Joy returned within an hour. And Anushka lay still throughout the time. She didn't move because she couldn't. Not that she hadn't tried. But it hurt. Joy had locked the main door from outside and, her heart had stopped for a moment. A strange place, a strange house, and a stranger, that too...a man. But the very next moment, every anxiety vanished to somewhere she didn't know of.
Anushka had looked around to see if the room housed any of her belongings. When she found none...she stopped searching.
Someone who had just seen death more than closely, held no much longing for belongings.
And here, her case was a cord higher.
Anushka smiled at her fate. Look what she wanted, and where she was now.
Joy walked back to the room with a smile, and Anushka tried to sit up. Joy had an immense bag in his hand filled with God knows what, but he immediately dropped it to the ground and almost rushed to her to help.
" It's okay..." , Anushka returned a smile and sat with effort.
" You didn't need to sit up though...
How are you feeling? "
" Better. "
Joy then brought the bag up and placed it on the bed. He slowly brought out one after another, tops and three quarters.
Anushka's eyes widened and jaw dropped.
" Since you obviously cannot wear my clothes, I bought some free sized garments for you from the market. " Joy looked at her.
Anushka couldn't help smiling. " Ohh my... "
" What? I am sorry I found nothing precisely around you on the road, not even the car, leave alone your luggages and stuff. And I don't think you belong to the mountains, so I definitely believe there were some!"
Joy kept speaking as he set the clothes in order in the almirah.
Anushka said nothing, just stared at this strange saviour of hers.
The man looked in his early thirties, had a thick beard and uncropped lengthy hair, something that gave him a Christly look. Whatever be it, he was nothing less than God to her. Or, was he? Was being saved by someone all that she had wanted?
Nevertheless,Anushka had been thinking for the last hour, what exactly was she supposed to tell him if he decided to file a general diary at the nearest police station in regard to accident and missing case.
But thankfully Joy hadn't talked in that line till now.
It was heavily strange though that Anushka felt so good in a house she was in only for three hours or so now, with a man she had never seen!
After setting the things right, Joy turned to Anushka.
" So now...if you wish I can help you get up and walk through my little dwelling. "
Anushka willfully nodded. Joy came forward and lend her his hand. She gripped it firmly, supported her left feet on the ground and stood up with effort. She lost balance once but Joy held her very skillfully and made her walk through the door.
The house composed of a drawing room, a small one, with attached dining space, a kitchen and a washroom.
Joy carefully made her sit on a chair in the drawing room.
" So...raw and ...ethnic. " , Anushka said slowly, truly impressed. She had never seen real wooden cottages, and this happened to be exactly that.
The drawing room housed two big chairs and a centre table. At one corner stood a very old grandfather clock. The wall just opposite to the door held an immense cross. Scented candles stood lit on a stand below.
Just adjacent to the kitchen door was a little dining table with two chairs.
" Just for a change you are here. Otherwise there's nothing much to show of this poor dwelling. " Joy grinned.
But Anushka kept staring at the cross. Peace engrossed her with every step.
" I'll bring you a stick. " , Joy said again and went over to the kitchen.
Anushka followed his track.
Her eyes then rolled over to another wall which showed a black and white couple photo. And below that, a photo of a militant. She kept staring when she heard Joy back from the kitchen.
" Mr Montgomery..."
" Joy please! I'm only 31."
Both exchanged smiles.
" I ...feel so guilty, that I occupied your bedroom...I..."
" I don't sleep in bedrooms. This is my bed."
Joy pointed out to a folded bed roll. " I sleep here" , said he showing an empty space on the floor. " I like open spaces more than closed rooms. "
Anushka stared blankly at him for sometime, trying to judge if he was lying. Then she tilted her head to the photos. " Who are they? "
Just then a sound happened outside the house, as if someone walked quickly to the door. The next moment, a middle aged female voice called out..." Joy!!!! "
Anushka quickly looked at Joy, who surprisingly had turned completely pale. He immediately held Anushka and almost pulled her off the chair without any effort on her part and carried her over to the bedroom. He made her sit on the bed, and at a lightning speed kept on murmuring. " Remember you are Shelly Montgomery. You are my uncle's daughter. Uncle's name is...is... Yan Montgomery. We weren't in touch for almost, ten.. yeah..no... twenty...yeah... twenty years...and we aren't in much contact even still..we just by chance... met on a train...no...no... oh god... " , Anushka was extremely surprised to even react. And she felt very guilty.
" wait...you pretend that you are asleep. Please for Jesus' s sake..."
Joy left the room. And Anushka lay stiff. Though her ears very sharply heard conversations outside the door.
" Why did you take so long Joy?"
" I was in the washroom aunty. "
" ohh... I heard you have some guest?"
" yeah. My...sister. "
" which sister? We didn't hear of any for the past twenty five years. "
" yes... I ..met her by chance. I didn't even know I had an uncle. Otherwise you would have known better. "
" ohh... did my words hurt you anyway? "
" why even? "
" where is she? let me see. "
" She is...sleepi...aunt..."
Anushka could feel impending footsteps to her door. She closed her eyes as tight as possible.
The door opened and a middle aged woman rushed in almost, along with Joy. Anushka very minutely tried to view things through an open slit of her eyes.
" ohh...poor girl. She's asleep. Where's her prescription? "
" err...what? "
" Dr Matthews' prescription! "
" ohh...yes. This. "
The lady took the prescription and read it squeezing her eyes.
" Shell..yy...mont..go mery..
Okay I'll send the medicines"
" no...aunty. I've bought them. "
" I'll buy more and send. "
Anushka was startled. What was that going on?
Both of them left the room.
After almost ten minutes Joy returned.
" Get up."
Anushka opened her eyes and sat up slowly.
" Who was that? "
Joy twitched his lips. " Saviours of Rungpo. "
Anushka stared. " She takes care of you like a mother it seems. "
Joy said nothing to that.
Only nodded sideways and said, " no one does anything for anyone without a reason. Not even God."
*****
Joseph Oliver almost ran through the courtyard of his immense cottage, and his eyes caught his wife, Margaret helplessly making rounds before the gate. Seeing him she ran towards him.
" She's breaking things. She's out of control once again. I have sent Tudu to Dr Matthews. He's coming."
Joseph Oliver stared helplessly at his wife.
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile
Tum Se Tum Tak
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Vasudha
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