Adultery Those Piercing Eyes by iloveall

[Ramesh_Rocky]

The house was not large, but good enough to feel comfortable and yet small enough not to give too much bother to the housewife. We were surprised to find that it was tidy and thoroughly cleaned unlike our experiences with the previous houses. I learnt later that the Brigadier had his men clean the house in advance of our arrival as a goodwill gesture of a neighbour. We were really loaded with gratitude. It is a job for a new incumbent family, particularly the housewife to clean the house thoroughly before moving in.


It took us a good part of one month to set up the house nicely and make all arrangements such as getting the help for cleaning the house maid to do kitchen chores, visit the market and fill up the fridge as well as tying up with milk man, washer man, groceries, gas connection etc. Sumi was delighted to get full support from the next door neighbour. Without making too much ado, the Brigadier sent his staff to take care of one thing or another.

We invited the Brigadier for a dinner one evening. It was wonderful to have him as he enjoyed his time playing with our children and our children had a whale of time playing, talking and laughing with him. In the first meeting with the children, he had won over their hearts and had become their most favourite uncle. Sumi and I liked his simple non assuming attitude. He behaved with us with such humility and dignity that we felt as if we had known him for years. He profusely appreciated Sumi's culinary skills and ate heartily. Sumi was gleeful and blushed profusely at his abundant compliments of not only her skills at cooking but her graceful beauty.

After the dinner, I placed some chairs in the veranda of our house and poured wine for the Brigadier and me. The Brigadier and I sat whilst Sumi was busy putting the children to bed. Under the exterior of the Brigadier's smile, I could detect some kind of sadness that I could not put my finger on.

I reluctantly asked the Brigadier, "Sir, I apologize for being intrusive, but may I ask about your family?"

The Brigadier ruefully replied that his wife was killed in an accident a year ago and his one son and one daughter had moved out to USA and he lived alone there. He visited USA to meet his children occasionally but preferred to stay in India at his home in Ranikhet. I could detect something amiss in his life, which perhaps the Brigadier was not yet ready to divulge. I left it at that. We had a drink when Sumi appeared.

We talked for a while when Sumi mentioned that there was a problem of getting our children admitted in a particular good college. Since we arrived between two sessions, the college authorities refused to accept our children mid-term. When we mentioned this to the Brigadier, he dismissed our difficulties with a simple wave of his hands. He excused himself, got up and walked a little to talk quietly on the phone. He made two calls and made some notes on a small piece of paper.

He returned and looked at my wife Sumi affectionately, handing over that slip of paper to her and said, "My dear, go to the college tomorrow with this paper and deposit the amount written on this slip. Your both the children shall be admitted tomorrow."

My wife was so thrilled at this development and the Brigadier's gesture that she instinctively held his hands in her hands and said, "Sir, I cannot tell you how grateful I and my husband are for your wonderful assistance. We were so disappointed at not being able to get the children admitted in that college."

"Just call me Prem dear. I am Prem to both of you from now onwards and I would mind if you address me otherwise. No Sir business. Understood?"

Sumi smiled and looking at me said, "Yes Prem, I will remember that." I nodded my head smilingly looking at the Brigadier's charm working on my pretty wife.

After the Brigadier had left and Sumi and I cleared the table and put our children to sleep, I could see Sumi in a very good mood and I knew why. I was also delighted at having our children getting admission in a prestigious college, which was not so easy to get into.

I poked my wife teasing her and said, "Looks like the old man has charmed my young lady out of her wits." My wife Sumi looked at me questioningly trying perhaps to check any trace of jealousy on my face and said, "Come on, he is not so Old really. It was indeed very kind of him to go out of his way for us. After all, he hardly knows us just for some days."

"My, my! Look at my wify! She is all agog at the charm of our not so old neighbour. Ok? Happy?" I asked her trying to tease her.

"Well, indeed, he is charming, if it answers your inquisitiveness. Aren't his blue penetrating eyes charming?" Sumi asked me responding in the same teasing tone. I had to grudgingly admit that, that indeed was true.