Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

 8) Manipulator

Once the words were out, Dharma realized that she had gone too far. Maurya's icy disdain gave rise to butterflies in her stomach. Should she shake off her anxiety and confront him or bolt before he lost his temper? Slowly, she turned towards the door but Maurya was swifter. He grasped her upper arm and swung her around, "You can't slip away after accusing me of something like that."

"I didn't accuse you of anything," Dharma muttered, noticing the faint scar above his right eye.

"Oh, so what did you mean by manipulate?" he questioned.

Sighing, she said, "I meant you do things to suit your own purpose."

Maurya's eyes inspected her, and crossing his arms across his chest, he asked, "I suppose you don't?"

She tore her eyes away from his face and he continued, "Everyone does things to suit one's own purpose. That is not manipulation."

"You said you had an important dinner. I don't think it includes taking me out for dinner."

"So, you were eavesdropping!"

"You were loud enough," Dharma shot back. His nearness and the earthy scent of his cologne were assaulting her senses and clouding her thoughts.

"So, you came up with a half-baked theory about how I manipulate. My dinner got cancelled so I was free to take you out," although she was right in her assumption, Maurya didn't know why he was giving her an explanation. And yet, he pursued with his taunts, "Next time, I talk to my fiancée, don't make inane conclusions."

"I have no interest in listening to your conversations but when you use me to avoid her, well, it becomes my business," Dharma rasped, forgetting her manners.

With his eyebrows raised, he chaffed, "Use you to avoid my fiancée? Don't you think you are giving yourself too much importance? I suppose it comes with such an elevated sense of oneself." His eyes wandered over her face.

"You can think whatever you want. If you want to see my designs now, I can show you," she responded.

"Or?" he asked, surprising himself with his mulishness. She wasn't far from the truth. He was using her for his own means but he hadn't expected her to grasp it. She was smarter than he thought. There was something about her that challenged him, goaded him to have the last word.

"I am leaving," she replied, realizing that she wouldn't win the battle of wits with him. He was much cleverer than her, however, she was certain that he came up with dinner plans for some underlying reason of his own.

Maurya's phone rang and he glanced at it. She too glanced at it, catching sight of Rashika's image. Her eyes clashed with Maurya's. Well, if he had expected her to dart away, he was going to be disappointed because she had every intention of listening to him now. She crossed her arms and looked at him fixedly.

The phone kept ringing but their eyes were locked on one another, trying to prove a point. He cut the call and now it was her turn to raise her eyebrows.

"I was right! You are using me to get back at her," she alleged, hating the feeling.

"Think what you like. I was only trying to be decent. It is late and it is not advisable for pretty women like you to be alone on the road," he turned around to get hold of his laptop bag.

Dharma's face turned crimson. She should be miffed at him for calling her pretty without context, or was he trying to coax her to go with him? She couldn't really understand him. He was so complex.

"Shall we go?" he asked as he waited, holding the door open.

She studied him thoughtfully, did his fiancée comply with his wishes whenever he flattered her? Was that how their relationship worked? His enigmatic eyes did not reveal much. They would suddenly turn icy; sometimes warm with humour; and at other times like now, mysterious. She wondered how they would look at Rashika during their intimate moments. Oh damn! Her thoughts about him were getting absurd, she realized.

"I am going to ask one last time and if you don't come, you can head out all alone," he warned.

She hurried after him. Why should she bother about his relationship with Rashika? He asked her to stay back late and now, like a responsible boss if he wanted to drop her back, why should she mind?

He reversed his car and brought it forward. Once, inside the warmth of the car, she realized her foolhardiness in refusing his offer. It was a cold winter night and there was not a single person on the road at this hour. The yellow glow of the street lamps lit the road with a murky halo. Even if she had waited for a cab, she wouldn't have got one. She stole a glance at Maurya, "I am sorry I lost my head there."

He sneaked a look at her, his lips pursed and his knuckles clenching their hold on the wheel tighter.  "True, you were pretending to be smart when you are not," his provocative statement did nothing to ease the tension.

With difficulty, Dharma controlled her temper. She swallowed her pride and gave directions to Brahim's place, "I am not going to the hostel. You have to drop me at the next junction."

"Why? Where are you going?" the questions left him before he could put a leash on them.

"I told you my friend Kamya is recovering. She is back home at a friend's house. We are celebrating tonight."

She checked the time, knowing Brahim and Kamya would be waiting for her although she had sent them an apologetic message, asking them to start their dinner.

At the entrance gate of the colony where Brahim stayed, Maurya stopped the car. Dharma collected her items and began to thank him but he cut her short, "Do you mind if I come up with you? I would like to meet your friend."

Dharma frowned at him, wondering what game he was playing. She stared at him suspiciously and he raised both his hands, "Of course, if you don't want me to come up, I won't."

Her suspicion grew further. Put like that, she knew he was aware that she wouldn't refuse. If he was indeed the benefactor who had paid for Kamya's treatment then he had the right to see her. Or he may be coming up to waste more time so that he could give Rashika the slip. With Maurya, it could be either. Sighing, she gave in. It would take a lifetime to unravel his motives.

Brahim stayed on the third floor of a four-storey apartment. The buildings were constructed by the development authority of the city. She led the way up the stairs. Her walking footwear hardly made any noise but his footfall in leather shoes sounded loud on that still night.

When she rang the bell, it was Kamya who opened the door, "What the hell Dharma! We have been waiting..." she paused as she caught sight of Maurya. Her eyes widened with surprise. She stepped back and Dharma allowed Maurya inside.

Brahim, who was lounging on the only couch in the living room rose up clumsily, "Mr. Maurya...." he stammered.

The Pizza boxes lay unopened on the floor. There were two glasses of wine and a couple of open packets of chips and nuts. An empty glass was left for Dharma.

Kamya sought an answer from Dharma with her eyes. Dharma, in return, shrugged with irritation.

"Sorry to gate crash into your private party," Maurya's rueful smile charmed her friends. "I hope you have recovered well...." he queried at Kamya.

Kamya nodded, regarding Maurya with curious interest.

"I thought Dharma would introduce me. My bad! I am Maurya and you are Kamya. Right?" he asked, reminding Dharma and Brahim of their lack of manners. At once, Brahim realized his omission.

"Oh, I am so sorry, it is just that Dharma didn't tell us that you were coming. Anyway, please have a seat. I hope you wouldn't mind joining us for a drink," Brahim spoke with overwhelming enthusiasm.

"Let me bring one more glass," Brahim said.

"You stay! I will bring," Dharma offered and went in search of a glass in Brahim's messy kitchen. Kamya followed her.

"Whew! Dharma, what is he doing here?" she whispered aloud, staring at Dharma with unconcealed interest.

"Frankly speaking, I don't know. I just don't get what goes on in his head."

"Aww Dharma, he is so charming and so very handsome. Is he single?" Kamya asked as Dharma finally found a glass. It was dusty and she washed it with liquid soap.

"No, he is engaged and his fiancée is very beautiful," Dharma muttered, wiping the glass with a tissue.

"So why is he here?"

"He is supposed to be with his fiancée. She has been calling him since evening. I guess he is using us to avoid her or to make a point with her."

"Or maybe trying to make her jealous?" Kamya added

"God knows! Right now, I just want to get rid of him," Dharma spoke through clenched teeth, bringing a wide grin to Kamya's face.

Dharma narrowed her eyes, "What? Why are you grinning like that?"

"Hmmm. Me think that the lady doth protest too much!" Kamya quoted and Dharma made a face, "Oh Please! Give me a break!"

They returned to the living room and Dharma found Maurya settled comfortably on the couch. With a glass of wine in one hand, he and Brahim were perusing something in the magazine seriously.

"Very cosy!" Dharma commented scathingly, inviting an amused glance from Maurya. She poured herself a glass of wine, aware of Maurya staring at her. Brahim was too busy leafing through the pages of the magazine while Kamya opened the pizza boxes and served the slices on the plate.

Dharma settled on the floor and leaning her back on the bare wall, she folded her knees up. Eyes on Maurya, she said aloud, "You know Kamya, we have a very benevolent patron at Mohandham who took care of your treatment."

Brahim frowned while Kamya listened avidly, "Is it? Who is he? I really want to thank him."

Maurya did not look up from the magazine. Brahim put two and two together and paid attention to Maurya with renewed interest. Kamya waited for Dharma to reveal the name.

Dharma confessed, "I wish I knew Kamya but I don't. I suppose he wants to be this mysterious do-gooder; who I believe uses charity to evade taxes."

Maurya's face shot up, his mouth thinning with annoyance and his eyes throwing daggers at her. Dharma beamed at him with a saccharine smile and asked, "Isn't it true that rich men like you make donations to avoid taxes."

Brahim glared at her and Kamya uttered, "Dharma?"

Maurya folded back the magazine slowly and looked at her steadily, "What is your point, Dharma? If you want to say something, say it! Don't beat around the bush."

"Are you the one who helped Kamya? And is that why you came to the hospital to check on her?"

"You really want me to answer that? So that you can accuse me of doing it to evade taxes?" he asked, turning the tables on her.

They sized up one another. The tension arising out of their battles of will spilled over to others. Kamya offered a plate to Maurya, "Here..."

Thanking her, Maurya took the plate. Brahim filled the glasses and engaged Maurya in a discussion about the latest apps on phone. Putting a plate in front of her, Kamya whispered softly, "I know you are peeved that he is using you to get back at his lover but Dharma give him a break. If you are itching to fight with him, do it when you both are alone."

Kamya's warning brought Dharma to her senses and she sipped the wine quietly, picking on the food.

"So how did this accident happen?" Maurya asked Kamya.

"First, I thought it was an accident. I was getting down from the bus in front of the campus and all of a sudden, this car racing towards me, hit me," Kamya remembered aloud. Brahim and Dharma exchanged glances.

"After I gained consciousness in the hospital, I kept recalling the moment when I was hit by the car. Something about it bothered me. One day, while I was lying alone at the hospital, it all came back to me. It was my own cousin Seema who was on the wheel. I will never forget the look on her face. I realized that she had hit me intentionally," Kamya's voice dropped to a whisper and her voice trembled. Shoulders slumping, she looked down, a tear dropping on the floor.

Putting aside the plate and her glass, Dharma rushed to her friend. She wrapped her arms around Kamya and held her tightly as Kamya wept for the first time after the accident.

Brahim moved closer to the girls and said, "Don't cry, sweetheart. Seema is evil. She doesn't deserve you in her life."

Discreetly, Maurya rose and moved to the small balcony. Sipping the wine, he stood watching the two friends comforting the third.

Stroking Kamya's arms, Dharma said, "We didn't know that you had recognized Seema. We should have talked to you earlier about the accident."

"I know, you and Brahim were avoiding the subject. But Dharma, she was the only relative I had," her inconsolable weeping moved Brahim and Dharma. Brahim embraced them in a warm hug, consoling Kamya, "Why do you care about her, Kamya? We are here for you. Forget that bitch."

Kamya collected herself and allowed a watery smile, "Did I tell you how much I love you both?"

"I know Kamya. It is over. Garima was telling me that they have admitted Seema to the hospital and she is undergoing some tests for mental illness."

Kamya brushed the tears from her cheek, "Seema had some problems during her teens also. She tried to take her own life once. She had slit her wrists and had been under therapy for a long time."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, I used to feel bad for her," Kamya said as her hiccups slowed down.

"You are here now and that is what matters. Cheers to us three," Brahim filled the glasses once more and they toasted. While Brahim and Kamya took their sips, Dharma pivoted to check on Maurya. With one hand in his pocket and another holding the glass, he was leaning on the railing of the balcony and watching them. When he caught Dharma's eyes on him, he raised his glass.

Dharma thought maliciously, that they must have provided good entertainment for Maurya. While Kamya and Brahim helped themselves with the food, Maurya sauntered back to the living room. Kamya expressed her regret, "Sorry, I broke down like that."

"We all have our moments," Maurya replied, bringing a smile to Kamya's face. He added, "Especially after going through such trauma!"

"Yeah, it was traumatic to learn that your own cousin wants you dead," Kamya spoke more freely to Maurya, surprising both Brahim and Dharma.

"Is she mentally ill?" Maurya pried without appearing too inquisitive, helping himself to another generous glass of wine.

"Yeah, she had problems earlier. But I think it is more evident now because of her husband," Kamya detailed, making Dharma uncomfortable.

"Why? Is he abusive?" Maurya asked, munching on a piece of Pizza. Brahim made his way to the kitchen to get another bottle of wine.

"I don't know about that but he is a creep. From the day he set his eyes on Dharma, he has been after her. He stalks her all the time. That is why Dharma had to leave Parijatpur," the wine had slackened Kamya and she gave away the details of Chaitanya's stalking of Dharma to Maurya. Dharma was embarrassed and did not want to burden him with details of her life but Maurya had a knack for getting people to talk. Even Brahim did not recognize it. He was happy that Kamya was getting over her worst and he asked Maurya to stay the night at his flat.