Chapter 2 Salma troubles

She was shocked to see him at her house. 'Did this pervert follow me here? How annoying' She thought, burning up with anger.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as she walked to meet him.

Liam stood up from the couch. "Are you a stalker, what the fuck are you doing here" He also asked.

"This is my house! You are the stalker....You didn't get a chance at the market, so you followed me to my house....If you don't want me to call the cops, leave now" She yelled at him.

"Do you guys know each other?" Kashika asked. She had been staring at the both of them in confusion.

"This man here broke one of my coconuts, although it was accidentally but he tried to touch me, how shameless,,,, now he's here" Madhulika explained.

"Is that it... That's not enough reason for you to send him out of the house. Today is lord Ganesha's festival, so treat people nicely" Kashika said, almost snapping.

"I was about leaving, anyways... Thanks" With that said, Liam walked away.

Kashika couldn't think of ways to stop him from leaving, she just felt frustrated.

Her hands fisted, she threw a glare at Madhulika.

"Why are you so insensitive? What's your problem.... Listen, I was getting closer to being friends with him, but you ruined it. Didn't you see the way he's dressed, the way he talks, he looked rich and cute... That's the kind of men to lure, you use and dump them. If you think this stupid acting skills of yours would help your life, then you must be crazy" It was rare for Kashika to speak to Madhulika in that manner. Her anger took control of her.

"Kashika, I am sorry if I ruined your plan. But don't you think you shouldn't say such words before Lord Ganesha. We just brought in lord Ganesha' idle and need to worship it wholeheartedly for ten days, please just quit your annoying job for a while.... Look, I am trying my best. What else do you want me to do! "Madhulika retorted.

" What I want you to do?" Kashika asked. A smirk appeared on her face."You can dance so well, how about you start dancing in a club".

Madhulika felt insulted, she felt as if she just heard something that shouldn't be heard. She lifted her hand up and gave Kashika a slap.

"Don't you ever in your life say such words to me. Not everyone is like you, you get it" After saying those word, Madhulika angrily walked away.

Kashika held her cheek with her palm. She frowned and walked away.

Eleven days later, after the festival had been concluded, everything returned back to normal. It was morning, and Madhulika had already left home to continue her job hunting.

She had prayed for that day to favor her. And she believed that since lord Ganesha festival had been concluded, her dream would come to pass.

"Good morning, Madhulika" People who knew her, greeted her as she walked.

"Good morning" She replied all their greetings.

She started feeling sick, and the thought of going back home came to her mind, but she reminded herself not to give up and she continued her job hunting.

"My head aches, oh Lord please direct me to the right place, I can't possibly continue like this" She muttered, tiredly.

Suddenly, a paper flew over and landed on her feet, she wanted to ignore but her eyes caught up with that of a lady struggling to pick the papers scattered on the floor.

Understanding that the papers must had mistakenly slipped out from the lady's hand, Madhulika bent down and picked the one on her feet. She walked closer to the woman and handed the paper over to her.

"I figured out it's yours, so I..." She trailed off.

"Thank you very much, if only everyone is as kind as you" The lady appreciated and collected the paper.

"It's no big deal..." Madhulika was still saying when her phone started ringing.

She answered the call immediately. "Hello mum".

"Madhulika you have to come home right now" Her mum said on the phone, by hearing her voice one would know that she was panicking.

"What is it? What happened mum" Madhulika asked worriedly.

"Come back home right now" And with that the call went disconnected.

"Lord, what's happening" She muttered, but it was obvious the lady heard her.

"Miss, is everything okay?" The lady asked.

"No, I mean yes" Madhuklika faked a smile and wanted to leave, but the lady stopped her and gave her one of the papers.

"An audition is going to take place soon, we are looking for young girls,,,read and understand" Those were the words of the lady after giving her the paper.

"Okay" Without looking at what was written on the paper, Madhulika quickly walked away.

"A nice first impression" The lady muttered, watching Madhulika leave.

****

Somewhere in India.

Shruti stared at her reflection on the mirror, she smiled and picked up her purse.

"The sari seller was right. I love how it fits me" She admired herself for sometime and then brought out her phone from her bag.

She dialed a number. "Where are you" She asked, immediately the call was answered.

"Shruti, I won't be able to come, something is going on right now...Please come to my house if you can, or just attend the engagement party alone, I..." Kashika's voice was heard.

"What is going on?" Shruti asked, disrupting Kashika.

"A lot, just come with any money you have, please...Stop shouting, it's not as if we aren't gonna pay, we are, okay" The call went disconnected.

Shruti creased her brows. 'I wasn't shouting, and I didn't say she isn't gonna pay' She started thinking.

Suddenly, she thought of something, "Could it be that she wasn't talking to me? Then who could she be talking to?...Could it be....Salma?" She took her debit card and left the room in a haste.

*****

Liam scoffed as he entered the office.

"Is this your definition of a perfect office?" He asked his supposed newly appointed assistant.

"Sir...?" Raghu was confused, there was nothing wrong with the office.

To Raghu, the office was large enough, it contained everything he would be needing for the job. So why the complain.

"It's so hard being in a strange place, I can't wait to finish this project and get out of here" Liam lamented.

'What an arrogant and proud peacock' Raghu cursed, not saying it out tho.

"Get me a cup of coffee" He ordered and sat down on the chair.

"Okay" Raghu replied and walked out of the office.

Immediately he got outside, four other workers rushed to him.

"How was it....Is he nice?....Did he compliment us for arranging and decorating his office?..." They bombarded him with questions.

"He..." Raghu wanted to tell them about how he complained and all, but when he remembered how they all arranged the office with joy in their heart all to welcome him, he stopped and decided to lie to them.

"He liked it so much, he couldn't help but admire the office".

"I knew it, we tried" One said happily.

"Our hard work wasn't in vain".

*****

Madhulika pushed the door opened and then walked in.

She paused right on her track when she saw the smiling face of Salma.

Madhulika knew the smile wasn't a genuine one, but a wicked one.

"The prodigal daughter is here" Salma teased, she walked forward to meet Madhulika.

At that moment Madhulika became dumbfounded, she joined her two palms together and bowed slightly - It was their way of greeting.

"Hi, aunt Salma" She muttered.

"Who's your aunt? Huh?" Salma asked, she suddenly held Madhulika's hair and then pulled it hard.

"Ouchhhh" Madhulika screamed in pain.

Kashika and Vidya rushed towards them.

"Let go of her" Kashika demanded.

"Or what" Salma asked, pulling the hair more hard.

Salma whistled and the two boys who came with her rushed to hold Kashika and Vidya.

"Mum, Kashika" Madhulika called, ignoring the pain she was in.

If Madhulika wanted to, she could free her hair from Salma's grip by pushing her away, but she didn't and that was because Salma was an influential person in the society, if by mistake Salma gets injured in the process, Madhulika knew where she would be next...Prison!

"Stop all of this!" Madhulika yelled.

"Or else what?...Pay me my money and I will let you and your family go" Salma stated.

Madhulika bit her lips, she didn't want to show it that she was in pain. She only had two options, either she pays the money and her family would be free, or she pushed Salma and go save her family. But she didn't have the amount of money to pay, leaving her with no choice but option two.

She suddenly lifted her hands up and caught with that of Salma's on her hair, she pinched them hard, and when Salma removed her hands from her hair, she pushed her off and then faced the men holding her mum and her sister.

Fortunately for her, Salma didn't fall and get hurt, she only staggered but quickly regained her stamina.

"Let them go, you don't want to go through me" She threatened, but the men paid deaf ears.

"I said let them..."

"Enough!!" Salma yelled, making all of them to flinch, including the men.

Everywhere became quiet, as they all watch keenly what the woman in her early forties was about to say or do.

Just like as if someone said something funny, Salma started laughing.

"That's a nice one" She continued laughing.

They all wondered what was making her laugh.

Then again, just like as if someone angered her, she suddenly frowned.

"I was being easy with you, but you didn't like it. And now I am about to go hard....Boys, leave them, start taking out their furnitures and important things, that should cover up for my money."

Hearing those words, Madhulika's eyes widened, she quickly went on her kneels in front of Salma.

"Please don't do this, please" Tears were already streaming out from her eyes.

"You pushed me, Lika" Salma said, calling Madhulika's name in short.

"I will pay you your money, but please don't do this, I..."

"Then where is the money?" Salma asked, almost yelling.

"Not now, I mean I will pay but not now...Please, give me some time" She pleaded.

Salma chuckled, she bent down to Madhulika's kneeling level and then touched Madhulika's right cheek.

"We all know there's something you can do to pay me back my money" She told Madhulika.

"Wh-what?" Madhulika asked, hoping it shouldn't be what she was thinking about.

"Get married to my son...You know he likes you so much, he's the reason i gave your late dad the loan, so you will be repaying him by tying the knot with him" She spilled out.

Madhulika looked at Salma, " You want me to get married to that rascal you call a son, huh" She blurted out.

"Shut up!" With that being said, Salma slapped Madhulika.

Kashika clenched her fist, wishing she could deal with Salma.

"And let me remind you that this rascal was your friend, he gave you lots of things and..."

"Fine!" Madhulika stared at her mum and Kashika, then she stared back at Salma.

Then with a low and shaky voice she replied, "I will marry Naman, your son".