INAYAT

The Favour

Noor

I stand in front of my uncle's luxurious mansion. This mansion is situated in a posh area . all the wealthy people live in this area. the mansion itself is larger than life surrounded by a beautiful garden  .

I enter through the big wooden doors . this place looks like its some sort of palace . I smile thinking how happy uncle must have been while buying this , it was his dream to have a  big house of his own .

My smile falls when I look around and notice a big picture of my aunt at the wall in front . she is smiling , it is a fake one , like the ones she used to trap uncle into her web of lies .
Right now as i stare at that frame , it feels like she is taunting me . I want to throw up .

I look away trying to control my emotions and to  stabilize thoughts .
A woman in her 40s approaches me with a smile .

"Are you Mr. Mehta's niece? "She asks sweetly .

" y-yes" I answer nervously .

It feels wierd. Uncle used to call me his daughter before everything happened .
so now  niece? Why?

Does he hate me that much ?

My heart aches at that thought . but I focus back on the lady who is still smiling and staring at .

"What is your name?" she asks .

"Noor." I murmur.

"You are Noor ? That Noor I heard so much about ." she says excitedly . and holds my hand .

Heard so much about ? From who ? Were they good things or bad things ?

I have so many questions . but I don't ask anything. I don't want to scare her off . she seems like a nice lady .

"Oh wait , I forgot to introduce myself . my name is  Farida . I am the head maid of this house ." she says while she directs me towards the beige luxurious sofas which are in the center of the living room . 
The sofas are just beside the large photo frame of aunt. It feels like she is watching over me . glaring at me like she used to do after beating me .

I sit uncomfortably with an awkward smile on my face . as Farida ji goes to bring me some tea and snacks , I look around trying to ignore the aunt's photo that makes me suffocate . this house is filled with many  things of aunt . the colours of walls are the ones that were her favourite. The furniture is exactly the same as she used to describe of how her future house would be .

My Uncle loved aunt a lot .

But she never loved him back .
I know that because sometimes when she used to beat me up , she used to call me by his name . and then she would get more angry .
She had nothing but anger towards him always.
I still can't decipher what was the reason behind that anger .

Even if she used to hate him , she manipulated him a lot with the sweet image she put on , in front of him .

I wanted to tell uncle all this but she never let me be alone with him . she was always watching us.

Even now , when she is not here , she still has left a mark on our lives that can never be removed . its like she is still here .

I am drawn out of my thoughts as Farida Ji returns with tea and snacks .
I awkwardly drink the tea while looking around trying to find uncle .

As if sensing my confusion, Farida ji says "He is not here, he is upstairs resting in his room . I was told to send you upstairs after you have freshened up ."

"Oh ok" I say passing her an awkward smile .

I finish the tea and then Farida ji takes me to the guest room .  I freshen up and then sit at the edge of the bed .

Saying that I am nervous would be an understatement. I am freaking out .
Meeting Uncle after everything that happened is frightening.
After all the lies , aunt filled him up with , he hates me a lot . i know that very well . but I don't know how I will handle his hate towards me .
In the past , no matter what happened , uncle never used to scold me . he was always sweet to me . that night , on the call was the first time , I heard that harsh tone of his .
At that time too , it was at call so he couldn't see me sobbing and having a panic attack through phone .

What if I have a breakdown again ?

What if I have a panic attack in front of him ?

√√√√√

After some time Farida Ji came to fetch me to Uncle's room .
I keep chanting my mantra in my head.

I will not break .
I will not let anyone see me breaking apart .
No not again .

I enter uncle's room , my body shivering .
Uncle's room is luxurious like the rest if the mansion . a king sized bed is placed in the centre . on the further left is a huge balcony . it is filled with daisies . her favorite.

Uncle is sitting on a rocking chair near the balcony . luckily , he is facing away , I wouldn't have been able to bear  the  disapproving look that he would have given me .

I close the door behind me and stand close to it .
The room is filled with pictures of aunt . 
Its getting hard to breath . I fidget with my hands trying to distract my thoughts .

"You must have gotten the message .I am dying ." suddenly uncle says making me startled . his voice is stern and a bit weary because of his age . I still can't digest the fact that uncle , my uncle is dying .

When I got the call , I was in a shock and quickly packed my bag to come here . I didn't give my brain the time to process it .

The only person I have in this world , is also leaving me .

Even if he hated me for the past five years , still he was there even if away from me . he was safe , living his life .

But now god is even taking him from me .

Why god ? Why do you take everyone that i love ?

I push myself out of the unreasonable  thoughts .

"Yes" I whisper .

"I will be straightforward. If you have even an ounce of respect left for me then "
He stops in mid sentence and turns his head and with a sharp glare he says

"Marry the eldest son of Singhanias "

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-yours not so truly
Darkrose.