The car was speeding down the highway; she snuggled closer to him. The breeze whistling in through the open window was cool against her skin and she shivered. Moti didn’t close the windows: he must have felt the breeze invigorating.  

Moti had always enjoyed cold, like the cool air of Nilgiris. He must have been six or seven when he joined the school there and fell in love with the place. After graduating he had gone back on vacations, on business, with family, with friends. He never let go a chance to visit ‘his favorite spot on earth’, as he called it. And there, he always visited his Uncle Joseph and family. It was during one such visit that he saw her.

He was playing tennis with Ranjit at that time. She and her sister Minnie were accompanying Aunt Maggie on her daily evening walk round the park. Aunt Maggie stopped near the tennis court for a minute watching them play. Ranjit caught sight of them, shouted: “Hi mom! Hi Lili! Hi Minnie”, and continued to play without breaking the tempo of the game. Ranjit was like that, always boisterous, always loud.

Moti,who was playing with him  caught the ball in his hand and stepped out of the court to come to them.  “Hello Aunt Maggie! “ He smiled at them.  The sweat on his forehead glistened, like diamonds in the evening sun. His eyes too. For a minute he stood gazing at her and then suddenly looked away. Wasn’t it rude to stare? 

Aunt Maggie returned his greeting and then introduced them.

“Meet Lili and Minnie” she said, “Rebecca’s girls” 

Moti said politely: “Hello Lili, Minnie…” 

By then Ranjit had started yelling: “C’mon man…    Or are you abandoning the game… as you are losing?” 

“Is it so? …” Moti retorted.  “Let’s see who loses…”. He stepped back into the court. And as he did so, he raised his racquet in a gesture of ‘See you Soon’ that only Lili understood. 

Another day they had been out in the park, with their mother, when Minnie said to Lili: “I think that guy likes you” 

“Who?”, Lili feigned ignorance though she knew exactly who Minnie meant. She herself had felt the heat of that gaze falling like sharp needles at her nape. 

“Turn around and look behind you”, Minnie said.

Moti stood behind them on the terrace, watching them.  Evening in the evening gloom, Lili thought she saw his lips move ‘Lili’. 

In front of the gas station, Moti braked suddenly. Lili’s head hit the window. 

“O Lord! Lili, are you hurt?” His concern was touching. “Were you dozing?”  

“Umm” She nodded her head and looked out through the window.

Some kids playing out on the street caught sight of her and came closer to the car. Her snowy white color and slate grey eyes seemed to fascinate them. They stood round the car, pointing their skinny fingers at her and shouting to each other. It almost frightened her. She could not understand a word of what they were saying. 

Her mother’s words echoed in her brain. Mamma had tried to hide her tears as she bid good bye: “language, food, everything will be different in your new home. It will take some time to learn and to adjust. But remember, from now on that is your home. And they are your people…” 

The car stopped in front of Moti’s home. His parents were at the front door, as if waiting to welcome them. AS they got out of the car, she moved closer to Moti and walked a step behind him. 

“Lili, welcome home…”  Moti’s mother came down the steps and put her hand on Lili’s head. Lili saw that she was a very dignified lady. As she talked the diamonds in her earrings glittered and as she moved her hands, the heavy gold bangles tinkled. 

Moti’s father didn’t say anything. But Lili could see the affection in his eyes as he smiled at her. 

Like her mother had said, it took a long time for Lili to learn the customs and habits of her new home and the members of her new family. 

Moti’s Mom and Dad…

Peter, the chauffeur…

Mary, the maid…

Mary, the maid had resented Lili from that first day. Lili had noticed that. Lili once overheard Mary remark to Peter: “ Oh…  Always with her nose up in the air…  Getting into other people’s business…” 

Moti’s sister Molly also resented Lili, though she could never understand why. Molly’s husband was an alcoholic and could never keep a job for long. 

Moti’s Mom always urged Moti to give him some work, in the family –owned business, where Moti could keep an eye on him. 

“Isn’t it your duty to help your sister?” Mom would ask him. 

“Do you want to ruin everything that Dad and I worked so hard to build?” he would retaliate.

Mom would not reply to that.  Moti’s concern was legitimate. How could anyone trust an irresponsible alcoholic to run a business? 

The first few days in Moti’s house had been busy for Lili. She was the center of attraction for the neighbors and friends who dropped by to see her. The first one to visit was Gracie Matthews, their next door neighbor. 

“Where is Moti’s Lili?”, she asked no one in particular, as she walked into the elaborate drawing room of the house.  And Moti’s Mom seemed to enjoy it all. Mom introduced Lili to Ms. Matthews and embarked on Lili’s family history which she loved to narrate to all.  “Rebecca… Lili’s mother… is from England… You should have seen her when she was younger… She was stunning! Even now,…”  

As the narrative continued, Lili stole away and slipped quietly back into Moti’s room. 

One evening Moti was late returning from office and Lili sat patiently on the front steps waiting for him to return. It had become quite dark and she was worried. “He must be out with friends...”  Moti’s Mom said trying to pacify her fears. But, Lili refused to leave those steps. She sat there, outside, looking out onto the road, waiting for him to come home. She fell asleep for a while. The sound of a car stopping and slamming of its door gave her a rude shock. Soon Moti was coming up the steps, calling “Lili, Lili… “

Yes. It had become a pattern, a habit, a kind of ritual. Whenever he came in, however late, he would come up the front steps calling ‘Lili’ and she would be right there to greet him. 

Moti’s mother did not ever approve Lili making friends in the neighborhood. One day while Lili was in the backyard, she saw Toni, their next door neighbor on the other side of the fence. Lili had met Toni when she and Moti had gone out. Moti always stopped to speak with hm. Toni saw her, smiled and said: “Hi Lili, how are you?” 

But before Lili could respond, Moti’s mother called from inside the house. 

It was obvious she had seen Toni and did not want Lili to talk to him.

Lili turned, without a word, and walked back to where Moti’s mom stood waiting. As Lili approached, she said in a loud voice, loud enough for Toni to hear: “ Lili, pick friends wisely… not everyone in the neighborhood comes of good stock…” 

That morning….

Lili woke up feeling strange…  Something pressed heavily on her…Something dark and horrid, like the fog that sometimes descends to cast a pall on Nilgiris…

 Memories came flooding into her mind. Her home, Uncle Joseph’s home…

And Moti playing with Ranjit…

The pictures swam before her eyes, refusing to go away…

As Moti set out for office, her agitation grew. She followed him to the car and watched as he drove away… Dust rose like a fog and hid the car from her view. And then the dust seemed to travel backward towards her and envelop the whole house like a shroud…

Lili couldn’t breathe… She couldn’t see… She staggered…

Moti’s Mom and even Mary noticed her distress.  “ Lili, Lili, are you allright? “ 

She could only look at them, with horror in her eyes. 

She moved away from them, she felt all alone. Then the tears started. She didn’t realize her silent sobs had turned to loud wailing until Mom and Mary ran to her asking: “What is wrong? “

“This is very strange…”  Mary muttered under her breath. She brought Lili some water. Lili heard Mary beginning to recite ‘Hail Mary’

Then suddenly, 

Moti’s car entered the driveway. At the wheel was someone from the office. Moti’s Mom opened the door of the house and Mary stood with her. The man got out of the car and stood at the doorstep, without entering, with his hat in his hand. Another car drove in and screeched to a halt. It was Molly with her husband. 

And, Moti’s mother screamed… 

Then, one by one, they came… 

Gracie Matthews, neighbors, friends, co-workers, relatives, the parish priest…

The house filled up.... 

When the hearse stopped in front of the house and the black limo following it opened its door for the family, Lili walked mechanically towards it. Molly helping her mother into the car turned and muttered: “Damn… take the damned dog away…” 

Molly’s husband turned. Bur before his dirty fingers could touch, before his foul breath fell on her face, Lili turned … 

With bowed head and tail hanging down she walked away

Away… away from the house 

Away from the house her master had left.