Chapter 4
Pari opened the door to go out and then closed it back again. She could not leave without some money or phone. She went back to the drawers and looked through them. She found a wallet with bank cards and money. She left the cards and thought for a while, but decided to take the pone. She did not remember any of her friend or family's phone numbers, but the a smart phone was always good to have to navigate and find things. Then she put these things in a bag and opened the door again. There were complete silence, it seemed like everyone was sleeping. The house was huge, neat and kept really clean. Pari tip toed herself towards what she could be the entrance of the house, but the lights were suddenly on and she froze. But there was noone there. They were probablly sensors here who noticed her, she thought. - Pari, where are you going, she suddenly heard a voice. She turned back and saw the same old man who had been beside her bed a day ago. -Hi, I was thinking of going home, said Pari. -Home? But you are home, the man said confused.
- I think you have some kind of misunderstaning, sir. I am not from here. I need to go home. I have so many things to do. Thank you for your hospitality, but I do not want to be a burden any more. Please let me go.
- Pari, don't you recognize me? I am your father!
Father? How can he claim to be my father? He must be out of his mind. I need to get out of here before somethings happens to me, Pari thought and made a run. She managed to get out of the house and runned on the long driveway which led to the main gate. She saw the large main gate, and thought that if she wasn't able to open it, she would just try to climbe over it. Suddenly she was grabbed by guards and taken back to her room. It didn't help that she screamed and yelled and tried to kick them, they were too many and she was a small, thin girl.
On the bedroom the man looked at her angry and said: - That is enough. Now you stay here until the doctor comes and see you. I don't want to here more of your nonesense.
The room was locked and Pari did not know what to do. She sat on the bed, thinking. What actually happened to her. How can the man say that he was her father? But the evidence was right there with all the pictures. Pari decided to search the room, but the door was opened again and the housemaid was back. - I have served you breakfast, it is in the living room, please have some. The doctor will be here in an hour. Pari walked to the connecting living room and looked at the breakfast. It was cihcken sandwiches, orange juice and fresh strawberries in cream. All her favourite. She was hungry, so she grabbed the sandwiches, and while eating she decided to og through the room once more. Who was this Pari? There must be something else going on rather then just a simple kidnapping. She looked so young, and the pictures on the walls and in the phone all showed that it was her. Or maybe it was some kind of trick someone playing on her? Maybe she should just go along with it.
It was stupid her running away for it. She had no where to go. She did not miss anyone. And if this was it, maybe it was time for a new beginning? She had nothing to loose.
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The little Pari was happy because her mother was happy. And she loved the kisses and hugs her mother showered her now. And she was looking forward of a new start. – Pari, you will be living with the landlord family in town. We will not be able to come and visit you, so you should know that even though we are far away, we miss you. You need to be a nice girl, and learn everything you can, and be nice and kind. Once you have got good education, maybe you can find a good husband. Maybe you will get a job in town like an officer, her mother eyes started dreaming while talking to Pari.
Pari nodded, and said yes to whatever her mother told her. But her little heart was trembling. It was not easy for her to let og of her family. She was just a small girl, and she always needed help and there was always some of the siblilngs there for her. Even though she was excited, she was afraid of leaving.
The day her family left her and the landlords, she was very lonely and upset. There were many people there, but it seemed like no one cared about her. They were all busy chatting and packing and Pari sat on a side with a bag with three dresses, one sweater and some hand made toys her family has given her as fair well gifts.
- Hi, I'm Rakhi. And woman in her late thirtees in all white, bended down to her and smiled. Pari smiled back. -So you are Pari who will be joining us back to town? Well, everyone here is very busy today, because it is their last day here. They might not come here for a long time. Come, leave your belongings on the side and be with me.
And the rest of the day, Pari was as glued to her. She was so afraid of being left alone, that she tried to hold Rakhi's white skirt if she felt Rakhi was going too fast. Rakhi had a lot of things to do. She helped in the kitchen, she helped the ladies pack, she cleaned and whatever the other people told her to do, she did. But she kept asking Pari, if she was ok, and gave her the same dinner as it was severed to the Landlrod family. Her self eat some rice and letils only. In the evning, she took Pari to a small room in the backyard. She opened at mattress and told Pari that it was here they would sleep. When seeing Pari looking miserable, she pulled Pari and hugged her. -I know you miss your family, but I can also be you family. Pari was tired and exhausted and slept at once in her arms.
Time flew by and Pari was a strange kind of member of the Landlord family. The womend liked her, the loved the way she sung and danced, encouraged her, but she was kept in the background whenever they had guests. She was not allowed to be with them when both the men and the women of the family were together. It was never told her directly, but the way Rakhi used to pull her away and the womens long glances at her, she understood.
Pari loved school even though it was all girls school. The praise she got there, and the good grades made her proud. And the Landlord family had kept her good. She was not treated as a servant and always got praised by the Landlord himself when she came home with troffees and good grades. They gave her pocket money and bought dresses to her. But she was alway like a second person compared to their own children.
Whenever Pari got time and noone was looking she loved to play with Hans. It was the same boy she had seen in the cowd while se greeted the Landlord family with hers own. They both know that their elders did not like their friendship. But he was her only friend. They promised to get married when they would get older and Pari let him promise that she will get all his toys at the wedding.
One of the summers when she was 10 years of age, the Landord family gave her lots of gifts and sent her back to her family for summer vacation. Pari did not like to go but the Landlord family saw as their obligation that she kept in touch with her family. Pari usually got bored there, and she hated the place. She was used to the luxury and she got no friends there anymore. Two of her elder sisters were married, and the rest of the siblings had not time for her. The only child her parents were concerned about was her brother Jay. He has growing up and every day, he was blossing into a good looking man. He was good at school and had big dreams. Pari always felt like an outsider while coming back home and while the Krishna Landlord family went abroad for holidays, she had nothing to do while waiting for the summer to pass.
But when she turned ten, that summer Hans parents decided to make him study abroad. He will only be coming on vacations. The Krishna family was huge. Several brothers and sisters lived together with their families. But the head of the family Krishna, the grandfather passed away. And the family decided to part ways and find themself their own homes. Pari did understand that the partiton did not happen smoothly. She had alwasy been placed in care of Rakhi and when it was decided that Rakhi will og with the eldest Krishna family, Pari had no choice. She had nothing to say, but she was not happy. In the Krishna household it was the old Krishna, too religious and fanatic, and it was her wife called Ma by all. And there were their 4 kids, two elder son both married and with their own kids, and two elder daughters, them too married with kids. There will be no one to play with, and every other day one of their children with come with their family and make the house a total mess..