Winter meant tucking herself good in the quilt and lying for hours before sleep took Suhasini to her dreamland. Life had been good to her. A popular novelist had her share of fame when she was in her 30th year of bloom. At 66 it was a solitary life spent in the company of editors, house-help, and her plants. Bengaluru was a retreat whenever she felt a little jaded and lost. Richmond Circle in Bengaluru filled her from within and helped her reflect on a deeper level. Her only son Vikrant, now 34 lived with his wife Anupama and daughter Pinaki in Chicago, USA. Summer holidays meant exploring newer places abroad. India was never in the picture ever. Video calls and Skype interactions filled those anxious spells for the trio. As for Suhasini, these timely glimpses acted as an elixir for sagging spirits. Prashant, her husband of 20 years, had married another woman, his secretary after their divorce in the 21st year. It was a hassle-free separation that did not go to court and things had settled for good amicably. Prasant loved money and Suhasini was a romantic at heart. This was enough reason to call it quits. His foreign trips aided in infidelity as for days Suhasini was away on research to places for her novels. Vikrant’s childhood was spent in the company of maids, cooks, drivers, and gardeners. Most of the time he was in a boarding school and it was best for him he felt. At least this way he did not have to witness numerous fights between his parents. Vikrant was an heir to their fortunes but he hated it all. They both gave him everything but time. 

Suhasini had loved the boy who lived next door in Mukherjee Nagar in Delhi. Her childhood was colorful because of him. But he was the son of a painter. His father painted houses and earned his living. Mr. Sharma was a barrister and he was livid when he had learned that his only daughter had such feelings. Without losing time he left the area and planted himself in Greater Kailash, a very porsche locality of Delhi. This broke his daughter’s heart and it never could be mended again. She poured her soul into her writeups and this helped her find her calling. Most of the school and college saw her winning many awards for the same. She buried her heartache in her stories and poetry. An all-girls school and college had no romantic escapades and the moment she turned 21 she was married off to a hotelier. Vikrant was an unwanted child but by the time his mother learned she was carrying a baby it was too late. Pregnancy had totally shut her and added to the distance between the couple. The void had no trumpets and lives kept rolling. Parent-teacher meetings helped Vikrant see his parents together and that was it. Suhasini had no guilt on the contrary. The guilt of shirking her responsibility of rearing and caring for her only son had surfaced much later in life. Limelight has a very short shelf life. Arthritis slowly deprived her of penning her thoughts. Crowds, praise, awards stopped exciting her. Health started to deteriorate and made her realize what really mattered. Then such escapades to Bengaluru brought peace. 

Dheeraj was hungry for a good life. Empty houses had a lot of scope. His mission was to steal valuables and run without a trace. Shoplifting from MG road shops was not fetching much. He ought to widen his horizon if he desired a steady inflow of cash. Stealing was the only option as he was not educated. He wanted easy money without hard work. His parents worked in a bangle-making factory in Firozabad and that did not make ends meet. His greed for a good life had brought him to Bengaluru. Bengaluru is the silicon valley of India. Multinational companies were on a boom. Dheeraj saw an opportunity and with the help of a friend he shifted to Bengaluru when he was 28. IT professionals made good money and weekends were a getaway for them mostly. Weekends meant empty houses and empty houses had moolah. It turned out to be a perfect destination for Dheeraj who was now in his early thirties. Twenty years of his life he slogged as a driver of a call center and before that he assisted his father in the factory but life was more than this and he wanted to change his destiny. A few unlawful acts can do no harm. Winter had long nights. The longer the night, the better it was for him to hunt more houses. Winter in its eeriness and cold milieu was the perfect setup. Richmond Circle got his attention when his friend was asked to drop by for a facelift of an old sofa. His friend Kamal was a carpenter and Kamal needed a hand with the furniture. Dheeraj willingly obliged and had accompanied Kamal. Pretty soon Richmond Circle gave Dheeraj a lot of ideas for his next loot. 

2002 was a significant year in Suhasini’s life. She had bought her fourth house in Bengaluru. The other three were in London, Australia, and Jaipur. Various moods led her to spend quality time in each one of them off and on. The Bengaluru house was closest to her heart as she got it constructed the way she liked it. Other houses were just milestones with no personal touch of hers. For a change, she wanted the whole house to herself. The house-help was asked to stay in their quarters for the rest of the night post-dinner. The breeze was serene and comforting. The balcony of her room witnessed a beautiful moonlight. Trees gave her company and leaves danced. The wet wind demanded a shawl. The rocking chair invited her to rest after a sumptuous dinner. As she sat she shouted, “You can come out from hiding behind the trees young man. I am all alone and no threat. I saw you jumping the wall from the dinner table and that’s when I decided to disperse my staff for a rendezvous with you.”

Dheeraj was shocked. How did she know I was here? He still did not move an inch and waited.

“You are wasting your time and mine. Let’s get over it all quickly. What dire needs have got you to get in this muck that you have got yourself stuck in? You lousy coward, bring yourself here and speak. I don’t have the whole night. I am in a hurry to uncork the mystery. Oblige will you?” Suhasini shouted again.

There was no escape. He was found and before it got worse he had to act. Without much thought Dheeraj alighted from behind the trees and saw Suhasini. 

A grey-haired woman with average height draped in a woollen night suit sat in front of him. Almond-shaped eyes, fuller lips, and high cheekbones defined her arresting face. Fine wrinkles decorated her lip area. She looked very much in charge but the vibe was somber and a little unsettling. Dheeraj stood still and had a look around. A chandelier on the roof shimmered in the semi-lit room. Walls were adorned with costly paintings and lamps. A lavish king-size bed with a ruffled up quilt in fine print awaited Suhasini’s presence. The room had a fragrance that reminded him of lavender. The woman sure had taste as the silken curtains painted a very luxurious retreat. 

Dheeraj stammered, ‘I thought the house would be empty being a weekend but finding you as the only occupant was no threat. So I waited for you to sleep and do my bit and leave Mam. I meant no harm. A few things from your grand house would do me a lot of favor.”

To her surprise, Suhasini said, “Oh! So you are not here to kill me, is it? Just a plain robbery of valuables and you would be gone. I see.”

“Yes, that’s what my plan was but I think now I am at your mercy,” added Dheeraj. 

A contemplative Suhasini was quiet for a while and then spoke, “What if I pay you handsomely to kill me? 

“I am no killer, mam. My only addiction is to steal, sell and be merry without any trace till I get what I want.” Dheeraj cut her short.

“What is it that you want?” Suhasini asked.

“A life like yours with all the luxuries at my feet.” smiled Dheeraj.

Suhasini never wanted anyone to have the life she had. Money was at her feet, yes. Health was deteriorating each passing minute. She was surviving on medicines with a restricted diet. Her own son never made an effort to meet her all thanks to her initial abandonment of him in his growing up years. She never could love anybody the way she loved her childhood buddy.  Fame kissed her feet but there was no one to appreciate it nor share the success. Born with a silver spoon but no genuine friends were around to make it all a memorable affair. A divorce was inevitable. She missed her mom who had died while giving birth to her. That childhood pal understood her more than anyone ever could but he was shunned from her life leaving darkness within. The owner of four houses, a successful novelist, and a famous entity just did not add up to anything. She still felt deprived. She lived in a self-made cocoon.

 
Gathering her thoughts Suhasini with a sarcastic smile put across a proposal to a lean man who stood in front of her, “Take all the cash you want but kill me. You will not be given to the police if you do this for me.”

Is the woman mad Dheeraj thought to himself. With a confused expression on his face, Dheeraj questioned, “Why? What is the burden on your heart that you just want to exit this world and put it all on me madwoman?”

“Mind your language, will you? You could be in jail if you don’t obey me, young man. Your life is in my hands.”

“Give me to the dogs, but I won’t kill you. Come what may,” interjected Dheeraj.

A sumptuous dinner may change his mind, Suhasini offered him food but to no avail. Dheeraj was well fed. He flatly refused. A lanky fella of bones and a ruffled hairstyle made him look like a decent chap with no ulterior motive at hand. He could easily be taken as an aspirant at face value. He had a cleft in his chin when she asked him to take off his mask. With a lot of hesitation, Dheeraj had obliged and Suhasini could ascertain in no time that he wasn’t a gangster but a little provocation of cash and fortunes may make him think otherwise. She tried to bribe him with fortunes to which he smiled. 

Money can buy anything but life and time. Time was becoming slow for Suhasini. She wanted an early exit from this loveless and burdensome life. When she saw that man in her garden she saw an opportunity that gave her ideas to turn it in her favor. For the money, people can do anything and by the look of it, Suhasini was sure that the man hiding behind the trees was just here for that. Little did she know that she would be flatly refused for the offer she was to make to that unknown entry in her house. Dheeraj was hungry for quick money but without any hassles. A murder meant a heavy conscience for life. Small loot from wealthy people was a guilt-free affair. A murder would jeopardize his survival. Surveillance in the house could lead the police to him. While Dheeraj was on this thought in his mind Suhasini pressed on her offer once again.

“Look, the footage of your entry in the house here I am erasing in front of you. It will be off till you leave the house after killing me. So what is stopping you stubborn man?” said Suhasini. 

“Everything is stopping me from committing something for which my conscience is not ready. You are offering me an undisclosed amount but something just doesn’t feel right. God knows what’s weighing you down for such a step but life is lived only once. Why take it before time? Ask a man how he feels when he is about to die. He would give anything to keep living and here you are asking me to take your life who has everything under the roof. Expand your horizons instead and come out of this self-destructing shell that you are living in. Your opinion may change in due time.” hissed Dheeraj.

No one had the audacity to speak to Suhasini the way she was addressed a couple of minutes ago. A complete stranger in a condescending tone was having the time of his life by having the upper hand. This shake-up was not expected. Tears started streaming down and she was uncontrollable. Dheeraj stood nonplussed. Something had finally pinched her and she just gushed. Years of restraint and mask came rolling down. Suhasini was howling. Dheeraj reached for the glass and poured water from the jar kept on the corner table and gave it to her. After a few minutes, she drank it all and kept quiet. 

“Who the hell do you think you are!” glowered Suhasini. 

“I am Dheeraj who has come to rob you but won’t give in to kill you.” added Dheeraj.

“Please leave.” commanded Suhasini.

Dheeraj couldn’t believe his luck. He was ordered to vacate the house. He apologized and in no time left the house.

 
Those were the same lines she had heard years back from the love of her life. It all came rushing back. Was Dheeraj a signal, a sign, a message from God to just put it all behind with a fresh start to life? She had all the comforts but was ungrateful. Ungrateful for a life people desired all their lives. Forces of Nature conspired yet again to show her the way through Dheeraj as earlier it was that childhood friend. Their separation years ago made her a novelist. Dheeraj’s brief stint in her life and those same words gave her hope to give life a chance and see how it unfolds. 

Two months had passed to that eventful trespass. No one in the house to date had an inkling about what had transpired that wintry night but the staff did see a few changes. Get-togethers had started happening in the house. Phone Calls had been keeping the woman of the house busy. A section of the house was revamped as a creche for the kids of neighbors. A staff was set for the same. The laughter started filling those noiseless corners of the Bengaluru house. Often Dheeraj was spotted in front of the gate of her house. He could have ended in jail but he was free as a bird. It was enough a reason to resume his job as a driver after that eventful night.  A meaningful exchange of expressions always happened between Dheeraj and Suhasini from a distance and that was it. It seems that night was an eye-opener and a gift to each other.