13 The Queen of the Hearth Part 13

Her uncle opened the door. He looked at her face and blinked.

Sukkhi aunty called from behind, "Who is it?"

Her uncle looked at her again and asked, "Who are you?"

Jassi was confused. Surely, her uncle has recognised her, or hasn't he? She decided to go on with the act.

"I am Rani. Balvinder uncle's poor cousin. Do you need a maid?"

"Oh, come in. Sukkhi, this is Rani. I told you that Balvinder had called to ask if we could hire her as a maid. She is very poor and needs help. Sit down, Rani. Let me get a glass of water for you."

Rani/Jassi remained standing in the doorway, unsure of what to do now.

"Come in, Rani. Don't be afraid. Come, sit down," Sukkhi aunty said.

Rani walked in gingerly and sat on the edge of the sofa – ready to run at the first sign of danger. Her uncle brought her a glass of chilled water but she was afraid to drink anything he had touched. Last time, she had drunk tea with Renny and lost everything she thought she had a claim on – her freedom, her identity, her very being.

She politely refused it. "No, Thank you, S…Sir."

"What do you call Balvinder?"

"Uncle."

"You can call me uncle then. No need to call me Sir," Kamal said looking deep into Jassi's eyes.

Was he giving a clue to Jassi that he had recognised her?

Suddenly, Kamal got up. "Actually, I have to go to a conference. You talk to Sukkhi. She will tell you what she wants you to do and show you your room. You are safe here. You do not need to worry."

While leaving, Kamal looked at Jassi once again and then, walked away.

Sukkhi aunty was nice in a way – as anyone would be to a new maid. It was clear that she had no idea who Jassi was. She made some basic enquiries about her, showed her the room where she would be staying, and told her the chores she expected her to do.

Jassi was where she wanted to be but she still had no idea of where Maa was.

Once she had her dinner and was told to retire to her room, she locked her doors and windows first. She had a fruit knife in her bag which she took and keep beside her on the bed.

This was the time when she needed her nerves and her focus. She did meditation – just as Maa had taught her, focus on her breathing, emptied her mind of everything, and prayed to Wahe Guru to show her the way ahead.

At first, it was difficult for her to let go of her fears but then, as the peace and calm claimed her, she felt herself feel light and bright and full of energy and hope once again.

She was still in a deep sleep when someone knocked on her window's door. She got up and looked at her watch. It was 3 am.

Was it a dream?

No, she heard the knocks again. Her heart clenched again.

She got up slowly, switched on the light, and walked to the window.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Open the door. It's me…your Maa."

Jassi quickly opened the window.

"Maa, you?" she said with wide eyes.

"You are alright! You are here. Wait! I'll come for you."

"I will come in. Just close your eyes."

"What for?"

"Please."

"OK."

After a few suspenseful moments, Maa called, "Ok, you can open your eyes now."

Now, Maa was standing next to her.

"Maa, where were you. Why didn't you come back to Agra? You know how worried I was."

"I didn't come because I could not come."

"What do you mean?"

"Jassi, make sure you do not make a sound when I tell you this. Are you ready to listen?"

Jassi nodded.

"I am dead. My body is buried in the lawn outside your window."

Jassi turned pale.

"Maa, I cannot take such a joke. Stop scaring me, please."

"I am not joking, Jassi. I just floated in here through the wall. That's why I told you to close your eyes."

Jassi gave a confused smile.

"Here's a demonstration for you." Maa's ghost walked through the wall to the other side of the window and back.

"You died? Were you murdered? Did my uncle murder you?"

"I don't know. When I left your uncle's house to go to the railway station, a tall thin man waved at me urgently. Your uncle had just closed the door and made me promise that I will let him know if I ever see you and Shera again. I didn't know anyone here but I was intrigued about why this stranger is interested in me. So, I looked at him quizzically as I took a step towards him. He was on the other side of the road. Suddenly, he shouted, 'Go back! Go back!'

Before I could understand what happened, something large hit me from the right. Perhaps, it was a truck. I was 'out' for a few hours because when my soul woke up, I saw that I was buried here.

I don't know how I got buried here – and why here. Your uncle and aunty seemed normal. Since then, they have never mentioned me again. Though I sometimes see your uncle staring at your photo with tears in his eyes, and slip it back in a drawer when your aunty is not looking.

I have not seen that man since then. I never left this site because I can't. I conjectured that you might come looking for me here."

"I am so sorry, Maa. It happened because of me." Jassi said weeping.

"I am still here, Jassi. My soul is indestructible. I will be with you until you get justice. I considered you my daughter and I'll be your mother even after my death."

Jassi opened her arms to hug Maa but her arms went through her body. A sigh escaped her lips.

Maa smiled sadly. "I will always be with you – invisible to everyone and unheard by everyone else, except you."

Surely, Maa wanted to comfort Jassi but her heart was breaking once again. She wanted Maa – alive and well.

"Maa, one thing is puzzling me. I am sure uncle recognised me. He even asked me to call him 'uncle' but he did not say anything in front of Sukkhi aunty. He did not talk to me and apart from the strain on his face, he gave no indication that he knew me."

Maa just shrugged her shoulders and asked her to get a good night's sleep before the day starts for her once again.

"Meditate daily. It is easier for me to talk to you when you are in a meditative state or are sleeping. You don't have to talk out loud to tell me something. Just concentrate on me, think about it, and I will come to know about it. When people are around, you'll hear me in your mind. Do not be sad or afraid. We will find out your truth and you'll be back on your track."