Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

 24) From Fancying to Trusting

Maurya caught sight of Dharma as soon as he entered the lobby of Index Fashion House. She was hovering near the reception desk, scrutinizing something on her phone.

"You alright?" Maurya asked, running his eyes over her. Dharma nodded, placing her phone in her handbag.

"Dharma, who is this creep?" Tapan queried.

"He lives in Bilaspur and has been tailing me for some time."

"So how did this happen?"

When Dharma finished narrating the horror, both Tapan and Maurya were stunned.

"Are you saying that you poked his neck and he fainted?" Tapan asked in astonishment, his impression of Dharma going notches higher.

"It is not poking Tapan.  It is an attempt to lower the blood pressure by using pressure points."

"How do you know this?" Maurya asked, even though he was surprised by her quick response to the assault.

"They used to teach such self- defence techniques for girls in our school," Dharma answered. It had been Ambika Mohan's dream to make all the girls in Mohandham prepared in mind and body for such encounters in life.

"I hope the jerk learnt a lesson," Tapan muttered.

"Can we file a report against him?"

"Which police station did the auto driver take him to?"

Dharma named the area where she had escaped from Chaitanya. Maurya checked the nearest police station in the area.

"I think I got the station." He led them to his car, and while getting into the car, he pronounced determinedly, "He is going to regret the day he saw you, Dharma."

When they reached the station, Dharma surveyed the low-roofed building with dismay. It had a gloomy façade and the dull lighting made it drearier. Dharma wished she didn't have to enter the building. However, Maurya was already striding ahead purposefully. She trailed after him while Tapan caught up with her.

The officer on duty was quite pleasant, contrary to Dharma's expectation, and listened to Maurya in earnest.

"Yes, an auto driver dropped a man here some time ago. He said he troubled the passenger." He viewed Dharma, "You are the passenger?" and when she nodded, he continued with his questions, "When did he start stalking you?"  "Was he always alone or with someone else?"

Dharma answered the questions in detail.

"Did he hurt you now in the auto? Are there bruises?"

Dharma hesitated. Maurya observed the myriad expressions flitting across her face while the officer waited for her answer. When Dharma nodded in affirmation, she was asked to show the bruises. She rolled up her sleeves and exposed her upper arm where the impression of Chaitanya's fingers had branded her soft skin with purple discoloration. One of the officers clicked a picture. Maurya's livid gaze caught hers but she looked away.

"Is that all?" the officer inquired.

"No, when I tried to jump out of the auto, he caught my ankle and held on to it tightly. I tripped and the metal rod below the seat hurt me," Dharma said, bending to show the injury on her ankle. There was a blue and black contusion on the spot above her ankle. Other than that, the strap of her sandal had pressed against her skin when Chaitanya had tightened his grip. The strap had left ugly marks on her skin.

Some more pictures were taken and a formal complaint was filed against Chaitanya. Maurya reeled off the many attempts of Chaitanya to ambush Dharma and the officer noted down the information.

"Is he still here?" Maurya asked.

"Yes, in the lock-up. He was knocked out when the driver brought him here but after he gained consciousness, he has been swearing non-stop and abusing the guards verbally," the officer also added that it is a very common behaviour with such creeps; to become aggressive and threaten everyone who comes in their way. 

He looked at Dharma, "There was already a complaint registered against him in the NCW. So, it has been easy for us to identify him. There are certain categories that define stalking behaviour. From what you describe, he comes under the morbidly infatuated category. So, we will investigate and present the matter accordingly." 

Forty-five minutes later, the formalities were completed and they thanked the officer.

They were quiet on their drive back. Tapan was the first one to be dropped. When Maurya drew the car to a halt, Tapan asked, "How long will he remain in the lock-up?"

Maurya twisted around to take a look at her, "Did you file a complaint with the National Commission for Women?"

"Yes, my hostel warden advised me when she learnt that someone was troubling me. So, I registered an online complaint against him."

"Good that you did, because now, the police will expedite the investigation and I believe he will remain in custody till the hearing."

"Thank god!" Tapan alighted and peered at Dharma through the tinted glass of the window. Dharma rolled down the glass.

"Take care Dharma and if you need help, do not hesitate to call me."

"Thanks, Tapan, will do."

When Maurya dropped Tapan at his house, Dharma expected him to take her next to Brahim's house. She had even prepared her thank you speech. However, Maurya had something else in mind.

"I think it will be safe if I take you to my flat tonight," Maurya suggested.

Dharma wondered if she heard him right.

"What do you say?" Maurya glanced at her through the rear-view mirror.

"That is not necessary. I will go home," Dharma stammered out.

"Didn't you tell me that you didn't want to put your friends in jeopardy? My flat will be the safest place for you tonight. No one will know that you are with me."

Dharma considered Maurya's suggestion.

"You allowed me to crash in your friend's house one night. I am just returning the favour," Maurya persuaded.

Dharma was torn between the two options. A small part of her wanted to see where and how Maurya lived, whereas a larger part of her dwelled on Rashika's likely reaction.

"Is it alright with you?" Maurya asked her once again and she mumbled an "Ok"

Dharma’s complete trust in Maurya overrode any hesitation she had about going to his apartment. He had not once taken advantage of his position. Despite her inexperience, Dharma’s assessment of a person was accurate.

The flyover on the outer ring road forked into two; one led to the airport while Maurya took the other road. Dharma bent her head to read the fluorescent sign board, "You stay in Gurgaon?"

"Yes."

By the time, Maurya drove the car into the basement parking of the apartment, Dharma had sent a message to Kamya telling her that she was crashing at a colleague's house due to the lateness of the hour.

The plush apartment tower had an opulent lobby and the guard greeted Maurya reverently. The elevator had a mirror and Dharma winced at her reflection. Strands of hair were sticking out of her elastic loop and there was a pinched look on her face. Her cotton top had creases which she guessed was the result of her stunt with Chaitanya and the paint on her nails was chipped. She compared herself with the elegant Rashika and grimaced at the comparison.

The elevator stopped on the fifteenth floor. As she stepped out, she noticed that there was only one flat on the floor, prompting her to ask suspiciously, "Only one flat? No neighbours?"

"Don't worry, there is an intercom in the living room. You can call the guard if you feel threatened by me," Maurya stated with amusement.

Dharma's face turned hot in embarrassment. It was the first time that someone had read her thoughts. She wondered if her face was so transparent.

"I didn't think of such a thing..." Swallowing, she murmured. But her words hung in the air as Maurya had already entered the apartment. Stepping inside, Dharma caught her breath at the space and swankiness of the flat.

The minimalistic décor reflected Maurya's personality; striking, elegant, understated, and inspiring with an edgy, enigmatic undertone.  She made a wry face at her choice of adjectives; she was like a teenager gushing over him. Nonetheless, what captivated Dharma was the view from the living room.

"This is so breathtaking," she exclaimed in delight.

Maurya opened the French door and invited her to the balcony, "Here, you can enjoy the view more freely now."

The urban landscape left Dharma speechless. Maurya went back inside while she admired the brightly lit backdrop. The shining billboards, the metro line, and the starry sky, all blended into a magical setting for Dharma. She watched as a plane blinked its red lights before making a descent for landing. A metro train crawled out of a roofed station and slithered like a caterpillar on the raised bridge. She heard the cantankerous sounds of horns blaring in the distance. Drawing out a happy sigh, she leaned on the parapet and savoured the many shades of the night.

"Here, hope you will enjoy my coffee," Maurya's voice startled her out of her visual indulgence.

Taking the mug of coffee, Dharma noticed that Maurya had slipped out of his coat and tie. His white shirt was open at the cuffs.

He handed her a tube of ointment, "Apply this on your bruises. It will reduce the pain and discoloration. There is a towel in the washroom cupboard. Use it for a warm sponge."

Dharma nodded, pleased by his concern. "This is a beautiful place to live in..." Dharma expressed, pointing at the sundeck chair and the small round table.

"Yeah, it is a lovely apartment. I chose this flat because this view captivated me..."

"True, I can sit for hours here," Dharma replied with an appreciative smile.

"You can freshen up. I am going to make dinner."

"Oh, I can help you..."

"Sure, you can chop some tomatoes."

Together, they made noodles and tomato soup.

Dharma cut the vegetables and Maurya cooked the noodles in his state-of-the-art kitchen. There was every possible modern device in the kitchen.

Maurya set two plates and glasses on the dining table, "Eat, I am famished."

Tasting the noodles, Dharma thanked him, "This is nice. Thank you, I didn't realize that I was hungry."

Maurya shrugged, accepting her compliment. They talked about work, "So what are your plans for the future?" Maurya asked her.

"Right now, I want to learn whatever I can by working in Index. I haven't thought beyond that."

"Why not? You must plan your life so that you don't miss out on anything," Maurya advised, adding a dash of pepper to his plate.

"From where I come, I would be happy if I can pass the day without any hurdles. Leave alone plans for the future," she quipped, playing down her dismal childhood.

Maurya's face shot up and he studied her bent ahead, taking in the arresting features.

"How was your childhood? Was it abusive?" he asked, attuned to her moods by now.

"Not initially. Jaydev sir and his wife were the gentlest couple I had known. But after their death, there were a couple of superintends who got abusive," and so, Dharma gave away the details of her life in Mohandham. As one of the few victims of abuse, how she has been asked to testify against the warden; as a disturbed child who was prone to nightmares, how she had struggled to fight her inner demons; and as the only girl who was occasionally allowed to stay with Jaydev Mohan and his wife in their house, how she had encountered the jealous taunts of her peers. She narrated everything with casual and self-deprecating humour.  

Maurya listened attentively, asking questions in between, his eyes not straying from her face. He observed the way she lowered her gaze when she talked about the abuse and the subsequent pain as if she didn't want anyone else to see her torment. He noticed how her lips curved in delight at the mention of her mentors and the way her face brightened as she talked about the soaring peaks of Parijatpur.

Maurya understood many aspects of her personality that night; that she did not think beyond the present, not because she was uncertain of the future, but because, she wanted to relish the present. She wished to enjoy, savour, and store the memories of each day in the recess of her mind so that she could look back and smile at them.

She had an inflexible will to overcome hardships and overcome them with or without scars. She did not pay much attention to the scars but she boxed them in one corner of her mind for times to come. Another significant thing Maurya observed about her was that she was totally unaware of her exceptional beauty. It was as if she believed that every woman was born with such beauty.

"What about you? Did you love your mentor?" Dharma asked him.

"Oh yes, Mahendran Namboodri was a tough nut to crack but when he loved, he did it with magnanimity. He spent his life teaching whatever he knew to homeless boys like me. And I used to admire his wit and intellect."

"Were you a difficult boy to discipline?" she asked, curious about him as a young boy.

Maurya laughed, "I used to get into street brawls every other day, that too for silly matters. Many a time, I used to come home in torn shirts and scraped knees. He used to admonish me but at the same time tended to my wounds with love and care. He was the only friend I had. And yet, I used to fight with him for not rescuing other boys who had been with me that night."

The fond smile on his face made Dharma realize that he missed his mentor even now.

"You don't remember anything about your childhood?"

"Nope, nothing. My memory is like this dark hole. Every time I wander into it, I get trapped. With difficulty, I come out of it."

"There must be something to remind you of how you got into the clutches of the child traffickers," Dharma probed, hoping that she did not sound too inquisitive.

"I was found on the floor of a ship in the middle of the ocean. That too unconscious! The other boys had been picked up from countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Indonesia. I was a surprise addition when the ship landed at Mangapuram," Maurya repeated what he had heard from Mahendran Namboodri plenty of times.

Dharma recognized a man who preferred to be a loner, and who never shared much of his thoughts with anyone else. Rashika must be a special woman if he chose her as his life partner.

"There is a guest room...." Before he finished, Dharma jumped in, "I will take the couch there in the living room."

"Why couch? There is a decent room," Maurya began but once again Dharma interrupted him.

"Please! I will be more comfortable on the couch..."

"As you wish!" he went inside a room to get extra pillows and sheets. Tossing them on the couch, he asked, "Are you sure you will be comfortable here?"

"Yes, I am sure..."

Wishing her a good sleep, Maurya retired for the night.