05-08-2023, 03:35 PM
Chapter 10 – continuation , final part of this chapter.
Husband
Every minute that I had to be waiting in the groom’s house was like standing barefooted on hot coal. Everyone was gaily having an animated conversation on this happy occasion, that is happy occasion for everyone except me. The worst thing was I had to also maintain the pretence that all was well with me too. But every minute I was there I was tortured by the thought that I had left my wife at the mercy of Vikram. (I did like to think that my wife would have also wanted this). I suffered in silence as there was no way I could hurry the people here to go back to the bride’s house. One thing that gave me a bit of peace was that Bavani would be busy with the other women in getting ready to welcome the bride and groom back. Surely with so many people there, that too now being day time, nothing can happen there I consoled myself by giving myself a bit of courage and hope. Finally, after what seemed to be many hours but was in fact slightly less than an hour, everyone was getting ready to leave. Before anyone else I was the first to walk to my car. ‘What Mohan, what’s the hurry’ asked the bride’s father. How could he know about my anxiety? There was a rogue there determined to seduce my beautiful wife. Given this opportunity what all could he be doing with my wife I thought with trepidation. When we reached the house Bavani and two other ladies took the ‘aarti’ for the bride and groom before they entered the house. Everyone was happily laughing and talking including my wife. I noticed that the front part of Bavani’s saree was crumpled a bit, it seemed like she had tried to smoothen it by her hands. Why was it like that? My suspicions were raised once more … I have become a person who started suspecting everything. I quietly walked to where my wife was.
Making sure nobody else overheard I softly said,” Bavani, why is your saree wrinkled like this?”
There seemed to be some stress on her face. She looked at her saree as if seeing its condition for the first time. I don’t know why but I had the feeling that she was doing this to buy time as she thought of what to say.
“It is isn’t it … hmm why?” She had a puzzled look on her face. Then her face cleared as if she found the reason. “Oh yes, Avinash was very sleepy so I had to carry him to the room. He is already four so it was not easy. I laid down with him hugging him till he slept. Probably that why.”
She seemed to have a reasonable answer to everything. She seemed to be too clever. As soon as these thoughts came I scolded myself. Bavani could actually be telling the truth. I have become this jealous, suspicious husband that people usually ridiculed. In the initial stages of my marriage I was a bit fearful because of the beauty I had married. I knew naturally men would be attracted to her. Many would want to seduce her but Bavani had never given me cause to worry all this time, that is till now. For the first time she had been friendly to someone who was trying to seduce her. This is it I can’t be on tenterhooks anymore not knowing for sure if something was going on between Vikram and my wife. My original plan was to stay one more night here but now I decided that I wanted to leave today itself. I believed .. or wanted to believe that nothing had happened between them yet though my wife may be slowly falling a victim to his wiles. A lot of the relatives and guests would be leaving today. There would be less people around and therefore less chance of being found out and more opportunities to meet alone. So, before something really happens between them I have to leave this place. Let me not let this be a test of Bavani’s resolve or her morals. I didn’t want to acknowledge that my thoughts were all as if my wife had really fallen for Vikram’s charms and she was just looking for an opportune time to sleep with him. These thoughts were degrading not only for my wife but also for me. I should feel ashamed for thinking like this but I was not in the mind to worry or care about it now.
The parents of the bride tried their best to persuade me to stay another night but I refused. Today was going to be the first night for the bride and groom, I didn’t want it to be the first night for Vikram and Bavani. I lied that some important office matter just came up and I had no other option but to leave early. I quickly changed into normal clothes of T- Shirt and pants from my kurta and dhoti I wore for the wedding. Bavani insisted she needed to take a bath first before leaving. Again, my suspicion of why she needed to do that but it could just be that with the wedding and subsequent events she was just sweaty and needed to freshen up. She dressed up in a simple churidar and was soon ready to leave. Even now with a minimal of make up she looked gorgeous. That beauty was all mine and I needed to protect it. After we had said our goodbyes and had got into my car that scoundrel Vikram still had the audacity to come up to my car window to speak to me.
“I’m disappointed sir, I thought you would stay one more night and I could freely have a long chat with you,” he said with that smile of his that bordered on arrogance.
I know exactly why you don’t want me to go I said to myself. But to him I said,” sorry Vikram, I just got a call, something that only I needed to look at had suddenly cropped up, so I have to go.”
In my mind I said the only vital thing that had cropped up was to safeguard my wife from your wicked clutches.
“Bye Avinash … madam,” he said looking at them. For a moment his eyes locked on to Bavani’s eyes.
It was just a fleeting second but there seemed to be a spark .. a secret that was exchanged between them or so it seemed to me. What could be the reason?” I tortured myself once more. I drove back home with confusion and contradictions once more dominating in my mind. Soon my son and my wife were asleep in the car. I looked at my wife’s lovely face. It looked so peaceful and there were no signs of guilt there.
“Bavani were you prepared to cheat on me? Or had you already betrayed me?” I thought to myself. Was this action of mine too late? As they say have I shut the stable door after the horse has bolted? What I was afraid of was that I’ll never be sure of this and would be always left wondering. My wife and son were sleeping but my mind was in too much of a turmoil to feel sleepy. When I reached home it was already dark, the way my heart was at this moment.
Husband
Every minute that I had to be waiting in the groom’s house was like standing barefooted on hot coal. Everyone was gaily having an animated conversation on this happy occasion, that is happy occasion for everyone except me. The worst thing was I had to also maintain the pretence that all was well with me too. But every minute I was there I was tortured by the thought that I had left my wife at the mercy of Vikram. (I did like to think that my wife would have also wanted this). I suffered in silence as there was no way I could hurry the people here to go back to the bride’s house. One thing that gave me a bit of peace was that Bavani would be busy with the other women in getting ready to welcome the bride and groom back. Surely with so many people there, that too now being day time, nothing can happen there I consoled myself by giving myself a bit of courage and hope. Finally, after what seemed to be many hours but was in fact slightly less than an hour, everyone was getting ready to leave. Before anyone else I was the first to walk to my car. ‘What Mohan, what’s the hurry’ asked the bride’s father. How could he know about my anxiety? There was a rogue there determined to seduce my beautiful wife. Given this opportunity what all could he be doing with my wife I thought with trepidation. When we reached the house Bavani and two other ladies took the ‘aarti’ for the bride and groom before they entered the house. Everyone was happily laughing and talking including my wife. I noticed that the front part of Bavani’s saree was crumpled a bit, it seemed like she had tried to smoothen it by her hands. Why was it like that? My suspicions were raised once more … I have become a person who started suspecting everything. I quietly walked to where my wife was.
Making sure nobody else overheard I softly said,” Bavani, why is your saree wrinkled like this?”
There seemed to be some stress on her face. She looked at her saree as if seeing its condition for the first time. I don’t know why but I had the feeling that she was doing this to buy time as she thought of what to say.
“It is isn’t it … hmm why?” She had a puzzled look on her face. Then her face cleared as if she found the reason. “Oh yes, Avinash was very sleepy so I had to carry him to the room. He is already four so it was not easy. I laid down with him hugging him till he slept. Probably that why.”
She seemed to have a reasonable answer to everything. She seemed to be too clever. As soon as these thoughts came I scolded myself. Bavani could actually be telling the truth. I have become this jealous, suspicious husband that people usually ridiculed. In the initial stages of my marriage I was a bit fearful because of the beauty I had married. I knew naturally men would be attracted to her. Many would want to seduce her but Bavani had never given me cause to worry all this time, that is till now. For the first time she had been friendly to someone who was trying to seduce her. This is it I can’t be on tenterhooks anymore not knowing for sure if something was going on between Vikram and my wife. My original plan was to stay one more night here but now I decided that I wanted to leave today itself. I believed .. or wanted to believe that nothing had happened between them yet though my wife may be slowly falling a victim to his wiles. A lot of the relatives and guests would be leaving today. There would be less people around and therefore less chance of being found out and more opportunities to meet alone. So, before something really happens between them I have to leave this place. Let me not let this be a test of Bavani’s resolve or her morals. I didn’t want to acknowledge that my thoughts were all as if my wife had really fallen for Vikram’s charms and she was just looking for an opportune time to sleep with him. These thoughts were degrading not only for my wife but also for me. I should feel ashamed for thinking like this but I was not in the mind to worry or care about it now.
The parents of the bride tried their best to persuade me to stay another night but I refused. Today was going to be the first night for the bride and groom, I didn’t want it to be the first night for Vikram and Bavani. I lied that some important office matter just came up and I had no other option but to leave early. I quickly changed into normal clothes of T- Shirt and pants from my kurta and dhoti I wore for the wedding. Bavani insisted she needed to take a bath first before leaving. Again, my suspicion of why she needed to do that but it could just be that with the wedding and subsequent events she was just sweaty and needed to freshen up. She dressed up in a simple churidar and was soon ready to leave. Even now with a minimal of make up she looked gorgeous. That beauty was all mine and I needed to protect it. After we had said our goodbyes and had got into my car that scoundrel Vikram still had the audacity to come up to my car window to speak to me.
“I’m disappointed sir, I thought you would stay one more night and I could freely have a long chat with you,” he said with that smile of his that bordered on arrogance.
I know exactly why you don’t want me to go I said to myself. But to him I said,” sorry Vikram, I just got a call, something that only I needed to look at had suddenly cropped up, so I have to go.”
In my mind I said the only vital thing that had cropped up was to safeguard my wife from your wicked clutches.
“Bye Avinash … madam,” he said looking at them. For a moment his eyes locked on to Bavani’s eyes.
It was just a fleeting second but there seemed to be a spark .. a secret that was exchanged between them or so it seemed to me. What could be the reason?” I tortured myself once more. I drove back home with confusion and contradictions once more dominating in my mind. Soon my son and my wife were asleep in the car. I looked at my wife’s lovely face. It looked so peaceful and there were no signs of guilt there.
“Bavani were you prepared to cheat on me? Or had you already betrayed me?” I thought to myself. Was this action of mine too late? As they say have I shut the stable door after the horse has bolted? What I was afraid of was that I’ll never be sure of this and would be always left wondering. My wife and son were sleeping but my mind was in too much of a turmoil to feel sleepy. When I reached home it was already dark, the way my heart was at this moment.
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