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81- Not Allowed
“You need a haircut babe!” Eve lifted my hair strands and started examining them, “When was the last time you used hair
conditioner, Ash.”
“I am hell busy, Eve.” I said still engrossed in my laptop, “By the way, they have assigned me a residential project near Arguli
beach.” I told her excitedly.
The name Arguli beach still rang so many bells in my head. One year back, I visited the place with my friends but never went
near those cottages. That was too painful for me.
“Wow! That’s interesting. A job with a nice view!” Eve said, sitting across the table, and started munching Doritos, “Want some?”
“Nah! You know very well how I hate those.” I scrunched my nose and ignored the offensive looks she was throwing my way.
“Never met a girl who hates Doritos.” She shrugged and resumed munching them.
“Oh, I hate those too.” Aniya came inside and grabbed the pack from Eve’s hands.
“Hey. Give me back!” But Aniya was filling her mouth with supersonic speed, “Aniya! You don’t even like them.” Poor Evelyne
protested.
“Yeah. I hate them. I was taking revenge for messing up my blood pressure. They have sodium and salt content and it’s harmful
to...”
“Guys.” I didn’t let her finish, “I need to finish this before my deadline. Go somewhere else. Shoo away
now!”
“What’s your next project?” Aniya came to sit beside me, dropping the Doritos wrapper on the floor and ignoring the killing looks
Evelyne was shooting her way.
“Residential area near Arguli beach.” Eve snapped, “pick that up, Aniya otherwise I swear. I will sue your cleaning company.
Look at the owner who can’t even clean her mess.”
“First, the mess is yours. It was not my wrapper. Second... I have got cleaning staff. The owner is supposed to chill.” She leaned
back and placed her feet on the table.
I tried to hide the smile teasing the corner of my lips, “Aniya! Don’t push your luck.” I tried to warn her.
“Speaking of luck...” Aniya took off her feet from the table and leaned towards me, “When are you planning to visit Arguli beach?
Maybe Eve and I can accompany you.”
I closed my eyes for a moment and moved to face her, “If that’s the case then I guess I won’t need to ask someone for the lift.”
Evelyne was the only one among us who owned a car.
I never needed it because most of my outdoor stuff could be done on foot. We both were now looking at Evelyne waiting for her
to make up her mind.
“I will look into my appointment records. If it allows me then why not?” Evelyne announced and Aniya was on her feet in
excitement,
“Oh, I love you, Eve.” She said kissing her cheek.
“I love you too, Aniya.” Eve smiled and shook her head. Sometimes I felt Aniya was not a grown–up but a kid in adult’s clothing.
“I still can’t believe... you met Rafael Wyatt!” Aniya said sitting behind me. Right now, we were en route to Arguli beach, and I
told them all about my ted talk with the movie star.
“Yeah. Just one moment ago I was all alone trying to avoid Rayan and the next moment he was sitting beside me,” I shrugged
and turned to see Eve who was busy driving.
“Ash. Open the maps on your phone.” Eve said and took the left turn, “And I agree with this movie guy. Look for signs, Ash.” She
said busily.
“I am not against this sign idea, Eve. What if my past accidents were a sign from fate that I should stay away from Justin?”
“Makes sense,” Aniya said taking a chug from her coke can, “Maybe fate wanted you to stay away temporarily. Now it wants to
throw you, back with him.”
“If that’s the case, I can’t be the only one getting these signs,” I said observing my surroundings, “Fate should show some signs
There was silence in the car for a few moments.
“Evelyne!” I lifted my phone, “You need to take the next exit.”
“Ok.” After that, none of us got engaged in any talk. There were just those familiar sounds of drinking, slurping, and munching
coming from the back seat.
Evelyne took the phone from my hands, “Either you tell me the route or let this map lady speak, Ash!”
After a few minutes, my heart rate seemed to start dropping. The surroundings seemed familiar.
“Evelyne. Where are you taking us?” I asked her worriedly.
“I am not taking you anywhere, ma’am. I followed the instructions!” She waved the phone in my face.
The area seemed well known and that usual sea breeze smell was hitting our nostrils.
“Beautiful!” We heard Aniya’s awestruck voice, “They seem like the cottages.”
“These are the same cottages...” I felt my voice coming from a deep pit.
“Which ones?” Eve asked me casually and then her face turned grey, “What? No way!”
She slowed the car before hitting the brakes.
“You mean... these are the ones where you spent time with him?” I knew who she was talking about, and I just nodded my head.
She held my cold hand, placed on my lap. Aniya quickly rounded her arms around my neck from behind.
“I think we should get off the car and have a look. Maybe it’s some other cottage.” Aniya had concerns while giving me the
advice.
Evelyne must have agreed because she killed the engine and opened her side of the door. Poor thing must be having jet lag due
to non–stop driving.
Exhaling a sharp breath, I came out and started looking around. The same neighborhood, I left two years
back.
Nothing had changed much about it. Evelyne had started walking carrying my phone for directions. When she stopped near that
specific cottage, I closed my eyes and halted right there.
No way! No fu*cking way!
This was the same cottage, man. How was it possible? I turned back and jogged back to the car.
“Ashley. Where are you going?” She thought I was running away and was going to sit in the car instead I wanted my bag that
had my project details.
“Wait, Eve!” I took out the file and started looking through it.
Hell!
Can someone just kill me? It was a Deluca project. How could I miss that? I avoided the office project just to avoid this man.
To avoid this Deluca name.
Was it really fate, or Justin was trying to play some game?
“Come on! You are braver than this!” I felt Eve hooking her arm through mine, “I think this is the same cottage. Right?”
Aniya came to my other side. They started walking and I was half dragged by them.
“I hate this place!” I said without any emotion. No hatred. No sorrow.
It felt like a prank was played by a teenager.
Justin! I expected from you something better. You are worse than Rayan. It’s a pathetic attempt.
My heart was racing when Eve rang the bell. A woman opened the door and stood aside to let us in.
“Welcome, ma’am. You are the designer people.” She said with a smile.
“Hi, Edith!” I gave the woman a tight–lipped smile. She knitted her brows and scrunched her nose. She still looked the same with
that friendly smile and a few more grey hair.
“Oh, God! Ma’am?” She was shocked when her mind registered who I was, “Ma’am Ashley? I can’t believe
it?”
Wow. She remembered my name.
“How are you?” I said while walking beside her, “Don’t worry. I am not here to reside. Today I will be just taking a look at the
“Sure ma’am. I was told that a guy will be coming here. I was not expecting... well! Please look around You can make yourself
comfortable. I can serve you something outdoors on our terrace.”
I went inside along with the girls.
“This place is a piece of heaven.” We were inside the master bed when Aniya leaped to the bed and started jumping on the
mattress.
“Aniya!” I hissed and got her down clutching her elbow tightly.
“What? You should jump too. This mattress is so soft.” I cleared my throat and cocked up a brow at her.
Who could know better than me, how soft the mattress was? She seemed to have taken the hint and thankfully kept her mouth
shut.
“He brought you here?” Evelyne whispered. Her twinkling eyes were a telltale sign of how much she was impressed, “Now I
understand why you switched off your phone. This place is mesmerizing.”
I wished I could tell her that more than the place, the man who accompanied me was more beautiful. Both the girls were
examining the house and I was assessing the place to start working on my project.
“Ashley. Look!” Aniya called me from the terrace, “this pool is to die for. Just look at this view.” I walked to them and found the
same set of recliners where we spent the night making out.
When he didn’t let me use the other recliner and made me lie on top of him.
Memories!
I could not stay there so I scurried inside leaving them. I went into the kitchen and ignored Edith who was setting the tray.
I needed to see if the cabinets should be changed, or if I should transform the existing ones.
“I will serve your refreshments outside,” Edith informed the girls who had joined us in the kitchen..
“You two go ahead. I will join you in a while.” I said and started taking notes in my diary.
“Nah! We won’t eat without you.” Aniya remarked and I had to hold my smile. I was honored if Aniya
wanted to wait for me.
“It won’t take long,” I called out after them, “I promise.”
They both stood in the center of the living room when Aniya went to the dining table.
“Uh–uh. Ma‘ am please wait.” Edith called Aniya in a panic–filled voice and picked a floral tablecloth. The poor thing must be
quite overburdened and forgot to cover the table.
“Ma’am. You are not allowed to touch it.” As an interior designer, I knew about professional ethics. I was
not allowed to touch anything if the owner didn’t want me to.
“Aniya!” I kind of tried to warn her but the girl was not only standing near the table but there was a shocked expression crossing
her face.
“Oh, my God. Ashley. I think you need to come here and have a look at this.”
Though I was curious, I had to respect the rules of the place.
“Aniya!” I tried to bring a tinge of warning in my voice. But what Aniya started reading loudly got me
shaken to the core.
“JUSTIN. I AM SORRY... I GOT SCARED... I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS PAIN. PLEASE FORGIVE
ME... PLEASE DON’T BE MAD AT ME... I SWEAR THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN... HAVE SOME MERCY. THERE IS NO
PLACE LEFT TO WRITE ANYMORE.
DO YOU FUCKIN KNOW HOW BIG IS YOUR MEMBER JUSTIN?”
“Ma’am!” Edith started spreading the cloth on the tabletop. I was rooted to the spot. Not able to move! Evelyne didn’t know how
to react to this. Aniya, who was our baby, snatched the cloth from Edith like a wild cat and tossed it aside.
Right now, she was acting like a mama bear to me. She threw a warning glance towards Edith coupled with a don’t–mess–with–
me look. The look made Edith stop dead in her tracks.
Aniya again started reading it loudly,
“IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME, LOOK INSIDE YOUR UNDERWEAR. YOU WILL REALIZE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. YOU
WILL REALIZE WHAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL THIS TIME.
After that, she had gone quiet.
The chat! It was the same chat that I wrote on the tabletop. It was still there. Nobody tried erasing it.
“...” Edith tried to speak, “I was ordered not to let it show. Umm...” She passed a quivering smile, “I ... was
not allowed to clean it.”