Paying Guest Part 1

 

THE PAYING GUEST

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

 

PART 1 – NISHA

 

My name is Nisha.

 

I am 42 years old – a single woman – a divorcee.

 

My husband left me 10 years ago – for another woman – his office colleague.

 

After divorcing me – he married that woman – and both of them migrated to Australia – to live a “Better Life” over there.

 

It was an amicable divorce. 

 

I was magnanimous.

 

When I realized that my husband did not love me – but he loved another woman – I stepped aside – and I let my husband fully enjoy and satiate his love unhindered.

 

My husband was magnanimous too.

 

He gave me the bungalow we lived in – which he had inherited.

 

And – he let me have our daughter – full custody – with no strings attached.

 

Of course – he gave me a generous amount of money as final settlement – which I put in a fixed deposit – whose interest was enough for me and my daughter to live a reasonably comfortable life – so – I did not have to look for a job – and I could continue my “hobby” of creative writing sitting at home.

 

My home – the bungalow my husband gave me – the bungalow I live in – is a good one – in the most “posh” locality of the city.

 

There are 4 rooms on the ground floor – 2 bedrooms with attached toilets – a study – and a dining room-cum-kitchen.

 

On top – adjoining the terrace – there is a “guest” room – a rather spacious room with an attached toilet.

 

And – the bungalow is surrounded by quite a sizeable garden – a lawn and flower garden in front – trees on the sides – and – a kitchen garden behind.

 

I did not re-marry – maybe – because I wanted to bring up my daughter – or maybe – because it just didn’t happen – I made no special effort – and – no one came along who showed a particular interest in marrying me.

 

So – today – I live happily in my bungalow along with my 21 year old daughter – and yes – we have a “paying guest” who stays in the “guest room” on top.

 

And – for the last few days – I am worried.

 

I am worried because I sense that there is something going on between the “Paying Guest” and my daughter – Akanksha.

 

 

PART 2 – AKANKSHA

 

My name is Akanksha.

 

“Akanksha” means desire.

 

Maybe my parents always “desired” a girl – so that’s why they named me Akanksha.

 

Or – maybe – “Akanksha” sounded like a combination of their two names – Akash and Nisha.

 

Anyway – I remember that we had a happy family life – my Father, my Mother, and Me – until – around 10 years ago – my father fell in love with that woman from his office – so – he divorced my mother – and he went away to Australia with that woman.

 

Actually – I didn’t understand much of what was happening that time – since I was only 10 years old – but everything happened in a very dignified way.

 

My mother brought me up – and now – I am 21 – I have finished my B.Com. – and – I am on my way to becoming a CA too.

 

Anyhow – once my father went away – we – my mother and me – we lived in our lovely bungalow.