Muskaan

Chapter 4

Once again, I was defeated. Humiliated.

I felt annoyed with myself. I loathed her.

Yes,it seemed childish, but put yourself in my shoes, wouldn’t you feel  the same way if someone humiliates you , not once but twice.

I was in a foul mood the whole day. It  was check mate . she kept winning. And those eyes. That look of disgust.  How dare she?

“One day, one day, i will win.” I swore to myself,” she will be so helpless, she won’t be able to fight back.”

 THREE WEEKS LATER.

“So, where is this new help you got?”

“He will arrive shortly,  with Jasdeep.”

“Is that an Indian too?”

“Er, yes sir”

I groaned.

There were more number of indians in this house than englishmen.

“Not to worry sir, our new friend is a part of Jasdeep’s family.”

“EXCELLENT! Lets hire their entire clan. “ I glared at Jacob,and grabbed my cane from him.

“Well, we needed someone, and i thought someone Jasdeep trusts would do. If it displeases you sir, I’ll have him removed.”

“No, its fine. We will keep this person , till we get someone from London.”

“As you say sir.”

I drove Emma out the gates, leaving Jacob and his unexplainable obsession with Indians  behind.

I realize, i haven’t said what my family business is.

We are developers.  We buy land. We sell land. We build on land. My father is the chief, my elder bother manages  the financial  matters and paperwork , my job is to acquire the land, that is to talk people into selling their land. And that is what i am here to do. To get some Indian soil under our feet.

We have an office, in the city. And that is where i go everyday.  My employees bring in poor idiots who want money, I do them a favour, and exchange their land for an  sizeable amount. Those idiots don’t  understand that their land has more value than they think. 

I watched the beer swirl in my glass. I like having a glass or two after a difficult day.  I admit, i had more than usual today. I staggered to the garden, behind the house for some fresh air. It  didnt look anything like a garden till last night, but a revolting piece of land with overgrown species of unidentified vegetation. A broken swing and a garden bench, strangled by vines.  I guess, the new hire was of some use after all. Gone was the mess. The weeds had disappeared, the bench was as good as new. The broken swing was repaired and someone was sitting in it, swaying slighly. 

Wait! What?

I shut my eyes.

“  Its beautiful mother”

“Haha!  Thankyou. I couldn’t resist painting it. The flowers, the swing. Ah! So many fond memmories.”

“Can i help you?”

“well, you could go get me some more paints from the attic ?”

“ Oh yes, mother.”

“Mother? James , i want to see mother ! “

“ S-she’s gone. Jordan! Jordan come back.Stop”

I suddenly felt light headed.  Beer, a highly imaginative mind and unpleasant memmories, produce a terrible cocktail. I somehow managed till my bed, and then gave in to my nightmares.

“Jacob! It’s Sunday.”

I drew the covers over my head.

“it is not Mr Jacob.”

 “Wha-?” i peeked out from under .

“You!”

I rolled out of bed, my buttocks  making contact with the hard floor.

“ouch!” I must  be dreaming.

“Get out of my head.”  I pinched myself.

“Wake up!”

“wake up!”

Oh, no! This cannot be happening. I am trapped. In some God-forsaken dreamland. With her! Oh damn it all!”

I bang my head on the sidepost of the bed.  “No,no,no,no.”

“Baba!” , she ran out shouting,”Babaa”

Phew! So banging your head can stop nightmares.

Point to be noted.

“ Baba!”

Damn! She’s back. With Jasdeep?

She was blabbering to him, glancing at me, occasionally. They were hovering over me. 

“What happened?”  Jacob rushed in.

Finally, someone i could trust.

“He faint” Jasdeep told him.

“Master Hunt, got drunk didn’t you?” Jacob raised his eyebrow at me.

 I was too occupied trying to figure out why she was here , to answer.  Baba? Doesn’t baba mean father? New hire? Jasdeep’s family? She is Jasdeep’s daughter? Jacob hired her?

I shot up,

“you” i growled” get out!”

Go! Jacob dismissed her and jasdeep.

“Jacob, i don’t want her here!”

“sir? “

“she is the one. She is Darkie”

“ oh dear. I didn’t know that.” Jacob was shocked.” I will have her dismissed immediately”

He stood up and strode to the door.

Just as he placed his hand on the doorknob, a thought crossed my mind.

“Wait.”

Jacob turned.

“Let her stay.”

“sir?”

“let her stay”

Jacob looked at me curiously.

“Alright. As you say.” He left, very much confused.

You, my little dark devil, just entered hell.

I smirked.