Adultery DISEASE

[OLDWINE]

VISHAL


"You know, you gave a huge plothole in your whole story."Arun, my physician friend, teases me. He is enjoying the drama that has swirled around me. He finds it very amusing.


"What is that?" I ask reluctantly, sitting across from him in my drawing room.

"You never informed your relatives of your situation. Our friends and your neighbors might start to notice."

Including relatives in this prank would change the whole game. Sooner or later, someone is going to claim my legal custody, sighting my inability to live my life on my own.

 I took an early voluntary retirement from the steel plant where I used to work, and that relative of mine would just gobble up that money while I stayed as their vegetable puppet. There is no way I am going to drag my relatives into this mischievous drama I am enjoying.

"I would tell the friends that my neighbors are my relatives, and I would tell my neighbors that those friends are my relatives. Each group does not know the other." I laugh.

Arun grins, "And if those lies of yours get caught?"

"Hey, you forgot that I am suffering from Alzheimer's. It is natural for me to mix things up."

We both laugh together.

Arun stops first, "That's why I used to tell you that you should get married. But that time has passed. If you had married, you should not have to use a fake story to garner love and affection."

I do suspect Arun isn't just doing it for fun only; he is treating me as a patient who craves a sense of community around him.

I avoid his usual nagging about me not getting married. That ship has sadly sailed.

I adhere to a more critical topic, "Did you let everyone know that they should stop visiting me for a while?"

Arun confirms, "Yes, I have told our friends that they should leave you alone for now...your body and mind need rest."

As much as I loved the visits from my friends, now that Natasha has entered my life, I don't want to be interrupted while I spend time with her.

And who could have arranged it better than my doctor and co-conspirator, Arun?

"perfect." I laud Arun's commitment to our prank.

Arun is hesitant," What happened? I thought you were enjoying the attention. A few days ago, you were rambling about calling off the prank as you were feeling guilty, and now this ...."

"Vishal Uncle..." the melodious voice of Natasha sails into the drawing room with the soothing Autumn air.

Arun cranes his neck to follow the source, and I see his jaw drop.

"My oh my Vishal..who is this item? Is She the reason you called off your plans?My god she is gorgeous !!!" Arun exclaims, peeking through the curtain.

I can feel my eyes gleaming with mischief," Buddy, you need to go now.."

Arun gives me a dirty smile, "Oh, you dirty old dog. Now I envy you." he gets up and prepares to leave the house.

"Hang the stetoscope around your neck. So does she know that you..." I was instructing him.

Arun raises a hand, "Yeah, yeah, I got what game you are playing."

Seconds later, I heard Arun and Natasha talking outside the drawing room.

"How is Vishal uncle?" Natasha asks with concern.

Arun tells her that I need care and compassion. He thanks her for visiting me and keeping me company.

Natasha comes in and greets me. She checks the notes. We do our usual things, such as feeding medicine and watching a drama on television.

The telly showed an advertisement for toothpaste, and the dentist explained how Neem makes the toothpaste best in the market.

Natasha suddenly makes the whole conversation about Neem and its benefits, ending up mentioning the Neem tree I have at my boundary.

She kept citing the Neem tree, how she likes to cook its leaves, how delicious it tastes despite the bitter flavor, etc.

Eventually, she mentions the property case I am fighting with his father-in-law.

So that's why the whole deal about the Neem tree!! I smile inside.

She is the newest member of her family, and that dispute is almost ancient now. She could not have known about that. Someone has put her up to this. 

Someone in her family, probably her husband or in-laws, instructed her to break the ice regarding the dispute with me.

Till now, I made no advances toward my lovely neighbor, Natasha. I just ogled her figure and enjoyed her charming company, but now I know that she wants something from me. 

If she wants something from me, then I need to get something from her, too. Fair is fair.