Payal ki Jhankar, Chapter 7
I
"I'd imagine Jessica would be really upset if she saw us like this," Payal just had the oddest urge to express whatever was running through her mind.
"She is a backwoods type and I think you may be right about her wanting to hold on to her man!" Mike Whittaker took a moment to respond to the comment about his wife back home in Washington, D.C. "I have learned it is best to not mention parts of my life to her."
Each of them had a point. After all, at that very moment Payal, totally nude, was spread-eagled on a king size bed. Mike's penis was embedded inside her and his hands were reconnecting with her perked up breasts.
"Bet you Shahnawaz may have a few things to say about this too!"
"Touche," was Payal's response to his return provocation concerning her husband presently in Pakistan, "Guess you are not the only one who has to keep some secrets!"
Mike flipped over so she came atop his torso, still fully attached to his nether region. Payal bucked a couple of times to ensure that his erection was in no mood to subside.
"Whoa, there, the conference is not till 10 a.m." he reminded her, slowing down Payal's tempo.
"But you don't think we are finishing so soon after this," she replied, once again increasing the speed of her up and down motion.
Sure enough, Mike came furiously for the second time while she had yet another climax since they had started mating earlier in the night. There would be more such coming later as the night progressed. Luckily for Mike, he was not an opening day speaker or panelist. Still he was well spent by the time he got to his room in the wee hours of the morning. Neither Payal nor Mike expected that the other would make it on time to the conference.
II
Having wasted a fair bit of time since completing her Master's degree in the US, much beyond managing two pregnancies, Payal had finally started work early in 1990. Strangely, she was back in journalism, having opted not to take her advanced degree in that discipline. Her daughter Nida was now three and the new son, Salman, was closing in on his first birthday. Now thirty, Payal could easily pass for someone much younger and had continued to care religiously for her physical and emotional self. Since moving first to Faisalabad and then to Lahore she had not been endangered in any way by Haqnawaz. The near rape was an almost distant memory.
An invitation to attend a conference on women's rights in the Middle Eastern context was too much to pass up. Payal was surprised that, as the junior editor of one of Pakistan's leading English magazines, she had been invited rather than someone more senior. It was also unusual that the US Embassy had sent the invitation and advised that her visa had been approved for travel to Istanbul, where the conference was being held. Her travel and hotel arrangements had also been handled via the same channel. While still relatively junior at her office, Payal had no qualms in attending, though she wondered how luck smiled on her so soon after she started her new job in Lahore.
Shahnawaz was proud of the way Payal had started making a name in media circles. Within weeks of her coming on board, the magazine had printed a series of hard-hitting pieces, mostly relating to the poor state of women's rights in Pakistan. Her political science background gave her an advantage over other media persons who did not possess such credentials. She was soon popular with TV anchors for her smart commentary, interview techniques and looks. Payal was also in constant demand at university lectures, both for her views and beauty. To Shahnawaz, the conference invitation only vindicated his belief in her abilities and he encouraged her to accept without reservation. After all, it was only for four days and just a hop over to Turkey.
The asterisk on why she was specifically getting A-list treatment became very clear the first night that she was in Istanbul. She was somewhat surprised when there was a knock on her door just prior to midnight. Standing there was Mike Whittaker, holding a program for the conference which indicated that he was a main panelist and speaker. She was more surprised, however, when she melted into Mike's embrace, letting him kiss her deeply and carry her to the bed. Payal and Mike were threadbare, he had entered her and they had quickly reached their climax, before any words were even exchanged.
Payal had figured that there would be sexual tension between them if they ever met post her return from the US in 1986. What she did not count on was the ease with which they both sexually reconnected, even though they had not met for years since her graduation from Georgetown. It seemed that the acceptance they had for each other, and the no-strings attached sex, made it easy for them to forget about significant others and rekindle a prior affair once again. She did not feel as guilty about this infidelity considering that she now was aware of Shahnawaz also playing the field while on his Malaysia trips. Mike used to worship her body during their trysts during her years in the US, and being treated like divinity once again did wonders for her ego and spirit.
III
Naziran won for Best Actress in the Lux Pakistan Film Awards. Since being thrown out, by the minister she had taken residence up with, and subsequently crawling back to Haqnawaz, she had focused on her film career. She already had a name as someone who would flaunt some skin and had no compulsion about vulgar dances or scenes. In the Pakistani context these were pretty tame compared to fare from India, but she sent pulses racing high anyway among the low classes of the country. Lately she had discovered a knack for dramatic acting also and this had allowed her to take on meaty lead roles. One such role had led her to the point of ultimate acceptance in film circles. There was already talk of her being offered a role in a mid-budget Indian movie in which she could display even more sensuality.
Surprisingly, Haqnawaz had accepted her back into his circle and bed once again. However, this was not as an equal but now as a supplicant. Though she had much greater access to funds, Haqnawaz remained politically connected, rich and powerful. Having been badly treated by the minister, she had learned to be patient about moving her agenda forward. Any brutality could be managed by being pliable and in the time since she returned to him, Naziran had managed to accept any of his abuse and in fact made him less of an animal.
That day, however, Haqnawaz was back to his normal self. Arriving at the house he had originally put her in and subsequently given ownership of, he grasped a hold of her kameez with both hands and ripped it down to expose her underclothes. Naziran had been through such treatment before and knew that compliance was the best way out. Upping the ante, she simply dropped her shalwar, pulled off the torn shirt and motioned to him to take off her lingerie. Almost immediately, Haqnawaz cooled down as he unclothed her.
"Shahji, how many times will you be doing this?" she complained, "this is the twelfth suit you have torn!"
Haqnawaz was suddenly struck by the fact that she had uttered that sentence in fairly passable, but highly accented, English. Naziran had made great effort since coming to Lahore to get an education. Her Urdu was very good by now and she had acquired some English too. Both her Urdu and English teachers worked extra hard on her lessons for two reasons. Firstly, fear of Haqnawaz giving them a thrashing was constantly there. Secondly, every so often Naziran had let them taste her charms in bed.
"Mera naal Punjabi wich gal kar, kutiyay, mein koi Angrez nahin! (Talk to me in Punjabi, bitch, I am no Englishman!)" Haqnawaz thundered.
"Lauh, tussi vee fer duniya jahan di tarah meri bund hi maro (Ok then, why do you not just buttfuck me like everyone else)!" she sharply retorted while turning her behind to him.
Haqnawaz pushed her down on to a table, placed a gob of spit on his tool, and pressed hard into her anus. Naziran had experienced anal sex since childhood, having being victimized by her father and brothers, and this intrusion was par for the course. The cock was buried in her in no time at all and Hanawaz began to push in and pull out earnestly. He was soon spent and withdrew.
"Shahji, why are you so upset with me?"
"Did you see that bitch Payal on TV today?" he asked, "she wants us to provide education and other rights to whores like you." Payal had touched off a debate on rights of rural women, notably relating to education, child marriage and employment. This had not gone down well with the landed establishment but was popular with urbanites and the intelligentsia.
"Do you know that she has asked me for an interview?" Naziran suddenly spoke up.
"Why is that?"
"She thinks I am a great example of someone who has come out of a rural environment and made a name for myself."
"But she does know that your only reason for fame is your ability to suck my cock whenever I want!"
"Shahji, why is your anger against Payal always the cause to beat or insult me?"
"So what are you going to talk to her about?"
"Oh I don't know, perhaps my natural talents as an actress."
"Yes, try to keep the topic to that point."
"Or maybe I'll talk about how I have risen from the abuses I suffered at the hands of my family, my feudal lords and others."
Naziran immediately regretted this as a slap from Haqnawaz launched her across the room.
"Talk all you want to that bitch," he warned, "but be warned that your tongue will be pulled out if you say more than you are supposed to."
IV
Mike was the main speaker on the second day of the conference. Both Payal and Mike had managed to make it to the first day of the event on time and remained discreetly separate throughout the proceedings. Payal was certain that he would opt to rest up for his speech on day two. Instead she was surprised to receive a formal invitation to dinner in Mike's suite. Figuring that the dinner might be event related, rather than personal, she dressed in an elegant shalwar kameez from a leading Pakistani designer and arrived at the appointed time.
Payal figured she had made the correct call as a large circular table was set for a dozen persons and already a few were there. Mike greeted her politely at the door and introduced her around. Guests kept arriving and small talk ensued all around. Other than Payal and Mike, the group included a couple of bigwigs from the Emirates and Turkey sans wives, a female delegate each from India, Egypt and Brazil, a male delegate from Saudi, a CEO and his wife from the US and Mike's assistant Raylene. Payal noted that Raylene was quite easy on the eye and was attracting the attention notably of the male attendees with her backless dress, Texas twang and obvious good looks. Payal busied herself talking to the CEO and the delegates from Brazil and Indonesia.
Dinner was announced and the people took their places according to name placements. Payal was surprised that the Egyptian and Brazilian delegates were seated closest to Mike, who was at the head of the table. She was even more surprised to find herself sitting across from Raylene, at the very end, with the end chair facing the host empty and without a card. Seated next to her was the CEO, while the Emirati was adjacent to Raylene. Payal was wondering if she was being slighted by the placement. After all, during the just passed night, Mike had been extremely close to her. She, however, figured he was being diplomatic, circumspect or had some other reason.
That reason was clarified just a few moments later when Raylene left the room to bring in the last guest, none other than Mike's uncle. The world knew him as former senator Richard Whittaker. Payal knew him as an actively dirty old man, but one with a great knack for politics. Raylene's lipstick was a bit smudged and Richard had a flash of red on his lips. Apparently she had already welcomed the great man. Richard began greeting the people, starting with the guy sitting next to Raylene and coming around. The guys got a firm handshake and Mike received an added hug. The delegate ladies and the CEO's wife all got a kiss on their hands, which both the Indian and Egyptian ladies appeared uncomfortable with. Payal imagined she would receive a bit more attention and was not surprised when he gave her leg a squeeze just as soon as they sat down. Payal glad that she was not wearing a skirt, hoped Richard would behave himself at this event. That was something he had not done the first time they had a meal together.
"Why honey, it's been ages since we saw you in Texas," Richard addressed Payal as soon as Mike indicated that the food could be served.
"Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to visit the US for some time," she responded, as he moved his chair closer and placed his hand over hers.
"This may sound hokey to you, but I do need to see you about something important regarding your family and Pakistan," Richard surprised her with the statement.
Noting that his hand now was trying to work itself between her legs, she moved close to his ear and whispered, "this would not be one of your usual lecherous moves now, would it?"
