Platonic, my foot, Sanyukta told herself. Had he forgotten what they had shared once?

" Anyway, I have known Hetal for some time. She is usually cautious, but there are times when she has a drink too many when in company and then she can get reckless.........." Sanyukta froze as she suddenly felt his hand clamp firmly over her mouth. 

Her mind went blank at the unforeseen assault. She tried to struggle but realised that could not move at all. This could not be happening to her. The painful repressed memories of her childhood abuse threatened to come flooding back. She felt terrified, powerless.

"There is a girl outside that window, hanging by a rope. I think she is trying to rappel to some apartment downstairs. If I had not shut your mouth you would have reacted by screaming at her sight, startling her and sending her plummeting downwards!" Randhir whispered urgently into Sanyukta's ear, directing her to glance at her window pane. 

"Please stay calm while I  see what she is up to!" Randhir gently released the grip over Sanyukta's mouth. He walked to the window and waved at the girl, with a friendly smile on his face. Then he carefully slid the window open.

"Nice weather for climbing down the building, isn't it?" He asked, his tone as benign as possible.

"F**k man! I thought this would be easy! I am stuck, and don't know what to do! Can you help me?" She looked nervous.

"Stay where you are, don't move! Can you manage to hold on for a few minutes?" Randhir's mind was racing, trying to calculate the possibility of the risk. 

"Not sure, but guess I don't have a choice!" The girl shivered involuntarily.

"Abby, I need your help. Do you have a sturdy rope? You do? Great! We need to tie a harness around her waist before we cut the rope she is hanging by. If she tires out she may lose her grip!" He said urgently.

"Randhir, would it not be wiser to call the fire department to rescue her? They are professionals, they would know what to do!" Sanyukta was worried. What if they made a mistake?

"No, there is no time, she may panic and let go before they arrive. Or else she may get a really bad rope burn and lose her grip. Trust me, just do as I say!" He guided her carefully, giving step by step instructions, until the harness was fastened around the girl's waist and the other end was secured to a heavy piece of furniture inside the room. 

After making doubly sure that the girl was safe in the harness he cut the rope she was hanging by with a sharp knife. As soon as it snapped both Sanyukta and Randhir gripped the girl firmly and hauled her into the room, breathing a sigh of relief at her safe landing.

"Are you out of your mind? What did you think you were doing?" Sanyukta was angry but she tried keep the decibels low, trying to not awaken Megami, who, fortunately had slept right through the eventful incident.

"I just wanted to meet Ryan, the guy who lives in the apartment below yours! He's been avoiding me!" The girl was clearly under the influence of some drug. No one in a sober state would try such a caper.

"Have you been smoking up?" Randhir asked. He knew the sign, the sclera of the girl's eyes was red, just like Noor's eyes used to be, after she became dependent on drugs. 

"Just a joint! Ok, maybe two!" The girl admitted.

"Abby, get her into the bathroom and splash some cold water on her face! I'll be back in a minute!" Randhir left the room.

Sanyukta did as she was told. She could not believe what the girl had dared to do.

"I need to pee!" The girl said. Sanyukta was in two minds, she was not sure leaving the girl behind a closed door was a good idea.

"Ok, but don't bolt the door! I'll be right outside!" Sanyukta stepped outside after slipping the bathmat between the door and the threshold to stop the girl from locking herself in.

By the time Randhir returned the girl was sitting down on a chair quietly looking dazed.

"Have this!" Randhir handed her a glass of juice.

"What is it?" She asked, staring at the glass.

"Orange juice! It will make you feel better!" Randhir slipped the glass into her hand.

"Does it have vodka in it?" She asked, smiling weakly.

"Sure, why not? We ought to celebrate your adventure.  It is not everyday that I get to pluck out young girls hanging outside the window!" He grinned. 

Sanyukta glared at Randhir. Unwittingly he had brought up their fateful first meeting! She could never forget how he had pulled her into the safety of his room as she dangled precariously from a branch of the mango tree under his window. 

"Drink up!" Randhir coaxed the girl to finish the glass of juice. 

"So, this Ryan! Is he your boyfriend? Did you guys fight over something?" Sanyukta asked her. It was important to know why the girl had attempted something so idiotic.

"We were batchmates and have dated for two years. But since our final exams wrapped up he is avoiding me! He won't return my calls and won't answer the door though I am sure he is home. I could not handle the suspense anymore so I decided to give this a shot!" The girl looked depressed. 

"Do you realise that you endangered your life while trying to reach out  to someone who clearly wants to avoid contact? And that stalking and trespassing are offences in many countries?" Sanyukta understood that Randhir had done the right thing, she shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if she had screamed on seeing the girl.

"Have you ever been shut out by someone you loved? Only then would you know how it feels!" The girl was on the verge of tears.

"Hey, it is ok! We understand! If Ryan wants out let him go! You should focus on your future!" Randhir's tone was gentle, almost paternal.

Just then Harsh walked into the room with K2. 

"Hello, who do we have here?" Harsh studied the girl's face carefully.

"She is supposed to meet her classmate who lives downstairs but looks like he's not in!" Sanyukta decided it was best to intervene, to avoid any awkwardness.

"Abby, is this didi our guest? Is she staying with us?" Suketu asked.

"No dear, she is just visiting us!" Sanyukta noticed that Suketu was staring at the girl with immense curiosity.

"It is about time we got to know each other's names. I am Aboli. What is your name? We need to know how to address you during conversation!!" Sanyukta explained.

"My name is Soraya!" The girl smiled at K2 who looked confused to find a stranger among them. Just then Megami woke up, distracted by the sounds.

"Soraya, nice to make acquaintance with you. Please excuse me, the kids need my attention!" Sanyukta gathered Megami and K2 and left the room.

Without referring to her rappelling misadventure Randhir explained to his father her situation. 

"Dad, can you stay with Soraya for a while, I'll be back soon. Call me if you need to, I have my phone with me!" Randhir checked on Sanyukta and the children before leaving the apartment without mentioning where he was going.

Harsh sat across from Soraya and made small talk to make her feel comfortable, before coming to the point.

"My dear, is meeting this boy so important to you? You should already know that he does not want to continue the relationship!" Harsh sounded just like a caring parent.

"We were supposed to leave for a backpacking trek in Bhutan. I have already packed and was really looking forward to the trip as it was my idea. I don't know what to do. I don't want to cancel my trip and go back home to Dubai!" Soraya used a tissue to dry her tears. She appeared disturbed.

"And why don't want to return home?" Harsh asked.

"Because I hate the idea. There is nothing left for me there. I lost my mother to cancer. My father remarried and within a year his wife gave him another daughter. Soon a son followed. Going back feels like crowding their family portrait. I'd much rather live and work here than go back and get in their way!" Soraya may have smoked a joint or two but her trepidation was clear and apparent.

"Is there friction between your step-mother and you?" Harsh asked even as he wondered if it was appropriate to be intrusive.

"If you mean to ask if she is the equivalent of an evil stepmother then no, she's quite cool. But she is a busy parent, tied up all day with the kids, their school, their sports coaching and such. My father is career-minded and is not available much, time wise or emotionally. His work, wife and kids are his priorities and I don't really fit into their scheme of things. They socialise a lot, and nearly always with their business contacts and their common friends. I feel like an outsider, as if my father barely remembers that my mother even existed. Are dead wives so easy to replace?" Soraya was emotional now. Harsh tried to comfort her as best as he could.

"My dear, what matters is that your mother shall always be important to you. Maybe she was important to your father too, but some men need an anchor all the time. When your father remarried he probably restructured his life to fill up the empty space your mother left. And then he got enmeshed in his work. This boy Ryan, who you assumed would fill up your emptiness, may lack the depth to understand your emotional needs. You must take charge of your life rather than give the reins to someone like him!" Harsh offered her a bar of candy, encouraging her to savour it.

"Maybe you'll think I am pathetic but I miss my mother terribly. My parents had an arranged marriage and they did not have much money initially. But when my mother had me she was blissfully happy. I have memories of fasting during Lent. Everyone looked forward to Easter. We attended the mass at night on Saturday and returned to have a traditional feast of duck roast, chicken curry  and palappam. I remember eating Kozhukatta and tasting Kaippuneeru."

"Our lives changed when my father moved to Dubai. The harder he worked, the lesser we saw of him. My mother brought me up almost single-handedly. We ate together, said our prayers together. She sketched very well and taught me how to draw.  When she fell ill it ripped me apart. And then she died, with tears in her eyes because she was worried about me."

"My father married his personal assistant as soon as the mourning period was over. He turned over a new leaf but I could not see another woman replace my mother so quickly. As soon as I finished my 12th grade I moved to Mumbai for a degree in design. My father encouraged me, as if he was eager to see me move out. I took the cue and never looked back, spending as many holidays in Kerala at my grandmother's as I could, as long as she was alive. My father never objected. But my granny passed away last year and I had to go to Dubai for the Christmas holiday."

"My father moved his family to a bigger, more luxurious home. The vintage furniture my mother had lovingly shipped from Kerala was missing. It was as if they had redecorated just to erase the past. It felt like living in an impersonal five star hotel suite. I could see that they were so doused in their personal happiness nobody noticed the hollow inside me. I saw the picture on my father's social networking profile, it had his wife and him, with the two kids on each parent's lap. I recalled the moment when the picture was taken, I was sitting right there next to them. But he cropped me out, as if it was meant to be. Tell me truly, am I being a whiner by sobbing out my story?" Soraya looked at Harsh hopefully. 

"I think you are dealing with unresolved abandonment issues. While your father may not have deserted you, your perception of your situation is somewhat similar. I propose that you let your father enjoy his happy nest while you discover your own true calling. He may have moved on but your mother will always live within you, and I am sure she would want you to have a life she strived to provide for you. So honour her memory by living your own life to the fullest. There cannot be a better tribute to her!" Just as Harsh spoke the words Randhir reappeared.

"Hi, I am back! Hope you like samosas and mawa cakes, Suketu loves them and Megami enjoys cakes! Aboli will have tea ready in some time. Meanwhile I have some news for you. Your friend Ryan left for a Bangkok trip last night with his gang of boys, maybe that is why he has been incommunicado. Be the wise girl you really are, and forget about him. Being depressed while he parties would be foolish. I think you should keep your date with Bhutan, let him know that you don't need him to be happy. It may be hard at first, but move on you must! Come now, let's enjoy a bite and then we'll give you a ride to the airport!" Randhir led them to Sanyukta's apartment.

As usual, Megami sat on Harsh's lap and Suketu next to him. Randhir and Sanyukta served the snacks and the tea. K2 happily bit into his samosa while Harsh fed bits of buttered bread and mawa cake to Megami who could not stop smiling.

"Have another samosa!" Sanyukta plied Soraya.

"You have a lovely family, I am completely jealous!" Soraya remarked. 

"Well, I am sure you will have one yourself, not to far into the future!" Sanyukta smiled at her encouragingly. How was Soraya supposed to know that Sanyukta was not married to Randhir, that Suketu's father was untraceable, that Megami was not her daughter and that Harsh was married to the woman who despised her.

The entire Shekhawat family took the trip to Soraya's rented flat. Randhir was at the wheel. Harsh sat next to him. Soraya and Sanyukta sat in the back with Suketu between them and Megami on Sanyukta's lap. Sanyukta went up to Soraya's place to help her prepare for the trip. Since she had already packed there was very little to do.

"Aboli, you guys have already done so much for me! I need another favour of you! Can you accept little Gingerbread into your home? I am going away for a month and Ryan was supposed to find him a home before we left." She held up a tiny puppy nestled in a shoebox lined with a piece of fleece. Sanyukta was taken aback.

" He was the runt of the litter and the owner wanted to get rid of him because his mother refused to suckle him. I thought I could manage him but now I am not sure I can look after him. He is quite fragile. If I make a mistake and it hurts him I could never forgive myself. Please, don't say no, maybe you can nurse him till he is stronger and then put him up for adoption. This folder has a manual on puppy care and also his inoculation schedule."  Soraya had a painful expression in her eyes and Sanyukta softened, even when she knew she was biting off more than she could chew. Her job, K2, Megami and now the puppy, how was she going to make time!

The puppy whimpered and Sanyukta just melted. Soraya handed her the puppy's things, including his medicines, his canine formula and feeding bottles. 

When they came downstairs Sanyukta showed off the puppy. Harsh smiled while Randhir looked at Sanyukta with a question mark on his face. What was she thinking, he wondered!

"K2, Megami, this is Gingerbread. And he is moving in with us. Randhir, can we leave? Sanyukta reminded him. Randhir had already helped Soraya with her web check-in. 

Soraya had a night flight to Kolkata and from there a connecting flight to Paro in the morning. They wished her luck and waited to see her disappear behind the glass at the airport. 

"Is the little fellow on loan? How are you going to manage him with your schedule?" Randhir could not stop him from asking.

"It is simple. I am taking a few days off from work. I have three kids and the home to care for. You need to chip in as well. And you need to compensate me for the loss of pay, remember, I bill by the hour!" Sanyukta said with a straight face. Harsh grinned at the suggestion.

"You can bill my old man here. He is richer and has far less responsibilities. And the dog needs to be potty trained asap, or else he goes straight to the animal home!" Randhir was a stickler for cleanliness.

"Shut up, son! Look at how happy the children are to see this tuft of motherless fur! I am glad Mowgli has more compassion, you must take after your mother!" Harsh asked Randhir to drive homeward.

Back home they had a simple supper and Sanyukta put the children to bed. As she used his bottle to feed the puppy his formula she realised that he needed to be encouraged to suckle as he would tire easily. 

"Her flight has departed!" Randhir declared, checking her phone.

"Good, that kid has to go a long way before she emerges strong and independent. But she will rise, like a phoenix from its ashes. We should make sure! And how is your new baby doing, Mowgli?" Harsh asked. He could see Randhir watching her as she fussed over Gingerbread.

"You usually bill Rs 500 per hour. 120 hours a week. That is 60k per month, to be deposited into your savings account. Randhir, make sure the money is transferred in advance by the autopay mode each month!" The businessman in Harsh spoke.

"In that case, we should throw in some extra to take care of the kitchen expenses too. That way we can have guilt free meals courtesy Aboli aka Mowgli. What say, another 40k and we pay her a cool Rs 100, 000 each month?" Randhir winked at his father.

Sanyukta looked up. She wondered if they were joking, because she had been rather serious about billing them for taking out the time for managing the home and family. 

Just then her phone beeped. The amount had already been transferred from Randhir's personal account to hers. Her eyes widened.

"See, we were dead serious. That means, my dear, you are now committed to discharge your duties as the lady of the house in this humble abode of the Shekhawats. Of course the job comes with a complete set of perks which must accrue to every member of the family!" Harsh declared before saying goodnight. 

The puppy had grown drowsy and would not feed anymore. Sanyukta would have to place his shoebox on her bedside table. 

"Are you sure you can manage alone?" Randhir asked.

Already Megami slept in her baby cot near the bed. Suketu slept next to Sanyukta, and now the additional charge.

"Do I have a choice? Do me a favour, if you hear anything on the baby monitor please feel free to enter the room and attend to Megami, in case I don't wake up!" She was just being practical. The puppy was another matter, she was not sure of his sleeping habits.

"Why don't I move into the room too? Looks like you always have room for one more!" Randhir tried not to laugh.

"Why don't you sleep in with these three and I enjoy a restful night in your bed instead?" She asked.

"My door is always open, you know that don't you?" He asked, looking into her eye directly.

"Goodnight Randhir, I'll call if I need you!" It was his cue to leave the room, shutting the door behind him.

The puppy whined. Sanyukta covered him with an old cotswool blanket that was too small for K2 now. Warmed by the blanket it finally managed to sleep and Sanyukta dozed off too. 

Randhir could not sleep for some time. On his screen he could see the room lit dimly by the night lamp. He reflected on the events of the day. Somehow, he felt, the Soraya episode had brought Sanyukta and him a little closer, although the distance was still there. It is only a matter of time, he told himself. 

.