The Life Of Myra - Chapter 11

I am about to fire the man at the steering wheel, when I realize it is Rishi.

“Rishi? Why are you following me?” I ask, exasperated.

“I am not following you. I was coming over to meet you,” he says.

“The hell you wanted to meet me! I know you have been following me right from the hospital, haven’t you? Don’t you have anything better to do? Or is Madhumita paying you too?” I scream at him.

Surprisingly, even after my outburst, Rishi doesn’t seem angry.

“Calm down Myra. Madhumita has nothing to do with this. We need to talk,” he says

“Don’t you get it? I don’t want to meet you! I don’t want to do anything with you” I reply.

“We need to talk, Myiii,” he says, “you need help”.

How dare he! I bloody don’t need help, and last of all, his!

Wait. Did he just say Myiii? Why did he call me Myiii? It sounds familiar, but I can’t place it!

“Listen..”, he begins.

“Stay away from me, or else I will lodge a police complaint,” I warn him.

He is saying something, but I don’t bother. I turn around, stomp over to my car, get in and drive back home in full speed. He doesn’t follow me anymore.

Back home, I eat a sumptuous breakfast of oats upma, and settle down on my living room sofa, reading Jigyasa.

I fall asleep, and I am awakened by that strange orange light again, which somehow tells me that I am awake but in a dream.

Jigyasa is standing in front of me. The moment I look up at her, she comes closer to me and shakes my shoulders roughly.

“Get up. Go, get her, before she destroys your life. She is doing everything. Including what happened to Dr. Samira,” she says.

“What?’ I say, shocked.

“Yes. Stop her. Stop her. STOP HERRRRRR”.

I jerk awake.

The afternoon sun is streaming in through the blinds.

I massage my temples. I can feel a headache coming over.

I need to write down what I just saw in my dream diary.

I get up and open the drawer of the cabinet where I keep it.

To my shock, the dream diary isn’t where it is supposed to be.

Like a mad woman, I turn the entire house upside down, but my dream diary is nowhere. Did someone enter my flat again, behind my back?

I change into a tee and a track pant and rush downstairs to check the guest entry register. Sure enough, there is an entry in the name of Lisa K at 9 pm yesterday night. There is no point trying to find out who it was because the security guard on duty yesterday night will be off duty today.

Fuming, I go back to my apartment. I am so angry, I could smash the glass from my window. But I control myself.

Fully alert now, I need to figure out what to do next.

The bell rings loudly, startling me. I glance at the watch. It is 4 pm. Who can it be, at this time, I wonder, as I stutter towards the door in a mild haze.

 

I open the door to find Mayank standing with a backpack on his shoulder, dressed in his military uniform, smiling at me.

 

"Oh my God! Mayank! I am so glad to see you," I cry out, meaning it, as I fiercely hug my brother who hugs me back equally fiercely.

 

"Why didn't you message me? Or reply to any of my messages?" I ask him, once we have broken the hug.

 

"I wanted to surprise you," he says, a twinkle in his eyes.

 

I close the door as he walks inside. When I turn around, I am shocked.

 

"What happened to your back?" I ask, looking at the dried blood splotched on his back.

 

"It's nothing, don't worry," he says, heading towards the washroom.

Of course, I think. He works with the army. I shouldn’t be surprised. Rather, I should be thankful that it isn’t him that’s been hurt!

 

By the time he comes back, after freshening up, I have brewed a steaming mug of coffee and made his favourite batata poha.

 

He is still wearing the same clothes. I can't offer him any of mine either.

“Didn’t you bring any change?” I ask him.

 

"Don't worry about clothes. I just came back on a whim. I have to report back in two days. I will get something for myself once you go for your duty", he says.

 

He rubs his hands together, settling on the sofa as he takes the plate of poha. "I am famished," he says.

 

I watch my baby brother eat to his heart's content, feeling a satisfaction only an elder sister can feel.

 

Once he is done, we both step out on the small balcony that overlooks the busy road below.

 

"So, what's up with you? Are you ok?" Mayank asks.

 

And suddenly it is like a dam has exploded. I have no more control over my emotions and I begin crying. A simple question from someone who truly cares for me has brought to fore the real mental turmoil I am going through. I keep it covered, with a fog of normalcy, but underneath it, this volcano is always waiting to erupt.

 

Mayank hugs me and escorts me inside, gently making me sit on the sofa. He sits next to me, his strong hands around my shoulders, rocking me till the last of my sobs settle down.

 

"It's been six months now, and I heard Anish has already moved on. Why are you still sad?" He asks finally.

 

And I tell him everything. How Madhumita is purposefully targeting me, trying to sabotage my life. I tell him about the cars tailing me and the incidents happening around me purported to frame me, including the sabotage of the painting and the attack on Dr. Samira. I also tell him how someone has tampered with things at my house, impersonating an online profile, and stolen my dream diary. I tell him about Viraj, and how he too is somehow connected with Madhumita.

 

By the time I am done talking, Mayank is restlessly pacing the hall. I can see that he is visibly upset.

 

"This needs to stop," he says, finally.

 

"I know. And I have figured out what to do," I say.

 

"What? Tell me. I am with you," he says, shaking my shoulders with his hands.

 

I am so happy that my brother is so protective about me. But at the same time, I cannot get him involved in anything I am planning to do. I can't get him embroiled in anything that is illegal.

 

"No. Let me do it. I know I can. I have it all figured out," I say.

 

My phone rings.

 

It is Mahika.

 

I am nonplussed. Why is she calling me now? Or is she too keeping tabs on me?

 

I show the name flashing across the screen to Mayank. He mouths not to tell her that he is here. I nod.

 

"Hello?" I ask.

 

"Myra, what are you doing?" Mahika asks.

 

So typical. No pleasantries. Why does she need to spy on me like that? Is mom making her call me?

 

"Nothing," I say. I am not going to say any more words than the bare minimum.

 

"Do you have company?" She asks.

 

"Why would you think so?" I counter question her. I really fail to figure out what exactly it is that she wants from me. Why can't she mind her own business in her rosy, cosy, pretty little life? Why does she have to poke her nose in mine?

 

"No, just, I thought I heard someone behind," she stutters.

 

That is impossible. Mayank has gone into the bedroom.

 

"What do you want Mahika? Has mom asked you to keep checking on me?" I ask finally, feeling really irritated.

 

There is a pause.

 

"I am your sister Myra, and I love you. I am worried about you. Can't I call you to check on you once in a while?"

 

Had I not known how she is, I would have believed her sweet talk.

 

"Of course," I say, hoping she gets the sarcasm. “That’s exactly what you have been doing since the past six months, since Anish left me. Does it give you butterflies in your stomach, to know that you are living the picture-perfect life while your sister…”

 

"Six months?” Mahika interrupts me, stressing each syllable, in a tone that suggests that this is the most unacceptable part about whatever I just said to her. Really, has she become so blunt?

 

“Six months and a few days. What does it matter? Anish has moved on so fast, out of my arms and directly into Madhumita’s…”

 

“Myra, I really think you should talk to Rishi," she says, interrupting me again, as if she hasn’t heard a word of what I just said.

 

That is the final straw. I am done dealing with her.

 

"I have things to do Mahika. Good bye," I say and disconnect the call.

 

I go to the bedroom to find Mayank stretched out on the bed.

“I need to sleep,” he says, yawning and stretching.

“Okay, take rest,” I say.

I close the door of the bedroom door behind me and come and sit on the living room sofa.

I have been thinking about Madhumita since quite some time.

Madhumita has been destroying my life step by step, and I have allowed her to do so till now.

But not anymore.

I have to take the matter in my own hands. Just like Jigyasa asked me to do. And now that Mayank is here, I feel like there is someone who will support me, come what may.