The Phone Call

Martha served them breakfast and with some regret, I noted that I had passed most of the day on my own since yesterday and it looked as if the trend was going to be the same. This wasn't what I had signed for when I came to Bhuvar.

My thoughts then went to the sweet way Dave had apologised. It hadn't been anything dramatic, but the way he held my hand and said sorry. Immediately, I felt my face heat up and as I placed the palms of my hands on my cheeks, I felt giddy with pleasure. Shaking my head, with my palms still pressed against my cheeks, I let a little squeal out.

I dug out a piece of banana from the plate and delicately placed it in my mouth with my fork. I revelled in its mushy sweetness that made my taste buds sing. It didn't have the chemical aftertaste that I often got on earth when I bought bananas that were not organically produced. The tangy taste of the orange followed and the juice just seemed to swirl around my tongue, bathing it in delicious goodness. The citrusy scent of it hit my nose and I inhaled deeply, the smell reminding me of Dave's shower gel.

Movement on the camera facing the driveway drew my attention and I saw Estena's car drive in and her Secretary get out. She came in empty-handed. For a moment, I had been frightened that she would bring another suitcase and prolong the stay.

Martha brought her to the dining room and by the scowl on her lined face, I could see that she was not happy.

Had Estena called her? Or, did she call someone else? I would have to ask Dave how to rewind the images on the cameras so I could hear whom she had called. I had the feeling that maybe she talked about her failure to act the previous night. I felt a wave of satisfaction brush over me at the way Martha and I had foiled her plans, but it was very shortlived. People like Estena would not be satisfied until the success of their twisted plans.

For the moment, I had only postponed her plans. And then I thought of the ring that I had taken from her vanity table. How could I check if indeed it was a transient locket? And even if it was, what right did I have to keep it? She could have one just like Granny gave me hers. And even if she left today, when she would notice that her ring was not with her, she would be back.

With a moan, I lowered my head and thought about what Dave would say when he learnt that I 'borrowed' her ring. It had already been hard to talk about the way I hit her and now I would have to discuss the theft. Coming to Bhuvar was bringing out character traits that I did not know I had.

'Lady Estena, your brother was looking for you,' the Secretary announced after greeting Dave.

'Ian? Did he tell you why?' Estena asked, with a sly look at Dave, which went unnoticed by him.

'Ian is back in Bhuvar?' Dave asked and I could see his eyes light up with interest. Did he know that guy? It would seem so.

'Yes, since yesterday,' the Secretary announced.

'Well Estena, when you go back home today, please be sure to convey him my greetings, and tell him I'll call him,' he said and I could have whooped with delight. That was such an underhanded way of informing her that she had outlived her welcome and to go back home. Of course, he was more polite than me.

I couldn't stop grinning, especially when I saw the forced smile on Estena's lips. She completed her breakfast in record time.

In the meanwhile, the Secretary excused herself and said she would pack Estena's bag in the meanwhile. I was suspicious at first, because the last time she left to go on her own, she had staged Estena's fall. I really hoped that she had no similar plans this time around.

I followed each of her movements carefully and it would seem that this time she was really packing her suitcase. It couldn't be easy like that, right? Were they just going to leave like that? Apparently they were, but I was not feeling secure at all. It felt that they were going to simply come back with a better plan. At least when they had been here, I could follow each of their movements through the CCTV cameras, but now I would not know what to expect.

The Secretary brought the suitcase down and put it in the hallway. In the meanwhile, Estena had completed her meal and was coming out of the dining room. She looped her arms through Dave's and pressed her breast to his side, making the green monster in me raise its head and glare at her.

'Thanks for your hospitality. It's too bad, we didn't really get time to talk. We should do this again,' she said sweetly.

'Of course Estena, the pleasure would be all mine,' Dave replied. He and his bloody courtesy, She drugged you and you are calling it pleasure. That was so crafty of her to wrangle an invitation like that. And the fact that her brother's name was dropped so casually in the conversation must be a plan as well. I would have to ask Martha about this Ian.

It was with a mixture of glee and relief that I finally saw Estena climb down the stairs to her car. Before she left, she gave Dave a kiss that left traces of red lipstick on his cheek.

'By the way, I didn't kow you had a fiancee. She came yesterday,' Estena said turning to look at his reaction.

For a moment, I thought he was going to throw the game down, but then with a smile, he vaguely answered, 'Ah Gati, yes. She called me in the morning. She had to leave without meeting me for an urgent matter.'

I heaved a sigh of relief at the way he had managed to turn the situation. We would have to find a solution to how to get rid of her name later on, but for the moment, maybe it might make Estena think twice before launching another of her attack.

However, the way she was pressing Dave's arms told me that I shouldn't bet on that. She seemed to want something desperately and she wouldn't let anything come in her way, her eyes said.