She woke up from her sleep. Her nose was blocked and throat was paining. He had already left for office. She gave him a call. "Hello", she said, in a broken voice. "Honey, have some medicine, food and sleep for a while too. You will be all fine", he quipped. Sometimes, words shows it all; she thought.
It’s almost a year, no; to be precise, day after tomorrow, its exactly one year. Didn’t even realize how days went by. We will be celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. He seems to be happy. I should also be happy, or not; I surpassed five years. From the day I got into the marriage trap.
“These days your number of calls had reduced” She said in a grinned voice while resting her head on his chest. She tightened her grip around him. A deep sigh followed. He was still reading the messages unread from his blackberry. “You don’t even keep my messages in your mobile. Earlier you used to keep all my lovey-dovey messages send by me. Nowadays since I am always available with you, you don’t even recognize my existence.” He kept the mobile aside. Looked at her and winked. “It doesn’t mean that my love for you has ceased.” “No, I am not saying that. But earlier I was there always in your words, deeds and everywhere. When we used to be with friends, your eyes followed me. When we used to be on dates, your stares never stopped. But now, after marriage, after so many years..I don’t feel it” He smiled, his natural smile. “So you think you are not there in my thoughts and words?” “mmm…Yeah, atleast I cant see it or feel it. Oh! Am so sad..” She clutched him tightly. He took her face and stared straight onto her eyes. “Cant you see the twinkle in my eyes, sweet? “ “mmmm…” lazily she answered. She always loved his eyes. “That’s you honey; the twinkle.” The world seemed brighter for her. A gentle smile, a tight hug, Life is a bliss..!!
Shaun walked aimlessly. The brisk wind was playing with his hair. His steps were getting muddled with the sand beneath. The rubber slipper he was wearing was trying to get out of the clutch of fingers.
‘Sir, please buy one ice cream.’
He looked back. A thin bare chested boy was standing with a box full of ice creams. Out of pity Shaun purchased one ice cream. In between his leaking nose and lower lip there came a smile, almost! Without a time waste he hurried to his next prospective customers. He was trying hard to manage the big box in his hands together with his ragged trouser. Seeing the boy going happy two beggars approached Shaun.
‘Sir, didn’t have food since long’
Their faces were complimenting each other. Seems they were sisters or maybe mother and daughter. Their eyes were hunger-stricken. Shaun looked at his ice cream and then without a second though he handed it over to the younger girl. They were not that happy with his gesture and asked for some pennies. But then by that time Shaun had moved ahead.
He could see lots of kids playing on the beach. Few were building castles with sand. The naughty ones will wait till the castle is on half way to break them to ground. Few kids were playing ‘catch-me-if-you-can’ with the tides. A smile came to his mind. He always had loved kids. He always had adored their innocence. He always had envied their ‘tension-free’ life.
The sun was half dipped in the ocean, looking bright red. The horizon looked blood red with a touch of golden streaks. Few migrating birds added beauty to the picturesque view. While enjoying the sight Shaun’s eyes got locked at a couple. Never bothered about the surroundings, they were busy with themselves. The woman was holding his hands tight and the only thing they could see were each others eyes. The silence between them seemed to add the romance between them. Then slowly their lips met, explored each others, and then that turned onto a wild kiss. Her fingers ran through his hair and his hands through her back.
Shaun stared them for few moments and then headed towards where his car is parked. The sun had almost gone under the vastness of the ocean. His face was searching for someone. That is when he noticed an elderly couple chatting. They were older by how many years, he couldn’t guess, but the freshness in their faces which was overflowing made him understand how much they were in love with each other. The old lady was helping her partner to walk with his ‘walking-stick’
‘How long had you been married?’ Out of curiosity Shaun asked them. At first the couple stared at him confused. Then the old man said, ‘55 years’ and kissed on her cheeks, gently. Shaun saw that she still was blushing. He stood motionless. The couple walked away. He stared at them endlessly.
The reality stuck him then suddenly
The final hearing of his divorce case is to be benched tomorrow.
"I hate her. How dare she comment on the way i walked on the park. I never said anything of that sort to her. Her kid was so aggressive with ours. Still i didnt say anything. Then how come she got the guts to talk about me.”
“After that she was complaining about the car parking space we are sharing with them. She didn’t like it when my brother parked his bike over there. How dare she say that? Had we complained when her sister-in-law brought her brand new car and parked it in our slot? No! How inconsiderate she is.”
“While we were returning back she was flaunting her new top her husband Kiran got for her. She claims it to be from London. I found it very cheap of her saying that. I had never mentioned to her that you bring me gold ornaments from Dubai and all. Infact I didn’t even tell her you got the carpet from Iraq. I have the decency not to speak loud about our purchases and all in public.”
“Are you listening?” Rekha stopped to take a deep breath. He shook his head and again dived into the paragraph he was reading from the book.
“She had a fight with her mother-in-law yesterday. While they were cooking something together, her mother-in-law had put some extra mirchi in the dish which she didn’t like. She says her husband ever liked it that way. So she had a fight with her mother-in-law. She don’t know even how to respect elders. After all she should consider she is talking to her own husbands mother na.”
Rekha took another pause. Raj stared at her through his glasses. She was busy arranging the newspapers in the shelf.
“I never liked her from the starting itself. But what can I do. She needs me all the time for going anywhere. If she wants to go the market she needs me to bargain, if she goes to the shop she needs me to shop. For that matter if she needs to take her lingerie also, she wants me to accompany her.”
“I enjoy shopping, but what I don’t enjoy is her talks. She keeps on blabbering not thinking that the other person too needs to talk. She never gives that space. I feel so suffocated while going with her.”
“Then why you are going with her.” Raj intervened. “You should have…”
Rekha interrupted, “ Even I need to go out. So there is no one in this colony with whom I can go like that. But that doesn’t mean she can say anything to me.”
She reached home tired carrying grocery baggages. She remembered she had missed to get the special tea powder for him; one good reason for him to shout. Cursing herself and frustrated she entered the hall.
“Honey, coffee for you?” He was heading towards kitchen.
She threw packages down, went and hugged him from behind, smiling.
And do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to love, honor and cherish, in good and bad time, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, until death do you part?” He smiled at the pastor, his woman and thought, whole life? He sighed and said “Do I, Yeah I do?” PS: Another try at 55 fiction writing...Inspired from another story...
“The chemistry between us was still there. We were meeting at college after fifteen years. Both of us now married with two adorable kids, could feel the mercury rising. Those days, mills and boon, long walks, hours long mobile chatting, canteen flirting, college garden lawn, hugs and kisses days..!!”
I still love her, my wife… PS : A try at 55-Fiction using prompt from One-Word Prompt web page. Pardon Me!!
She looked at her tummy. Though not in perfect shape, there were no traces of extra fat. She felt it with her hands. She could feel an inward pull. The pain was unbearable. She could feel an eruption of volcano inside. She felt a 1000 kilogram weights were hanging around her chest. She wished to unload those assets at least for a split second to relieve her of her agony. She heard him remove his shoes and climb up that wooden staircase. A gentle hug, a peck on her nape, caressing her curvy bosoms from sides, she knew what was going to follow step by step. As expected, not even with a slight change in the routine, he came close by, caressed her hips, nibbled her ears and moved slowly towards his favourite place. But today she was not enjoying what she yearns the other twenty five days of a month.
She could feel the dryness between her legs, as a premonition of a flood that is to be affected. How she abhors the extra piece of cloth she need to place between her legs. She felt like kicking his groin since he should also know how it feels when there is a burning in between the thighs. She tried to escape from his cage of hug.
HIS Part
The day in office was pretty hectic and he wanted to share his joys and sorrows with her. He wanted to feel her presence, her caring words and the warmth of her body.
She was standing in the foyer facing those black curtains covering half of the windows. The silky nightwear she was wearing was his favourite. Without making any sound, with the rose he bought from the vendor boy in the traffic signal in one hand, he hugged her from behind. He wanted her to turn around and reciprocate with a warm hug. Some expectations are better if not thought off. A peck on her neck was not the best he had given. But still he knew how she loved his warm lips wandering aimlessly over there. His hands rounded her belly and he clutched the rose between his hands and her navel. He wondered why she was standing there aloof. When he thought of caressing more enough to make her happy, she shivered a bit and tried to bust his embrace.
THEIR Part
“You don’t have any other thing to do or what. All you want is to satisfy your carnal desires” She roared. Her gruff voice cracked and eyes were spitting fire.
He stood there flummoxed. He didn’t want her to get upset. All he wanted was the warmth of hers. A hug would have done that. But he knows she too enjoyed him caressing her flesh. She can be a dormant soul only when she is facing the biological invasion that is only designed for womanhood.
But he empathised with her. The pain, the emotions, the irritations she was going through can never be felt. A woman after all, suffers these things whole through her green years. Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches. He wanted to be with her, through her feelings, through her irritations and through her pains.
He went to their bedroom. There she was standing in front of the window. She was staring into the infinity. He stood behind her. After a second thought he called her by name, the one which is very exclusive for them, and the one which he calls her when they both are left only for each other. He could hear her sigh, but was standstill. He just stood closely, again placed his hands around her, gently. “It is unbearable or what?” He whispered.
“Yeah, it is early this month. And it’s blowing a hole in me.”
“No problem, we will share the pain together” He just stood there hugging her. She could feel the warmth of his body. Ironically, that was soothing the warmth inside hers. She turned back; looked into his eyes. She could sense his despair that he was not able to offer any help other than an emotional crutch. They stood hugging each other with their eyes closed.
“Just be with me”, she fondled his lush lips with hers.
Same day, one year back; it was her best friend’s marriage. She was very happy for her. But the happiness glowing from her friends face made her a bit jealous. Then her classmate got married within a month. It was a love marriage. After a gap of three months three of her friends too got married.
Whenever she saw her friends status on Orkut changing she felt a pinch in her heart. It bore a dent on her walls of mind whenever she found some mail in her inbox from her friends inviting for the engagement and wedding.
These days she doesn’t enjoy to go for movies and shopping. Wherever she goes she can see happy couples, holding hands, laughing, whispering something on each others ears, husbands pampering wife’s with a hug or an ice cream or flying kiss.
She stood there in front of idols of Shiv & Parvathy. Closed her eyes, clutched her hands together in from of the idols. ‘I want to marry’, She desperately prayed.
Kumar was getting his nerves tight. Checking the remote in between the pillows and cushions he was trying hard to control his anger. He checked the electronic instrument all over frantically among those ‘Times of India’, ‘Economic Times’ and ‘Readers Digests’.
“Why are you changing the place of the remote control now and then? You and your ‘saas bahu’ serials. It will be surely somewhere in kitchen.” He walked over to the kitchen. Displacing all the vessels over there he did a rat search for the remote.
“Where are you now? I don’t understand this. Whenever I ask for the remote you never respond properly.”He waited a second for some response from the bedroom. Impatient, he reached the bedroom in a jiffy. There was no one inside. A new sari was lying over there in the bed. He looked towards the bathroom door. Its closed and the light switch is on.
“Arundhati, where did you hide the remote”, the tone was harsher this time.
“What happened? Why are you shouting so much with your weak voice? Doctor had told to take rest minimum for three months.” She tried to remind him.“Oh please, don’t try to change the topic. Tell me where the remote control is? Then give all those silly advices.” He found her remark irritating. His clenched his fists.
“Ok then! You keep on searching. Or else wait till I come after my bath. There is nothing much to panic like this for a remote control. It will be there itself in the living hall. You might have missed finding it.”
He could hear the voice of water dripping from the tap. He stood there in front of the door, furious. In a hurry, he locked the latch of the door from outside. A devilish grin bloomed over his face. Without uttering a word he headed towards the living hall.
Fifteen minutes went over. Arundhati came out to the living room. Drying her hair she asked, “So, got the remote?” He was there sitting in front of the television, barehanded and not paying any heed to her, as if she was talking to someone else. “Now, won’t you at least reply to my question?” She growled.
“My doctor had advised me to keep a tab on my voice. Now why are you making me strain?” He retaliated. Somewhere inside he felt happy to attack her with the same coin.
“I don’t want to strain your voice. It was only you kept on screaming about the remote. Why I will hide it? You only need a reason to blame me of something. And to be frank there is no point in arguing with you.” Arundhati walked towards her bed room hastily.
“Oh yeah, and you want me to scream out of loudest voice for the remote control. You are well aware that I do watch the stock market updates this time and whoa! What a time to take bath? Its all planned, I know. You never liked me watching those sensex figures” Kumar didn’t even look at her this time. His moustache was shivering with anger. His eyebrows coned.
“There is no point in talking to you. At the end, you will just convince me that I am wrong and all is my fault.” Arundhati’s voice scrambled. Her eyes moistened. Her fingers were curling up the tail end of her cotton sari. Staring the television she sat on the couch, taking extreme care to sit on the other end where Kumar sat.
“You don’t love me” she whispered. He sat there staring the television. Stock market updates were flashing on the screen.
Half an hour went.
“Hey, did you have the tablets for your head ache this morning?” He asked her. He glanced over her and found a drop of tear ready to roll down from the walls of her eyes. He kept his remote on the sofa and positioned himself near to her. She turned her face onto the opposite direction.
“Ok dear, I am sorry. You know I love you a lot. I won’t get angry on you anymore. This is a promise.” He tried to raise her face.
“Oh, shut up!” She grinned at him. “This is a promise I started to hear right from the day after our honey moon got over. Thirty years back. Today I am not going to fall for this sentimental dialogue of yours.” She was enjoying Kumar's fingers trying to wipe out the tear drop which already started rolling through her cheeks.
“Oh yeah, the very same thing you say every time I make this promise.” He laughed loud. And she couldn’t control her either.
-->A hug, the first thing to follow their laughter.
Vidya, she is looking prettier, he thought. Her curly black hair was waving in the light breeze that passed by her. She was smiling with those lovely dimples on her pink coloured cheeks. Sporting a ‘Police’ sunglass covering up her eyes, she stood there in front of him. The silky skirt had zebra designs on them.
Its after so many years he is meeting her, to be precise, after eight years, on her wedding day in one of those plush 4-star hotel. She had married Gautam, her boyfriend from her college. He never felt bad for that incident, but somewhere deep down his heart; he had once nourished a soft corner for her.
The very same Vidya stood in front of him and he couldn’t believe his eyes. When deputed for a major project on global warming here in Tokyo, he thought this would be the last place he could find some long lost friend on the busy streets. Before quipping a ‘hi’ he noticed a kid tugging at her jeans. He stared at him in surprise. “This is my son Abhinav!” she said sensing his surprise.
They used to play husband and wife. That was around twenty years back. Vidya did all those kitchen chores in their act. She used to boil water for him to take bath, when he returned from office she made omelettes using their plastic pan, he helped her in cutting the onions, she washed their cloths, he ironed their dresses, she fed the pet animals, he sang songs to her, she cleaned the room and he the bathroom.
“What’s up with you these days?” Her eyes were bright; those were the most sought after eyes in those college days of theirs. The conversations went on and on, as if they were sure of not meeting in the future anymore. The coffee table was getting well populated with coffee cups. Talks flew over their college days, career days, her marriage, she raising her offspring, his professional stints in various cities of the world, her husband’s flourishing ‘curry powder’ business in this land of the unknown, his various bride-hunting saga’s, her driving classes, his new car, and her new apartment which is under construction and what not. It was when Gautam’s call came that they realized they had stepped into the last hours of the day’s dusk.
“I will have to leave now”, she said after disconnecting the call from her hubby dear. “Gautam does’t has the keys of our flat.” They exchanged their mobile numbers and address. The hotel where he stays is quite far from her place. After hugging each other and with his promise to visit them over the weekend they bid good bye. He looked at her while they were leaving. Abhinav was jumping and bouncing like a rubber ball and she was adeptly handling him. With a smirk he took his laptop bag and that was when he noticed the bunch of coffee cups and pizza plates on the table.
It was he who cleaned the table; twenty years back, when they were husband and wife. He couldn’t abort his laughter but just realized they were still on the game. He picked the coffee cups and looked for the trash bin.
. He never went from office before eight. He was one of the hardworking employees out of many I have seen. All the directors were impressed with him. Perks and promotions followed him without a break. He never had applied for a leave nor he did complain about over work.
But now things had changed. He comes half an hour late. Brings lunch box to company. And leaves company exactly at five. If there is work after that, he assigns it to his juniors. Everyone wondered at his change. In the corridor’s I heard someone whispering, “he married last week.”
