2 The Uninvited Guest

When Heena grew up to be a teenager, she started working at a building contractor's firm. She started as a manual labourer and bricklayer, but her hard work and wits were noticed early by the old manager, Sriram.

Sriram never had a daughter, so he always treated the Heena like his own. He respected Shilpi too since he knew what she had gone through, and he was one of few people who knew that Shilpi was as pure as a saint. Seeing that Heena had potential, he helped her get a promotion in the company.

At the age of 22, Heena became an overseer at the company and managed one of the company's many projects. Her daily wages were enough to last a whole week's meal. Heena talked and convinced the company's chairman to help her rebuild her house at a fairly low price. The chairman didn't hesitate much, since Heena was a valuable and hard-working employee.

They had proper living, good food, and even a few small luxuries like a Bed and Pillow. Things were now quite stable for the pair, but one thing was still amiss. Although Heena had a respectable job now, still the village elites didn't permit them to enter the village during daylight.

The village was filled with rumours that Heena had charmed the manager with her beauty and that is how she got a promotion in the company. Some even went to the extent of saying that she had slept with the chairman.

"After all, her mother did the same."

"Like mother, like daughter."

The vicious comments of the villagers made Heena realize that she had no place in the village.

The well near Heena's cottage was the only source of fresh water for the entire Simapur. But due to the village chief's orders, Heena couldn't fetch water from it during the daylight.

So instead she went there as early as three o'clock in the morning and came before the first light of the dawn. Heena never missed the timeline because if she did, she would have to postpone it to the next day.

Today Heena was late because she was tending to her mother till late at night as she had a slight fever. The sun was about to rise. Shilpi tried to convince Heena to stop and not go, but it was all in vain. Heena didn't listen to her.

Heena worried that her mother was getting feeble day by day, and it would worsen with stale water, therefore she needed to fetch fresh water. "Don't worry, I shall return in a flash.", Heena smiled at her mother as she headed out with containers on her head.

The morning breeze always made Heena enthusiastic. It made her forget all her stress and anxiety. She used to sing folklore and songs her mother taught her while growing up on her way to the well.

Heena reached the well as fast as she could and filled all her vessels with fresh water. The sun was about to shine, so Heena headed on her way home singing songs praising the sun god.

As she reached home, Heena was surprised to see a man inside the house sitting on a chair. The man had a sleek figure with a black colour suit on. He looked like an employee from a big company. He had a handsome face with long brown hair. Furthermore, he had pale skin and a boisterous attitude, depicting his youthfulness.

"MAA! Who is this man.", Heena shouted as she called for her mother.

"He came to the house a few moments after you left. He was looking for a place to stay for a while but couldn't find any, so I thought maybe he could live here.", Shilpi explained as she emerged from the kitchen with a tray with cups of tea in her trembling hands. Heena quickly grabbed the tray to prevent the tea from spilling.

"Why would you say that, you know what the villagers say about us, they will add this to the credibility of their gossip.", Heena whispered in the ears of Shilpi as she gently pulled her near. "Should we not help out a poor man fearing that someone may talk, honey they are already talking how does it matter.", Shilpi replied softly.

"But Maa we both live here all by ourselves, why do you think the man won't take any undue advantage of it? And isn't it possible that this man already has ulterior motives asking a pair of lonely ladies for asylum", Heena spoke in a low voice but didn't try to be discreet as if she intended that the man overheard them.

"Ah! Sorry, ma'am, I didn't realize that you two live alone here.", the man got up and picked up his suitcase as he tried to apologize, "Sorry for the inconvenience. Good Day!"

Shilpi looked with regret at Heena. Heena couldn't say anything to that face. She thought for a few minutes and then, "Wait! How long are you going to stay?" she cried out loud. The man had already left, and all he heard was a scream.

He started panicking as he thought something might have gone wrong. He ran towards the house at full speed in the hopes of reaching it before something bad happens.

Nothing happened, as he reached the house, all he saw were the women standing close to each other. "Ladies! What happened? Why did you scream?", he spoke as he panted drenched in sweat.

He was so tired that he instantly dropped his suitcase at the entrance and sat down on the floor, leaning his back against the wall.

"What? Nothing happened.", both the women, spoke simultaneously. "Then why did you scream?", the man inquired as he regained his breath.

"Oh, that. I just wanted to ask you, how long will you be staying?", explained Heena. "It's just a few weeks, my company has a project nearby, and I am in charge of overseeing the project's progress and submitting an extensive report. But don't worry it's already morning I will find a hotel or something.", The man replied with a relieved tone.

"Listen carefully, you need to eat with us, no coming late, and you have to sleep on the floor in the drawing room. Also, you are to help bring groceries and pay for your food. If that's okay, you are free to stay here as long as you want. And remember, we don't have anything worth being stolen, so don't waste your time on that.", Heena explained in an imposing tone followed by an elegant smile.

"Okay! By the way, my name is Santosh Basu. Nice to meet you.", said the man as he agreed to our conditions with a giggling smile. "My name is Heena, and this is my mother Shilpi. Welcome aboard!", Heena replied with a generous smile on her face and a welcoming gesture.