Chapter 2

To her surprise, Mangat was standing at her door. She was shocked to see him. She didn't like him any more. He was not welcome in her flat.

Mangat said. "I know I am your culprit. But won't you even ask me to come inside."

Bindu glared at Mangat and stepped aside to give him the way to enter her room.

Mangat sat on the couch, his head bowed.

With an assertive voice, Bindu asked. "For what you have come here? We have no relation now."

Mangat looked up and said. "I know that, Bindu. I have deep regret for what I have done to you. It was my fault that I left a wife like you waiting while I messed with that whore, Kamoo."

Bindu was standing silently in the corner, not looking towards Mangat.

Mangat continued. "I know I don't deserve forgiveness, but I am pleading for it. Trust me, I have left all the bad things behind. No more wine or gambling, and no more Kamoo, too. I don't know why it took me to all these adverse things to see my faults. Now I have improved, Bindu. I am running a sugar mill in the village. I miss you a lot. If you accept, we can again start our new life."

Bindu stiffened her back. "No Mangat! How can I forget the sufferings I bore while living with you? You can not understand the feelings of a wife when her husband overlooks her and sees pleasure in another woman. Everything has finished now. I have no more feelings for you."

Mangat begged his ex-wife one more time. "I have come here with a hope, Bindu. Please reconsider your decision."

Bindu forcefully replied. "I think we should not discuss this anymore. Even if I forgive your wrongs, I will never consider living with you again. Now, get out!"

Mangat wanted to say something, but didn't speak. He had never had a woman put him in his place like that. He made his way out of Bindu's door and out of her life.

The next morning Bindu got up early. She had an early flight to New York with the company CEO and his secretary. Mr. Ebbeler was a disciplined man. He sent a car to her flat, so they would be sure to leave on time. It was going to be a long flight.

When their flight finally reached JFK airport in New York City the sun was shining brightly. A little girl, who was accompanied by a servant of Mr. Ebbeler, met them. He was surprised to see his daughter at the airport. She came running to him and leapt up to him. He easily took her joyfully up into his arms and hugged and kissed her.

Mr. Ebbeler asked his daughter. "Julia, why have you come to the airport?"

The servant spoke up. "Sir, Julia insisted on seeing you at the airport."

Mr. Ebbeler smiled and said. "Honey, I would have come to home soon."

Julia, in her sweetest voice, told him. "No Daddy! The last time when you went out to go to your office, you didn't come home. You went to the airport and flew far away. You've been gone so long."

Mr. Ebbeler kissed little Julia again and sat her down. "Ok honey, then let's go home together."

Looking towards Bindu, Mr. Ebbeler said. "Miss Bindu, you must be tired after such a long journey. You can take the rest the day off and come to the office tomorrow."

The company limo and its driver were waiting outside.

He told his secretary, "Mr. Brown, will you please take the company limo and see that Ms. Bindu gets safely to her apartment. I will see you at office later."

Mr. Ebbeler then had his personal car to take him and his daughter along with the servant to home.

Meanwhile, Mr. Brown picked up their luggage from baggage claim and led a very nervous Bindu to the company limo.

The size of the stretched Lincoln was overwhelming to her at first. The young woman from a small village in India had never seen such a large car.

As they drove to Bindu's as yet unseen apartment, she asked Mr. Brown about Mr. Ebbeler and his family. "Mr. Ebbeler's daughter seems very nice. The love between them is good to see. What is her name again, please?"

Mr. Brown freely answered her questions. "Mr. Ebbeler loves Julia very much. In fact she is his only close family since his wife past away a few years ago. His parents have retired and had moved to Florida. Now he is living just for Julia."

Bindu continued. "Oh, that is very sad. I didn't know about this earlier. How did his wife die?"

"Mrs. Ebbeler had breast cancer. Mr. Ebbeler took her everywhere for treatment. They went to surgeons, doctors, clinics, churches, temples, faith healers, anyplace that offered a ray of hope. It was so sad." Mr. Brown bowed his head and softly added. "Who can resist the will of God?"

Bindu, taking a deep breath, added. "May God rest her soul."

A few minutes later they arrived at Bindu's new apartment. To her pleasant surprise, Mr. Brown carried her luggage as they rode the elevator up to her 10th floor apartment. "Good luck at your new job, Ms. Bindu. I am sure you will do well working here in New York. I must go now. Mr. Ebbeler is expecting me. Oh, do you know where the company offices are?"

"No, Sir. I have never been here before. Would you please tell me how to find them?"

Mr. Brown laughed and walked to the nearest window. He held out his hand to the shy girl who joined him to peer out the window. With a bit of a laugh, Mr. Brown said. "The offices are right there." He indicated a large building directly across the street from Bindu's apartment.

Bindu giggled and said. "Thank you, Mr. Brown. I think I will be able to find my way to work tomorrow morning." Mr. Brown then told the girl good-bye, and left for the office.

Bindu was left to unpack and explore her new home. She had been used to having only one room. Much of her life she had shared a room with family members and later, her friend Manju. Now she had an entire apartment to herself. Though it was small by American standards, the furnished apartment was huge to Bindu. She had a good sized kitchen with all the utensils she'd need, a separate bedroom, and a living room. Her bathroom was nearly as large as the room she had shared with her younger sister. Bindu thought to herself. 'I think I will like living in New York.'

It didn't take much time for her to get involved with the staff in the New York office. In a week or so, Bindu was liked by everyone in the office for her politeness and devotion to her work. She had been appointed the leader of a group of co-workers responsible for a special project. As the deadline for her project neared, she worked late into the evening to complete it. When Mr. Ebbeler saw the project team was a little behind schedule and Bindu's dedication to her work, he asked if she would like to come to his house at night so that they could complete the project on time.

Bindu agreed, and Mr. Ebbeler sent the driver to pick her up after work. She was astounded when she saw Mr. Ebbeler home. It was a huge two story stone house. It sat on several acres of well tended lawn that was dotted with oak and maple trees. The long curved drive was lined with perfectly trimmed shrubs. It wasn't until several days later that she saw the large and beautifully kept flower garden behind the house.

For the next several evenings, driver picked her up after work and returned her to her apartment later at night. Bindu worked with Mr. Ebbeler in his home office. She felt privileged just to be in such a beautiful home.

One evening Mr. Ebbeler had been detained in a meeting at his office and wouldn't be home until much later. Bindu took a taxi and went to Mr. Ebbeler' house somewhat earlier than usual. When she arrived, Julia was fussing with the servant. She did not want to eat dinner without her father. Bindu, who had begun working when she was disturbed by the noise. She came out of the office investigate the disturbance.

The servant apologized to Bindu for the interruption. "I'm sorry Miss Bindu. Julia is having a fit. She doesn't want to eat without her father. She can sure be stubborn when she wants to be."

"Let me speak with her." Bindu replied. She had always been good with children. The servant nodded approval and Bindu approached her boss' child.

"No dear." Bindu cooed to the child. "Good children never cause trouble for anyone. Please, eat your dinner."

"No! I won't eat until Daddy comes home." The girl pouted.

"Do you want to please your daddy?" "Yes." Julia nodded.

"Then please accept my request. Your daddy has some work to finish at the office. He might come home late, but he will be coming home tonight. So eat your dinner. You have to get ready for bed soon. You have to get up early to go to the school. Your daddy will be happy to see you have eaten and in bed when he comes in."

"You talk funny." The girl cocked her head as she spoke.

"Julia!" the servant admonished the young child.

Bindu looked at the servant. "It is alright, sir. To Julia, I probably do talk funny."

She then addressed Julia, "I do talk differently than most others people here in New York. Not funny, just different from everyone else. Well, maybe just a little bit funny." Bindu smiled broadly at the child.

Julia wrinkled up her nose then grinned at Bindu.

"I don't like eating by my self. I like to have someone to talk to while I eat. Will you eat with me?" Julia gave the reason.

"Ok dear, as you wish." Bindu smiled at the little girl as the servant brought Bindu's dinner. Bindu and Julia chatted as they ate.

Bindu answered Julia's many questions about her accent and where she had come from. The servant brought the globe from Julia's room to the dinning room. Bindu pointed out the area in India where her home village was located.

Because of business involvements and meetings, Mr. Ebbeler, frequently got late in the night. Julia was beginning to warm to Bindu and liked to have dinner with her.

A few days later, Mr. Ebbeler suggested that Bindu might like to stay at his home until the project was complete. "This is a big old house. We have several spare bedrooms, and you would not have to travel to and from your apartment in the night. After office hours you can come here directly. Julia would like to have you here," he hesitated briefly, smiled, then continued, " ... and so would I."

Bindu accepted the offer. Mr. Brown took her to retrieve the things she would need from her apartment. Julia enjoyed Bindu's company and Bindu would sometimes help the child with her schoolwork. Sometimes, while waiting for Mr. Ebbeler, they played together after Julia finished her schoolwork. Bindu was feeling a growing closeness to Julia. She seemed to feel that Julia had some relationship with her from a past life. Her affections for Mr. Ebbeler were growing too.

One night, when Julia had gone to bed, and Bindu was waiting for Mr. Ebbeler, the servant entered the office.

"Julia has become a very obedient girl since you have been here. Thank you, Ma'am."

"Julia is a sweet girl. Anyone who talks with her, will feel close to her." Bindu responded.

"But, Julia needs a mother."

"Yes! Mr. Brown told me that Mrs. Ebbeler died from breast cancer."

"I still remember those miserable days. I've been working for this family since Phillip, err, Mr. Ebbeler, was a boy. I watched him become a man, and I watched him take over the business when his father retired. He had become quite successful. Then about four years ago when Simone died, he changed."

The servant nervously kicked at the carpet with his toe for moment before continuing. He realized he would be violating his employer's confidence in him if he discussed the family's private affairs.

The servant then continued. "Julia was only two when her mother died. She doesn't even remember her mother's face, except from photographs. Phillip was a broken man then. He loved his wife very much. It was a real jolt to him. I've never seen him so distraught in the 30 years I've known him. He used to spend long hours alone in his darkened room. Phillip was so depressed that he even stopped going to the company office. Life was meaningless to him. His friends advised him to find a nice girl, remarry, and start a new life. But he loved Simone so much that he would never even consider a second marriage."

The servant stared at the floor for several moments. "It took him six months to get out of his depression. In passing, I mentioned to him that maybe he should put his attention on his to relieve his pain. He had to live for his daughter. Shortly there after, he began to focus on Julia and got back to looking after the business."

When the servant stared into Bindu's eyes, tears were perched on his eyelids ready to spill down his cheeks. He swallowed hard.

Bindu felt her heart was heavy with sadness at his tale. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead, she had to take a deep breath to calm her pounding heart.

At last she muttered. "Oh God, what a tragedy for Mr. Ebbeler."

The servant, knowing he had revealed far too much of a personal nature about his employer, took a deep breath. Slowly, he backed out of the office. Bindu was left with sadness in her heart for her employer and his young daughter.

Left alone in the home office, Bindu found herself staring at a framed photo of Mr. Ebbeler' first wife, Simone. Running her fingers over the glass that covered Simone's portrait, Bindu saw that Simone's face was very much like her own. Except for Bindu's long black hair and light tan skin, she and Simone looked a lot alike.