Adultery The Possession

[Henry]

Todays morning Soma was getting ready to go to school as usual. Antu is on the dining table. Santu suddenly came from ground floor and said----Mom, have you heard?

Soma was standing in front of the mirror applying very light lipstick on her lips. This is only her simple make up outfits before going to school. She Said---What happened?
---Dawa uncle has left!

Soma was shocked. She turned and looked at her eldest son. Left Means he gone in his native land! Soma didn't quite understand. Her chest suddenly became empty. But she has made herself strong.

Going down the stairs with Antu, she looked at the room at the bottom of the stairs. The room is open. There is nothing inside. Except for that dirty bed.
She took Antu to the bus and And started walking to catch the auto. Suddenly a deep depression came over her. Dawa Sherpa is gone, and now she is completely safe. No one will even know what happened that day. Why is she still so sad?

She was sitting alone in the class room after the second period. Soma is feeling very lonely from inside. She began to think why she felt this loneliness? Why is she getting restless inside instead of being calm.

At the age of forty, her beauty still remains. Her younger colleague Mithali, Suparna praise her beauty still often. Somedays ago Suparna said "Soma di, if only we had black hair like yours....How do you have such beautiful hair? Goes well with your fair face". One day Mitali said "We are getting old at thirty-five-thirty-six, Soma di has reached forty, is she still beautiful!...Soma di, what would you say is the secret of your beauty?"

Or the senior bandana madam says "Soma, you've never aged, you look really sweet". Soma is used to hearing all these praises. So she never felt anything special. But when a man is attracted to a woman, no matter how conservative the woman may be, she secretly likes this.
As Soma herself studied in a girls' school, there was no chance that a boy would propose her. During college life, she got a couple of love proposals from a few college students. But Soma was then commited to as a Subir's declared lover.

Subir's entry into Soma's life is no accident. Rather, it was a prophecy. Actually Soma always wanted a lover who would be her future husband. In that case she preferred a sober, educated, decent man. Soma's love with Subir was psychological from the beginning because of the relationship between their two families. But the proposal reportedly came first from Subir. Actually Subir was very shy then. Soma knew Subir liked her. But being his father's friend's daughter, he could not say. In the house of Soma's father, Durga Puja was held in a big way. At that time Subir went to Soma's house. On the evening of Saptami, Subir proposed Soma through Soma's sister Tanima. Soma was just in then first year. Then Subir just joined govt job. Then they made love for four years. They got married the year Soma got the govt school teaching job. From the time of courtship to the first few years of marriage, Soma did not feel unhappy at all. As she grew older, she became lonely in her married life. Whenever there was a little leisure in the family after handling two sons and a job, she felt the loneliness from inside. Yet Soma remains normal.
Soma couldn't deny that Dawa Sherpa had intruded into her life after all these years to take advantage of her inner loneliness. Dawa is a strong, tall, masculine man, Soma knows that this is not the only reason Soma likes him. In seventeen years of marriage where she had neglected the needs of her body, Soma had no reason to be attracted only by a man's masculine body. In fact, Soma realizes that the most she feels is that he is very destitute from within. And this destitution brought the wild unsophisticated man close to her. Soma feels Dawa is like a nature, like lonely mountain. In the proximity of the powerful masculinity of his, she manifested her pent-up sexual appetite. Which was suppressed for a long time.

The man was gone, but left an unbearable sadness in Soma's mind. The man was alone like her! Maybe he was not well-educated like Soma, not of civil society. But soma think can lonely people be put into any class or category? Soma's head began to revolve around the question.


Physics teacher Sandeep entered the staffroom after finishing his class. He said after putting the chalk, duster---Soma di, what are you thinking so much?
Soma came out of the world of thought. She said with a gentle smile---Sandeep, is your class complete?
---Hmmm. Do you have class now?
---Yes, class eleven on the third floor.
---What a heat weather, soma di.
---When will it rain? I sit in hope. Soma said with smilie. After saying Soma got up. She has to go to the third floor to take classes.

While returning from school, Soma once peeked into the Dawa's room. As the door was open, so it is. Room was empty except the bed as in the morning. Once she thought to ask Mr. Mitra why Dawa Sherpa left. Then thought, stay, by asking or what will happen. Of course now he's looking for a new Watchman.

When she entered her house, she saw an elderly woman sitting on the sofa! Soma was startled, laughed and said---Bijaya di?

----Soma, how are you? A fifty plas aged woman is sitting on sofa, she asked.
---After som many years.
----That's right. I came to your house long ago. How young were your sons then? They could not recognize me now.
---Yes Bijaya di, many years ago. how is Dadababu (elder age brother in law)?
---Your Dadababu? Affected by various diseases after retirement. We are both diabetics.
----Wait Bijaya di, I will bring Sarbat.
----Soma, you just came from school, now take rest. Change your saree.
---Just wait few minutes Bijaya di. How much time will it take to make?

Vijaya is Soma's mother's sister's daughter. She Stays near Kolkata, in Barrackpore. Therefore was no contact for a long time with her. She telephone called at some time just. She came Soma's house today after a long years. Soma was happy and brought the sarbat.

Vijaya said to drink the sarbat----Go, change your saree.
Soma went to the bathroom. Now she has to take a bath. But she will be late to take a bath. So somehow freshened up, came out wearing a light nightie.
Bijaya stopped when Soma taking out the sweets from the fridge and said---What are you doing? I am a diabetic.
----Oh, Then cut the fruit? Or sugar free sweets?
----No. Nothing. You come and sit with me here. I haven't spoken openly with you for a long time.

Soma came and sat on the sofa. Bijaya said---Your two sons are very good. I was talking to them before you come.
Shy Antu sat next to his mother. While Soma caressing him, she said---This is my younger son. Do you think you saw him at the age of crawling?
---Yes. Now he said read in class six! How the children grew up day by day! Your elder son also student of secondary exam!
Soma laughed and said---What about Rinki?
---I came with her news. Bijaya smile.
----means?
---Her wedding is next week. Your Dadababu said he will come to invite you. But now that he is getting older, he doesn't go out much.
----Oh maa! Rinki's marriage? What does the groom do?
---Groom is not a Bengali. He is her colleague, south indian. Both live in Bangalore. They are engineers.
---Bah! You gave me a very good news, Bijaya di.
---You are the same as before, Soma. Just got a little fat?
---Got fat? Soma looked at her figure.

Vijaya laughed and said---does fat mean not fatty. This takes a little flesh. That's what happens with age. Subir is now in Delhi?
---Yes. Right there If he get that leave, he comes every two months.
---But Rinki's wedding has to go. Remember next week. She was saying that she had not seen Soma Masi (aunt) for a long time. She wanted to invite you herself. But She didn't get a leave because of their workload. Only for her marriage ceremony She will get a few days leave.

After many days Soma's maternal didi Bijaya met with her. So they started talking about various things. Bijaya left at eight o'clock at night.
Soma entered into the bathroom. She got relief from cold water on her body. Right that time Subir called. Soma said from the bathroom---Santu pick up the phone, I think your dad has called.
When Santu grabbed the telephone, Subir asked----What happened, where is your mom?
---She went to bathe.
---Why she so late and went to the bath?
---Masi came.
---Who Masi? Subir surprised! Soma's sister Tanima now live in abroad. Then who came!
---I don't know. Mom knows.

Soma comes out of bath wearing only petticoat, blouse. Then she entered the bedroom and put on a light cotton saree. When she picked up the phone Subir said---Who came home?"
---Bijaya di.
---Bijaya di? Is that your mother's sister's daughter Bijaya di?
----Hmmm.
---After so long She came i think?
---Yes, do you remember Bijaya Di's daughter Rinki? Her wedding is next week. Came to invitation.
---Oh!
---When you return from office? Soma asked.
---I came back a little early today.
---Oh, you konow something happened today! Soma said with secret sorrow.
Subir held out a cigarette and said---What happened again?
----Dawa Sherpa has ran away.
---Ran away means? Subir was surprised.
---Means left the job.

Subir felt a kind of depression in the tone of Soma's voice. So he said jokingly---I think you are in sadness?
---Why should I sad? she said hiding herself.
---Your boyfriend is gone! Do not sad!

Soma feigned anger and said---Dush! That thing again...! But you know, the man helped us anyway.
---Hmmm. Subir said seriously. He said again---But Why he suddenly ran away, i don't understand?
---I don't understand that either. But the man is a little different. As he is not of civilized society like us, he did not look like a village or slum dweller either. You can call him a just mountain man, A solitary man of the primeval forest. who is completely alone, one of a kind.
Soma's voice was full of emotion as she spoke the words.

Subir smiled and said---Suddenly you are praising him?
---Not a praise, in fact I have never seen such a person. I saw him talking about mountains, forests, wildlife. Again I saw the fierce arrogance in him as a brute dominant nature. Again I saw intense human qualities in him. The man was surprising me always.

Subir said---I see you have fallen in love with Dawa. Sometimes praising him, sometimes strongly condemn.
Soma remained silent for a while. Then she said---what to eat at night?
Subir realizes that Soma is getting emotional, so she tries to change the subject.
---What again? Roti and vegetables.

To be continued...