Maya (part 2)

“Wait, guys” Ridhima shouted. They all had been arguing over a call from the last 10 mins about how to confront Maya. “We should ask her, there might be some explanation. Don’t forget she is our friend” Sourabh said. “How?” Ridhima demanded. “We will invite her for a dinner or maybe for drinks and we will ask her the truth” Sourabh trusted Maya. Sourabh met Maya in school, she was her senior, luckily they got selected for Annual day bhangra and that was the beginning of their friendship. And after 12 years, he just wanted to trust her over any other person. “Hello”, Anirudh called Maya to invite her for the dinner.

“Hey”, Maya replied

“How are you doing?” Anirudh asked

“I am fine, I mean to be honest it was really horrible. But it’s over now and I want to move on” Maya was so overwhelmed after finding of Deepika’s tragic death, she couldn’t believe all this was happening with her.

“Why don’t we plan a get-together, you, me, Ridhima and Sourabh, it would help you get over it” Anirudh finally asked but in a casual way.

“Yes, I would love that”, Maya sighed

“How about this Friday. After office at Ridhima’s?” Anirudh was excited

“Sure” Maya said.

**Friday past midnight**

“Truth or dare?” Ridhima asked Maya. Ridhima knew Maya would choose truth, because Maya never chooses, dare. “Truth” Maya answered.

“Tell us about the pendant you were wearing two years ago with a key” Ridhima questioned with a dramatic tone which made Anirudh giggle. “Are you guys making fun of that incident? Because if that’s your plan of making me feel better than I should leave.” Maya was quite angry. “No, we are serious” Ridhima gazed Anirudh. “We want to know that why you were wearing the pendant that you said was Sushmita’s” Sourabh tried to calm the situation. “What are you talking about?” Maya was confused. “this pendant” Ridhima showed her the picture.

“Oh no.” Maya went pale.

“Okay, I will tell you the story, but you have to promise that you won’t judge”

** Maya is reciting the story**

I told you guys that I started ignoring her calls and texts, but it wasn’t as easy. We had the same yoga class, the same writers’ group and of course some common friends. We bumped into each other a lot and I ignored her completely. “And she knew why you were doing this?” Ridhima was curious to know. I guess not but she was a mature woman. She never asked me, and we moved on until. I was in Kolkata on the tour of my new book, the beauty is the beast and I was reading the book in front of 100s of people then I saw a woman standing on the corner of the hall. I ignored her and kept on reading my book. But I could see from the corner of my eye that she never left the hall. And I was determined to leave the place as soon as I was done signing the copies.

“Can I get an autograph too?” I heard the voice and I knew that it was her. I looked up and smiled, “Of course” and I signed her copy. “Why are you doing all this,” she asked, and I didn’t want to answer that, because I had no answer. I couldn’t tell her about the window, I was afraid that she would capture me too. And I didn’t want to die. So, I offered her to meet me for dinner. “Were you planning to confront her?” Anirudh asked. Of course not, but I wanted to buy some time for myself, maybe prepare for a lie, I just needed time.

“Meet me at Bekkhali beach in an hour” I received a text from Sushmita. I thought the death was near, maybe she knew that I knew about her secret. I didn’t know whom to call or text, I thought to leave the place, but that was just immature. After all it was a beach there would be people, I would be safe, hopefully. I left my hotel to meet her.

“This is really beautiful,” I said to myself looking at the waves, it was around 5 pm and the beauty of the sea was mesmerizing. Then there she was standing in the sand barefoot, looking at the sky, her curly hair was playing with the wind and her white dress was flowing in the air. There were lesser people than I expected.

“Hey” I shouted as soon as I reached her. “Hi” she turned to see me, her face was partly covered with hair, but I could see her white teeth and those dimples that made her smile more beautiful. “Rest in peace you beautiful soul” Anirudh mourned. And my fear went away as soon as I saw her, how could someone so calm do something that cruel? I decided to tell her the truth.

“Listen I know I have been ignoring you because I followed you in the Bajrang market and I saw how you opened a door from this pendant. I am not sure who was that and I don’t want to know either. I just want to let you know that I will not tell anyone.” I said this sentence in a breath.

She took my hand in hers and smiled, “Let’s enjoy the beautiful sunset”. I couldn’t wait I needed a response. “What? And you are not going to say anything?” I wanted my answer. She looked up at the sky and said, “Somebody was blackmailing me, they said they knew something about Deepika. I did all this because someone asked me to.” She defended herself. “And this pendant?” I shouted “I received it at my door with a letter, I had to wear it and they would let me know. Then they used to give me instructions via letters. And I just had to unlock doors and drop stuff. I have nothing to do with it. Trust me.” Sushmita pleaded. “Did you get any information about Deepika?” I asked in sympathy. “No, they just used me for their stuff. I stopped working for them a while ago.” She said and took out the pendant from her neck and gave it to me and she said, “Take it. It would make you trust me also consider it as a souvenir for your book tour”. I took it and wore it; I was happy to know that she was still a good person. Then we clicked pictures and that’s the picture you saw on my Instagram.

“But she was lying” Sourabh claimed. Yes, she was which I didn’t know then. I came back from Kolkata and kept the pendant in my cupboard.

“Sorry, we doubted you” Ridhima apologized and the four hugged each other.

** A month later**

“Hey, I have reached Rome. On the way to hotel” Maya sent a text

“Meet me at Palatine Hill in two hours” Maya received this text

** One hour and 45 mins later**

Maya reached the Palatine Hill wearing a Redshirt, a pair of blue jeans with red high heels, and a mustard scarf in her hair. She took her phone out to make a call and she heard “Hey”, she turned to see and there she was wearing the same mustard dress that she wore on the first dinner they had together. “Sushmita, you always do that” Maya shouted and hugged her.

“Call me Arundhati. How did her rituals go?” Sushmita asked.

“I made sure; she reaches heaven,” Maya said sarcastically. “I am so happy to finally see you, but there is one thing that I want answer to why we did all this?" Maya was curious to know the truth.

Sushmita sighed and poured wine in two glasses, she offered one to Maya, “I gave her love, respect, family, a life she deserved and unconditional love. But, what did she give me in return? 15 years of marriage and 12 years of betrayal. She was having an affair with a man for 12 years, Maya. I could have confronted her and left her, but what about the pain that I felt not just in my heart but in my whole body. I wanted to die Maya; her betrayal made me think about ending my own life. And then I remembered my first book, the end of an era, and how kali took revenge. I needed revenge, I had to, and I took.

I wrote the whole script with my best friend, a superb writer. Thank you for helping me, Maya.” Sushmita/Arundhati was so angry

Maya raised the wine glass, “But our plan was to keep her there for at least 12 years. And then we would execute your fake death, put the blame on you and free her spirit. Why did you prepone it for 9 years?” Maya didn't know about the 12 years of betrayal, but that's what they planned for

“I have a heart; I didn’t want to hurt her more. I still love her” Sushmita was not kidding

“Of course, you do” Maya commented.

“And you got some silly friends, they believe any crap you cook” Sushmita was shocked to know they believed the pendant story.

“At first I was so blank, but I guess they forgot, I am a writer” Maya Laughed

The End