The Girl in the Gym

Panda Face

"You have no use for that anymore, Inaya. Give it away," said Kalyani. But Inaya remembered something, she needed to get her stash of money back from the house. She couldn't do anything about that yet. And Meera would wonder why she hadn't been back by night. I'll have to just sneak back in at midnight someday and take it, she decided. Meanwhile, she took her wares and gave it to the first child beggar she saw, and whispered, "These are yours now. Sell them and keep the money."

She climbed into their car with them, it was a maroon coloured Honda City with automatic windows. Inaya, who had never even been inside a car before, was awestruck. She sat at the back, next to Kalyani, who was talking very fast. But she didn't register a word the girl was saying. Presently, she realised that Kusum had been asking her a question. She shook herself out from her thoughts and said, "Sorry, did you say something? I wasn't paying attention."

Kalyani rolled her eyes at the polite way Inaya was speaking, but Kusum clearly approved. "I was asking dear, isn't there anyone else who would like to speak to, before coming with us? Any relative or caretaker?"

Inaya shook her head no, "There isn't anyone else. I don't have any relatives, my grandparents passed away the same year that my parents did."

Kusum made a sympathetic face, and said, "Then you shall have a new beginning with us. Where were you staying, we can swing by to pick up..."

"No," said Mr Kamble. Kusum stopped talking and looked at him questioningly. He stopped the car and turned around to face Inaya.

"From the looks of it, whoever you were staying with has taken the bare minimum care of you. And I know how these groups work, it won't be safe for you to go back. As for your things, you can borrow old clothes from Kalyani. She'll be happy to lend them to you," he said. At which Kalyani nodded enthusiastically, and took Inaya's hand for reassurance. Startled, Inaya snatched it away, but looking at the hurt on Kalyani's face, she said, "Sorry, I'm not used to having a friend."

"Well," the latter answered with an understanding smile, "You have one now." The girls smiled at each other.

"He is right, you cannot go back," Kusum raised her hand to stop any argument from the young girl. "If you are worried about money that you may have kept there, let it be. You don't have to worry about necessities anymore," she added.

Inaya nodded, albeit angrily. But she did see the sense in what they were saying. The house she was kept in ran like clockwork, the money to be paid regularly. Nobody dared to put a toe out of line. She was sure that neither Shantanu nor Meera would react well if she told them that she was out of the game. I just pray that they don't find me, she hoped.

None of them said a word until they reached the Kamble residence. It was a huge bungalow with towering walls on all sides, ivy creeping up on the edges and there were tiny lavender-blue flowers peeking through the shrubbery. Inaya felt her jaw drop open, it was the grandest house on the street. As soon as they parked the car, Inaya was ushered in upstairs.

Kusum went to the spare room to pull out some of Kalyani's old clothes, shoes, slippers, etc. Their old maid, Mala, was instructed to clean Inaya up from head to toe. But when Mala nudged her towards the bathroom, she politely said that she would clean up herself. "Just give me some soap, shampoo and a towel," she said. Maya let out a scornful laugh and said, "Whatever suits you girl. But remember, you are the help in this house. Don't make the mistake of thinking you are family. As long as you keep that in mind, things will go smoothly. Take what they give graciously, and don't be greedy for more.

Inaya looked at her with a sharp gaze, but said, "I understand. I know my place in the world, don't worry about that." And she went into the bathroom to get cleaned. It was the first proper hot bath she had had since she was six. It felt like she was washing away the bad memories along with all the muck and grime. The water ran brown, and only after washing twice, three times did it run clear. She wrapped the towel around herself and walked over to the huge mirror. Inaya wiped the steam off its surface and looked at the girl staring back at her. She was tall for her face, with rough hands and a sun-browned face. But the eyes staring back at her were exactly like her mother's. She lifted her hand to her pendant, the only surviving memory of her family. Without it, she could have been any forgotten orphan on the streets of Mumbai.

There was no time to dwell on her thoughts for Mala was pounding the door, saying that she had left a change of clothes outside. Inaya was to meet the family downstairs once she was ready.