Vijaya dropped her keys wearily on the counter, and turned the burner on under the stale, left-over coffee. While she waited for the coffee to get hot, she stared blindly out the window. The sound of the coffee boiling roused her from her stupor. She poured a cup of the steaming, dark liquid then lowered herself wearily onto a kitchen chair. Bracing her arms on the table, she sipped the hot coffee, then frowned, and put the cup down. After spooning in sugar and creamer, she tasted it again, and decided it was drinkable.
She didn't need a mirror to know her eyes were bloodshot. She could practically feel the bags and dark circles. She felt pure bone weary. Last night had been one of the worst ever for Uday. Overdue for a treatment, he had writhed, tossed, turned and sweated all night. Although they hadn't touched or even talked, neither of them had slept, and they both knew it. Vijaya had finally buried her face in her pillow, and smothered her misery in the bitter foam rubber smell. Uday was at the hospital right now. Vijaya had driven him here - he had been sweating and shivering the whole way as cold chills wracked his tortured body. Now, alone in the silent house, Vijaya sipped the bitter coffee and tried to get her mind working. She couldn't think of anything she had to do, but had the nagging feeling there was something she should be worrying about. Slowly she goaded her exhausted mind into action, and forced it to review the situation.
This brought her straight to what she had done in the past few days. A sour knot of misery formed in her throat, making it hard to swallow. Taking a grip on herself, she thrust that memory down. Her mind then went perversely to the parting exchange she had had at the office the day before. Her muscles slowly knotted with horror as she reviewed the conversation. How had the rumor gotten started that Ripu KN was selling? She had called on him routinely, the same way she did all people in her territory had lived in the same house for over a year and a half. The mobility in the area was high, surveys showing that few people lived in the same house for more than two years, especially in high income neighborhoods. There was a ceaseless shifting from house to house as the young, driving executives moved up the ladder of the growing businesses in the area, or were transferred away.
Vijaya had been sure no one else knew Ripu KN was considering selling. His wealth was inherited, not dependent on the ups and downs of large corporations the same way executives' fates were. KN had told her, though, that he was in need of cash. Maybe some of his investments had gone sour or something? If that was the case, others might know of his need for money. Adding that to the incredible increase in the value of his house gave one obvious conclusion. Vijaya sighed. Her mind was beginning to work smoothly as the caffeine and sugar entered her bloodstream. How the rumor had gotten out was unimportant. It was out. Vijaya had done her best to squelch it in her own agency, and had probably succeeded. She knew they trusted her. But the rumor was undoubtedly making the rounds of the other agencies. Her agreement with KN was an exclusive one, but it was far from iron-clad. He might try to break it if he thought he could get a better deal from someone else. The trouble with using sex in business, Vijaya reflected, was that there was nothing at all binding about it. But that wasn't what was nagging at Vijaya. There was something else, something different, trivial now, but potentially disastrous.
Badri Dayal and his mortgage = was it an issue? No, definitely not that. What was it she had forgotten? She couldn't think if it was something she had to do something about or not. She knew it was trivial and stupid, which made her aggravation at forgetting it even greater. It wasn't something about Uday, it had to do with Ripu KN and his house, and it also had something to do with Badri Dayal.
Vijaya wracked her brain desperately and came up with a complete blank.
When the telephone rang, it jarred her so she slopped coffee onto the table. When Uday was at the hospital, Vijaya fretted. She dashed for the phone, terrified that something had gone wrong during his treatment.
"Hello?" Vijaya answered fearfully.
"Is this Mrs. Vijaya Sanorita?" The voice was feminine, soft, rather deep, and cultured.
"Speaking." It didn't sound like a nurse at the hospital.
"This is Sandhya KN, Mrs. Ripu KN."
Vijaya gulped, surprised. This was one call she hadn't anticipated at all. "Yes, Mrs. KN, what can I do for you?"
Vijaya tried to sound genuinely happy to be hearing from the woman. "I understand from my husband that you are trying to sell our house."
"Yes, I am," Vijaya acknowledged. God, what if Mrs. KN didn't want to sell?
"I'd like to discuss the matter with you, if you don't mind."
Vijaya settled herself in a chair, bracing herself for the worst. "Certainly, Mrs. KN. What would you like to know?"
"I'd rather not discuss it over the telephone," Mrs. KN said calmly. "Would you be able to meet with me sometime today?"
Vijaya thought for a second, then nodded, "Yes, I believe so. I have to pick up my husband at the hospital late this afternoon, but I have nothing else scheduled."
"Fine. Why don't you come here to the house about noon? We can have some lunch and discuss things."
"All right, fine," Vijaya agreed. "I'll be there about noon."
"Thank you, Mrs. Sanorita."
"Thank you, Mrs. KN," Vijaya replied politely, then hung up.
Throughout the entire conversation, Sandhya KN had given no hint of what she wanted to talk about. Mentally, Vijaya replayed the brief conversation, trying to get some clue as to whether this was a real problem or not.
Finally, having come up with nothing, Vijaya glanced at the clock. She was relieved to find she still had plent of time. Somehow she had to get rid of the evidence of the sleepless, exhausting night. Mrs. Ripu KN sounded like class and polish, and Vijaya wanted to make the best impression possible. Vijaya stripped off her clothes while the water was warming up.Then she stepped into the cloud of steam and under the pounding spray. The exhausted aching in her shoulders and neck faded quickly under the hot blast. Turning she let the jets of water hit her face and felt them sluice the sleep out of her eyes. When she backed up the streams moved down and tingled over her chest. When the jets hit her nipples the little buds burned and tingled and stiffened.
Finally Vijaya picked up the soap and worked lather into the short, black hair of her head. After rinsing it away, she did her face with a washrag. Then, her hands still soapy, she lathered her torso and arms. Her flesh felt warm and resilient to the touch. As always, there was a warming pleasure from the way her breasts felt in her hands, firm and feminine, her nipples rubbery and alert. And there was pleasure, too, in the way her hands felt to her breasts, making blood surge to those graceful pink-capped hills. Fighting the urge to linger, Vijaya slid her soapy hands down over her stomach, arching her back to thrust her belly forward. She looked down over the lathery plain of sleek shining skin and could see soggy twists of pubic hair just peeping out under her belly.
When she worked a thick gob of lather into her pubic area, a softening wave of heat swept through her body. Carefully, Vijaya worked the soap deep into her dark bush, soaped far downward pressing and squeezing the yielding labia, spreading them to wash between them into the pink folds of her pussy. A soapy finger brushed her clitoris and it seemed to jerk in surprise, then stiffen and beg for more attention. Instead, Vijaya spread her legs and reached far back to wash the crack of her ass thoroughly. The pressure of her fingers around her anus triggered another wave of pleasure and a strange memory . . .
As she had crouched atop Badri Dayal, his big cock sunk in her pussy, he had touched her back there. His strong hands had clutched at her buttocks, drawing them apart. There had been such unexpected pleasure in his touch. Vijaya stopped playing with her ass and her pussy, and pulled her hands away with a grimace of disgust. What kind of person was she becoming? She had nothing against masturbating she had done it ever since she had discovered the pleasure to be gotten from it - in fact, until she had married Uday. And even then she had fondled herself to an orgasm from time to time. But here and now wasn't the place nor the time. And after what she had done with KN and Dayal it even seemed insane. Why did everything seem to remind her of her infidelities? Maybe, when this was all over, she would be able to put her hideous whoring out of her mind forever. After rinsing thoroughly, Vijaya shut off the shower and grabbed a towel. She rubbed her skin until it glowed pink then went into the bedroom to pick out something to wear.
And she caught sight of herself in the full-length mirror, as always. She froze at the sight of her body. She was invariably pleased with her youthful trimness. It had been longer than she cared to think since she had engaged in any really energetic gymnastics, but the trimness and firmness and healthy muscles still existed. Finally, she forced her eyes away from her reflection and got out a pair of clean panties to wear. She reflected as she put on a blouse and ghaghra that it was fortunate she didn't need to wear a bra. They couldn't have afforded to buy her one anyway. Going out into the bright sunlight, Vijaya slipped her dark glasses on. The soiled, dirty feeling of exhaustion had been washed away by her shower. Now she just felt languidly tired, reluctant to move, unable to hurry. She made it to the car and got in. The engine turned over with its usual sick grinding sound then sputtered to life. Before pulling away from the curb, Vijaya tapped the gas gauge. She was relieved to see the needle wiggle in response. That meant there was at last a quarter of a tank left.