Heena was anxious. She woke up late today, so now she had very less time to approach the well and fill the utensils before the ladies from the big houses show up. “Don't worry too much, we have enough water for the both of us to survive today”, said Heena's mother Shilpi.

Shilpi was a short woman with pale skin and black hair. Her facial bone structure was immaculate, but her skin was saggy due to malnourishment. She didn't have the strength to bring herself to her two feet, much rather help Heena. Shilpi's husband died in an accident when Heena was just a newly born child. Shilpi held herself and brought up the child as a single mother. Although Shilpi's family was a lower caste whom they wouldn't even like to see, because Shilpi was still in her youth and a rather beautiful lady, the upper-classmen offered to help her with finances in exchange for sexual benefits. But Shilpi valued her sanctity more than anything else. If not for that, any woman might have given in to the offers as what Shilpi dealt with was not just mere physical hardship but also mental humiliation and to top it all a social bias. Although Shilpi never accepted any offer of help, the village men didn't believe that was the case. They refused to accept the fact that Shilpi was able to raise her child without any help. Therefore, Shilpi was exiled from the village and was forced to live in the outskirts for committing adultery and reasoning that it is putting a bad influence on the village youth.

Shilpi was barred from using the only source of clean water in the village in the presence of any villager, she was forbidden from entering the temple and threatened to be stoned to death if seen by the villagers. Shilpi's cottage wasn't even relocated as she was cast away, so she had to live in an old abandoned shack made of straw and bamboo.

Even her husband's kin refused to take her in or help her relocate, as she was considered a cursed woman.

Shilpi endured everything that was thrown at her. She never complained to anyone about the injustice she was facing, nor did she ever ask anyone for help. She would rather die than ask anyone unwilling to help. It wasn't just her self-esteem that stopped her, Shilpi didn't want to sully her husband's name and respect.

Shilpi labored all day just to get enough money to feed her daughter and maybe get some for herself. As Heena grew up, she started helping her mother out. Heena was a patient child, and somehow she had so much more matured mentality than many elders. In looks, she paled in comparison to her mother, but still as compared to most girls she could be considered a rare beauty. Her skin had a light brown tone and she had dark black hair. Her eyes similar to her mother were dark brown. She had a lean figure and her bones were better nourished than her mother's. Her facial structure was however almost identical to her mother's.

Heena never acted stubborn or obstinate with her mother. Whenever Heena saw other children in the village playing with toys, she used to completely ignore them. Although Heena never said it or asked for it, Shilpi understood that she too wanted some toys but couldn't ask her mother to buy one since she knew what Shilpi was going through. They could barely eat a two-course meal, but still, Shilpi didn't want her child to suffer and grow up with only bad memories.

One day, Shilpi kept up all night and sewed a rag doll out of a straw pillow that she used to sleep on. The next day, Shilpi went out to work after lunch and told Heena to keep watch of the house. Shilpi also instructed Heena to not cook food for the night, as she would do it herself. Shilpi returned in the evening with some stuff that she hid in her bag. She immediately told Heena to move out and not return until she calls for her. Heena was confused, but still, she moved out and waited for her call. Half an hour later, Shilpi called for Heena in a loud but elegant voice, “Heena, come in.” Heena replied with an affirmative and went inside.

As soon as Heena entered, Shilpi embraced her tightly, “Happy Birthday, my little moonlight.” Heena didn't know it was her twelfth birthday. Her joy knew no bounds, but the only reaction that could come out of her was water from her eyes. Heena cried hard as she reciprocated her mother's hug. Shilpi then presented Heena with what she had made last night. “A doll! It's so beautiful. Did you make it?”, Heena asked in a joyful tone. Shilpi nodded with the satisfaction that her daughter's happiness gave her.

Following the eventful exchange of love and hugs, the duo sat down, as for the first time they were going to have vegetables for dinner. This was the most beautiful night Heena ever had till now.

The night lasted a decade for them as Heena grew up into a youthful yet graceful woman.

 When Heena grew up to be a teenager, she started working at a building contractor's firm. She started as a manual labourer and bricklayer, but her hard work and wits were noticed early by the old manager, Sriram.

Sriram never had a daughter, so he always treated the Heena like his own. He respected Shilpi too since he knew what she had gone through, and he was one of few people who knew that Shilpi was as pure as a saint. Seeing that Heena had potential, he helped her get a promotion in the company.

At the age of 22, Heena became an overseer at the company and managed one of the company's many projects. Her daily wages were enough to last a whole week's meal. Heena talked and convinced the company's chairman to help her rebuild her house at a fairly low price. The chairman didn't hesitate much, since Heena was a valuable and hard-working employee.

They had proper living, good food, and even a few small luxuries like a Bed and Pillow. Things were now quite stable for the pair, but one thing was still amiss. Although Heena had a respectable job now, still the village elites didn't permit them to enter the village during daylight. The village was filled with rumours that Heena had charmed the manager with her beauty and that is how she got a promotion in the company. Some even went to the extent of saying that she had slept with the chairman.

“After all, her mother did the same.”

“Like mother, like daughter.”

The vicious comments of the villagers made Heena realize that she had no place in the village.

The well near Heena's cottage was the only source of fresh water for the entire Simapur. But due to the village chief's orders, Heena couldn't fetch water from it during the daylight. So instead she went there as early as three o'clock in the morning and came before the first light of the dawn. Heena never used to miss the timeline because if she did, she would have to postpone it to the next day.

Today Heena was late because she was tending to her mother till late at night as she had a slight fever. The sun was about to rise. Shilpi tried to convince Heena to stop and not go, but it was all in vain. Heena didn't listen to her. Heena worried that her mother was getting feeble day by day, and it would worsen with stale water, therefore she needed to fetch fresh water. “Don't worry, I shall return in a flash.”, Heena smiled at her mother as she headed out with containers on her head.

The morning breeze always made Heena enthusiastic. It made her forget all her stress and anxiety. She used to sing folklore and songs her mother taught her while growing up on her way to the well.

Heena reached the well as fast as she could and filled all her vessels with fresh water. The sun was about to shine, so Heena headed on her way home singing songs praising the sun god.

As she reached home, Heena was surprised to see a man inside the house sitting on a chair. The man had a sleek figure with a black colour suit on. He looked like an employee from a big company. He had a handsome face with long brown hair. Furthermore, he had pale skin and a boisterous attitude, depicting his youthfulness.

“MAA! Who is this man.”, Heena shouted as she called for her mother. “He came to the house a few moments after you left. He was looking for a place to stay for a while, but couldn't find any. So I thought maybe he could live here.”, Shilpi explained as she emerged from the kitchen with a tray with cups of tea in her trembling hands. Heena quickly grabbed the tray to prevent the tea from spilling.

“Why would you say that, you know what the villagers say about us, they will add this to the credibility of their gossip.”, Heena whispered in the ears of Shilpi as she gently pulled her near. “Should we not help out a poor man fearing that someone may talk, honey they are already talking how does it matter.”, Shilpi replied softly.

“But Maa we both live here all by ourselves, why do you think the man won't take any undue advantage of it? And isn't it possible that this man already has ulterior motives, asking a pair of lonely ladies for asylum”, Heena spoke in a low voice but didn't try to be discreet as if she intended that the man listens to her.

“Ah! Sorry, ma'am, I didn't realize that you two live alone here.”, the man got up and picked up his suitcase as he tried to apologize, “Sorry for the inconvenience. Good Day!”

Shilpi looked with regret at Heena. Heena couldn't say anything to that face. She thought for a few minutes and then, “Wait! How long are you going to stay?” she cried out loud. The man had already left, and all he heard was a scream. He started panicking as he thought something might have gone wrong. He ran towards the house at full speed in the hopes of reaching it before something bad happens.

Nothing happened, as he reached the house, all he saw were the women standing close to each other. “Ladies! What happened? Why did you scream?”, he spoke as he panted drenched in sweat. He was so tired that he instantly dropped his suitcase at the entrance and sat down on the floor, leaning his back against the wall.

“What? Nothing happened.”, both the women spoke simultaneously. “Then why did you scream?”, the man inquired as he regained his breath. “Oh, that. I just wanted to ask you, how long will you be staying?”, explained Heena. “It's just a few weeks, my company has a project nearby, and I am in charge of overseeing the project's progress and submitting an extensive report. But don't worry it's already morning, I will find a hotel or something.”, The man replied with a relieved tone.

“Listen carefully, you need to eat with us, no coming late, and you have to sleep on the floor in the drawing room. Also, you are to help bring groceries and pay for your food. If that's okay, you are free to stay here as long as you want. And remember, we don't have anything worth being stolen, so don't waste your time on that.”, Heena explained in an imposing tone followed by an elegant smile.

“Okay! By the way, my name is Santosh Basu. Nice to meet you.”, said the man as he agreed to our conditions with a giggling smile. “My name is Heena, and this is my mother Shilpi. Welcome aboard!”, Heena replied with a generous smile on her face and a welcoming gesture.

“Here, these are groceries for this week.”, Santosh said as he handed out the bag to Heena.

Heena took the bag and walked over to the kitchen. Santosh went over and sat beside Shilpi at the dining table. He looked at her in hopes of initiating a conversation, but Shilpi looked drowned in the sea of thoughts, so Santosh decided against it.

Santosh started working at East Coast Constructions at the age of nineteen and in three years, he rose to the rank of Project Inspector. Seemapur was his first visit as a Project Inspector. Here he was responsible for examining and reporting the progress of the railway station that was being built nearby the newfound coal mine.

It had been three weeks since Santosh started staying with the duo. He went out early in the morning for work and came before the moonlit. He usually brought something with him on the way, on Saturdays it was groceries and on the other days, it could have been anything like the small dining table he brought the other day. Although he got it out of goodwill, Heena decided against it. She paid half of its price with the money she had saved last month and promised to pay the rest before he left.

Seemapur visit brought Santosh fortuitous happiness. He met two beautiful yet kind ladies who let her stay at their place even though they were strangers to him. He ate, slept and laughed with them. Shilpi occasionally talked to him about her and Heena’s grind through life. She also told him about Heena’s twelfth birthday and how the latter still carries the rag doll with her when she goes to sleep. Heena repudiated every time and ran to the Kitchen with her face red out of embarrassment as Santosh and Shilpi cracked up. He was having the time of his life.

“So, how is your work going on, any progress?”, Heena asked as she served the food for everyone.

“Oh! It, it…, it is almost completed. It would only take me a week or so to prepare the report. After that, I won’t be causing more trouble to you.”, Santosh explained with a hesitant tone followed by pseudo laughter. The mood went downhill in the dining room. Nobody’s face looked happy after hearing that.

“Really! Good for you.”, Heena tried to lift the mood a bit, “You will see your family after one whole month.”

It wasn’t her fault, Santosh never told them, every time they asked about his family he brushed off the topic. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he gulped the bite. “They died! They died in a car accident when I was twenty.”, he couldn’t speak any more as he sobbed. Shilpi embosomed Santosh as he broke down. Heena felt peccant for unintentionally plucking the wrong nerve at the wrong time. She sympathized with Santosh and tried to console him, but her guilt only grew. Shilpi took Santosh to his room and laid down his bed for him. Heena too left for bed, leaving the dishes on the table. None of the three ate that night.

The next day, Santosh went to work early without saying a word to anyone. Heena too went out to work after completing her routine jobs. Shilpi was alone at home.

Heena was twenty-two years old and in a few months, she would turn twenty-three. Shilpi was getting old and feeble day by day. Heena had come of age, still she didn't have any friends nor did she ever go on any dates. Girls her age were getting married. Shilpi feared that someday she might die and leave Heena all alone. Shilpi thought about it for the whole night. Santosh had left a good impression on her. She thought of talking about it to Santosh, as he too did not have anyone to care for him. Also, Heena had become quite familiar with him, and they acted quite like good friends. So it might just turn out to be the best solution to Shilpi's problems.

Time passed and evening came, none of the two returned home. Shilpi was getting worried about them. A few more hours passed. The moon lit bright as Shilpi started having a panic attack. Suddenly, both of them showed up at the door simultaneously. Their faces were red out of embarrassment as they tried to hide it from each other. A bouquet of red roses rested in Heena’s hands. Although the situation was evident, due to her anxiety Shilpi didn’t understand what went down. Heena ran off to her bedroom without uttering a word. “What happened and why are you two coming this late and that too together?”, Shilpi asked out of frustration.

“I proposed to her!”, Santosh replied in a faint voice. Shilpi was stunned. She never thought that Santosh could pull that off. She always thought of Santosh as a frail young boy whom even Heena could bully. But Shilpi wasn’t angry with what Santosh did. After all, Santosh made her job easier. “And what did she say?”, Shilpi asked out of excitement.

Santosh was about to answer her but Shilpi stopped him, “Wait, first let's sit on the couch.”. They both sat on the couch and then Shilpi calmed down her nerves and asked, “Now tell me what happened from the start?” Although he was nervous and shy at first, nevertheless he started narrating the whole events in their chronology.

Santosh liked Heena since the day he first met her. Heena’s beauty was second to none, so that was a given, but what stole Santosh’s heart was her attitude. Her straightforward attitude and imposing tone acted as the catalyst in turning what earlier was mere attraction into passionate love. Santosh always wanted to confess his love to her, but couldn't bring himself to do it. But what happened last night made Santosh realize that if he does not make a move, he would be regretting the rest of his life. So he went out early for work. He completed all his important tasks as quickly as possible and took off an hour before usual. He went out to the market and bought the most beautiful bouquet he could find at the flower shop. Then he went straight to the company where Heena was employed. By the time he reached there, Heena was walking out of the gate. Santosh hid his bouquet in his bag and went to Heena,“ Hello! Hi…, I mean-”, Santosh was unable to muster his courage in front of the lot of people coming out of the gate along with Heena. “How dare you even think of me like that, If you don’t get lost right away I will scream and then all these people will show you what hell is like.”, was how Santosh predicted to be the case if the things go south, so he decided to propose her on the way home.

“Hey, I didn’t know you were in the area. Anything special today?”, Heena asked in a casual tone, but what Santosh heard was a menacing voice.

“No! No, I just got free early today, so I thought why don’t we go home together.”, Santosh replied in a tense voice.  “So Romantic! You are not having any naughty thoughts, are you?”, Heena asked him with a menacing look and serious tone.