Adultery Knowing My Wife, Knowing Me As Well - part III

[krish_999]

 

Chapter - Eighteen

 

I was not in touch with Ashish after his family arrived in Pune. When I phoned him on a Saturday, he said he was in Aurangabad. He was on a family trip to the Ellora Caves.
I thought of Meera's reaction if I told her that Ashish was married and he's got a family with whom he was having a good time.
Meera on the other had remained tensed during the weekend.
"Monday he will reveal the list of people who'd lose their job."
Meera kept saying nervously. I tried to console.
"If they're axing you, then who else can they keep? Your position is important. Cost-cutting is different from firing. Cost-cutting means your table is no longer required. Your work will be added to someone else's. The firing means you are no longer required due to your incompetency. Once they fired you, the company immediately will have to hire someone better to do your job. The company doesn't save anything here. So my point is, if his aim is cost-cutting, then it's guaranteed that he won't let you go."
"You're trying to boost my confidence. I know. But it's not working. Sorry."
Meera said. It was apparent that every one of her staff was also experiencing the same. Nobody knew of their immediate fate beyond Monday.
 
 
However, it all would change in a matter of two days.
Monday Ashish gathered all his staff and announced that he had rejected the order from the above to reduce the manpower. He had written to the authorities that all of his staff were too important to his office and he there's not a single name who could be axed. He suggested his name to be axed if they wanted to do it mandatorily.
His argument was that his office was the best performing branch. It happened not because of the money the company was paying but because of the hard work his staff were putting out.
Ashish announced that his stance was respected by the board and no one was going to lose his job that year.
In effect, Ashish had announced himself as the saviour of all because all other branches of the company have suffered job loss as part of cost-cutting.
Meera was joyous when she came home.
"We all thought he was a dumbass. But he cared for our hard work more than everyone. We had no idea."
"Didn't I tell you this Ashish can actually be a good guy?" I asked.
"Yeah, you said. But nothing was going into my head. Now you can't believe how light my head is feeling like."
I hugged her. "No, I can understand your joy."
 
It didn't end there. On Tuesday Ashish conducted another gathering presented the assessment report. Meera was named the best performing official of the branch. She showed me the trophy in the evening. It had her name inscribed on it.
More than the award, that she was evaluated as deserving by Ashish evoked more joy. "It was unbelievable that he found my work contribution superior to anyone else's. He spoke so highly of my work. I never knew he was so impressed by me. Actually, none of us thought he appreciated our work so much like this."
Meera said. Her eyes were slightly wet. 
I could understand her. It was perhaps the happiest day in her life in a long time. She had been working so hard yet she was not getting the respect she deserved. Suddenly all the sadness, all the disappointments and all the complaints were undone by a man she had only hated. She was not only respected for her work but also showered with compliments. Praised with words she was perhaps dying to hear, Meera suddenly had a realisation.
"I think I was wrong about him all along. He was just being professional. He is."
The man had even commented on her dressing sense. He named her the best dressed one in his office or any office he had ever worked. 
"He said he noticed that I become more energetic when I enter the office. He said no one can stop me there," Meera laughed.
She was on cloud nine.
 
Meera later revealed she had a chat with him after the gathering. 
"I asked him why he is not so friendly with everyone, and if he had any idea how he surprised everyone yesterday. He just laughed. I think he's still holding back a lot of surprises."
"What kind of surprises?"
I asked.
"I mean, he's such a mystery for all. I asked him why so mysterious. He said he's here for a short term only. In the limited time he wanted to concentrate on his work, nothing else."
I was so happy to see her finally making a mark in her field. She was a smart woman at work and she deserved respect.
"I think there will be a party soon," Meera said later. "I want to introduce you to him."
I smiled at the thought of Meera introducing me to Ashish only to realise that we were already friends. I thought it would be a great surprise for her. And for Ashish too, since he had no idea that Meera was my wife.
"Do you think he will be excited to meet your husband?"
"Why not?"
"You said he isn't a social person."
Meera shook her head.
"Yeah, he isn't a social person. But I'm. I can be excited about introducing you to anyone, can't I?"
I smiled.
"Of course you can, baby."
 
Meera later showed me the pictures of her being awarded. Anagha had taken the snaps and forwarded them to her. The award was given by a man I hadn't seen.
"Who's this guy?"
I asked.
"That's Ashish. Who else do you think it is?"
Meera said.
I was stunned. I couldn't believe how I got confused like that again. Perhaps it was my habit of resorting to speculations, processing half information. There were many incidents in the past when I heard something and assumed something entirely different.
It wasn't the Ashish I had known for a while. It was someone else. I kept looking at the photo.
"What is his full name?"
"Ashish Bharadwaj. Why?"
Ashish Bharadwaj. The name was so different from Ashish Sehgal. I couldn't shake the shock of my own stupidity to assume both men as same just because they had a similar first name and general hesitation to accept women.
"Nothing," I said first and then explained. "I thought I've seen him when you were telling me stories about him. That guy's name is Ashish Sehgal. I got confused."
"Yeah, I remember you telling me that you've seen him at a party. I was sure it was someone else. You surely met someone else and confused yourself."
I was still looking at her phone, checking out the guy. He had a broad forehead. Meera had once told me that he's about to go bald. I laughed at myself to have thought she had that impression only because she was angry at him.
"By the way, tell me one thing," Meera snatched the phone from me. "You had a face in your mind when you were making me do all those naughty things in bed. Who's this Ashish Sehgal in reality? What's the deal with him?"
I was caught in a web. I smiled at her to erase my embarrassment.
"The deal is with you. I just wanted to help you get ahead of your boss, in your head. It worked, right?"
"You liar!" Meera pushed me away, with a cute smile. "I know you. I know all the dirty things you cook up in here, okay?" She pointed to my head and went on. "You were fantasising."
"What's wrong with that?" I admitted, putting my arms around her. "Didn't it work?"
Meera was shy now. "Yeah, but you made me torture my boss."
"Don't forget you've enjoyed it." I teased her further.
Meera giggled.
"I feel embarrassed now. He didn't deserve those tortures. He's a good person."
"Really? Then go ahead and apologise to him."
"No. You go and apologise to him. You're the one who made me do those things."
"Why should I apologise? He would be grateful if I told him how much torture I have taken for him."
"Are you going to tell him?"
"Yeah."
"Then I'm going to kill you."
Meera hugged me tight and kissed me hard. I smooched her back.
 
 
Like I mentioned, her life had changed in two days. The most hated man of her life had become the most respected one. And he had earned my respect too, without even meeting I person. Ashish Bharadwaj happened to be a gentleman who, for a change, did not seem to be a fan of Meera's beauty.
Ashish Bharadwaj's face remained in my mind for so long that I eventually felt I had seen him before that already. But I couldn't recollect where it was. I thought we might have come across some parties.
 
I eventually met Ashish Bharadwaj in person when I went to drop Meera at a conference venue. Meera was excited to introduce me to him. Ashish smiled shook hands with me.
"You know it feels great to meet families of my colleagues because it makes me feel like I am working closely with the guys. It inspires me."
He said.
We chatted for a while despite him being in the middle of preparation for the conference. He sounded and behaved like a gentleman.
Ashish too felt he had seen me somewhere already, though he was unable to recollect it.
"We might have come across during any parties. So many events nowadays, it's not so surprising that we forget faces too easily."
I said.
"But I hardly attended a party since my arrival. I don't enjoy them much."
"Then I'll invite you for lunch one day. We can discuss more on that."
I joked.
"Yeah, that's right." He laughed.
We met on a few occasions, and we were acquainted with each other very soon.
 
We had a busy weekend after that. Pawan invited us for dinner at his house. Saturday he suggested shopping together. I was surprised because it was the first time he had come up with a suggestion that would bring me close to Sheetal or him to Meera. He was always a person who appeared to be holding back. Anyways, we went shopping with them and followed it with a dine-out.
Sunday morning we visited the temple. In the night we invited Pawan and Sheetal for dinner at our house.
Meera later opined that the weekend felt too shorter. I felt the same.
 
 
Two days later, Meera had great news for me from her office.
"Ashish wants to remove Desai from our client list."
"How? Why? What happened?"
My questions were many.
"I initially thought it's because of my friendship with Desai. Ashish is annoyed by it. But you know there's an important thing. Ashish discussed it with me. He has conducted a study about the reports we prepared for Ashish in the last three quarters and the number of investments he made based on them. He has made regular investments for sure, but it's too little when compared to his portfolio. Ashish told me he's not seeking the reports for actual use."
"Then what else is it?"
I asked automatically. Meera gave me a surprised look.
"It's me, idiot. Ashish told me he has two answers for this. One, Desai wants to make me stay relevant because I am the one who prepared most of them. Two, Desai wants to stay relevant to me. In other words, to impress me. Ashish was very careful to use the word. You know sometimes I still feel he's got a problem speaking to one on one with a woman like me."
"He may be finding you too hot," I quipped.
Meera gave me a cute smile and went on, "I asked Ashish if he was holding me responsible for wastage of man-hour, and he said no."
She paused for a moment as if to prepare to reveal something intelligent. "He's actually good with finding facts. He said even though Desai made marginal investments based on my reports, those investments followed the growth as per the report."
I tried to gather the meaning of what she said. She quickly led the level of my IQ on the subject.
"I mean Desai could have made a good profit if he had seriously considered investing according to my reports."
I shook my head now. "But then why didn't he do so?"
"That's exactly the big question. The answer, Ashish found it, is that Desai wasn't even paying attention to the reports. He didn't care about those reports. He just cared about me."
"Oh," I sighed. "So now your boss knows about this creep."
"He put it a bit differently. He said 'I appreciate that you and Mr Susheel Desai are friends. But his presence in the office isn't helping our staff, especially your team members. So we might not be preparing reports for him anytime soon.’ He apologised in advance if his decision hurt my sentiments."
"Did it hurt?"
"What do you think?"
"I like to meet this guy again and just give him a big hug. He's awesome."
Meera laughed.
"I knew you'd say this. You don't want Desai around me, do you?"
"You know me, I hate that guy."
I admitted.
 
It was great news for me. Since Desai was removed from the exclusive client list, he would not be able to walk into the office and talk to Meera or any staff directly. It meant he could no longer visit Meera in her office.
Desai was going to be a loser. His dream was finally shattered. At least I thought.
 
 
A few days later, Pawan dropped a bomb out of nowhere.
It was a fine evening when the ladies had gone for the daily walk.
He invited me to his apartment, asking me for a cup of coffee. He looked a bit nervous from the start.
I sat on the couch and waited, but instead of giving me the coffee, he sat down next to me, scratching the trimmed beard.
"You must be aware of the struggle we have gone through, Krish. We are not from here. Back in MP, we have a big family. I have three brothers and two sisters. But we haven't met them in three years. It's been three years since I met my parents. It's a long time, isn't it?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Why don't you go and meet them?"
I thought he was going to seek financial help. I thought he might be exhausted all his savings for the medical treatment.
"Because we have no children, yet."
He said.
For a moment I didn't know what to say. I could not relate to his situation immediately.
"I don't know how much you'd understand this. Your state is modern and people are advanced. People understand. But in our state, especially in our hometown things are different. My mother doesn't talk to Sheetal because she's unable to give them a grant child. My parents have only one worry in the world. No, they don't worry about us. They are ashamed of us."
"You can't let it grow into your head, pal. God is there, he'll help you find a way."
I tried to console him with my words.
"God is there." Pawan laughed, nervously. "I believe in God. But sometimes it gets really tough. I am counting on him to help me through this."
"Good."
"We've tried many doctors and many treatments. I have a problem. The final resolution suggested was IVF. I did not know about it at first. But when I learnt about it, it scared me. You know the problem is with me. My sperm is supposed to fertilize my wife's - they called it the egg. But my sperm isn't healthy. So they suggested getting it from someone. Some people donate it. I asked the doctor one thing. When the child is born, will it look like me? He said the child can look like its mother but not me. What does it mean to me? It means everything. I didn't want to do it. I didn't do it. It's not that I wanted my child to look like me. It was that I wouldn't even know who my child would resemble. What qualities will she or he have? Only God will know. Only time will tell."
"Many people are opting for it, Pawan. I believe our child is what we grow him or her into."
"I will never understand it. For me a child is everything. Once it is born, you have to love it. A child born without a face, how can I love it? Sheetal agrees with me."
"It's all up to your decision. You should try to convince your family about it. It can't be forced."
"None in my family has this problem. My elder brother has four children - the youngest of his children is in high college.  People laugh at me, behind me. I can hear it, I can't sleep when I think of going back without having a child."
I really felt for him. I was searching in my memory if I knew of a doctor who could give him some hope.
"Next option was adoption. That's a strict no."
Pawan shook his head sideways as if the thought repulsed him. "My family would look at Sheetal and find the truth in two seconds."
"Have you tried Ayurvedic treatment?"
I asked only because I didn't know anything else to suggest.
"I've tried everything."
Pawan said quickly.
I was silent now.
"Krish, I want your help." Pawan leaned forward in his seat. "I know you wouldn't have expected me to ask for your help in this. But I have no other way. I have no one to look up to."
He paused as if his nervousness was not letting him continue. His nervous look got me nervous too.
"How can I help?"
I asked.
"I...I want you to give me a child."
I was too stunned to react. I kept staring at him for a second and slowly it came back to me why he was talking so long about his struggle. I had a basic idea of what he was suggesting. But I still thought I was not getting it right.
"What are you asking me?"
I asked slowly.
Pawan swallowed. He looked down on the floor for a moment and pressed his palms together in tension.
"I mean, I want you to have sex with Sheetal. And make her pregnant."
"Are you out of your mind?"
I asked even before he finished his sentence. It was the stupidest thing somebody had ever asked me. I had heard of stories of men seeking help from friends to impregnate their wives. But I never thought I would hear one in real, let alone be asked to be part of it.
"I know you would think I am crazy. But yes, I have taken this decision after a lot of thought."
"It's not something for you to decide."
"I know. I know, Krish. But I am begging you, Krish."
I shook my head in refusal.
"No, Pawan. You don't know what you are asking."
"I told you we are far from your home state. We know each other for a few months only. And I know when your apartment is ready you'll go back to it. I will also go back to my home state. We will never meet again. There's nothing you'll lose."
"What about my wife? I am also a husband, Pawan."
I felt a pang of guilt as I finished those words.
You have slept three women other than your wife! I heard a voice inside my head.
"She will never know. Nobody will know. I know you'll find it hard to cheat on your dear wife, but I am begging you with both hands. Please help me. You are helping me. You will never have to carry guilt for it."
I was not going to accept it, no matter how much he pleaded.
"I can't do it, Pawan. Wait, you just said you can't see your wife bear another man's child."
"But I like you as a person. I have seen how good a person you are. You are kind and intelligent too. I am ready to accept your child like mine. My Sheetal will be a mother. My mom will love her. My father will be proud. My brothers will stop ridiculing me. My neighbours will stop laughing behind me. I will be a proud father, Krish."
"How do you know I am kind and intelligent? We've known for just a few months."
"You helped Sadashiv by paying for his daughter's study. There are wealthier people than you in this building but I haven't seen anyone helping anyone like that. And I've seen how much you love your wife. She's so happy to have you as her husband. Sheetal has asked Meera about you. Meera never had a bad thing to tell about you. And the other day, do you remember when you solved that thing in a couple of minutes?" He pointed to the Rubik's cube on his shelf.
I laughed, only to regret that it wasn't time to laugh at him.
"It's a trick you can learn from the internet, Pawan. Solving a Rubik's cube isn't intelligent. It's just practice."
"Krish." Pawan's voice was calmer. "You know my wife is a beautiful woman. She's not as beautiful as your wife, but Sheetal is still very attractive. If I had told any other man in this building  - let it be Narender uncle staying on the top floor, he's past seventy - to have sex with my wife, he would have jumped into the opportunity.  But you said no. You'll be the only one who would say no. It proves something about your character. I will have no shame to raise your child as my own.  I will rather be proud. Please have mercy."
I kept my head down and sat in silence.
"Next Saturday I'll stay away from my house for the whole day. You can visit any time. Sheetal will be waiting for you." Pawan said slowly.
I looked at him. "Have you discussed Sheetal about it?" I asked.
"Yes."
"And she is ready?"
"She's ready."
I became silent for a few seconds. I did not know what to say further.
 
The doorbell rang. Pawan opened the door and Sheetal walked in.
The sight of me sitting in the hall brought a sudden shyness into her eyes.
"Hi..." She stole a glance at her hubby's face. "When did you come?"
"Just now."
I said. I did not realise that I was staring at her. I saw beads of sweat around her neck. Her kurti too had spots of body sweat.
"Make coffee, Sheetal."
Pawan's voice forced me to avert my eyes. Sheetal nodded at Pawan and went to the kitchen.
"I should leave, Pawan."
"Please, stay, Krish. Don't leave now. And please don't say anything now. Think about it. Take a decision later. I will pray to God to help you decide in my favour."
"Does she know that you've invited me to talk this?"
I glanced towards the kitchen as I asked.
"She knows."
I felt nervous like a child stuck in an unknown place.
I was sitting in front of a husband who expected me to fuck his wife. I was about to be served coffee with his wife who knew I might be the father of her future child.
We both sat in complete silence. Sheetal showed up after ten minutes which felt like an eternity, carrying two coffee cups on a tray.
As she bent forward to serve me the coffee my eyes fell at her breasts which was visible through the loose neckline of her kurti. I felt a sensation taking over my body and mind. I averted my eyes to fix them on Pawan's face. He was watching me. I felt shier.
Sheetal gave the other coffee cup to Pawan and moved backwards to stop near the wall, in front of me. Pawan was now not looking at my face. Sheetal's eyes were fixed on the floor. It felt like she was displaying her body to me. It was an invitation. Invitation to take her to bed and make love to her and to impregnate her.
I could not keep my eyes on her for more than two seconds. But I had scanned her body and learnt all the ups and downs of her body curves within those two seconds. The regular walking had helped her lose fat in places and she looked more beautiful than ever.
I quickly finished my coffee without minding its hotness and got up.
"Thanks for the coffee, Sheetal."
She looked up at me now.
"You finished it too quickly. Didn't it burn your tongue?"
She asked. I just smiled at her.
It's something else that is burning me. I said in mind.
"See you later, Pawan."
I blurted at Pawan and walked out.
As I walked I couldn't help but notice the hardness between my legs. My stupid dick was already throbbing to go inside the married pussy of my neighbour.
Damn! I yelled in my mind.
Even though I had vehemently refused Pawan's request, the moment I saw Sheetal I had become horny like hell. I wasn't particularly thinking about it, but my subconscious mind was already envisaging her in bed with me.
No, I am not going to do it. I kept repeating to myself.
 
 
That's when I remembered Nikita. I hadn't heard from her after that phone call.
“I'm pregnant.”
“What!!”
“...Don't you remember what you did that night?”
“...What are you going to do now?”
“...I think you've got great eyes, Krish. I won't mind raising your child.”
I wasn't sure whether she was telling me the truth or just trying to play a prank on me. But suddenly I felt it was a sin I had done in my past, that suddenly had come back to haunt me. Nikita would have given birth to my child long ago, had she been honest with her words.
Am I already a father? I asked myself.
I remembered the times when Meera asked me about raising a child. She wanted to show her mother a baby’s feet. She wanted to be a mother herself. But I had denied her.
I thought I wasn't ready to be a father.
But am I already a father? I asked myself again.
 
 
That night when we went to bed, I noticed Meera's smiling face.
"What happened?"
I asked rather carelessly.
"You know what happened today? Sheetal wanted to know how you are in bed."
She just mentioned it and she had all my attention.
"What? Why?"
"What do you mean by why? Do you think she'll be planning to have sex with you?"
I could not reply to Meera's question. She went on. "Baby she asked it just out of curiosity."
I faked a smile. "What did you say?"
"I told her I've forgotten how my husband was in bed. But I promised I'll recheck it tonight and give feedback tomorrow."
Before I knew it, her arms were around me and her lips had sealed my mouth. She sucked my lips.
"Why are you not becoming Ashish anymore, honey?"
She asked as she took a break from the kiss.
I could sense from her breath that it was her day. My wife was horny. She had given me the hint of my neighbour's wife being curious about my sexual prowess. She had explicitly revealed her wish to go back into a role play that involved her boss. Or perhaps a man only I knew.
"Which Ashish are you talking about?"
I asked.
Meera laughed.
"Oh yeah, we're so rich that we have many Ashishs."
"You'll have to choose one."
I said, pretending to be excited about it. The fact that I didn't want to move a muscle in bed that night. I was exhausted with all the thinking already.
But my wife was horny.
"Tonight you give me my boss. Tomorrow I'll deal with your guy."
"So torture is coming."
I said in a tired voice. Meera thought I was pretending.
"Don't act so tired already. I know you're just burning inside there."
She lay me on my back and climbed over me. She sat on my waist and removed her top.
"You know I told Sheetal that you love to eat me. I didn't tell which part."
I knew exactly what was coming. I lay like a dead man as she moved her waist forward and brought the centre of her legs to my face.
"I am going to give no air to breathe," Meera told me and lifted her skirt. Her warm pussy pressed against my mouth. I opened my mouth and let my tongue loose. Meera moaned and pressed harder onto my face.
It was getting difficult for me. Each time she dropped a hint of Sheetal at me I burnt a little inside.
Yet I did everything she asked. I licked her pussy till she reached the edge. She spat into my mouth and pinched my nipple to torture me. She landed soft slaps across my face.  She made her teeth marks on my naked chest. In the end, she freed my dick momentarily to imprison it inside her pussy to gift herself a loud orgasm.
We both came, but it was the most difficult sex I ever had in my life until then.
At the end of the never-ending sex, as my wife's naked and tired body lay on my chest, I remembered Desai's voice.
“Once a whore is a whore forever.”
I tried to shake off the memory, in vain.
As I increasingly felt being burdened with the guilt of impregnating a woman in the past and almost convinced of doing it with another woman soon, I felt I would not be satisfying Meera in the ways she deserved.
And I again felt the intuition that she was going to cheat on me returning to me.
 
 
I expected Desai to get in touch with me as soon as he lost the privileges of being Meera's investment client. But he surprised me by keeping him out of sight for two weeks after the setback.
Then suddenly, one evening he showed up at a place I least expected. My apartment.
The moment I saw him standing at my door, I first wondered how did he find my house.
"Surprised, my friend?" Desai asked with a victorious grin.
"This is a surprise," I admitted and then invited him inside.
He walked in and ran his eyes in the whole house once. I felt he was looking for Meera.
"Meera has just left for an evening walk. She'll take her time to be back."
I said, trying to make him drop the hope of seeing my wife in the comfort of my own house.
"I came to meet you, Krish."
He said, sitting on the sofa. He placed his briefcase on the centre table. The light brown briefcase with a golden line caught my attention immediately. I felt he was actually on his way to meet some businessmen.
I offered him tea and he denied it. I served him cold juice instead.
"You have a nice house. I like it. Especially the way Meera has kept it." He said.
We talked a bit until he slowly came to the subject.
"You would be aware of the development at Meera's office. Her company has cut dealings with me. I can't disturb Meera for my reports now."
"You helped her, Desai," I said with a smile.
"She was my dream girl. I don't need to hide from you, right?"
My smile slowly faded. So it's coming back to Meera.
"Yeah, I know."
"It was my dream to sleep with her one more time. I know it's too harsh to speak to a husband but we know each other very well. I never lost my hope of achieving that until the recent development. I am now feeling like a loser, Krish."
I enjoyed him admitting to being a loser but I already knew he was going to present some new offer.
"I'll come to the point quickly. You know I have exhausted all but one option to fulfil my dream. That option is the one I should never try. But I told you this is my last resort. I know you are not the type of man who can be bought. But I am counting on the fact that I have already slept with Meera and I am aware of the arousal you had when you heard about how she slept with me. Yeah, I can't buy you, but I don't have to buy you. It doesn't make sense to say the second time would be harder than the first. The second one should be easier. But the mental trauma is there, for a while. To compensate for that, I'm gonna help you. In whatever way you like. Any proposal is welcome to me."
I was still trying to judge where he was taking the conversation.
Desai slowly leaned forward and began to open the briefcase.
"From my side, I am presenting you a token of love. I am going to pay you one crore rupees."
I was stunned even before he opened the briefcase.
He opened it and turned it toward me. "I have brought fifty lakhs in advance."
I saw currency notes of 2000 neatly packed to fill in the briefcase.
"What is it for?"
I asked. My voice was already shaking.
"One hour with Meera. That's all I'm asking."
"Take this money and leave, Desai."
I tried to make my voice as stiff as possible.
Desai leaned back on the couch and looked at me for a whole two seconds.
"My friend, I have spent one whole night with her. All I'm asking is just one more hour. Why are you so stubborn?"
"Yes, I know that you've spent one whole night with her. And still, you're asking for one more hour. Why are you so stubborn?"
"Because I have made a wish. I will live like a man of failure in my head because of this. It's not just a wish. It's a long time dream. It'll haunt me forever. I want to finish it and move on."
"I can't help you, Desai. You must leave now."
"You can, Krish. Only you can."
"I'm her husband, damn it." My voice rose.
"I know, Krish. More than that you're my friend. That's why I'm still talking to you. I don't want to hurt you. I can't hurt you. I can't hurt Meera either. That's why I want you to allow me. I am seeking your permission."
"Meera won't allow it."
I hated my own words as I felt I was telling him that I did not have a problem with his deal.
"If you're convinced, she will also be."
"I can't even tell her. "
"I will tell her."
The way he was replying to me nonchalantly was irking me further.
"What, that I've taken fifty lakh for her?"
"No, dear." Desai shook his head sidewise. "She'll never know about this. You can keep it from her for a long time. Make a fixed deposit for ten years. You can use the money with interest for your child's education. You can settle down in your home town. You'll never wish you'd more money. You will have it. One crore now, think about ten years later with interest."
"You're buying me."
"I'm helping you."
"I'm leaving the money with you. You can think for a week. I will come on next week, on Saturday, with the rest of the money. I will persuade Meera to invite me for a lunch. When she mentions it to you, you can suggest giving me a homely lunch. Please allow her to invite me. I know you'll be most comfortable in your house. If you're okay, I'll propose and you only need to give your consent to support Meera. Just for once. I'll spend one hour with her and you can have the whole cash. If you're not, I'll have just the lunch and whole cash."
I forced a laugh.
"And what do you suggest me do when you would be busy with my wife?"
"You can take a walk and come back in an hour. Or if you are good you can stay and watch. I wouldn't mind if you join me but I wouldn't recommend that because I don't want you to feel too good about it. I only need one chance to put an end to all this."
I was already thinking about the unusual request Pawan had made to me a few days ago. I felt like there was a secret conspiracy was going on around me. You can take a walk and come back in an hour. I remembered Pawan's request to visit his house on Saturday. I felt if my destiny wanted me to help him which would eventually be compensated for by what Desai was planning to take away from me.
The inner thought process left me too stunned to react aggressively to Desai's encroachment on my self-respect as a husband.
"I can't believe I am still listening to you, Desai. I am not going to entertain you for lunch or anything. Take your cash and leave."
"Krish, please calm down. I didn't come to take away anything from you. It's just a proposal. The last resort from my side. I don't have a choice. You have two choices. Either do it or not do it. But all I am asking you to keep the cash now and think about it. You are not realising the power of holding this briefcase until you are holding it. You won't look back in your life, Krish. Let me assure you."
"No matter what you preach..."
Desai interrupted me. "Krish, please keep the cash safe with you before Meera comes back. I don't want her to see it."
He closed the briefcase and got up to hand me it. The briefcase had its weight.
 Fifty lakh rupees in cash. My hands were shivering.
"Keep it inside somewhere."
He urged.
I halfheartedly turned and walked to my bedroom. I took the key from the table drawer and opened my shelf to keep the briefcase on its top rack.
"Does Meera check this shelf?"
I heard Desai's voice. He was at my bedroom door.
"Not always," I said.
"I suggest you keep it somewhere she never checks."
I nodded understandably and shifted the briefcase to the lowest rack on the shelf. I dragged a folded bedsheet to cover it. I locked the shelf and kept the key back in the table drawer. When I turned, Desai was glancing at the whole bedroom.
"I like your room. Meera sleeps in this bed, doesn't she?"
He sat on the bed and ran his palm over it. I felt my stomach burn.
"We sleep here, Desai."
"You know I am hard just by sitting here, touching this bed's softness." He quickly looked at me, exactly at my crotch. "I see you are no different there."
I was embarrassed to death at that moment. I didn't know I was carrying an erection. I didn't know why I was carrying the erection.
"I told you the other day, Krish. You are a smart husband. You can bear it. You can enjoy it and hold more power through it. Power over your wife, don't you like it?"
"I am her husband, I love her, Desai."
My voice was weak. I hated it.
"But you loved to hear about how I came inside her. Not once, but thrice."
I couldn't think of a reply to shut him up. I was thinking if I should get physical to drag him by the collar and kick him out of my house. But I didn't want to create a scene in my own house in front of my neighbours. What if he shouted those words again?
"Cumming inside her reminded me another thing. If Meera is off her safe periods then I will bring the pill. I don't want to put extra pressure on you by making you do it. It's my responsibility. Just convey me if she will not be safe next Saturday. I could use a condom but Ananya must have told you that I don't like to use it. It takes away the damn pleasure. Also, Meera will be okay with that because she had let me come inside her thrice last time. She had enjoyed it."
I felt I was going to collapse. My heart was pumping harder than I was sure it cannot take. But unfortunately, nothing happened to me.
"You have planned a lot about this, Desai. But no, none of it's happening."
I uttered in the end.
"Don't decide now. Just one hour in this room. I think you're too scared about what I will do to her."
"Yes, I'm scared,"
I admitted.
"I can promise you that I won't be a mad man like the other night. I will be very gentle."
Desai got up only to kneel on the floor at the side of the bed. "My dream is simple Krish. I will lay her here. I will eat her pussy like this." He bent forward, bringing his face down to the bed for a second. "Then I will get up and if she wishes to keep her old promise to suck me, then I'll have a blowjob from her. Then I will get on the bed and make love to her. I will have just one round. That's the end of it. Even talking about it makes me so hard. I'll have to resort to shagging today, won't I? I'm hoping only the good things about Saturday."
"I think you better leave before Meera arrives. You've given me enough mental pressure I won't be able to behave nicely to you in front of her."
I stated like a warning.
"I am leaving, Krish. You are right. I don't want her to learn about this arrangement, especially the cash."
I mocked a smile at him.
"How can I trust you that you won't tell her about it?" I asked.
Desai smiled, "She won't believe even if I told her."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not forcing anyone. If she's going to sleep with me, it's gonna be her choice."
"That's nonsense. That's overconfidence."
"I want you to do one favour for yourself. Tonight you nicely ask her about me. Her true feelings. Give her a hint that you like to hear about the old night. If she mentions she's been excited, and if she goes on to sleep with me again by her own choice, then how can I later convince her that I paid you for it?"
Hypothetically he had a point. I quickly realised I was an idiot to validate his nonsense.
"If you think she's already ready to do it with you, then why the fuck are you giving me the cash?"
"The consent, Krish. I want your consent. I don't want you to feel like a loser either."
"You're so benevolent."
"You'll realise it many years after."
When we came back to the hall he asked for a glass of water. I went to the kitchen and he began to follow me there too.
I stopped him. 
"Stay here, Desai. I don't want you to see my kitchen and plan something for my wife there."
Desai laughed.
"Okay, my friend."
I gave him one glass of plain water. He drank half in one go and left.
I couldn't breathe normally even after then.
I came back to my room and sat on the bed with a sense of bewilderment. 
What the fuck was that?
I had not only allowed Desai to walk into my room and put a price on the dignity of my marriage, but also let him tell me how he's gonna screw my wife in my own bed.
I looked at my bed and I couldn't imagine anything other than what Desai told me he would do to my Meera.
"I will have just one round."
Desai's words still echoed in the room and I could hear it. I saw Meera lying in the bed and Desai's naked, bulky body over her. 
"I will be gentle."
A fake promise. There was nothing gentle about Desai. He would pound her harder and harder with an intent to destroy her body and my soul. But more than anything he told me, his confidence that Meera would go to bed with by her choice devastated me.
He didn't need to buy me. The huge amount of money sitting idle on my shelf wasn't needed to make her open the doors of pleasure to him. He was so confident of already being there in her dreams.
The only thing he needed of me was not to play spoilsport.
 
 
When Meera returned after an evening walk I couldn't face her. I kept my eyes glued to the TV screen pretending to watch a cricket match. But my mind was inside the room already envisaging what was going to happen in that room after one week.
I thought of the worst scenario in which I saw Desai walking taking Meera in there, leaving me alone in the hall. I had experienced those moments many times in the past, but none of it was as devastating as the one involving Desai. Perhaps it was just a false hope that it would be painful. I was already carrying an erection even though I hated to admit it.
I wouldn't sit here, listening to Meera's screams of pleasure at the skilful hands of Desai. I told myself.
I thought of taking a walk as suggested by Desai. Or I could walk out of my house and walk into my neighbour's.
There, Sheetal would be waiting for me. I could go to her and I could help my neighbour friend become a father. 
I couldn't believe how both incidents were conveniently scheduled to happen on the same day. I felt my destiny was conspiring itself to make me act in favour of them. If I had to help Pawan, then I would have to leave Meera with Desai. If I chose to let Desai have it with Meera, then I would have to walk out of my house and eventually end up in my neighbour's bed.
I was trapped in a cage and I had nowhere to go.
 
We had a quiet dinner. Meera noticed that I was gloomy and she asked me about it when we went to sleep.
"I was wondering about our dinner night with Desai. Sex in our life has improved since that day, didn't it?"
Meera smiled, "Yeah, why?"
I sat up on the bed with my back on the headrest of the bed. I put my arm around her.
"It feels like we've forgiven Desai and we've moved on completely."
"There's no need to forgive him, Krish. He made a move and I was a willing partner. You know about that situation."
"No, I mean he's been trying to repeat it ever after."
"Oh, that's true."
"Do you think he deserved a second chance?"
"What do you mean by second chance?"
She looked at me.
"I mean what if we hadn't gotten back together? Or what if we had gotten back a few weeks later? Would you have given him a second chance?"
Meera kept staring at me and I grew nervous inside. She spoke after thinking for a while.
"Desai was different from other men I've slept with because it happened without any provocation from my side. I was shaken by the incident. I would have never fancied sleeping with him again." And then she slowly broke into a naughty smile. "But now I feel like, I would have done it again."
I was amused by her revelation.
"So it was good, huh?"
"Is it why you're beating around the bush, dear?"
She pinched my nose with a giggle.
"Tell me," I insisted. My heart was beating hard, I was waiting to hear it from her.
"Yeah, it was good."
"But he didn't give you an orgasm."
"Yeah, that's the only thing he missed. Otherwise, he gave me a lot of pleasure."
"The other night you made me do it while standing..."
Meera interrupted me, "Where are you going, baby? Wanna hear about the night again? Does it thrill you now?"
"That night was wonderful. Thanks to Desai. His short speech was a spark," I confessed.
"Go and thank him," Meera quipped. I laughed shyly.
"Go ahead, you can do it." Meera teased me again. "Well, I was wondering what's up with Desai and you. Desai isn't the only guy I've slept with but no one has got you angry as he did."
"He's a monster, that's why," I said.
"Are you scared of him or in awe of him?"
"Oh my God. What are you making me say? He's got a bulky body frame, compared you yours and mine. The thought of him with you in bed actually scares me a lot."
"I've seen you enjoying a lot of scary things."
"Less scary, I'd say." I reminded.
"But you have to be honest with me, Krish. What do you feel when you think of him with me? Do you get an erection?"
"Not in the past. But since the dinner, yes. Something is there."
"My cucky hubby..." she grabbed my hair lightly and pulled it repeatedly. "Promise me you ain't planning anything here. I am not going to sleep with Desai or anyone ever again."
I felt a breeze caressing my whole body and taking away the weight of my bed.
"What about me?"
"Oh, you are always welcome."
"Welcome for what?"
"Welcome to do this..." she put her arms around me and kissed me. I kissed her back. We hurriedly went for each other's clothes without breaking the kiss.
"Mmm...No foreplay today..." Meera whispered in my ears. In a matter of seconds, I was shoving my dick into her wet hole. Meera moaned.
"Mmm...baby you feel so good in there..."
"Don't you want it deeper?"
"Mmm..."
I went deeper and deeper with each push. The sound of my dick plunging into her moist pussy drove me crazy.
I kept the pace under control until she urged me to go faster.
"Make me cum, baby..."
"Are you close?" I asked while panting.
"Mmm..."
I upped my pace and made her moan through the pleasure of an orgasm. As I prepared myself to burst inside her, I asked her if she was safe. She moaned affirmatively and I unloaded my load inside her.
We lay panting for a while.
"You meant safe, right?"
I asked when I found my lost breath.
"Yeah."
"How many days are left in this period?"
I asked casually.
"Mmm...My cycle ended on Sunday. So the safe period ends on this Friday." She calculated while caressing my face. "You have three more days to enjoy without having to pull out."
So next Saturday will be unsafe. I was quick to think. I felt I've found another reason not to let it happen.
No. You won't fill my wife's pussy with your cum, Desai. I said in my mind.
 
 
At noon just after lunch, I got Meera's phone call. 
"Desai phoned me, Krish. He's expecting a treat from me for my award, like the dinner you gave him after your promotion."
"What did you say?"
"I said I'll think about it. He added a lot of butter, hoping I would say yes right away."
"What did he say?"
"Since he's no more a client with us, we won't be seeing him a lot. Actually, there's no reason to see him again. So..."
I felt she was already in favour of lunch. But I was the only one who knew what that 'lunch' meant.
"I'm a bit busy, baby. Let's talk later."
"What should I tell him?"
"Is it urgent?"
"He told me to ask you. He's so concerned about what you have to say. It's not a tough decision, is it?"
"We'll discuss later baby."
"What's so much to think?"
"What's your take?"
"I think it's okay. His last one chance."
His last one chance!
It struck deep in my heart.
"Krish, are you there?"
I heard Meera's voice after a few seconds.
"Yeah."
"Do you have any suggestions for the restaurant?"
Restaurant. That's not where he wants to have that one last chance with you. A restaurant can't be a place where he can hump you.
"Krish, are you there?"
I heard Meera's voice again. 
"What are you thinking?"
"I was thinking about our apartment."
I couldn't believe I said that. 
Our apartment. Our bed. His lunch. His delicious lunch.
"Our house? But why?"
"You asked for my suggestion. That's my suggestion. Let's give him a homely lunch."
"Okay. That's cool."
Meera said.
 
I couldn't believe that I was carrying a hard-on by then. What the fuck! I shook my head in disgust.
I'm just giving him lunch. It's not permission to fuck my wife. I said in my mind.
After lunch, I'll simply hand over the cash to him.
 
 
Cont'd