Una regretted her decision as soon as she was brought to a standstill by revving bikers coming from behind her as she entered Major's driveway. The bikers must have come down from the road above at top speed because, minutes ago, she had walked on the path leading off it, in complete isolation - glad that the lorry workers had already left.
One by one the bikers helped themselves to a garland as they rode past. Open mouthed, she watched the last one rise up into the air, and fall over the head and neck of a dumpy youth sitting on a shiny, red chrome Harley Davidson. He stayed in front of her as the lesser models of motorbikes circled them.
"Call off your dog's Gag, or else."
Una's head snapped to the veranda where Meeru stood.
Instantly, the gravel dragging and revving stopped. Una swivelled her attention back to the youth on the Harley Davidson. So this was Avi's twin. Beneath the black leather and gangster style thick gold chains and rings his flesh was tame and flabby. The army crew cut crowned his big skull like a shrunken wig. When he took his dark glasses off a ripple of revulsion expanded through her body when she realised he was scrutinising her in a lascivious manner. Una clicked her fingers, bringing his roving eye to her eyes.
"You've got my attention baby. Now what?"
Before Una could say anything he smacked his rubbery lips and made a sickening, smooching sound. His ignorant friends hooted and cheered him on.
"Gag! Take your filthy disgusting self and your sycophant groupies somewhere else and leave her alone."
He pulled a hurt face and pouted at Una.
"What Meeru, I was only showing our new neighbour what a friendly lot we are."
He brought his bike closer to Una, "What say you gorgeous -want to be my buddy?"
"I've got all the friends I need thank you," Una replied whilst keeping her eyes focused on him.
"Gag, I won't say it again, move away from Una."
"What Meeru! I was only teasing. Fine I'll leave her. Come on gang we've got to go and pick someone up from the airport." Saying that he rode past Una to the gate with his gang in tow.
Una raised her voice and pushed her basket forward. "I would like the garlands back so could you please handle them carefully and arrange them in the basket as you found them? Thank you."
Gag snorted. "Even in adversity, she is so polite. Boys I think it's only fair that we return the garlands as she asks."
Surprisingly, they did exactly that. However, when it came to his turn, he lifted his garland above his head and put it around Una's neck. Una tried not to squirm as his hands lingered on her shoulders.
"Hoh! Oops! By mistake I've married you according to our Hindu customs. What are you going to do about it Wifey?" He flicked the garland looped around her neck.
Unperturbed and smiling, Una first put the basket down and then took off the garland. Meticulously, she arranged it in the basket and then and cooed, "Oh honey, that's rather tame. By our British customs. We like to seal a marriage with a big kiss."
Gag stared agape. Cat calls from his friends brought him back to earth. Gleefully he jumped off his ride and stood close to Una.
"Oh why so far?" she baited him.
He shuffled closer to her. Fluttering her long eyelashes she tutted and put one of his arms around her. Whoops and cheers filled the air. He almost melted when she raised her hands to his face to ready him for a kiss. Una noticed his free hand quivering. It was protecting his groin. She smiled to herself - he wasn't so stupid after all.
Staring into his eyes, Una placed the heel of her palm on his nose and threw her whole weight into the move by using his arm as leverage – causing maximum pain to his nasal bones. Gag yelped. He tried to shake her off his arm by using his free hand. Big mistake – as soon as he did that he exposed his delicate parts and she kneed him hard.
A shrill scream came out of Gag and he fell to the ground, rolling from one side to the other close to her feet.
Unmoved, Una stepped over him, picked up the basket and sauntered over to Meeru.
Gag's gang sat on their bikes in stunned silence.
"Bitch...wait till I get you! Meeru will be gone tomorrow. Who will protect you then...whore?" Gag spluttered as he lay on the ground with his knees up. Una turned around, with the basket on her hip and kicked him under his knees, making them collapse and said, "Me."
Gag's friends collectively jumped off their bikes. Some leapt to his aid and the others moved to impede her from walking away.
"Don't touch her boys! She will pay later. I'll make sure she does."
Una had walked up to Meeru and followed her into the house.
"Gag was harmless until you provoked him and made him look foolish in front of his mates. He doesn't forgive easily."
Una knew she had made herself a target for the future and inwardly cursed herself. Everything Meeru said was true. She had done the reverse of what she had been taught in her self-defence classes. Gag had come off his bike only when she summoned him with a promise of a kiss. She felt sick inside. The jungle was enough of a threat for her without her complicating her situation even more. Una looked over to Meeru who just shook her head and gestured to a passing servant to relieve Una of the garlands of flowers.
"Never mind Gag for now, come with me to my room, I have been waiting patiently for you."
Sheepishly, Una complied with Meeru's wishes and followed her.
"Lock the door behind you and come sit on the chair facing my bed."
Una quietly followed the instructions. She thought Meeru had invited her in to talk to her but she hadn't. Instead she sat on a stool and began to draw Una on a miniature canvas! Una burst out laughing.
"Seriously Meeru, you can't possibly be painting a portrait of me hours before you are meant to get married?"
"Please don't talk. It's not as if you can go out right now. Consider sitting for me as a wedding present."
"But why would you want a portrait of me?"
Meeru ignored her question and instead picked up a well-used wooden palette with dried acrylic dollops of paint. Una gave up and silently followed Meeru's quick brush strokes and rapid eye movement as she looked from Una's face to the canvas. A few times Meeru sized her with her hands whilst she placed her brush in her mouth.
Una squirmed when some of the black paint smudged the base of Meeru's hennaed palm.
Meeru reacted to her outburst angrily. "Damn you Una! You've made me extend a short line with your squeal."
Una apologised.
"The henna is not important and won't spoil, but the miniature painting will be ruined if you squeal like that and make me lose my concentration. The painting must be perfect."
Una did not dare to move, not even when Meeru's sisters-in-law and college friends knocked on the door,
"Ignore them. In the next hours they will have my attention and to please them I will marry a man I have never seen or met. We can't all be lucky like you and Avi."
Me and Avi?
"There is no Avi and me."
Meeru shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps, but I saw a change in him when you came. In a big family like this it would be unusual for all members to be equally loved. Avi was a loner and spent his time studying or reading, generally staying out of everyone's way. But when you came he began to smile."
"Meeru it's all irrelevant. He's not coming back and you lied. He has not joined the army."
Meeru's paintbrush stilled in the air.
"Meeru, I know the truth. I spoke to him today."
Meeru's brush dropped on to the floor. "You can't have spoken to him unless...oh no it's too soon!" Meeru's panicked and looked her up and down. "When did you grow so fast?"
"Meeru, you're not making sense but it's a shame you couldn't have told me the truth. Never mind I've got to go," Una rose from her chair.
"Wait, I have a goodbye present for you."
Before Una could get to the door Meeru pushed a kitten into her arms.
"I don't like cats, I hate them!" Una said and placed the kitten on the floor.
Meeru looked at her in shock and dismay.
People were banging on the door. Before Meeru could accost her again, Una unbolted the door and walked out.
"Una Wait,"
She didn't.
Just as she made it to the gate, a sister-in-law of Meeru's called out to her and handed her a bag. "For you... wedding clothes, Papa say thank you for helping. Meeru forget?"
Una could see the lady was struggling to make herself understood and reluctantly took the clothes from her.
Next, she headed for the only sanctuary from the wedding she could find – her grandfather's roof. Una placed the gift bag down as she picked the padlock on the door. When she rose, she noticed that the bag was moving. Curious, Una stared into it and found mottled green eyes returning her stare. Gingerly, Una placed her hand at the back of the creature's neck, grasping its loose skin close to its ear to lessen the chances of it struggling and held it in front of her. Her friend Charlie would have thought it cute with its little rounded ears and furry white face with black markings. But Una wasn't fooled. Cute kittens grew to become vicious cats.
One of the Rao sisters was calling for her. Una placed the kitten down as she whispered to it, "If I were you I would disappear before I come back later. Do that thing of climbing down and roaming the Earth as if you own it... just don't come back."
Closing the roof door behind her, Una left, missing the piece of paper on the top of the stairs where the bag lay on its side.