Chapter Four
Anushka stood before the couple picture on the wall while Joy sat on a stool near the window, pushing his swift fingers through the strings of a violin.
Every night, this music soothed Anushka so much that she almost fell asleep in the drawing room itself, and half dreamt of a beautiful world. And Joy played it with expertise. The scented candles made the weather inside the small cottage heavenly, and the violin only added to that.
Tonight though, Anushka wanted to explore things a bit more.
" Are they your parents? " , Anushka's voice cut through the music.
Joy didn't stop abruptly, rather faded it out.
" Yeah. My mom and dad. And the picture below is my dad's. He though looks like a militant here, dressed like one, he wasn't one.
Wanted to be. Couldn't. Hence went over being an agent. He died on field when I was six. My mom knew everything about his profession though, no one else did."
Joy came and stood beside Anushka, looking at the picture.
" Oh..." , Anushka didn't utter more.
Joy walked back and sat on a chair. Anushka too slowly limped to another, her stick now seemed to be her part.
" Mr. Joseph Oliver, husband of the Margaret Oliver you see everyday, used to be my father's childhood friend. And when my father died, we... I mean me and mom were left with nothing. Nothing at all. My father owned no much property. And as you might know, agents don't receive even recognition from the agencies they work for, leave alone compensations. My mom had married him only out of love, without even thinking for once, what would be of us if he died. Neither did he think, strangely. Henceforth, when he died ...we didn't know where to go..."
Joy stopped here. " Are you comfortable? " , he stared at Anushka, concerned.
" I very much am. Please continue. "
" ...hmm... okay so... those days while my mom struggled like hell for whatever job she could do...suddenly one day, Joseph Oliver appeared as our savior, as an incarnation of Jesus!
My mom, who could lose everything but not self respect, didn't really accept his proposal of us shifting to Rungpo and staying at their place.
But maybe later, only for me, she agreed."
Joy stopped again. " Are you sleepy? "
" Ophhh! Who's pleading you to stop now and then? I'm bored of Othello now. Tell me your story. "
" Hah! My story is extremely clichd ma'am! "
Joy stood up and walked to the window.
" Even though we shifted to Rungpo, I had never seen my mother stay as a guest at the Oliver Mansion.
She would always work in the kitchen, and do daily chores along with the servants of the house. Not that Mr and Mrs Oliver didn't plead her not to, but she would always make it extremely clear that she didn't want anyone's pity.
I am proud of my mom for this thing of hers. "
A long pause prevailed. Anushka couldn't judge if Joy was silently shedding tears, but she waited.
" I, then, on the contrary at times hated this thing because I felt like nothing more than a servant's son.
Though Mr Oliver would take care of me like a son, I knew even, I too maybe owed a lot to him...something someday maybe I had to repay... "
Joy took a long pause again. Anushka rested her chin on her palm and kept staring.
" I too would go to Holy Child Missionary Schools then. It was almost new. And not much do I remember from my childhood, except glimpses of mom..and ..Christina... My only mate in the Oliver Mansion.
Christina was again, someone who was 'saved' by the Oliver couple. Christina's parents too had some connection with the Olivers, and following their accidental demise, she was brought home by them, and she lived almost as their daughter.
The Olivers really had a big heart. "
Joy turned to Anushka, who stared with her brows slightly curved.
" indeed, they do have a big heart. But why do I find a tinge of sarcasm every time you utter that?"
Joy laughed with noise. And then returned back to the chair. " Anushka, I am thirty one now. Quite a long time on earth. And now I know, however selfless you wanna be, a point comes when you cannot, anymore. And henceforth, everything you had done once maybe, means nothing at all. "
" I don't believe that. Look at you. All that you are doing for me, isn't that absolutely selfless? "
" Who even said that? You are here...because, I'm tired of my loneliness. I'm tired of the fact, that I have no one I can care for, no one I can ask to hold my hand. Why don't you think that you are here, only because I'm tired of living alone in this little wooden life??? Why don't you believe that I saved you and brought home, only as a piece of a fresh soul who could help my dying soul out for the time being? "
Anushka stared at Joy, speechless. And Joy stared back without breaking the eyelock.
A heavy turmoil grew inside her heart ... like she wanted to burst out saying, " I wasn't even supposed to be here if things went right Joy! And neither am I here because I forgot everything as you believe. I am here only because, I too am lonely... forever even within a crowd. "
Rather she spoke out..." I believe your mother expired in due course of time. But...Christina? "
Joy now looked down and scratched his nails against the wooden handle of his chair for a long time. And then slowly uttered, " she too left me. Four years back. "
Anushka waited patiently...
***
Diana paced up and down the room.
She back counted, because she knew it worked always. But it didn't now.
Margaret stood helplessly at the door.
Diana stopped suddenly and walked to her. " I'll go." , she commanded.
" It's one in the night darling, not a time to visit someone. Plus you ain't alright. When you couldn't visit for over a week now, why do you want to at this point of time? "
" Because things are getting over my nerves why don't you understand mum!!!"
Diana's immense wail shook the whole mansion at a go.
Margaret's eyes widened beyond limits. Diana almost pounced on her and shook her vigorously, " Four years! Four years since she left! And yet...nothing happened! Nothing I want happened mum!!!! Still I wait, patiently...everyday, every hour, every minute!
What does he think now? He can deceive me that easily! Really? That? "
Diana let go off her mother and paced vigorously again. Margaret looked down, almost choking, breathing hard.
" Sister? Really? How foolish does the world think me to be really? Shelly Montgomery! Ohh wow! Wow! Wow!!!!! "
Diana stopped. Her features stiffened. Margaret helplessly stood. And then uttered in whisper, " Why don't you just...let...things...be...darling..."
Diana looked at her mother. And her mother was always afraid of that look...
" Because in Rungpo, no one can deceive the Olivers. And no one can walk over to an Oliver's destination before them.
I hate you Christina Johnson! You ruined my life! "
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Edited by Penfolk - 7 years ago
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