I
Lying in bed, reading the latest letter from Shahnawaz, Payal could not help but feel proud that her husband had found the business legs he so wanted in the joint project with Sam Chen's Malaysian company. In the past years the concern had increased revenues by more than 100% and his decision to focus on work looked like it was paying off. Shahnawaz's frequency of visits to her campus in Washington, D.C., had reduced significantly in the nearly four years that she had taken so far. From coming over every other month, he had not shown up in almost six. In just a few weeks she would have a master's degree in Political Science to add to the bachelor's in journalism she had completed a couple of years earlier at the same school. Despite her university mentors suggesting she go on for a PhD, Payal had decided to pass on that option, for the time being, given the changed political situations in Pakistan since 1985. Payal figured her husband would not miss that future occasion, having been present at the last one, and that they would then head back home.
At the same time, while staying in bed late over the 1986 Easter weekend, she wondered if she had violated too many taboos in her drive to gain allies in the obvious conflagration that would result on the return of both Shahnawaz and herself to Pakistan. Despite entreaties from her parents and mother-in-law, Payal had not been home since leaving a few months after the death of Shahnawaz's father. The demon that Haqnawaz represented would have to be faced and the time was soon.
The arm that came across her bare chest and fingers that playfully caressed her perky nipples testified to the lengths she could go to ensure things would work out in favour of her family and herself once the US episode had ended. Mike Whittaker, bachelor and freshman congressman from the state of Texas was rising up to another round of lovemaking with the goddess in the bed. Payal spread her legs as Mike brought his lips to hers and concurrently pushed his penis into her pussy. He knew she was married and would be leaving shortly after graduation. He also knew that he would support any cause she would be associated with for as long as possible. Their friendship had grown to the point of regular sex over the past few months, but soon things would be changing. Mike felt a pang of regret at realizing that Payal would soon exit his life.
"You're unusually randy this Easter, you did not even go to church?" she whispered in his ear.
"Well I am worshipping you right now, ain't I?" was a rather true reply.
"I thought you were keen to go to Texas and enjoy mom's cooking?" she ribbed him.
"I don't usually get the pleasure of such exotic goodies as you possess," he responded while kissing her neck.
"And how many do you usually have that are not so exotic?" Payal ribbed him.
"Oh not enough and not like you at all," he confessed, getting a smile on her face in return.
His arms went around her waist and he lifted her torso while bearing down with his cock. Payal felt she was being forced in two different directions. Her tits moved towards his mouth and he began to suck on one and then the other. Her hands began to tousle his short hair. Mike increased his speed and Payal felt the rush from her oncoming orgasm. She let out an audible yelp and came just as Mike released his load into the condom he was wearing. After their orgasmic spasm had passed, he slowly lowered her back to the bed and pulled out of her cunt. Kissing her deeply, he headed off to the bathroom.
Payal, getting up from the bed threadbare, went to the kitchenette to prepare breakfast. She was in the process of making eggs when Mike saw her in the kitchenette just wearing an apron. Despite the multiple bouts of fucking over the past few hours, his cock regenerated. Leading her to the dinette, he pressed her head down over it and entered her pussy from behind. This time, however, he controlled himself for a while and pulled out before releasing. Payal realized that he did not want to come in her unprotected, turned around and took his tool in her mouth. His sperm hit her throat just as the fire alarm went off. The eggs and oil were ablaze! Mike had the fire out in a few moments but since breakfast was ruined the only sane route was to stay in bed till lunch! Neither of them had any problems with that option. Payal probably had received some nutritional value from the ejaculate she had swallowed as the alarm went off. Mike was hungrier for her body in any case. Shaking their heads and giggling over what had transpired they returned to the bedroom.
II
Within a few weeks of the death of her father-in-law, Payal knew that Haqnawaz was hell bent on acquiring everything that had gone to the other siblings. Almost immediately any communal property magically transferred to his name, increasing his share substantially. While Haqnawaz was smart enough not to directly cause any loss to Shahnawaz, he had no compulsions about taking more than half of what the sisters had inherited. The sisters had all sworn never to return to the haveli again, cursed Haqnawaz and his succeeding generations, and slunk off to their husbands' homes. Haqnawaz could not force the mother out of the haveli and still had to give her due respect.
Shahnawaz and Payal had almost immediately come to the conclusion that they could not stay for long. While Haqnawaz would not force them out as long as his mother was alive, their stay was not safe. Shahnawaz had already built on the contacts with Sam Chen in Malaysia and was ecstatic when asked if he would come on to the joint venture board and split his time between Kuala Lumpur and the new plant site near Faisalabad (the city name being changed from Lyallpur by Zia-ul-Haq following the murder of Saudi King Faisal).
Payal was not keen on staying in the haveli, given that her husband was usually away and Haqnawaz had regained his old ways of leering at and ogling her. In fact, within the first few weeks of his father's death, Haqnawaz had accosted Payal three times in the corridors while no one else was around and her husband was out of the country. The first time he had simply tried to hug her close, but she slipped from his grasp and ran off. On the second occasion, he had actually backed her against a wall, and rubbed his hands over her clothed body, while she fought off his attempts to kiss her. As his tongue probed into her mouth she bit down, causing him to yell out in agony and let go. The third time around he was most brazen, pushing her face forward into the wall and actually getting his hands under her kameez and shalwar to feel her breasts and hips. Payal screamed as his fingers managed to slide her shalwar down a bit. Haqnawaz was emboldened that no one had responded to her pleas and lifted her kameez up to partially bare her backside. As he tried to undo her shalwar, Payal instinctively smashed her foot down onto his and jerked back so her elbow hit him square in the face. His nose and toes broken, Haqnawaz had to abort this attempt at rape also. Payal had no intention of having a fourth encounter, but was not sure either if she wanted her husband's mind diverted to this situation at home. She decided to visit her parents for an extended stay, letting Haqnawaz stew while she worked out her alternatives.
Payal's solution came from her old friend Fariha, whose brother Abid she had a tryst with prior to her marriage to Shahnawaz. Fariha had written to her of the wonderful educational opportunities in the US and suggested Payal take a shot at it. Given her high grades in school, her family background and her husband's willingness to let her attend, Payal was soon admitted to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Shahnawaz was also able to focus on his work in Kuala Lumpur and Faisalabad without worry regarding the safety of his wife in the familial circumstances that existed. Sam Chen was both a great mentor and an excellent family friend. No surprise that in no time the joint venture began to turn over in earnest. Shahnawaz had wisely invested a substantial portion of his inheritance in the venture, selling off unneeded agricultural property to other landowning school friends rather than to Haqnawaz. Very soon he realized that his returns from the investment were more than making up from any inheritance losses or any revenues from planting the now sold lands. The only downside was that Payal was not always with him, and his increased work involvement meant his trips to see her kept getting further apart. Still he was very proud that his wife had received her bachelor's with honours and with a master's would be the most educated female in any of the landowning families that he knew.
III
Arriving at Georgetown in May 1982, Payal could not believe how different things were from American movies and also from her home in Pakistan. Expecting a capital city that would be dead like Islamabad, she instead found Washington, D.C. to be abuzz with life, intrigue and excitement. There were quite a few Pakistanis around, both because of a large embassy and since many Pakistanis worked in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas. Payal, however, had been advised by her friends to steer clear of her fellow countryfolk and instead learn from the Americans. The exception was that she remained close with Fariha, who also went to the same university and was now one year ahead as a junior.