Adultery The Old Toothbrush by Trambak

[Ramesh_Rocky]

I stood transfixed. Even for a callous fellow like me, I knew what was going on. The grunts and the moans said it all.

No, it wasn't my worst nightmare. This, I never knew existed.

Did I feel faint or angry or dismayed or anything?

Nothing. I felt unreal. Something that happens to someone else. Not me!

What was I to do? Shout? Charge in? Run out? What?

I slowly sat in the armchair. For the second time, today.

The noise continued and then got muted and then stopped altogether.

For how long?

How do I know? Was I timing it?

But I knew only one thing that I was sitting in my own living room.

That the surprise was on me.

I took out my mobile and switched it off. Why?

I don't know. Maybe, I did not want my phone to ring.

The events of the day crossed my mind like a cinema, the telephone calls, the car ride, the pulp joint and even the push in the aircraft. Everything passed like frames. A disjointed movie. In bits and pieces. Meaningless. I was tired. I had no will to react.

Time passed.

The phone rang somewhere in the distance. I did not care. I heard only one word that she uttered, "What?"

And then there was silence. Minutes passed and I stared into the darkness that my life offered.

She came in and we were face to face.

I looked at her and she looked at me.

Who will say the first words?

"I think Adi needs to leave," I said quietly.

A human form slowly emerged from the direction of my bedroom and stood in silence, head bowed. An undeniable shadow of the smart, athletic, handsome and witty man that I knew and admired.

I stood up and said with a surprising normalcy, "Come! Let me leave you to your car."

The door opened silently once again and I climbed down the stairs, not looking back.

This time the watchman was sitting bang near the stairs and was awake.

He said with a bright smile, "Sahib! You came today?"

I nodded.

He looked behind me, "Party? Sahib."

I nodded again.

Aditya whispered, "Sir, the car is outside."

I nodded once more and walked towards the Complex gate.

The lone SUV was parked a little away from the gate. He climbed and started the engine. He hesitated. He wanted to say something.

"Drive carefully", I said kindly.

He averted my eyes and drove off.

I returned. A whiff of cold air made a sudden chill go down my spine. Possibly, the chill was in my heart. The watchman looked at my tired face and said, "Sahib. Tell your guests to get their car inside. I will arrange parking."