The safe is empty. The diamond necklace is missing. Where is it?

Her hands trembled. Her knees gave way she wobbled to the floor. She was sweating profusely. Her heart beat ringing in her ears. Who should she call? What was her granddaughter’s name? She was confused. An anguished cry escaped her lips.

Meena who came home after her night-shift and was refreshing with a hot cup of coffee in living room, heard her cry. She hurried to her grandma’s bedroom. She is a charming girl in her early twenties with a lean physic and short hair. Usually, she is lively and fun but today she was pissed off because her grandma’s temporary care-taker left without informing her. She arrived to a lonely grandma who was fast asleep. “What is it grandma? What happened? Why are you screaming so early in the morning?”. Seeing her grandma on the floor, Meena blots to her aid.

Maragadham is in her late seventies. She is a short woman with fluffy white hair and wrinkled skin. She stays with her only grand daughter Meena. Being widowed at an early age and having lost her beloved son and daughter-in-law in a car accident, she has no one except Meena. Maragadham is treated for Alzheimer’s and Meena cares for her fondly.

 “My….my… necklace…… is missing” whimpered Maragadham. She tried to apprehend something but was at loss of words. Tears welled up in her eyes. Meena was flabbergasted. She tried to clam her down by assuring that she will find it.

Meena searched the safe and the bedroom thoroughly. Every thing was in its place intact except the necklace. She knew it was him. She called Kumaran from her contact list.

“Hello” answered a weary voice.

“Where are you?” asked Meena sternly.

“Didn’t they teach you manners? I thought you will start with a thank you” he teased.

“You expect too much, ok I need you to come to my home right now”

“What’s with your tone and anger? Is everything ok with you and grandma? It will take an hour for me to reach there, ok?”

She disconnected the call and was fuming and pacing around the living room. “One night, I let him stay one night. How could he do this?”. Mean while she searched through out her home for the necklace and was sure by every passing minute that Kumaran was the culprit.

Kumaran is her unemployed neighbor, who lives in opposite apartment and usually gets on her nerves and teases her out of her wits. He hangs around Maragadham in the evenings to keep her company. In Meena’s opinion its mainly for the savory snack and hot coffee. She was suspicious that they bonded over snacks as they both were foodie. Nevertheless, his charming nature brought smile in her grandma’s face. So, she ignored his presence most of the time.  

“What happened? Why are you pacing around the living room?” questioned Maragadham calmly. Alzeimher’s stage 2. She forgets what happened and sometimes even worse she forgets who she is, the people around her and whereabouts. Her memory is very unreliable that she remembers only bits and pieces of her life. So, it was mandatory to ensure her safety during Meena’s absence.

“Your diamond necklace got stolen, grandma. Don’t worry I am trying to find it. If we are unsuccessful, we will go to the cops by evening.”

Maragadham had a panic attack again as though she was hearing the news for the first time. Meena felt awful. She thought she could have lied instead of witnessing her agony.

“Ding dong “rang the doorbell.

Meena took a deep breath getting ready for confrontation and opened the door for Kumaran. He was dressed in his formal attire and was looking very different from the usual pajama look. He was flustered and in short of breath.

“Hi, everything alright??”

“Come in.”

“What happened? Why were you angry over the phone?” while he kept talking his gaze shifted to Maragadham who was in tears. “Oh my god! Grandma! Why are you crying?” he was worried and anxious.

“You tell us”, snarled Meena.

“Huh?”

“I had only one night shift for this month, as the usual care taker bailed on me in last minute, I had to let you stay here for the night and take care of my grandma and you showed your true colors”

“Excuse me, as u said I helped you in crisis. You should be grateful. I did take care of her, gave her medicines as per your instructions. Is something wrong with her now? Grandma you, okay?” he was concerned.

“YOU stole her diamond necklace” Meena said quietly through gritted teeth. She was shaking with anger. Kumaran was bewildered.

He felt horrible. Meena neither considered him a friend nor she trusted him. Now he is being accused as a thief. Something broke inside him. He ignored that feeling he can deal with it later. Now he has to prove he is innocent. Save his self-esteem before this girl shatters him completely. He found his voice “The one which your grandfather presented her on their wedding? The one she holds dearly to? Is it missing?”

 “Oh! so, the thief has done his research.”

“Stop calling me that. Guilty until proven.” Kumaran replied fiercely.

“Then why didn’t you wait until I reached home or informed me that you are leaving early? what took you so long to come home, when you live just across the floor and also why are you dressed like that?”

“For once use your brains, Meena. For heaven’s sake!! I went to an interview early in the morning and its held 20 KMS away from here. Sorry, I should have informed you. As grandma was sleeping soundly and I know you will reach within an hour after I leave, I didn’t think it was necessary. I received your call when I was just about to enter the interview room. As you were panicking, I rushed immediately. Also, I don’t think any thief will come back to the victim’s home just because they were distressed. Even I could blame you took the necklace as you wanted to buy the apartment you have been eyeing for months. You could have used it as down payment. Now, how does that feel?” yelled Kumaran

Meena was astonished to hear Kumaran. She was not only accused of theft but also was the reason why he missed his interview. Who in the world would jeopardize their interview just because an angry neighbor urged him to come home? Did he really have an interview? “Why would I? It’s my grandmother’s. I know how precious that necklace is for her. Why would I hurt her purposely? Also did you really have an interview? Or did you visit the pawn broker early in the morning and settled off your family debt with my grandmothers’ necklace?”

“I am hungry. Do you both want some savory snacks. By the way Meena I forgot this boy’s name. What is it?” saying so Maragadham casually went into kitchen.

They both were shaking with rage. They also felt pitiful at sight of Maragadham going into kitchen, oblivious of their blame game.

“How dare you, not only demean me but also my family. I am sure now that you have taken the necklace and is trying to frame me. You knew that your grandmother will obviously forget and you can get away with it” hissed Kumaran.

“Even I can say the same to you.” She said angerly. She added “To overcome her disability my grandmother has pasted many sticky notes and signs all over her bedroom. Every morning she wakes up and opens her safe to see the diamond necklace, as she personified that to my grandfather. So, if I don’t find the necklace then every morning and evening there is going to be a panic attack. I dread to see her in any form of physical or mental discomfort. I am going to call the cops now”.

Maragadham who entered the living room with the savory box in hand, heard the last sentence.

“Cops? Why what happened?” flustered Maragadham. Unable to disclose the truth again Meena looks pathetically at her grandmother.

“Your grand daughter is accusing me to have stolen your diamond necklace” informed Kumaran.

It took a minute for the old lady to comprehend his sentence. When realization dawned, she let go of the savory box which hit the floor sending savory across the living room. She was too stunned to talk.

Meena unable to witness her grandmother again was looking at the floor. Something glittered in between the savory mess. Meena bent down and retrieved the necklace from the mess. Maragadham’s eyes fell on the necklace and gleamed with happiness. “Look, It’s here. How did it come here in first place? By the way in my opinion, it’s the best place. Right? I was thinking to hide it here myself. Who would look in savory box for jewels?” She was proud of herself for finding a prefect hiding spot “I should mark this down somewhere.” Her voice trailed into a murmur. It looked more of she was talking to herself.

Meena and Kumaran were transfixed to their spot. They didn’t dare to look at each other. The blame game they played burned their pride and self-esteem to ashes.

                                                          The End.