Chapter 40: 39. His Disappearance and The Disaster


    Anika’s PoV


    I waited so long that night for his arrival but I didn''t know when I fell asleep. When I woke up the next


    day, it was already 7.30A.M and I felt a wave of guilt surge through my veins. I ran to the restroom and


    finished my morning routine and searched for him everywhere on our floor. He was nowhere to be


    found. I ran downstairs on the steps and looked for him in the dining room and drawing hall and there


    was no trace of him anywhere. I felt so disappointed and went to the kitchen to see if I could help there.


    “Good morning, Anika. Here is your coffee.” Yashodha aunty was there in the kitchen.


    “Good morning, Aunty. Sorry, I slept a little too much.” I said timidly.


    “No problem, dear. You are free to do anything you please.”


    “Um… Shall I cook today, aunty? I am good at making Biryani.” I told her.


    “But Arjun is out of town, Anika. He will be here on thursday. You can make Biryani when he gets back


    home.” She said that took me by surprise. My husband is out of town? He didn''t care to let me know?


    “Oh, where did he go, aunty?” I asked her.


    “He didn''t tell you? He has gone to Maharashtra to supervise our production unit there. He will be back


    in two days.” She said. Looks like it is his usual trip. Maybe I was asleep when he came homest


    night. It must be past 1.30A.M. He must have taken off early today. Maybe he will call me.


    I went back to our room and waited for his call but I got none. I grew impatient and called him over and


    over again all in vain. He didn''t pick any of my calls so I decided to text him. Maybe he is too busy to


    take up my call.


    ‘Hi Arjun, sorry, I slept yesterday night. I called you so many times. Call me back when you are free. I


    miss you already.’ I sent this message and waited for him to call.


    I started walking around the garden on his balcony. It is so boring here. There is nothing I can do and


    killing time literally kills me. I leaned on the rocky fountain which had a beautifuldy on top. I never


    knew that this would happen but thedy fell down as the rock that I leaned copsed. It was carved in


    marble and with the force it hit the ground, thedy broke into pieces. It knocked off a pot too. God,


    what should I do?


    “Aunty, I identally knocked off the fountain in the garden upstairs.” I ran to Yashodha Aunty.


    “Oh no. That one was from Belgium. Arjun’s favorite. Don''t panic, Anika. It’s ok. I will send Arundhadhi


    to clean up the mess.” She said worried.


    “I am so sorry, aunty. It was an ident.” I told her. Guilty is not the right word for what I feel. There


    should be a more strong word for the strong emotion I feel now. I don''t fit in here. Though she says it’s


    ok, I can see that she ispletely disappointed. That might be very costly. God, I just wish that the


    land opens up and eats me alive.


    I went back up and started to clean up the mess I made when Arundhadhi came in. She came in


    without knocking. Servants here are so mean and rude. Of Course they would be, for they don''t like me


    at all.


    “Oh my god, you broke this? You know how much this was? It was fifteenkhs when Arjun sir bought it


    5years ago. It was imported. Huh, how would you know it’s value? Just in a blink of luck you came


    here. You are a disaster.” She told me with a face that exhibits disgust. How dare she?


    “How dare you talk to me like this? Remember that you are a servant maid here and you have to


    respect me.” I almost shouted when aunty got in. God, everything at the wrong time!


    “Anika, it is not right to talk like this to the maids here. Arundhadhi, you go downstairs. Come a little


    later to clean this up.” She sent her down and stared at me.


    “Aunty, she was…” I was cut off by her.


    “Whatever it was, you were so wrong in talking to her like that. People here have been working for us


    for years and I always treat them like one of us. I hope the same from you.” She said. Ok, I have got on


    the wrong side of my mother-inw.


    “Sorry, aunty. She said that I broke it without knowing the value of it and she said that I am just lucky to


    get married to Arjun. That is why I lost my cool. I will be more careful next time, aunty.” I told her in the


    plight to at least let her know what actually happened.


    “If she had spoken like that, then it is wrong of her. I will talk to her. But she was right in hing. You


    clearly didn''t know the value of it. It was a much valued possession of Arjun. He won''t be happy when


    he gets to know about it. Please be cautious when handling things around you.” She said and went


    away leaving me in dismay. I know I made a mistake. It could happen to anyone and it was an


    ident. Besides, I am not used to being around costly things.


    Nothing is right here and I decided to make it right. The pieces were not crushed and it is still


    mendable. I got down after gathering all the pieces in one ce. I am unsure of any ces here and I


    went out to see the driver standing leaning on the car.


    “Anna (bro), I have to buy some epoxy y, some adhesives and a color corrector. Can you take me to


    a shop where I will get them?” I asked him.


    “Sure, madam. Get in.” He said, opening the back door for me. Whoa, the first time a person that works


    here talks to me politely.


    “Thank you, Anna.” I got in.


    We came back in two hours and I started mending my mistake. I used the mix of y and stone


    adhesive to put the pieces together. It took me about 4hours toplete that and Then I started


    correcting the colors of the y to merge it with the statue. It took forever for me to finish, so I refused


    to go down for tea or dinner. It was good as new when I finished working on it and I decided to let the


    driver help me put it back where it belonged.


    I retired to sleep with a hungry stomach, hurt heart and no calls from Arjun. No one cared toe and


    see me, if I was alright when I refused to go down. I felt very lonely in this huge pce. Why is Arjun


    avoiding me? I just hope that the next day will not be a disaster like today.


    The next morning, I got down to help with breakfast. I helped Savithri even when she was rude to me.


    When everyone showed up at the dining table except for Rajesh and Arjun, Uncle asked me to join


    them.


    “Sit down, Anika. Are you ok?” He asked me.


    “I am good, uncle. Thank you.” I told him.


    “I heard that you broke the fountain. It is no big deal. I can rece it with the same piece. Don''t feel


    guilty for it. I value people more than things. I guess everyone in this house is the same.” He said while


    looking at everyone. His tone is rather strict and there is a pin-drop silence.


    “Thank you, uncle. I fixed it already. I just need help to put it back up.” I broke the ufortable


    silence.


    “Oh, really? I would like to see it.” He said.


    “Sure, uncle.” I stood up but he stopped me saying I have to finish the breakfast. He came along with


    me and aunty to see the statue after we were all done with the breakfast.


    “It is wonderful, Anika. Good job. It doesn''t look like it was broken at all.” He said.


    “I warned Arundhadhi and she said she will never talk to you like that ever again. All good, Anika. You


    don''t have to stay in the room anymore.” Aunty spoke to me.


    “Anika, consider yourself queen of this home. Everyone here must be respectful to you. You have to


    earn that respect from the family members and you can demand that respect from the maids here. A


    warning is not enough, Yasho. Terminate Arundhadhi. That will teach lessons to other maids here.


    They cannot disrespect our daughter-inw. They must know that we won’t choose them over her.” He


    said to Aunty. Great! I am sending home a person within a week I got here.


    “Ok nga. I will do it.” Aunty said and they both got down. Uncle is my most favorite person at the


    moment. He is supportive enough, no, more than enough. I ran behind them when I finally came to


    earth.


    “Arundhadhi, you have crossed your line yesterday and Hari sir thinks that a warning is not enough.


    You are being terminated.” Aunty was talking to Arundhadhi in the kitchen while uncle was watching it


    from the hall.


    “Uncle, can I tell you something?” I went to him.


    “Yes, Anika.” He looked up at me.


    “Uncle, I want to let this go for this once. I feel terrible for doing this to her. If at all she behaves badly to


    me again, I will make up this decision of sending her away.” I told him.


    “Alright, then. Handling the maids is your responsibility from now on. You can send them away if you


    don''t like them.” Uncle said to me with a mild smile, just like Arjun.


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    “Thank you, Uncle.” I told him.


    “I trust that you can never make a mistake. Don’t shrink in a room. Try and get along with your new


    home. We are here to help. You can count on me for any help you want.” He said and stood up from


    the sofa and left, leaving me in Awe.


    At least the maids problem is solved.