Neeta stared out of the window of the coach, the mountain air cool against her warm face. As the wind fanned her face she felt all her troubles falling away far into the depths of the valley below. Looking towards the mountains, she fervently hoped that this holiday would revive her sagging spirits and confidence in herself.
Sighing contentedly she looked at her nineteen year old son, Nikhil, sitting next to her playing on his PSP. Her younger son was away at boarding school. This was a hard earned, eagerly awaited holiday, planned two months in advance with her brother, his wife Aditi and their eighteen year old son Karan.
She always enjoyed Aditi's company. Aditi was a mature forty-one year old who was neither frivolous nor shallow and who rarely lost her composure. It was so easy to talk to her. She was a sympathetic listener. Understanding more than what you told her, never giving unsolicited advice and she was never judgmental. Neeta valued Aditi's opinions and admired her confidence in the face of every obstacle that came in life. She could confide in her knowing her secrets were safe forever. A feeling of warmth enveloped her as she thought of Aditi. She always felt protected whenever they were together.
A frown contracted her smooth brow. Recently, however, she had undergone a subtle change of feelings for Aditi which she was unable to understand.
An hour and she would be at the coach drop point where her brother would come to pick them up in his car and take them to the hotel where they had already booked a double room for Neeta and Nikhil and a triple room for Aditya and his family in advance, for four days and three nights, with the option to extend one more day if the boys wanted to.
Her husband was away on a business trip, as usual. She was relieved that he could not come. She always had a feeling of oppressive bondage whenever he was around. Such instances, thankfully, were few. He spent twenty-five days a month out of town but the few days he did spend in town he made her life as miserable as he could. He could with a few harsh and cruel words successfully tear her confidence to shreds and she was left trembling in fear. The physical abuse and beatings always came later after a couple of drinks.
She had never confided in anyone except Aditi. In fact Aditi's sharp and penetrative intelligence had easily seen through the deception years ago but she had refrained from saying anything to Neeta lest she feel belittled. But one day Aditi had found Neeta crying uncontrollably and since then Neeta had never been able to hide anything from her. That day the carefully built dam of pent up emotions had burst forth in the face of Aditi's sensitive understanding. She understood Neeta better than her mother ever could.
She had many a time cried on her shoulder, sharing intimate details of her unsuccessful married life. Aditi had always dropped everything and come to her help whenever she had called. Over the years Aditi had been a pillar of strength because of which she had found the courage to stand up to the brute of a husband but had never thought of leaving him for the sake of her two boys. She jerked herself and refused to dwell upon that part of her life. This holiday was too precious to be lost in bitter reverie.
Before seething anger could raise its ugly head and consume every vestige of sanity, the bus came to a halt and she saw her brother waving at her while her tall nephew came bounding towards them.
Neeta looked around.
"Where is Aditi?" she asked, carefully getting down from the bus.
"At least greet those who are present," Aditya said in mock affront.
After the preliminary greetings were over Aditya placed his sister's suitcases in the boot of his car. Telling the excited boys to get in at the back, his sister sitting next to him, he answered, "She is at the hotel unpacking. By the time we reach she will have finished and can help you unpack."
Neeta sat back contentedly in the seat and closed her eyes feeling happy and relaxed after a long time. She was glad that she had agreed to this holiday, as she had been able to get out of the daily grind at work.
In twenty minutes they reached the hotel parking lot. The boys were out of the car even before it came to a halt. Neeta slowly, languidly got out, savoring every moment not wanting to miss anything on this trip. Aditya locked the car and taking out her suitcases from the boot, motioned her to follow. She nodded and fell in step.
Neeta pulled in a deep breath, the fresh air expanding her lungs. Someone was waving from the far end of the compound. Neeta forgot to exhale as she recognized Aditi. Her breath caught in her throat. Was that Aditi? She looked closely at Aditi's tall, lean figure moving gracefully towards her. Neeta could not stop staring. Her eyes widened in wonder and amazement. Where had Aditi been hiding that figure? It was impossible.
Aditi was wearing tight fitting black jeans and a red shirt tucked inside the waistband with the two top buttons left open. Her thighs looking toned under the tight fit. Neeta had always seen Aditi in a conventional salwar kameez, not once in tight fitting jeans. She looked breath taking. Neeta failed to understand why Aditi hid that figure under the folds of the large salwar kameez she always wore? Aditi was looking downright seductive.
Seductive? Neeta shook her head in disbelief. What was she thinking? How could she be affected by her brother's wife in such a manner? But wasn't it this very feeling she had recently started having for Aditi?
She shook her head to silence the buzzing that had suddenly erupted in her ears. She could feel them burning.
Aditi snapped her fingers in front of Neeta's face.
"Welcome dreamy," she was saying, a soft smile hovering at the corners of her lips.
Neeta looked into the large black eyes and swayed.
"Hey, watch it." Aditi's hands shot out immediately to steady her.
Neeta exhaled slowly. Taking in a deep breath once again she avoided looking at her sister-in-law's face, making an effort at composing herself.
"Tired?" Aditi asked in a concerned voice.
Neeta nodded, grateful at being given an excuse to hide her sudden emotions.
Entirely oblivious of the feelings that she had unintentionally aroused in Neeta, Aditi retained a concerned grip on Neeta's elbow and guided her towards the entrance of the hotel lobby. Her husband, son and nephew were nowhere in sight. She led Neeta up the flight of stairs to the first floor to their rooms.
The doors to both rooms stood ajar and excited voices could be heard down the corridor. Aditi smiled to herself. She had already prepared herself for three days of play station gaming. Aditya enjoyed gaming as much as the boys. Aditi didn't mind being on her own on holidays. Being a voracious reader she always enjoyed time without husband and son, the added advantage on a vacation being the lack of any work. She would immerse herself in a tome barely looking up, avoiding meals to keep reading without interruption and whenever she did close her book it was to take long solitary walks among the hills thoroughly enjoying by her self.
Aditi led Neeta to the unoccupied double room and closed the door. The walk to the room had given enough time to Neeta to compose herself. She felt better when Aditi let go of her elbow.
Pouring herself a glass of water from the jug kept on the corner table Neeta settled into the sofa. Reclining her head and resting it on the wall behind, she watched Aditi as she lifted the heavy suitcases with effortless ease and placed them on the rack. Neeta saw the strong muscles of Aditi's shoulder and arm flex and tense with the weight. Regular exercise and weight training was the secret of Aditi's strong physique. Neeta wondered why she hadn't noticed it before.
Why was she acutely aware of Aditi today? Did it have anything to do with her last conversation with Tanisha, her childhood friend? Tanisha was bisexual and had, six months earlier, advised Neeta to experiment and had encouraged her to be a little reckless now that she was over forty. She could afford to, couldn't she?
"Babe," she had said, "You don't know what arousal is until you have been with a woman. A man has very little patience. The foremost thought in his mind is the pleasure that he will derive not what he will give."
