Part 210 – A Golden Opportunity Slipped Through Raju's Fingers
Pihu’s POV- “The moment Madam placed her hand against my chest, pushed me away, and stood back, distancing herself from me, I instantly realized that, in the heat of the moment, I had lost my head and committed a grave error, one I absolutely should not have made. Especially at such a delicate juncture. Yet, what was done was done; try as I might, I could not change it.” As Raju recounted his story to me, he continued, “That was when I recalled another piece of advice Alex had given me. He had told me that if I ever felt the situation suddenly turning serious, I should use my wits to try and bring it under control. Bearing that in mind, I said to Madam, ‘Sorry, Madam, I was just...’ but I couldn't finish my sentence. Before I could complete my thought, Madam held up her hand to stop me. Without saying another word, she ran off toward her bedroom. And the very next moment, I heard the loud sound of her bedroom door slamming shut. I sat there alone, feeling like a fool, gazing in the direction Madam had gone. As soon as I heard the loud thud of her bedroom door closing, my mind kicked back into gear. I thought to myself: if Madam were to do something rash out of guilt, the entire blame would fall squarely on me. I needed to go after her immediately; God forbid she were even contemplating doing something drastic, I would be there to stop her. I instantly rose from my seat and ran toward Madam’s bedroom. The bedroom door was indeed closed, but it wasn't locked. I opened the door and stepped inside, but I couldn't see Madam anywhere within the room. Just then, I heard a sound coming from the bathroom. I immediately rushed over to the bathroom door. Before I could even knock, I heard another sound. I pressed my ear against the door. I heard the sound of weeping. Madam was crying inside. At the same time, she was speaking as well. I strained to listen. Sobbing, Madam was saying, ‘I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to do it at all. It just... happened.’ She began to weep again. Hearing her cry like that, I started to feel terrible. It felt as though I was the one who had made a mistake by kissing her. I was the one who had left her so vulnerable that she, too, had been swept away by her emotions. But now, she was regretting it, feeling that she had made a mistake. And that was why she was acting this way. Overcome with guilt, she was sobbing uncontrollably. I gently knocked on the door. Then, in a soft voice, I said, ‘Madam, please come out.’ The moment she heard my voice, the sound of weeping from inside ceased. For a few moments, a profound silence hung over the entire room. I was just about to speak again when I heard Madam’s voice. From inside the bathroom, she called out to me, ‘Could you please go sit outside? I’ll be out in a little while.’ I asked, ‘Madam, are you alright?’ She replied, ‘I’m fine. You go on; I’ll be right there.’ I said nothing more. I quietly stepped out, sat down on the sofa, and waited for Madam to appear. Slowly, time began to drag on. Every passing moment felt like an eternity to me. But after about ten minutes, Madam finally emerged from her room. Once again, she came and stood directly before me. I looked up at her. Her face, neck, and the upper part of her chest were drenched with water. Droplets of water were trickling down her face, soaking her expensive saree and blouse. Her hair, too, particularly the strands framing her face, was wet, with water dripping from it as well. The water had washed away her makeup; the kohl from her eyes had run, pooling in dark smudges beneath them. I had already wiped away her lipstick earlier. Yet, despite it all, her face still looked incredibly beautiful. However, at that moment, neither she nor I had our minds focused on such things. The instant Madam came and stood before me, I blurted out, ‘I am so very sorry, Madam. That was not my intention at all. I was merely...’ Once again, I was unable to finish my sentence. For she interrupted me mid-sentence, stopping me from saying anything further. As I fell silent, she looked at me and said, ‘What we did today was wrong. We shouldn't have done it. We absolutely should not have done it. We both got carried away by our emotions and committed a huge mistake. We both should have exercised restraint over our feelings. Anyway, what’s done is done; we cannot change it now. However, we can be vigilant going forward to ensure that such a mistake never happens again.’ I tried to offer a reply, but she cut me off once more and spoke herself: ‘I’m not feeling quite well today. I won’t be able to tutor you today. You may leave now. Bye, and good night.’ After that exchange, it would have been inappropriate for me to linger there any longer. And indeed, I didn't. With a voice trembling slightly, I said, ‘Good night, Madam. And once again, I’m sorry,’ before leaving her home. As I made my way back to the hostel, I kept asking myself: Was what I did truly wrong? Should I really not have done it? Was it right to so abruptly liberate the emotions of a woman who had, in a sense, kept them imprisoned within herself for ten long years? Was it right to render her so vulnerable that she would be forced to surrender, to fall to her knees, before her very own feelings? All along the way, these questions gnawed at both my mind and my heart. Yet, I could not find a single satisfactory answer to any of them.”
“‘Look, friend, it’s obvious that you made a mistake,’ Alex said after listening to my entire story. ‘But the mistake isn’t what you think it is.’ I couldn’t make sense of what Alex was saying. I asked him, ‘What exactly are you trying to say?’ He replied, ‘Simply this: your mistake was acting too hastily; you should have exercised a little patience. However, I do not agree with your belief that kissing your Madam, as a way of expressing your feelings for her, was wrong. In my opinion, what you did was exactly the right thing to do. And deep down, your Madam wanted the very same thing, for you to express your feelings to her, to embrace her, and to give her that exquisite pleasure she hasn’t experienced in the last ten years.’ I argued, ‘If that’s truly the case, then why did Madam react the way she did? Why did she cry in the bathroom? Why did she say, through her tears, that she shouldn’t have let that happen? If this is exactly what she wanted, then why did she feel such guilt over it?’ Hearing my point, Alex chuckled slightly and said, ‘I told you something once, do you remember?’ I asked, ‘What was that?’ He replied, ‘It was this: the physical and psychological formation of every woman in this world is far more complex than that of us men. Often, even they themselves don’t fully understand what is going on inside their own minds. And I don’t blame them for that; it is simply an innate trait of theirs. Their psychological constitution is so intricate that, at times, it becomes difficult even for them to think about things in a straightforward manner.’ After listening to this lecture from Alex, I still didn’t understand a thing. Alex continued, ‘Let me explain it to you. Up until now, you’ve been viewing the events of this evening solely from your own perspective. Now, for just a moment, try to look at the entire sequence of events from your Madam’s perspective. Look, first of all, hers was a love marriage. Right? That means she went against her family’s wishes to marry a man she truly loved. Why? According to her, she still loves her husband just as much today as she did ten years ago, before they separated. So, just imagine, somewhere deep within her heart, there is still a lingering love for her husband. Until now, she had believed that it was improper to fall in love a second time after having loved once before. But you convinced her that this notion was entirely wrong. It was you who persuaded her to open her heart to love once again. And she fell in love with you. She began to feel that this would be easy, just like the first time. She thought she would be able to love you with the same effortless ease with which she had loved a man the first time around. She began to repeat all the same gestures and behaviors she had displayed during her first romance. She even tried to woo you, hoping you would fall in love with her. She made every conceivable effort to make that happen. And she felt her efforts had finally paid off when you complimented her, when you openly expressed the feelings of your heart to her. You even assured her that no matter her age, you would continue to love her just as deeply; that her age would make absolutely no difference to you. This was exactly what she had been longing to hear from your lips. And when you finally spoke those very words she had been waiting to hear, she felt as though all her efforts had, at long last, been vindicated. The next step was for you to embrace her. You embraced her. You kissed her. Even at that moment, everything still felt right to her. She saw the figure of a lover emerging within you; in her eyes, you were gradually shedding the persona of a student and transforming into a romantic partner. But, and here is where the rhythm was disrupted, you acted too hastily. That is precisely why I had forbidden you from taking any initiative on your own. I knew that the moment you took matters into your own hands, Madam’s entire perspective would shift instantly. And that is exactly what happened. The very moment you attempted to lift the pallu (lapel) of her saree, she suddenly felt that everything she had been doing with you up until that point was wrong. She shouldn't have done that. In a split second, the bitter memories of her first love compelled her to think this way. She felt as though she was about to repeat the very same mistake she had already made once before. And her mind stopped her from making the same error twice. She withdrew, not from you, but from the beautiful notion that she had begun to fall in love with you. Once again, her emotions retreated into a silent, dark corner of her mind, the very place where they had been held captive for all these years. She convinced herself, yet again, that falling in love is wrong. That she simply cannot fall in love with anyone a second time. That is precisely why she reacted the way she did. Nothing more. In my opinion, there is absolutely no need to be worried about this. Everything is just as normal as it was before.’ After speaking at length, Alex finally fell silent. I looked at him and asked, ‘But what am I supposed to do now?’ Alex laughed and replied, ‘Nothing.’ I asked, ‘What do you mean?’”
“Alex said, ‘Well, ‘nothing’ means exactly that, nothing. Right?’ I replied, ‘Don’t joke around. Just tell me how I can fix my mistake.’ Alex said, ‘Since you haven’t actually made a mistake, how can the question of fixing it even arise?’ I argued, ‘But Madam thinks I’ve made a mistake, doesn’t she? And she thinks she’s made one, too. Now, tell me, how am I supposed to convince her that neither I nor she has done anything wrong?’ Alex said, ‘Have some patience, my friend. You’re about to act too hastily once again. You won’t need to explain anything to her. Just give her a little time; she’ll figure out what she needs to understand all on her own. For now, don’t go to her house for tuition for the next two or three days.’ I exclaimed, ‘For two or three days?! Alex replied, ‘Yes. Don’t go to her house for two or three days. Go only when she invites you over herself.’ I said, ‘Impossible! Even if I never went to her house again, she still wouldn’t invite me.’ Alex insisted, ‘She definitely will. You’ve reignited the flame of desire within her once again. And for a woman, it is difficult to resist that flame of desire. Take my advice and wait for two or three days. I’m certain that during that time, you’ll receive a summons from her.’ I asked, ‘And what if I don’t?’ Alex said, ‘In that case, do whatever you please. But for now, don’t do anything for the next two or three days. Don’t go to her house, and don’t approach her at the university either. Understood?’ I nodded my head, agreeing to follow his advice. For the next two days, I didn’t step out of the hostel. I went neither to the university nor to Madam’s house. Two days passed just like that. I received no call from Madam. It began to look as though Alex’s prediction was proving wrong. I made up my mind: tomorrow, I would go to her house, and I would apologize to her as well. I would ask for it. But I didn't need to. Because, just as Alex had predicted, the very next day, I actually received a call from Madam herself. The moment I answered, I heard Madam’s anxious voice: ‘Why haven't you been coming to the university for the past two days? Is your health alright?’ I replied, ‘I'm fine, Madam.’ Madam said, ‘Then you neither came to the university nor showed up for your studies for two whole days. Why is that? Your exams are drawing near, and here you are, goofing off at the hostel!’ I began, ‘Well, Madam, I...’ Cutting me off mid-sentence, Madam said, ‘Come over for your studies this evening. To my house.’ Saying this, she hung up. I was absolutely ecstatic. Alex said, ‘Now, don't be hasty at all. And yes, make sure you explain one thing clearly to your Madam: that falling in love isn't wrong. Nor is fulfilling one's desires. Understood?’ I laughed and nodded my head. That very evening, I arrived at Madam's house at exactly six o'clock. As soon as I rang the doorbell, Madam opened the door and let me inside. After closing the door, she looked at me, smiled slightly, and asked, ‘So, has your anger finally cooled down?’ I replied, ‘I wasn't actually angry with you at all. But yes, the way you reacted so suddenly that day, I certainly did get a little scared.’ Madam said, ‘Hmm, sometimes being scared is a good thing. It keeps you in line.’ Sitting down on the sofa, I took her by the arm, pulled her down to sit beside me, and said, ‘But I'm not going to be scared today.’ Madam immediately pulled her arm free from my grasp, moved a little distance away from me, and said, ‘No, you are not going to pull any mischief today. Enough with the mischief. No more.’ I laughed and asked, ‘What exactly are you calling 'mischief,' Madam? My actions, or my love for you?’ Hearing this, she paused for a moment and looked at me. But she didn't say anything. She couldn't find the words. So I spoke up myself: ‘Yes, Madam. What you heard is true. I love you, not as a teacher, but as a lover. And perhaps you love me too, not as a student, but as a lover. Isn't that right? If we both love each other, then why all this pretense?’ Madam replied, ‘What on earth are you saying? I have never loved you! How could I possibly love you?’ I asked, ‘Why couldn't you? Am I that bad-looking? Am I not good at my studies? Am I not smart? And am I not worthy of being loved?’ Madam said, ‘You are. You are handsome, studious, and smart. But yet I cannot love you.’ I asked, ‘And why not?’ Madam replied, ‘Because you are still quite young.’ I said, ‘Madam, love is never bound by age. Love can happen to anyone, at any age. Just as I have fallen in love with you. And perhaps you have fallen in love with me, too, whether you choose to admit it or not.’ Madam fell silent. After a brief pause, I said, ‘Very well. I have my answer. So, listen: I am leaving now. If you truly do not love me, then please, do not stop me from leaving.’ Saying this, I rose from the sofa and turned to leave. But Madam reached out, grasped my hand, and stopped me. She spoke softly: ‘Wait. Don't go. Listen to me. You have your entire future lying ahead of you. Don't waste your time chasing after me like this. Focus on your studies. Focus on your career. That is what will truly be right for you.’ I stopped and replied, ‘Madam, you have always viewed love as something wrong. Simply because you were once deceived in love, you have come to believe that love itself is wrong, that loving someone is a mistake. But that is absolutely not the case.’ Upon hearing this, Madam looked up and glanced at me.”
“I said, ‘Yes, Madam. I admit that you are right. Education, career, jobs, and money, these things matter in everyone’s life. But there is one other thing, equally important, that stands apart from all of these. Something you cannot deny, even if you tried. And that is love. Love isn’t something you do, Madam; it is something that happens to you. It can happen at any time. With anyone. Just as I have fallen in love with you. And this truth, neither I, nor you, can deny it.’ Sitting before her, I took her hands in mine and said, ‘I know that your past experiences with love have not been good. You have received nothing but betrayal in return for your love. But that absolutely does not mean you should stop loving altogether. That isn’t right. Not in the slightest. For so many years, you have kept your mind and your emotions imprisoned deep within yourself. You have lived a stifled existence, suffocating in your own solitude. But no more. How much longer will you continue to live like this? The time has come to live freely. The time has come to liberate the emotions held within you. The time has come to love once again. I am not asking you to love me. Nor will I ever force you to do so. But please, just live freely. Whether you choose to love me or not makes no difference to me. However, the right to love you, that is something no one can take away from me; not even God Himself. I love you, and I will continue to love you until my dying breath. Whether you want that or not.’ Madam replied, ‘I am afraid. Afraid of betrayal. Afraid of love itself. I fear that, in exchange for my love, I will once again receive nothing but deceit. And I simply cannot bear that again. On top of that, you aren’t even half my age. Society will never accept this love of ours. It will condemn our relationship at every turn. And I won’t be able to endure that.’ I said, ‘Why should we concern ourselves with what society thinks? Our only task is to love. And that is exactly what we will do. And please, from now on, do not stifle your emotions. Set them free. Please. For my sake. And for yours.’ Madam said nothing more. I pulled her toward me once again and began to bring my face close to hers. But before I could kiss her, she stepped away from her spot and stood up. Then, sticking her thumb out at me in a teasing gesture, she burst into loud laughter. And then she ran toward the kitchen. I rose from my seat and followed her into the kitchen. She had already heard the sound of my approach. I wrapped my arms around her from behind, holding her tight. She didn't even make an attempt to break free from my grasp. I said, ‘You managed to run away here after teasing me... but how are you going to escape me now?’ Saying this, I planted a kiss on the back of her neck. Feeling my kiss on her neck, she gave a little start. She asked, ‘Are you being naughty again?’ I replied, ‘No, I’m not being naughty; I’m simply expressing my love, to my rather clueless girlfriend.’ Madam turned her head to look at me and said, ‘I’m clueless? And what are you? The sensible one?’ I said, ‘Absolutely! After all, it takes a sensible person to fall in love with someone as clueless as you.’ Madam said, ‘Now, let go of me.’ I replied, ‘I didn't hold you just to let you go!’ Saying this, I turned her around to face me. I slipped my hands around her waist and pulled her close. Madam’s body instantly pressed against mine. Her soft boobs pressed against my chest, yielding to the pressure. I brought my face close to hers. This time, Madam herself reached behind my neck, pulled my head toward her, and once again, our lips met. We began to kiss, our lips locked together. Our mouths fused as one, and there, inside the kitchen, we kissed each other with wild abandon. From that day on, our relationship was back on track once again. Every day I used to go to her house to study. And we used to kiss, too. At first, I limited myself to just kissing her. But gradually, my boldness grew. Now, I began kissing her on various places other than just her lips, sometimes on her forehead, sometimes on her cheeks, sometimes on her neck or throat, and sometimes on the upper part of her chest. At first, Madam would protest, saying ‘no, no.’ But now, she doesn't say a word. In fact, she actually enjoys my kisses on these various spots now. She, too, began to enjoy my kisses. Meanwhile, my exams were drawing near. We certainly had our fun, but she remained fully focused on my studies. One day, while kissing her, I remarked, ‘Madam, your boobs are so big. And soft, too.’ By now, I could use words like "boobs" quite boldly in front of her without any hesitation. She didn't mind it at all. She said, ‘Did you let your eyes wander down there again?’ Gently placing my hand on her chest, I replied, ‘The truth is the truth. I’ve only placed my hand there; surely that hasn't ruined your boobs, has it? I haven't even looked at them yet.’ Madam retorted, ‘You’ll only get to look when I let you, isn't that right? The fact that I’ve allowed you to place your hand there should be quite enough for you.’ Without saying another word, I gave Madam’s boobs a gentle squeeze right through her blouse. Yet, Madam said nothing. One day, the moment Madam opened the door, I stepped inside, quickly grabbed her, and began kissing her passionately. She exclaimed, ‘Hey, hey! At least let me close the door first! What will people think if someone sees us?’ I replied, ‘Let them think whatever they want.’ That day, Madam was wearing a nightie with a rather deep neckline. As I held her close, her nightie slipped down slightly, and I realized that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. As soon as I realized this, I began pulling her nightie down even further so that I could catch a glimpse of her boobs. However, Madam sensed exactly what was on my mind. She started trying to pull her nightie back up. In the ensuing tug-of-war, one of her boobs nearly popped right out of her nightie. Madam quickly tucked her tit back inside her nightie and exclaimed, ‘You absolute rascal! You’ve been nothing but trouble the moment you walked in!’ I replied, ‘Well, I’ve seen it now. What are you going to do about it?” Madam laughed and said, ‘So you’ve seen it, what of it?’ I pressed on, ‘I really enjoyed the view. Please, Madam, since I’ve already seen it, why don’t you let me have a proper look?’ Madam teased, ‘Oh, my! Look at the child’s stubbornness, he just has to see my boobs!’ I continued trying to persuade her. Finally, Madam relented and said, ‘If you score 80 percent on the upcoming exam, only then will I let you look at my boobs.’ I countered, ‘And if I score more than 80 percent, you won’t just show me your boobs, you’ll let me touch them, too. Is it a deal?’ Madam replied, ‘I’ll think about it.’ I insisted, ‘No. That won’t do. You have to make a promise.’ Eventually, Madam gave in and agreed. It was settled between the two of us: if I scored over 80 percent on the exam, she would not only show me her boobs but also let me touch them. I began waiting for that day with bated breath.” (Contd.)
[Next Update is on Saturday (10.11.26) between 11 am to 2 pm]