashok repeated his question .
“ Lali” she said.
Incognito.
“ Your real name ?”
“ Arpita”.
The Past? He had heard that name before . But it could not be , he assured himself . This was a mere coincidence .
“ How old are you ?”
“ Twenty two”, she replied.
“ Your real age ?”
“Fifteen “.
“That fat lady told you came here yesterday. Where did you live before ?”
“ Mumbai ,my uncle brought me here .”
Ashok felt a little dizzy . Then he assured himself . It was a mere coincidence .
“Where is your father ?” Ashok asked bluntly .
Arpita was taken aback by the brusqueness of the question . She had heard of dilettante clients who showed their concern only to gain false sympathy . But for some reason this man seemed different.
“ He was killed in a car accident , ten years ago .”
Something hit Ashok in the heart . He knew what it was . Providence .
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The girl stood near the window and stared at the starry sky . Ten years ago, as a five year old she could not have imagined to land in a brothel . But after his father died , all the possible troubles found their way in her life . Her mother died two years later due to tuberculosis . All this while she stayed with her uncle . Each night he would return from his jute mill job , drunk , disgruntled and would beat the girl for no reason. A month ago her uncle had met a man who was interested in the girl . She was sold for thirty thousand . She had come yesterday . Today, Munnibai had slapped her twice .
“ You just cannot sit and eat .You have to work .” she had shouted.
Strangely enough , this first customer seemed different . Since last night she had seen all sorts of men turn up in those dark rooms of Rangmahal . For some strange reason they put all their frustrations , their anger , their scorn into the ‘ritual’. Most girls could be found later crying most of them with a injured thigh or a dislocated shoulder .
Tonight as she had pulled off her pallu and started unbuttoning her blouse for the paid job , the man had instantly objected. Infact he had been more embarrassed than her . “no, no, please . Its all right . You don’t have to do this . Here is the rest of the money . Please . Just sleep in the room tonight and I’ll leave you the first thing in the morning .”
The girl buttoned her blouse and thanked God a million times.
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Arpita’s gaze broke because Ashok entered the room . He had a tray in his hand .
“ I didn’t want to call Shyam from the servants quarter at this time . And I have no idea where he keeps the food .But I managed to find this in the refrigerator .”
He offered her three slices of pizza and a can of cola .Arpita waited for the man to go.
Then she ate as if there was no tomorrow .
This was her first meal in Kolkata.
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As she gorged on the last crumbs of the food , Arpita looked around the room where she had been asked to sleep . The room’s earlier occupant had been a girl , since there were dolls all around . Over the bed was a framed photograph of a little girl . A garland hung over its frame . Adjacent to the bed was a Mickey Mouse clock . Near it stood a white teddy bear . Arpita’s eyes fell on the envelope underneath the teddy bear . She picked it up , took out a piece of paper . She knew it wasn’t the right thing to do , but she read it still. It ran,
‘ Dear Baba,
I am very angry that you are not coming to see us off at the airport . I am mad that you are not joining us at Shimla itself . Needless to say I’ll not be answering your calls.
I’ll forgive you only when you pick me up from the airport . No more business meetings . By the way no more white teddy bears please . I need a black panda this time .
I remain,
Your very angry daughter.
Chitra .’
Arpita put the card back in the envelope . When she was a little child she thought that money could buy you all the happiness of the world . Tonight as she sat in the large lonely room , and looked at the picture of the girl in the photograph , she realized that the rich sometimes were as helpless as the poor .
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The brothel seemed to repel her more . Last night was a mere dream she told herself. Her real destiny lay ahead of her , Rangmahal. She wanted to turn away and ask the man in the car to take her away from all this, but she refrained . She kept on walking towards the portico when Ashok shouted,
“Arpita.”
She turned.
“I’ll come back in the evening.”
She thanked God a million times once again and walked into the mottled building.
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The Rado watch on Ashok’s wrist beeped five times , but he ignored the call ,or atleast feigned so .Several poignant questions were troubling him. Why had he told Arpita he would come back . What would she think about him now. Surely he did not owe her anything . He would not go there , he told himself .
An hour passed. The innocent face of the girl kept intruding his thoughts . She was not her responsibility, he tried to convince himself . But what if……
“ Mr.Gupta , I’ll be not returning today .Could you mange the teleconferencing for me.”
If Ashok would not have been running like mad he would have heard Mr. Gupta say “ Yes Sir.”
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Munnibai was shocked when the red SUV halted abruptly and Ashok frantically ran towards her.
“ Where is she?”he asked her, he only hoped he was not too late .
“Oh Lali? She… she is busy ,” Munnibai smiled nervously, “But Ashok Babu I have another fresh …..”
“ Where is she ?”
This time Munnibai knew she was not to beat around the bush .
“ Upstairs . The first room.”
Ashok frantically climbed the stairs. Reaching the room . he banged the door thrice .
A gruff voice responded
“ Who is it?”
Ashok banged the door again.
This time, the door opened . A plump man was staring at Ashok with fury . He did not have his shirt on and was about to take of his pants .
“I have not even started you sister fucker. This whore is mine for an hour .”
From the corner Ashok could see Arpita crouched on the floor , the plaits of her saree had been taken off. Her eyes were red and it was evident that she had been crying .
Anger seethed within Ashok .
“ If you don’t leave her now, I’ll kill you .”
Somehow the earnestness of the voice told the man that the advice was to be heeded. He walked down the stairs hurling expletives .
Ashok entered the room . Arpita stood up putting back the plaits of her saree . She looked at Ashok . She was angry with him , like she used to be when her father returned late from work and they would miss the fair .
“Why were you late?” she asked as if she had every right to do so .
Ashok looked straight into her eyes and replied , “I am sorry.”
Arpita rushed and hugged Ashok tightly .Then she cried unabashedly, like she used to before her father .
That moment , seeing her cry , Ashok understood everything . All his questions were answered . Ashok was the reason why Arpita was an orphan . God was the reason why Ashok had lost his daughter .Now it was time for both , to make amends. Holding Arpita tightly, he thanked God for sending her daughter back.
And so the daughter( she never was) got a father ( she never had).
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It was about midnight. Ashok was staring at the crystals of the chandelier over him , when he heard footsteps .
“ Do you want tea Mr. Ashok.” Arpita asked.
Ashok turned to Arpita .
“Tea? “, Ashok looked at the clock once and then smiled ,”Let me call Shyam from the quarter then.”
“Don’t bother. I saw the kitchen , I will make it .”
“ You want me to come .”
“ No, Mr, Ashok . I will manage .”
As she was leaving Ashok called her back .
“ Please don’t call me Ashok . My secretary does it and I find it really uncomfortable .”
“ All right” she said and walked away.
Ashok saw Arpita tuck herself inside the blanket . He recalled whether he had ever done it for her own daughter .
“Sleep well.” Ashok said and switched off the light.
“Ahem. .Ahem .”someone coughed.
Ashok turned on the light .
“I have thought about what I am going to call you .”
“Yes ?” Ashok asked.
“ Baba”, she replied, “I think I’ll call you baba. Is that all right?”
Ashok looked at Arpita and then looked at the teddy bear that lay beside her.
He smiled and said, “it’s perfect.”
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