2Promises

by Phil Armstrong

  “I will,” said Beth feeling a little anxious.

  They got out of the taxi and moved towards a dark stone building that blended in with the rest. It was a dirty building with no real characteristics. On the left side of the door was a small hand painted plaque. It had been blistered with the sun and the paint was starting to peel. The plaque was painted black with white letters. It read, ‘The Reika Foundation.’

  Beth looked at Sanjeev, “This is the place?”

  “Yes,” replied Sanjeev simply.

  “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go talk with Rose,” said Beth sliding her hand to her rear jeans pocket. She made sure she had Rose’s letter with her.

  They entered through a black colored door streaked in grime and dirt. Beth noticed fingerprints on the door, near the handle, imprinted in the dirt. She grabbed the metal door handle, turned it and pushed the door open. The handle was still warm from the sun. The door swung open onto a surprisingly large square room. Chairs were backed against the walls. At the far end of the room a window cut into the wall with a small counter. Behind the counter sat Beth could see the outline of a woman. To the right of the window was a closed door. Beth walked confidently to the counter and waited. The woman glanced up quickly. Upon seeing Beth she held her gaze. The woman spoke to Beth but it was not in English. Sanjeev jumped to attention and took over the conversation. He explained that Beth was here to see Rose and that she was expected.

  Sanjeev looked at Beth, “She’s not here, she’s expected any minute and we need to wait.”

  Sanjeev took a seat. He looked at the two women sitting in the room and immediately turned his eyes to the floor. Beth remained on her feet and looked at the posters adorning the walls. They had vivid pictures of abused women living in wretched conditions. She was attracted to two posters with bright pastel colors. One was in English, it read. The Reika FoundationReika – “Lovely Flower” in Japanese. The poster contained more messages in smaller print. The Reika Foundation is a privately funded foundation, established to assist women in need. The foundation provides assistance, advice, intervention and practical help. This center is conveniently located for the inhabitants of Sonagachi whom need advice or help. Beth looked around the room before reading the rest of the text. Many of the women who come here are abused and have addictions. With no education, skills or hope, this foundation provides a safe haven in a troubled world. We work closely with the Durbar Samanwaya Committee (DMSC) and recognize their efforts. Thank you for supporting The Reika Foundation.

  The poster had designs of flowers and trees. Beth thought the design of the poster was a cheerful change to the stark reality of the other posters. The door opened and a striking Indian woman stepped into the room. She looked around and locked her stare upon Beth. She wore gold colored sandals and a purple colored sari with gold accents. Her wrist supported many gold bangles. She wore a single gold ring on her right hand and a small gold colored watch. She had long shoulder length black hair and a small diamond nose stud. She walked over to Beth.

  “Miss Martindale?”

  “Yes, Rose?” said Beth extending her hand.

  “Miss Akhter,” said Rose curtly ignoring Beth’s hand.

  “Rose Akhter?” inquired Beth.

  “Yes, come with me I understand you have some sort of news that you want to share with me, is that correct?” said Rose.

  “Yes, I’ve traveled a long way trying to find you,” responded Beth feeling nervous.

  “Trying to find me? I’ve worked here for the last 10 years. Come,” said Rose motioning Beth to follow her.

  Beth smiled at Sanjeev as she passed him sitting and waiting. Beth thought Rose looked familiar.

  “She looks like Amba, a much younger and slimmer Amba. Rose had Amba’s beautiful cheek bones and deep brown eyes,” thought Beth.

  Beth followed Rose through the door and into a small office area. They turned right and passed a closed door before entering into a meeting room. It was a simple room with a small round table, no windows and four chairs. The wooden furniture was old and worn. The room smelled of body odor.

  “What are you doing here? You’re clearly not Indian.”

  Beth closed the door and mustered up some courage. “I’m doing a favor for a wonderful man. I’ve traveled half the way around the world and put my life on hold to find you, so I don’t need your attitude, get it?” said Beth leaning forward and drilling Rose with her glaring green eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” said Rose in a startled tone. “I’m not sure I want to hear what you have to tell me.”

  “Rose, I’m an orphan too. I will never know my parents. I know how it feels. You live your life feeling incomplete. You feel like a tree in the wind clinging to the earth with no roots. We have no roots,” said Beth. “Even the word “Orphan” grates; I know what it’s like to feel incomplete. People stare and laugh at you. I grew up in childcare; I hated family celebrations and holidays. I was given a chance to give you some answers, answers to questions that every little girl asks.”

  Rose listened; she was not so confident now that Beth had pushed her back. Rose was a striking woman in her early thirties and clearly had her Mother’s beauty.

  “Your Father was a generous honorable man. I knew him briefly, and I must inform you that he’s passed away recently.” Rose did not register a reaction. “I’m sorry Rose your Father didn’t abandon you. He didn’t even know you existed until a few days ago. He was seriously ill and asked me to find you as quickly as I could. He grew roses in an allotment in Yorkshire, England. He lived in my little village called Haworth. Rose, he grew roses and delivered them to the hospital and old age pensioner’s homes. He told me of your Mother Aklina and the reason you were called Rose. I’m spoiling the letter.”

  “What letter?”

  Beth slid the envelope over the desk towards Rose. She felt a rush of satisfaction as she pictured Anwar smiling. Rose looked at the envelope refusing to touch it.

  “Tell me what he looked like? A letter won’t tell me that,” asked Rose.

  “He was a gentleman, about five nine and in bad health. He coughed hard and deep. He had a smile that would light up a room, a broad smile with brilliant white teeth. He had a cheery disposition and always had a friendly hello. He was a quiet man but an educated man. I think he started as a simple Baker but I suspect he became wealthy. He seemed to help people and enjoyed doing that. He was a popular man. Anwar had deep brown eyes and a full head of black hair with some grey coming in at the sides,” explained Beth.

  “Anwar,” repeated Rose. Her body was sinking into the chair and her aggressive nature had started to subside.

  “Are you going to read the letter?” asked Beth.

  “No, not until I get home in private, I’m a proud woman,” explained Rose.

  “Promise me that you will read it. I haven’t done this just for you to throw it away when I leave,” said Beth forcefully.

  “I promise, I will. I want to know about my parents, I’m curious. In some strange way the fact that they’re both dead makes it a bit easier. I won’t have to offend my other parents,” explained Rose with tears in her eyes.

  “What do you do here?” asked Beth trying to lighten the mood.

  “I’m a counselor; I help the poor women across the street. That’s Sonagachi, The Golden Tree. We have over ten thousand women making a living in the red light district. We educate them on the risks of HIV and Aids. We talk to them about using condoms and the dangers of unprotected sex. Women are controlled and drugged. Many girls come from rural centers where they were sold. Some money in a family of girls helps to feed the other mouths. Ten of your pounds will buy a young girl that traffickers can route to The Golden Tree. Some are simply drugged or kidnapped. We hear stories of girls being beaten with hot iron bars and confined to a small shared living space,” Rose looked down to her right. “We see the marks left after these beatings. It’s a horrible existence these girls have no education and no chance of escape. Most are
at the mercy of their captors. Their day starts at 6am and they’ll need to look after at least a dozen customers before their day ends at 3am. Some customers insist on not using a condom and the girl accepts this if she has not met her quota. We don’t know how many girls are infected but we suspect it’s about 60 to 70 percent,” Rose clasped her hands.

  “Can you get them out of there?” asked Beth.

  “Some we do, but we have to do it carefully we don’t want to raise the anger of the pimps. We do it quietly and reintroduce the girls to their families. Some women spend their entire life in The Golden Tree. Kids are born and raised there. The Golden Tree, it sounds so beautiful but Beth, there is nothing beautiful about this place,” explained Rose.

  “Why do you do this?” asked Beth.

  “I’ve seen some of these girls; some are very young, scared and covered in bruises. I have to help them,” said Rose.

  “You can’t win can you?” Beth asked quietly.

  “We won’t win if we don’t try. If I help one girl a week it’s worth it. There are thousands that pass through that door, and thousands more who don’t,” explained Rose. “We work with the Center for Communication and Development. It’s an organization aligned with ours to get them home.”

  “Rose, you’re a lucky woman; you had two Mothers and two Fathers. After you read this note you will see they were deeply in love and didn’t get the chance to meet you. You weren’t abandoned. Now you have roots, firm ones. This letter is a chance to hear from one of your parents about their story and their love. Many don’t get this opportunity,” Beth said leaning over the table and pushing the envelope closer to Rose.

  “Thank you, I appreciate you doing this for me and for my family,” said Rose in an emotional shaky voice.

  “My pleasure,” answered Beth smiling and thinking of Sanjeev waiting. “Rose, I need to ask you something that is vitally important to me. I’m afraid I can’t explain why and I’m sure the question will seem a little odd. I promised another friend that I would ask.”

  “Ask away, I’ll answer if I can,” said Rose puzzled.

  “I feel silly doing this but here goes. Rose I want you to think of a Shell. Try to think if that means anything to you. A Shell, what comes to mind instantly when you think of a Shell?” asked Beth expecting the worse.

  Rose smiled. “Ms. Kaigara Tanaka,” offered Rose immediately.

  Beth looked at Rose with a puzzled frown. Rose gave an instant answer. Was that the clue? “Who is Ms. Tanaka? Why her?” asked Beth.

  Rose answered in a slow and deliberate voice. “The Reika foundation is the brainchild of Mrs. Sakura Tanaka. She’s the principal donor to the foundation. Her daughter, Kaigara, is our chair of the board.”

  “What does she have to do with a Shell?” asked Beth perplexed.

  “Kaigara is an unusual but beautiful Japanese name. It means Shell,” Rose said smiling for the first time.

  “Shell in Japanese. Where would I find Kaigara? Is she in Kolkata?” inquired Beth excited at the prospect of following her first portal lead.

  “No,” laughed Rose. “Toronto, Canada. Ms. Tanaka is a successful businesswoman living in Toronto. I’ve met her a couple of times and she’s a no nonsense woman. I’m not sure if I should give you her contact information. I could find myself in a lot of trouble.”

  “I need to speak with Ms. Tanaka before I decide on the amount of my donation to the Reika Foundation. I’ve been impressed with you Rose and the work you’re doing here, but I wanted to speak with the chair of the board, before I donate,” said Beth with a glint in her eye.

  “Very well. I’ll contact Kaigara directly and inform her that we’ve spoken and that you would like to request a short meeting. I’m assuming that you would like to meet with her in person?” asked Rose.

  “Yes,” said Beth quickly without thinking.

  “I’ll let her know that you’ll be coming to Toronto. Why don’t you contact her when you get there?” offered Rose. “I’ll get you her address and details. I’ll send her an email today and inform her of our conversation. I’m not going to mention this envelope or our conversations about my parents and the Shell,” said Rose in a matter of fact tone. “Please wait here and thank you again for this,” said Rose, waving the envelope and leaving the room.

  Beth stared at her watch five minutes had passed. Rose returned with a sheet of paper. Beth had a smile on her face as she rubbed the bump in her jeans pocket, “Lord Ganesha was working his magic,” thought Beth. She could not take that silly grin off her face. Against the odds she had found Rose and completed her assignment.

  “Here, please remember our agreement. Giving out our benefactors information under the wrong circumstances could get me fired,” explained Rose.

  “I’ll not let you down. I’ll make a donation and I do appreciate the help. Trust me, there’s an important reason that I need to speak with Kaigara. I just need to find out what it is,” said Beth grinning.

  Beth took the typed page and glanced at it briefly. It contained Kiagara’s full name, business address, and phone number in Toronto. It also contained an email address and a company name, “Swan Property Investments.” Beth carefully folded the paper and pushed it into her front jeans pocket opposite. As the two women stood, both smiled and Rose extended her hand in a gesture of friendship. Beth shook her hand firmly.

  “I can’t thank you enough,” said Rose. Rose noticed a mark on Beth’s right wrist and turned her hand to examine the tattoo. “A sly fox,” said Rose.

  Beth smiled, “Hmm, sly; no such thing as coincidences,” thought Beth.

  “I want you to have this,” said Rose handing Beth her business card. “It has my email address and I’d like to know how you make out. Beth, can you email me please? I’d like to ask you about my Father, if I think of questions after you leave.”

  “Rose, I don’t have a computer right now. I may get one soon. I can always access email through my local library, when I get home. I’ll send you my contact information,” said Beth.

  “You promise,” said Rose.

  “I promise,” responded Beth.

  The two women smiled and moved towards the door. As they were leaving Beth tucked the card safely into her jeans pocket. She felt she had just made a permanent connection. Under different circumstances she would not have given Rose another look. Two women from very different worlds yet now they had a bond. Beth respected the work that Rose was doing. She was an exceptionally smart and beautiful woman and she had decided to help these poor unfortunate girls. Beth felt a warm glow inside and wondered what Subra was working on. Perhaps it was contentment; she had helped Anwar and delivered on her promise. Despite all the self-doubts she had done it. She had also developed a lead on the portal, and she could now focus on finding a way home for Subra. It had been a good day. Rose was the only person who had answered the “Shell” question instantly with a concrete connection. Beth had a strong feeling she would. This must be the right lead.

  “All this time I’ve been looking for a Shell, when I needed to be looking for a name,” thought Beth. “This wasn’t a coincidence. There are no coincidences,” thought Beth.

  Beth arrived at the door; she smiled warmly and shook hands with Rose. Beth entered the waiting room; it had filled with seven women all looking at Sanjeev. Sanjeev looked desperate to leave, “Bless him for staying,” thought Beth. Beth walked past the women and glanced at the colorful poster. “There are no coincidences,” said Beth softly.

  “What?”

  “Nothing, let’s go I’ll fill you in,” said Beth.

  Sanjeev and Beth left the foundation and made their way back to the parked taxi. Sanjeev opened the door and Beth entered the back seat. She clipped the seat belt around lap and let out an audible sigh. Sanjeev started the taxi and cranked the air conditioning to maximum. Sanjeev looked in the mirror but did not pull away. He let the engine idle. He looked into the rear mirror at Beth waiting for an update.