23-12-2018, 10:34 PM
(This post was last modified: 20-06-2020, 03:49 AM by Ramesh_Rocky. Edited 1 time in total. Edited 1 time in total.)
Things at the factory were progressing at a rapid clip, and the top bosses in Delhi finally scheduled their visit. We needed to have everything in place, spic and span, without any errors. The cherry on top, I thought, would be if I landed a new client that we had been pursuing for a while. My job was not in sales, but the sales guy in charge of that big account said it would help his case if I came along and made a presentation about the new factory. It was just a couple of hours drive, so I said yes.
"Bela, I will be gone all day tomorrow for a client meeting. A couple of hours away from town." I said during dinner.
"Will you?" she raised an eyebrow. And I remembered the Riaz incident.
"Hahaha, yes, this time, I really will be. I swear. Not like that other time."
"Okay." she said.
"Shyam knows it too. So I expect he will call you tomorrow after he is sure I am on my way."
She nodded and kept eating.
"How are things going with Shyam, by the way?"
"Not bad." she said. My wife still wasn't one to talk a lot about such things.
"We have never really talked about him honestly. I don't want to put you on the spot, but how is he as a lover?"
She paused as she chewed her food and thought.
"He is okay I guess. He is not handsome like you or.....you know the other guy. He isn't very adventurous or experimental. And most of the times, he is nervous."
"Nervous?"
"Nervous about pleasing me. Nervous about you finding out. Nervous that somehow his wife will find out. Almost every time he says, this is it, this is the last time. But then he calls again in a few days."
"Do you still enjoy the sex?"
She shrugged and smiled.
"You know, if you want, you can just stop this altogether. Especially if you don't enjoy the sex."
"It's not like I don't enjoy it. It is.....nice. I like what he does. Besides, I would feel bad suddenly stopping it for no fault of his. It's not like he came pursuing me. You and I are the ones who started this with him. He is now involved. His wife is far away. And besides, he is not very demanding. Just half an hour once a week, that's okay if it makes his life better. Once his wife is here, it will all stop anyway."
"Hmmm...well, many times he might be nervous because he is afraid I might somehow drop by. Tomorrow, it won't be like that. Tomorrow, you two will get almost the whole day to yourselves. At leisure. Just like that weekend."
"I suppose." she smiled.
My wife was a weird submissive character. Clearly, sex with Shyam had stopped being a source of thrill. It certainly had for me. But she felt so guilty and obligated to please him that she continued being his mistress. And continuing the charade that they were having a secret affair.
The next day I got ready to leave for the client visit. Jagan, my driver, showed up in the morning as usual with the company car.
"Jagan, I forgot to tell you." I said. "I will be driving there myself, in my car."
"Are you sure, sir?"
"Yeah, I haven't driven in a while, I enjoy it, and it's a nice road. You can go back to the factory. See if anyone needs you there."
"Okay sir."
It really was a fun drive along the mostly empty highways. It took me a couple of hours to reach the client's office, and the sales team was already there. We were waiting to be called in for our presentations, when the receptionist said,
"Mr. Gautam? There is a call for you."
Who could be calling me here, I wondered. I picked up the receiver.
"Sir, Shyam here."
"Yes, Shyam?" I could not help smiling. The guy really did play it safe. He made sure I was at the client's office.
"Sir, I just wanted to make sure you took the latest RFP slides. If not, I can email them to you." Another flimsy excuse.
"I took them, Shyam. Thanks."
And we were called in for the presentations/ The next couple of hours were taken up in the presentation, which went very well. We pretty much had the account confirmed. The sales guys were very happy. I had a couple of drinks with them and started driving back.
I first went to the office to drop off my stuff. It was after office hours, so almost everyone had left. Except Jagan, who was sitting outside my office.
"Jagan, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"Sir, head office sent some polymer samples for you and asked me to make sure you get them today."
"Oh okay....where are they?"
"I left them with Shyam sir." he said.
"Okay, thank you." I said.
He stood there, as if he wanted to say something.
"Yes, Jagan?"
"Sir.....I went to your home to drop them off."
"Oh." I wondered what that had entailed.
"Madam wasn't home." I said.
"Oh right.....she had to go visit some family friends." I guess he had knocked on the door when Bela was at Shyam's place.
"Oh. Anyway, so I gave them to Shyam sir." he said and was silent. I supposed he was wondering how she had gone. Jagan was the driver assigned to me and Bela. Whenever she needed something done, he was the one driving her around. But who cares? I was thinking of a thousand different things.
"Alright, see you tomorrow, Jagan." and I left, a bit puzzled at this conversation.
I walked in the door, expecting Bela to have the usual just-fucked glow. I was sure Shyam and she had made the most of the day. But instead, I walked in to find a very nervous and fidgety wife waiting for me.
"Did Jagan say anything to you?" Bela asked as she took my bag.
"Jagan? About what?" I was confused.
"Anything."
"What do you mean?" I asked. "He said head office had sent some samples. Said he had tried to drop them off here, but you weren't home. I said you had gone to visit some family friends. He said he dropped them with Shyam."
"Yes, the samples are over there." she pointed to the table. "But did he say anything else?"
"No....why? What's the matter?"
"Oh god, it's a bit of a mess. Well....so in the afternoon I was at Shyamji's place. And we were in the living room....you know...."
"Fucking?" I smirked.
She grimaced. Even after all her amorous activities, she was still shy with language.
"Anyway.....his doorbell rang. I hid in the bedroom while he made himself decent and answered. It was Jagan with those samples that head office had sent for you."
"Yeah I know the samples."
"He said had rung our doorbell. I wasn't home. So he just came to check if I was there by any chance. Now for some bizarre reason, Shyamji decided to lie and say I wasn't there. I have no idea why. It could have been perfectly innocent and fine to say yes I was there. He is our neighbor, and an employee. There could be a very simple reason for me being there. But no, the man decided to lie. Anyway, he then asked Shyamji if he could hand them to me when I returned. Shyamji said okay."
"Where is this going?"
She looked a little distressed.
"Speak up Bela, what is the matter?"
"Shyamji said just as he was leaving, Jagan noticed my sandals there. He gave Shyamji a quick glance and then went away."
"So you think Jagan suspects you two are having an affair? Don't be silly. They could be anyone's sandals."
"But there's more." she said putting her face in her hands.
"What?"
"At that time I didn't think anything of it. Shyamji got back. We...well....got back to....you know." she blushed. "Half an hour later, I got your mesage that you were on your way, so I decided to go home and cook. I took those samples with me. I was wearing that mini skirt he wanted me to, and a revealing tank top. Just as I took a few steps, I heard a noise next to me. It was Jagan in the car slowly driving by. I avoided looking at him, but surely he saw me leave that house in skimpy clothes, carrying the samples, and wearing the sandles soon after Shyamji had told him he didn't know where I was."
"Oh!"
"Yes. I am sure he can put two and two together. He thinks Shyamji and I are having an affair." she said in a sad voice.
"Which you are." I smiled.
"Yes, but he must think I am cheating on you."
"Ohhhh I get it."
"So...did he say anything hinting at this?"
"Not really. I guess he's decided it's none of his business. He is just a driver after all. We pay him well. Why will he jeopardize his job?"
"I really hope so. Please get a different driver for us though. I won't be able to look him in the face."
"Hehe, okay." I said. "You worry too much."
As requested, I moved Jagan to a different duty and got a new driver. He was now put on delivery and supplier detail. Which was a lot more work for sure. When he was my driver, al he did was drive me or Bela or both of us around. He had a lot of down time. In the new duty, he would be driving pretty much all the time. When I told him about the change, he didn't say anything to me. But as we would soon discover, that change did not sit well with him.
-----
Finally the big day arrived. It was an important and busy day for Shyam and I as some honchos from Delhi came to inspect the plant. My phone was obviously on silent throughout the day. At about 5 PM, the inspection ended and I took my phone out to check with Bela if everything was going okay with the preparations for the dinner we were hosting for the honchos. I saw 4 missed calls and 4 text messages.
- I know you must be busy with the inspection but I am scared.....Jagan is loitering around outside the house.
What the fuck? I knew it was his day off according to the schedule. But why was he at my house?
- He's ringing the doorbell. I am scared Gautam.....I am thinking of calling the security officer.
This made me really worry. Then,
- I spoke to him. It's okay for now. Call me if you can.
And finally
- It's okay for now. Don't worry. Focus on your work. I blame Shyamji for this nonsense. Anyway, nothing urgent. Bring your bosses over. We will discuss it later."
--------
Her messages freaked me out. I must have looked worried because the bosses asked if everything was okay. I said yes, fine. And then as planned, me, Shyam, and the three senior honchos went to my home for dinner.
Bela opened the door for us with a welcoming smile, dressed in a very elegant black sari. I led everyone in to the living room and made them comfortable. We were chatting mainly about work stuff. Bela headed into the kitchen. After a few minutes, I stole away and joined her there.
"What the fuck is this about Jagan?" I asked. "You want me to go kick his ass?"
"Shhh." she said. "I told you, it is okay for now. Just focus on impressing your bosses."
"So it's all fine?"
"It's not all fine." she said exasperated. "But for now, let us focus on the task at hand."
"Alright, alright."
That evening was one of the slowest ones of my life. I had to be the charming host, impress my bosses, keep the conversation going. But at the back of my mind, I was still trying to figure out what the issue was. I had a few guesses. But I still wanted to know.
Bela was the perfect efficient hostess, serving us drinks, snacks, and then laying out a splendid spread for dinner. And no, in case you are wondering, I did not expose my wife to the bosses. It was all perfectly normal and innocent.
Finally it was well after midnight that all the bosses, well fed and drunk, left for their hotels. Shyam left with them too. And finally Bela and I had some privacy.
"I am exhausted." she said, plopping down on the couch.
"Bela.....what about Jagan?"
"It is all Shyamji's fault. He just needed to say, yes, I was there, for whatever reason. Take the samples. Send him on his way. That's all he needed to do."
"Stop obsessing over that." I said. "Tell me what happened."
Bela started talking. And again, as usual, her narration was stilted and rambling. I present it here again in a crisp edited form.
(Bela narrates)
As I said in the first message, I noticed Jagan loitering around outside when I was in the kitchen. He was me see him. And then he came and rang the doorbell. I was so panicked that I ignored it. But he kept ringing the bell. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. I opened the door.
"Kya hai? (What is it?)" I asked him in an annoyed voice.
"Memsaab....aapse kuchh baat karni thi. (Madam....I need to talk to you)"
"Humey nahin karni baat. Bahut kaam hai. (I don't want to talk to you, I am busy.) " I started closing the door. But he grabbed it with his hand.
"Sun lijiye memsaab.....aapki bhalai ki baat hai. Nahin to sahab se baat karni padegi mujhe. (Listen to what I have to say, madam. It is for your own good. Or else, I will have to talk to Sir)" he said with a wry smile.
I froze at his mention of telling you.
"Bolo.... (Speak)" I said, standing at the door.
"Andar nahi bulaiyega humesha ki tarah? (Won't you invite me in like usual?)"
"Yahin kaho jo kehna hai. (Whatever you want to say, say it here)"
"Haha........koi aur mard hai andar bistar mein? Sir aur Shyam sir toh office mein hain. (Haha is there some man in your bed? Sir and Shyam sir are in the office)"
"Jagan!! Badtameezi kar rahey ho tum! (Jagan! You are being very indecent!)"
"Acchha? Shyam sir ke saath chakkar chalane mein badi tameez hai? (Is that so? And is your having an affair with Shyam sir very decent?)" he smirked.
I just glared at him.
"Kya bak rahey ho? (What nonsense are you saying?"
"Baniye mat, memsaab. Aapko pata hai maine dekha uss din. Sahab baahar gaye huey thhe. Main sample pahunchaane aaya. Aap ghar par thhi nahin. Shyam sir ke yahaan poochha. Voh badey jhat se boley aap nahin hai. Maine socha ke itni dur koi rickshaw taxi toh aati nahin. Aap bina company car ke jaayengi kahaan. Socha tarkari leney gayi hongi. Isliye maine thodi dur gadi park ki. Aur kya dekhta hoon? Humaari sati savitri memsaab bilkul item song vaaley kapde pehne Shyamji ke ghar se baahar aai."
(Don't act so innocent, madam. You know very well that I saw you that day. Sir was out of town. I came here to deliver samples. You weren't at home. So I thought of asking Shyam sir. He said, a little too quickly and looking confused, you weren't there. I was thinking, the house is remote. No taxis or rickshaws go there. Where will you go without a company car? I thought maybe you had gone somewhere nearby on foot to get vegetables or something. So I parked the car down the street and decide to wait for you. And what do I see after a while? Our very chaste and simple madam came out of Shyam sir's house, wearing skimpy clothes like in an item song!)
"Anaap shanaap bak rahey ho tum. (You are talking utter nonsense)" I said vehemently, but he was right.
"Maine dekha...aur aapne dekha ke maine dekha....isiliye meri duty badalwa di na sahab ko koi bahana dekar? Bechaare sahab...unhe pata bhi nahi ke unki biwi unke buddhe junior ke saath....."
(I saw you, and you saw that I saw you.....that's why you got my duty changed, didn't you, telling some excuse to Sir? Poor Sir.....doesn't even know that his wife and his old junior employee are.....)
"Chup karo! (Shut up!)"
"Memsaab....uss motey buddhe mein kya rakha hai? Kabhi humey seva ka mauka dijiye. (Madam, what good is that old fatty? Why don't you give me a chance to service you?)" he said grabbing his crotch and winking at me.
This meant he had taken his hand off the door. I slammed it shut. He started laughing. And then said loudly.
"Sharma gayi? Accha theek hai, abhi jaakar sahab ko sab batata hoon...Shyam sir ke saamne.....aur sab boss logon ke saamne. (You are feeling ashamed? Okay, I will go right away and tell Sir everything...in front of Shyam sir...and in front of all those Delhi bosses."
This made me panic. Obviously, there was no harm in him telling you something you already knew. But if this idiot really did make a scene in front of the bosses, it could hurt your career. So I reluctantly opened the door. He was smiling triumphantly.
"Dekho memsaab." he put his hand on mine. "Aap koi sati savitri toh ho nahin. Aur main sahab ki tarah hero type nahin dikhta par Shyam sir se toh behtar hi hoon."
(See madam, it's not like you are some chaste loyal lady. And I might not be a handsome guy like your husband, but I am still better than Shyam sir.)
I stayed silent, seething. What had I gotten myself into?
"Kya chahate ho tum? (What do you want?)"
"Agar aapko mera moonh band rakhna hai toh pehle meri puraani duty vapas dilva dijiye. Phir aur dekhenge. Chalta hoon."
(If you want me to keep my mouth shut, first get me my old duty back. Then we will talk about other things. I am leaving now.)
And he walked away.
(Bela narration ends. Gautam narration starts)
This truly was an unnecessary complication. And I now understood why she was so mad at Shyam. If he had not lied, this whole thing could have been avoided.
But still, now the bosses were gone. Jagan had not made a scene. And, well, I think I knew Jagan after all these months. He did not seem like a reckless type. More like he was trying to make full use of an opportunity.
As Bela stared at me, feeling panicked, I thought about the situation for a while. And then started speaking.
"So....we have three choices. One, you stand up to Jagan, tell him do whatever the hell he wants. He will tell me....I will act angry. Maybe I will transfer Shyam. Maybe not. We'll figure it out. But the situation ends with you telling him to go fuck himself, and we deal with it."
Bela nodded.
"Option two....we take Jagan into confidence. You and I together tell him that whatever happened with Shyam is with my consent. The problem then is, he might blab to others. Things might get complicated with Shyam. He might not....but you never know."
"And option number three?"
"Option number three....and this is totally up to you. You give in to his demands."
Bela raised her eyebrows and looked at me.
"What do you mean....give in to his demands?"
"Well....you take your chances. If you want to continue this charade."
"You mean......what do you mean?" she asked.
"Bela, you know all these games we have been playing. The thing with Shyam seems to be getting stale. This thing presents a new opportunity if you want. But only if you want. We can either call his bluff. Or I put him back on our duty and see how things go."
"Whatever you decide, ji." she said, staring at her fingers.
"No Bela....this is up to you. Do you find Jagan desirable?"
That was the key question. Jagan wasn't exactly a dishy handsome guy, but he was lean, tall, young, and had a bit of a swagger. He was more like Riaz than like Shyam. So the question was, if he blackmailed her into something, would she find it enjoyable?
Bela just shrugged. I knew my wife wouldn't be enthusiastically saying she would love to take on another new lover. But from her reaction, I could see she didn't object to the idea. And maybe was titillated by it.
I knew for a fact that she enjoyed pretending to be having a secret affair with Shyam. I would not have minded telling him that I knew....maybe even have a threesome. But Bela insisted on the pretense that I was in the dark about their having sex. And she enjoyed the taboo of having a secret affair. She had clearly enjoyed sex with that random electrician Riaz. She had that past dalliance with the neighbor's servant Chandan on record. And she had always seemed to enjoy whatever limits I pushed her to.
"Bela?" I asked.
"Ji?"
"What option do you choose?"
"Whatever you wish, ji." she said flatly.
"No, not whatever I wish. I want to know what you want."
She stared at her fingers a little more. Finally she spoke.
"You can put him back on his old duty. Maybe that will satisfy him. And that will be the end of that. After all, Jagan seemed like a nice decent guy before this. He never looked at me in a bad way."
It seemed very clear to me that it would not be the end of that. If he got his old duty back, he would know Bela had caved to his threats. And he might demand something more. Much more. And what would happen then?
That was as much a question for me, as it was for her. It's not like I was some all knowing all guessing sage. I was just an impulsive and clueless as anyone. I had been sent on this remote posting with a shy orthodox wife I had an arranged marriage with. I started experimenting with her. Slowly I made her open up, in public and then to Shyam. I had already seen her get fucked by a young electrician Riaz, and then many times by my older subordinate Shyam. Now my driver Jagan, yes, as she said, an otherwise thoroughly decent guy, seemed to have designs on my wife.
What was I going to do? How far could I stretch this game until we started having some real backlash?
"Bela, I will be gone all day tomorrow for a client meeting. A couple of hours away from town." I said during dinner.
"Will you?" she raised an eyebrow. And I remembered the Riaz incident.
"Hahaha, yes, this time, I really will be. I swear. Not like that other time."
"Okay." she said.
"Shyam knows it too. So I expect he will call you tomorrow after he is sure I am on my way."
She nodded and kept eating.
"How are things going with Shyam, by the way?"
"Not bad." she said. My wife still wasn't one to talk a lot about such things.
"We have never really talked about him honestly. I don't want to put you on the spot, but how is he as a lover?"
She paused as she chewed her food and thought.
"He is okay I guess. He is not handsome like you or.....you know the other guy. He isn't very adventurous or experimental. And most of the times, he is nervous."
"Nervous?"
"Nervous about pleasing me. Nervous about you finding out. Nervous that somehow his wife will find out. Almost every time he says, this is it, this is the last time. But then he calls again in a few days."
"Do you still enjoy the sex?"
She shrugged and smiled.
"You know, if you want, you can just stop this altogether. Especially if you don't enjoy the sex."
"It's not like I don't enjoy it. It is.....nice. I like what he does. Besides, I would feel bad suddenly stopping it for no fault of his. It's not like he came pursuing me. You and I are the ones who started this with him. He is now involved. His wife is far away. And besides, he is not very demanding. Just half an hour once a week, that's okay if it makes his life better. Once his wife is here, it will all stop anyway."
"Hmmm...well, many times he might be nervous because he is afraid I might somehow drop by. Tomorrow, it won't be like that. Tomorrow, you two will get almost the whole day to yourselves. At leisure. Just like that weekend."
"I suppose." she smiled.
My wife was a weird submissive character. Clearly, sex with Shyam had stopped being a source of thrill. It certainly had for me. But she felt so guilty and obligated to please him that she continued being his mistress. And continuing the charade that they were having a secret affair.
The next day I got ready to leave for the client visit. Jagan, my driver, showed up in the morning as usual with the company car.
"Jagan, I forgot to tell you." I said. "I will be driving there myself, in my car."
"Are you sure, sir?"
"Yeah, I haven't driven in a while, I enjoy it, and it's a nice road. You can go back to the factory. See if anyone needs you there."
"Okay sir."
It really was a fun drive along the mostly empty highways. It took me a couple of hours to reach the client's office, and the sales team was already there. We were waiting to be called in for our presentations, when the receptionist said,
"Mr. Gautam? There is a call for you."
Who could be calling me here, I wondered. I picked up the receiver.
"Sir, Shyam here."
"Yes, Shyam?" I could not help smiling. The guy really did play it safe. He made sure I was at the client's office.
"Sir, I just wanted to make sure you took the latest RFP slides. If not, I can email them to you." Another flimsy excuse.
"I took them, Shyam. Thanks."
And we were called in for the presentations/ The next couple of hours were taken up in the presentation, which went very well. We pretty much had the account confirmed. The sales guys were very happy. I had a couple of drinks with them and started driving back.
I first went to the office to drop off my stuff. It was after office hours, so almost everyone had left. Except Jagan, who was sitting outside my office.
"Jagan, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"Sir, head office sent some polymer samples for you and asked me to make sure you get them today."
"Oh okay....where are they?"
"I left them with Shyam sir." he said.
"Okay, thank you." I said.
He stood there, as if he wanted to say something.
"Yes, Jagan?"
"Sir.....I went to your home to drop them off."
"Oh." I wondered what that had entailed.
"Madam wasn't home." I said.
"Oh right.....she had to go visit some family friends." I guess he had knocked on the door when Bela was at Shyam's place.
"Oh. Anyway, so I gave them to Shyam sir." he said and was silent. I supposed he was wondering how she had gone. Jagan was the driver assigned to me and Bela. Whenever she needed something done, he was the one driving her around. But who cares? I was thinking of a thousand different things.
"Alright, see you tomorrow, Jagan." and I left, a bit puzzled at this conversation.
I walked in the door, expecting Bela to have the usual just-fucked glow. I was sure Shyam and she had made the most of the day. But instead, I walked in to find a very nervous and fidgety wife waiting for me.
"Did Jagan say anything to you?" Bela asked as she took my bag.
"Jagan? About what?" I was confused.
"Anything."
"What do you mean?" I asked. "He said head office had sent some samples. Said he had tried to drop them off here, but you weren't home. I said you had gone to visit some family friends. He said he dropped them with Shyam."
"Yes, the samples are over there." she pointed to the table. "But did he say anything else?"
"No....why? What's the matter?"
"Oh god, it's a bit of a mess. Well....so in the afternoon I was at Shyamji's place. And we were in the living room....you know...."
"Fucking?" I smirked.
She grimaced. Even after all her amorous activities, she was still shy with language.
"Anyway.....his doorbell rang. I hid in the bedroom while he made himself decent and answered. It was Jagan with those samples that head office had sent for you."
"Yeah I know the samples."
"He said had rung our doorbell. I wasn't home. So he just came to check if I was there by any chance. Now for some bizarre reason, Shyamji decided to lie and say I wasn't there. I have no idea why. It could have been perfectly innocent and fine to say yes I was there. He is our neighbor, and an employee. There could be a very simple reason for me being there. But no, the man decided to lie. Anyway, he then asked Shyamji if he could hand them to me when I returned. Shyamji said okay."
"Where is this going?"
She looked a little distressed.
"Speak up Bela, what is the matter?"
"Shyamji said just as he was leaving, Jagan noticed my sandals there. He gave Shyamji a quick glance and then went away."
"So you think Jagan suspects you two are having an affair? Don't be silly. They could be anyone's sandals."
"But there's more." she said putting her face in her hands.
"What?"
"At that time I didn't think anything of it. Shyamji got back. We...well....got back to....you know." she blushed. "Half an hour later, I got your mesage that you were on your way, so I decided to go home and cook. I took those samples with me. I was wearing that mini skirt he wanted me to, and a revealing tank top. Just as I took a few steps, I heard a noise next to me. It was Jagan in the car slowly driving by. I avoided looking at him, but surely he saw me leave that house in skimpy clothes, carrying the samples, and wearing the sandles soon after Shyamji had told him he didn't know where I was."
"Oh!"
"Yes. I am sure he can put two and two together. He thinks Shyamji and I are having an affair." she said in a sad voice.
"Which you are." I smiled.
"Yes, but he must think I am cheating on you."
"Ohhhh I get it."
"So...did he say anything hinting at this?"
"Not really. I guess he's decided it's none of his business. He is just a driver after all. We pay him well. Why will he jeopardize his job?"
"I really hope so. Please get a different driver for us though. I won't be able to look him in the face."
"Hehe, okay." I said. "You worry too much."
As requested, I moved Jagan to a different duty and got a new driver. He was now put on delivery and supplier detail. Which was a lot more work for sure. When he was my driver, al he did was drive me or Bela or both of us around. He had a lot of down time. In the new duty, he would be driving pretty much all the time. When I told him about the change, he didn't say anything to me. But as we would soon discover, that change did not sit well with him.
-----
Finally the big day arrived. It was an important and busy day for Shyam and I as some honchos from Delhi came to inspect the plant. My phone was obviously on silent throughout the day. At about 5 PM, the inspection ended and I took my phone out to check with Bela if everything was going okay with the preparations for the dinner we were hosting for the honchos. I saw 4 missed calls and 4 text messages.
- I know you must be busy with the inspection but I am scared.....Jagan is loitering around outside the house.
What the fuck? I knew it was his day off according to the schedule. But why was he at my house?
- He's ringing the doorbell. I am scared Gautam.....I am thinking of calling the security officer.
This made me really worry. Then,
- I spoke to him. It's okay for now. Call me if you can.
And finally
- It's okay for now. Don't worry. Focus on your work. I blame Shyamji for this nonsense. Anyway, nothing urgent. Bring your bosses over. We will discuss it later."
--------
Her messages freaked me out. I must have looked worried because the bosses asked if everything was okay. I said yes, fine. And then as planned, me, Shyam, and the three senior honchos went to my home for dinner.
Bela opened the door for us with a welcoming smile, dressed in a very elegant black sari. I led everyone in to the living room and made them comfortable. We were chatting mainly about work stuff. Bela headed into the kitchen. After a few minutes, I stole away and joined her there.
"What the fuck is this about Jagan?" I asked. "You want me to go kick his ass?"
"Shhh." she said. "I told you, it is okay for now. Just focus on impressing your bosses."
"So it's all fine?"
"It's not all fine." she said exasperated. "But for now, let us focus on the task at hand."
"Alright, alright."
That evening was one of the slowest ones of my life. I had to be the charming host, impress my bosses, keep the conversation going. But at the back of my mind, I was still trying to figure out what the issue was. I had a few guesses. But I still wanted to know.
Bela was the perfect efficient hostess, serving us drinks, snacks, and then laying out a splendid spread for dinner. And no, in case you are wondering, I did not expose my wife to the bosses. It was all perfectly normal and innocent.
Finally it was well after midnight that all the bosses, well fed and drunk, left for their hotels. Shyam left with them too. And finally Bela and I had some privacy.
"I am exhausted." she said, plopping down on the couch.
"Bela.....what about Jagan?"
"It is all Shyamji's fault. He just needed to say, yes, I was there, for whatever reason. Take the samples. Send him on his way. That's all he needed to do."
"Stop obsessing over that." I said. "Tell me what happened."
Bela started talking. And again, as usual, her narration was stilted and rambling. I present it here again in a crisp edited form.
(Bela narrates)
As I said in the first message, I noticed Jagan loitering around outside when I was in the kitchen. He was me see him. And then he came and rang the doorbell. I was so panicked that I ignored it. But he kept ringing the bell. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. I opened the door.
"Kya hai? (What is it?)" I asked him in an annoyed voice.
"Memsaab....aapse kuchh baat karni thi. (Madam....I need to talk to you)"
"Humey nahin karni baat. Bahut kaam hai. (I don't want to talk to you, I am busy.) " I started closing the door. But he grabbed it with his hand.
"Sun lijiye memsaab.....aapki bhalai ki baat hai. Nahin to sahab se baat karni padegi mujhe. (Listen to what I have to say, madam. It is for your own good. Or else, I will have to talk to Sir)" he said with a wry smile.
I froze at his mention of telling you.
"Bolo.... (Speak)" I said, standing at the door.
"Andar nahi bulaiyega humesha ki tarah? (Won't you invite me in like usual?)"
"Yahin kaho jo kehna hai. (Whatever you want to say, say it here)"
"Haha........koi aur mard hai andar bistar mein? Sir aur Shyam sir toh office mein hain. (Haha is there some man in your bed? Sir and Shyam sir are in the office)"
"Jagan!! Badtameezi kar rahey ho tum! (Jagan! You are being very indecent!)"
"Acchha? Shyam sir ke saath chakkar chalane mein badi tameez hai? (Is that so? And is your having an affair with Shyam sir very decent?)" he smirked.
I just glared at him.
"Kya bak rahey ho? (What nonsense are you saying?"
"Baniye mat, memsaab. Aapko pata hai maine dekha uss din. Sahab baahar gaye huey thhe. Main sample pahunchaane aaya. Aap ghar par thhi nahin. Shyam sir ke yahaan poochha. Voh badey jhat se boley aap nahin hai. Maine socha ke itni dur koi rickshaw taxi toh aati nahin. Aap bina company car ke jaayengi kahaan. Socha tarkari leney gayi hongi. Isliye maine thodi dur gadi park ki. Aur kya dekhta hoon? Humaari sati savitri memsaab bilkul item song vaaley kapde pehne Shyamji ke ghar se baahar aai."
(Don't act so innocent, madam. You know very well that I saw you that day. Sir was out of town. I came here to deliver samples. You weren't at home. So I thought of asking Shyam sir. He said, a little too quickly and looking confused, you weren't there. I was thinking, the house is remote. No taxis or rickshaws go there. Where will you go without a company car? I thought maybe you had gone somewhere nearby on foot to get vegetables or something. So I parked the car down the street and decide to wait for you. And what do I see after a while? Our very chaste and simple madam came out of Shyam sir's house, wearing skimpy clothes like in an item song!)
"Anaap shanaap bak rahey ho tum. (You are talking utter nonsense)" I said vehemently, but he was right.
"Maine dekha...aur aapne dekha ke maine dekha....isiliye meri duty badalwa di na sahab ko koi bahana dekar? Bechaare sahab...unhe pata bhi nahi ke unki biwi unke buddhe junior ke saath....."
(I saw you, and you saw that I saw you.....that's why you got my duty changed, didn't you, telling some excuse to Sir? Poor Sir.....doesn't even know that his wife and his old junior employee are.....)
"Chup karo! (Shut up!)"
"Memsaab....uss motey buddhe mein kya rakha hai? Kabhi humey seva ka mauka dijiye. (Madam, what good is that old fatty? Why don't you give me a chance to service you?)" he said grabbing his crotch and winking at me.
This meant he had taken his hand off the door. I slammed it shut. He started laughing. And then said loudly.
"Sharma gayi? Accha theek hai, abhi jaakar sahab ko sab batata hoon...Shyam sir ke saamne.....aur sab boss logon ke saamne. (You are feeling ashamed? Okay, I will go right away and tell Sir everything...in front of Shyam sir...and in front of all those Delhi bosses."
This made me panic. Obviously, there was no harm in him telling you something you already knew. But if this idiot really did make a scene in front of the bosses, it could hurt your career. So I reluctantly opened the door. He was smiling triumphantly.
"Dekho memsaab." he put his hand on mine. "Aap koi sati savitri toh ho nahin. Aur main sahab ki tarah hero type nahin dikhta par Shyam sir se toh behtar hi hoon."
(See madam, it's not like you are some chaste loyal lady. And I might not be a handsome guy like your husband, but I am still better than Shyam sir.)
I stayed silent, seething. What had I gotten myself into?
"Kya chahate ho tum? (What do you want?)"
"Agar aapko mera moonh band rakhna hai toh pehle meri puraani duty vapas dilva dijiye. Phir aur dekhenge. Chalta hoon."
(If you want me to keep my mouth shut, first get me my old duty back. Then we will talk about other things. I am leaving now.)
And he walked away.
(Bela narration ends. Gautam narration starts)
This truly was an unnecessary complication. And I now understood why she was so mad at Shyam. If he had not lied, this whole thing could have been avoided.
But still, now the bosses were gone. Jagan had not made a scene. And, well, I think I knew Jagan after all these months. He did not seem like a reckless type. More like he was trying to make full use of an opportunity.
As Bela stared at me, feeling panicked, I thought about the situation for a while. And then started speaking.
"So....we have three choices. One, you stand up to Jagan, tell him do whatever the hell he wants. He will tell me....I will act angry. Maybe I will transfer Shyam. Maybe not. We'll figure it out. But the situation ends with you telling him to go fuck himself, and we deal with it."
Bela nodded.
"Option two....we take Jagan into confidence. You and I together tell him that whatever happened with Shyam is with my consent. The problem then is, he might blab to others. Things might get complicated with Shyam. He might not....but you never know."
"And option number three?"
"Option number three....and this is totally up to you. You give in to his demands."
Bela raised her eyebrows and looked at me.
"What do you mean....give in to his demands?"
"Well....you take your chances. If you want to continue this charade."
"You mean......what do you mean?" she asked.
"Bela, you know all these games we have been playing. The thing with Shyam seems to be getting stale. This thing presents a new opportunity if you want. But only if you want. We can either call his bluff. Or I put him back on our duty and see how things go."
"Whatever you decide, ji." she said, staring at her fingers.
"No Bela....this is up to you. Do you find Jagan desirable?"
That was the key question. Jagan wasn't exactly a dishy handsome guy, but he was lean, tall, young, and had a bit of a swagger. He was more like Riaz than like Shyam. So the question was, if he blackmailed her into something, would she find it enjoyable?
Bela just shrugged. I knew my wife wouldn't be enthusiastically saying she would love to take on another new lover. But from her reaction, I could see she didn't object to the idea. And maybe was titillated by it.
I knew for a fact that she enjoyed pretending to be having a secret affair with Shyam. I would not have minded telling him that I knew....maybe even have a threesome. But Bela insisted on the pretense that I was in the dark about their having sex. And she enjoyed the taboo of having a secret affair. She had clearly enjoyed sex with that random electrician Riaz. She had that past dalliance with the neighbor's servant Chandan on record. And she had always seemed to enjoy whatever limits I pushed her to.
"Bela?" I asked.
"Ji?"
"What option do you choose?"
"Whatever you wish, ji." she said flatly.
"No, not whatever I wish. I want to know what you want."
She stared at her fingers a little more. Finally she spoke.
"You can put him back on his old duty. Maybe that will satisfy him. And that will be the end of that. After all, Jagan seemed like a nice decent guy before this. He never looked at me in a bad way."
It seemed very clear to me that it would not be the end of that. If he got his old duty back, he would know Bela had caved to his threats. And he might demand something more. Much more. And what would happen then?
That was as much a question for me, as it was for her. It's not like I was some all knowing all guessing sage. I was just an impulsive and clueless as anyone. I had been sent on this remote posting with a shy orthodox wife I had an arranged marriage with. I started experimenting with her. Slowly I made her open up, in public and then to Shyam. I had already seen her get fucked by a young electrician Riaz, and then many times by my older subordinate Shyam. Now my driver Jagan, yes, as she said, an otherwise thoroughly decent guy, seemed to have designs on my wife.
What was I going to do? How far could I stretch this game until we started having some real backlash?
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