be excited for a future that to me was completely unclear.
"Well, I… Where am I going?" I asked meekly.
"Manu will explain everything to you on the way. Come, darling a limousine is waiting outside for you!" Father exclaimed.
My eyes began to flood then, as I felt rushed and more confusion. "Wh- What? Father? Mother? Will you be coming with me?" I asked, terror creeping into my voice.
Mother giggled charmingly. "Not this time love, but we will be visiting you soon. And you us." She reached out to catch a tear as if fell down my face. " Shhh, there now, don't cry child," mother said sweetly. "Trust me, this is a happy day! A WONDERFUL day!" On that note, father swept my mother up into his arms and danced her about my room, an unheard of demonstration of affection from them.
"Should I pack?" I asked.
Father draped his arm over my shoulder. "No need, Gita. Where you're going, everything you could ever possibly desire will be provided for you. Now come. Manu awaits."
***
In the back of the limousine I perched primly on a seat across from Manu. I cried pitifully and he watched me awkwardly not having any idea what to do. "Gita? Why do you cry so? It is me, Manu! Your oldest friend!"
I glared at Manu angrily. "I haven't spoken to you in nearly ten years, at my parents' demand. And now out of the blue, you show up, and they turn me over to you happily? Why? Where are you taking me? Who are you now? I am just… So… CONFUSED!" I wailed.
Manu folded his hands calmly in his lap. He regarded me patiently, understanding then, my emotional unfolding. "Well, let us begin at the beginning," Manu stated in the funny way he sometimes had of speaking. Suddenly I recalled Manu as he'd been when we were childhood friends. Before that odd summer when he'd briefly disappeared and come back changed. "I work for the Governor of Assam, Shekhar Kulkarni."
I gasped. "You do?" I asked him in awe as I saw my friend in yet another new light. "You're a political official?"
"Well, I, uh… Not exactly. I'm more of a… Personal assistant. I manage his personal affairs. In addition to the governor of our state, he is a wealthy businessman and tremendously busy person in general. So, I help him keep his home in order."
I stared wide eyed, awestruck by my old friend. "That is very exciting, Manu. I'm happy for you and proud of you… That you've achieved this status already in your life."
Manu sighed, gazing wistfully out the window for a moment. "It isn't necessarily what I strove for, Gita. This is a life I was prepared for since birth. Not unlike yourself."
My smile fell away and I once again felt the emotion bubbling. "More mystery. I don't know what you're talking about! What life was I born into? What life were YOU born into? Manu," I plead desperately, "where exactly are you taking me?"
With a quick glance over his shoulder to confirm the driver was otherwise occupied, Manu reached across the distance between us and covered my hand with his own. "Gita, you are safe. I personally will take care of you, I promise. Please, don't cry. Don't be afraid."
I pulled my hand away and crossed my arms grudgingly over my chest, staring petulantly out the window, no longer interested in speaking to Manu.
It didn't take long before we were slowly pulling into a huge, circular driveway in front of a grand mansion, practically a palace. Again, I began to tremble. The limousine stopped outside double front doors that must've been ten feet tall at least. A gorgeous exotic looking older woman stood by the front door, watching us arrive. Manu leapt from the limousine and ran around to open my door. He offered me a hand which I ignored as I stepped from the car.
"Gita," Manu said with a smile, "welcome to your new home."
Part 2
"You may be right, Manu," said the woman at the front door as we approached. "You may