Daughters of Kalika

১৬.‌ lunch

A villain isn't born, but made.

****

Hrishav ensured that when Maya rang the doorbell, it would be him to open the door and not anyone else, just like the times before.

Things were repeating, he knew. He knew it all. And he didn't want to stop. He wouldn't let anyone spoil it.

Maya smiled cordially when Hrishav welcomed her in. She found the woman from the shop sitting on the sofa and knitting. The woman, now known to Maya as being the sister to the two brothers, lifted up her eyes from the tedious work and gingerly grinned.

"I never knew we would get to meet again!"

She shifted to make place for Maya who happily accompanied the sister. "You are Devika, right?"

"Yes. And you are Maya. I heard from Hrishav that you are a journalist?"

"I am. I am here for some work, though as you may already understand my interests have widened."

Devika blinked rapidly, being utterly lost for a moment or two.

Hrishav cleared his throat. "Maya is talking about the unpleasant things."

"Oh..." Devika's body inflated and her shoulders slumped. "It is too bad. My home wasn't like this when I was younger. It is only now that things have worsened."

"How was it before?"

"Beautiful and peaceful. There were problems of course, there always is some trouble, but we lived like a big family."

Devika had ochre-brown eyes just like Hrishav, but God had made her in such a way that it seemed she had a natural coating of kohl around her eyes. She looked no less than an exotic beauty– tanned skin, beautiful black hair and shiny eyes of a doll.

"Would you like some refreshments? Tea or some juice?" Hrishav asked.

Maya didn't have the eagerness to look at him much. She was still upset about how he had behaved with her.

"No," she said plainly. "I would wait for lunch."

"Oh! Well, it's already done but we are waiting for my brother to come. Though if you want, you and Devika can begin."

"It's alright. I think we will wait?" Maya asked, looking at Devika, who nodded her head in affirmation.

Devika, who was more than glad to have some company blabbered on about everything under the sun. Maya felt like a mother who kept smiling at the words of her child whether or not they held any meaning at all. The presence of Devika was like a breath of fresh air, of exuberance and cheer. She would accept this new bond with alacrity. Hrishav, on the other hand, sat on a chair opposite to the ladies, silently observing them. Maya often caught him staring at her. It caused her heart to beat rather too speedily and dampened her focus on Devika, but she was stubborn enough to not acknowledge his flattering attention. Hrishav probably understood that; he smirked while looking at his lap.

"I need no excuse. I don't care if they aren't sleeping, I want to see the craft in its perfection."

Angry footsteps came down the flight of stairs. Shashi immediately ran and the man handed her the telephone after cutting the call.

The man bit his lips in vexation. On seeing his older brother, he relaxed. "Oh, you all didn't sit for lunch?" he asked Hrishav, pulling up the sleeves of his shirt. "Sorry for being late, these days have been so busy."

Hrishav dotingly looked at his brother. "Please take care of yourself. Eating on time is necessary. Also, we have a guest."

Hrishav turned his head to Maya. The latter faked a tight-lipped, coldly polite smile. "We have met before, Sundar Babu."