"Thank you for helping. Don't know where else I could have gone," Naina said in a small voice, taking a puff from the cigarette and leaning on the worn-out divan of the second-hand sofa.

"Remember to give my share from your alimony," Varsha said, snatching the cigarette from her lips and crushing it against the chipped wall.

"Hey!"

"My little sister is sleeping right inside. I can't let her see that women can smoke."

"I would have fought with you on that if I wasn't so depressed." Naina sighed, stretching her legs and wriggling her toes. "I can't believe that all it took for him was a list of signatures to let go of this project."

"Sahib would have agreed if you just asked him," Varsha said, then continued in a mock voice, "But madam wanted to protest and all. What for? Wasting everyone's time and money. Now, your marriage is in ruins."

Swallowing a lump lodged in her throat, Naina looked at the birdhouse clock, it was 9 pm. "Uh forget it, I'm tired. Let's order something delicious, you can take a cut of it from my alimony."

"I better get a huge sum from your alimony."

"Aren't we friends?"

"Alimony," Varsha repeated, picking up her phone to order pav bhaji from a local restaurant as Naina remained slumped on the sofa, resembling another worn-out cushion. Soon, the bell rang and she had to drag her body to the door to collect the food parcel since Varsha was showering. She nearly regretted ordering food as she had to walk ten steps towards the door, her body weighing with sadness, guilt, regret, and a thousand other unpleasant emotions that she hoped to drown with food.

"Let me get cash," Naina mumbled, taking the parcel from the delivery boy and turning around. Just then, her eyes connected with Varsha's seven-year-old little sister who pointed at something behind her, her sleepy eyes large like an owl and her mouth hanging open like a crocodile, but no scream followed. The moment Naina spun around to look at what the child was pointing at, the delivery boy was gone. Naina sprinted after the loud sound of footsteps, slippers slapping against the floor like someone clapping. Too fast. Naina stopped midway through the corridor, shouting in confusion, "Hey! Don't you want your money!" There was no response, just the sound of the slippers, hasty and clumsy as if a dog was chasing the delivery boy. "What's the deal with him?"

She lazily walked back to the apartment, only to find Varsha cuddling and comforting her little sister who burst out crying, her face red and crumpled like paper. "What's going on?"

"She isn't telling me," Varsha said, a little irritated, yet gently wiped the girl's tears. "Did you do something to her?"

"What? Me! Tell her I didn't do anything," Naina said, crouching in front of the girl.

"He-he . . ." The girl stuttered, crying in installments as if her cries were like hiccups. "He . . . Knife . . . Wanted to kill didi . . ." The girl pointed at Naina, crying harder as if Naina was already dead. "He will. . . Kill her . . ."

"I told you not to watch TV! Enough with this nonsense now!" Varsha scolded, her patience waning out fast, causing the child to cry harder.

"No, no, no, no, no, don't cry," Naina said, her voice feeble and shaky like a lone leaf fighting against a windstorm. She grabbed her by her shoulders, looking directly into her eyes. "Can you tell me how did that man look? I didn't see him properly, did you? How old did he look? Did he have a beard? A mustache? What about his eyes? His nose? His lips? His height---"

"Oh, shut it, Naina. Don't entertain her, " Varsha snapped, pulling her back.

"Varsha . . . Somebody has been following me these past few days ever since the protest . . ."

"You? Why?" Varsha cackled like a flock of seagulls and pecked at her dignity, tears of laughter streaming down her face. "You're penniless! Why would anyone want to do anything with you?"

"For my alimony? I don't know! I just know I'm in danger!"

"You and your fantasies. Now move, let's eat and call it a day. I'm tired of working all day and now I have to put up you both's nonsense."

* * *

Naina spent the next few days tossing and turning on the sofa like a boat violently rocked by a storm, restless. Her stupid mistakes with the protest and trusting Ohas gnawed at her, every thought, every word she spoke to hurt Ahanay haunted her. It consumed her whole being that she forgot about the delivery boy and the attempted murder.

"Are you not able to sleep?" Naina asked groggily, squinting at Varsha's little sister. "It's midnight. You should be in bed."

"Uncle gave this," the girl said, handing a neatly folded piece of paper to Naina.

"Who? When? While you returned from school?" The girl nodded as Naina snatched the paper from her, reading aloud, "To my little demon. Oh my God, it's from him! Was Uncle hot? The one who gave you this. He was, wasn't he?" Before the girl got a chance to respond, Naina continued, "Enough now, stop torturing me. Come back." Excitedly, Naina squeezed the girl in a crushing hug, gushing, "He still wants me! He doesn't hate me!"

"Shut it!" Varsha shouted from her bedroom, her voice thick with sleep.

"I'll leave now," Naina whispered to the girl with a broad grin. "Tell Varsha that she won't get any alimony but a double, no, triple quadruple Diwali bonus."

With that, Naina ran out of the apartment thoughtlessly, not bothering to pack her clothes or remember that it was midnight. After all, days had melted into nights and become an endless abyss from where Naina was trying to claw her way out. She flew down the flight of stairs and out of the apartment, into the slight chill of the night that sent shivers of excitement down her spine. Dogs howled at a distance as she was about to sprint across the road, suddenly realizing, that somebody was right behind her.

"Naina," a whisper, as low and raspy as a whish of wind, making her stop dead in her tracks.

* * *

A/N:

Updated one more chapter :)

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