Contd. from 'The Wife Ch - 1'.
"I was waiting for you Bikash." Anushka said as she lay on her bed watching her husband change in front of the wardrobe next to the bed.
"I know. But I couldn't cut short the meeting. Am just a small part of the company. Not the company itself."
"Almost all the flat owners were there. You need to socialize a bit as well."
"Its all pomp-n-show. You know how much that irritates me."
"Yeah, I know. I know it all well. But-"
Anushka had to cut short her words since Bikash was already inside the bathroom for a shower.
"Today I met Mr. Gupta in the elevator." Anushka raised her voice a bit but still wasn't sure if Bikash had heard her. The noise of the water hitting the bathroom floor stopped. Now she knew he must have.
"Who?" Bikash's voice was full of intent.
"Mr. Gupta. Manish Gupta. The one who lives two floors below us."
"That scoundrel! Why did you talk to him?" Bikash was now in the room again; semi naked, with water drops glistening on his shoulder.
"I didn't. He did."
"What was the context?"
"Nothing. The fan was out of order in the elevator so he said nobody takes care of it and I said yes. That's it."
"Were you alone with him in the elevator?"
"Of course not. There were two more women."
"Hmm. Stay away from that swine."
"Why do you call him a swine?"
"Because he is one! Have you forgotten how he reacted with the parking thing." Bikash went inside the bathroom.
Anushka didn't forget how unnecessary Manish's anger was on that day. Nor did she forget what actually happened in the elevator hours ago.
It was seven in the evening when Anushka entered the elevator with her vegetable bag. She was wiping her face with a handkerchief while waiting for the elevator's door to close. Precisely then, as the door was about to close, Manish Gupta stepped in. He was talking to someone on his mobile phone.
As the elevator closed with only Anushka and Manish inside, the former missed a breath for reason unknown to her. From the corner of her eyes she looked at Manish. He seemed to be engrossed in his talk but something told her he was actually looking at her. Simi's words, 'you two will look good together', flooded her mind. Even without looking at him straight she knew he should have a strong physique. But why was she thinking about it? The answer made her swallow a lump.
As she forced her mind to focus instead on the sweat on her forehead and neck the elevator suddenly stopped. There was an instant darkness inside.
"What happened?" An almost blind Anushka blurted.
"Power cut perhaps." It was Manish. He switched on the flashlight of his mobile phone. And pressed the alarm button of the elevator. It didn't work.
"Damn, we have to stay like this till we get help."
"We can call the security."
"I don't have his number."
"I have Mrs. Kapur's number. She stays on the first floor. She might help us."
"Then dial her."
Anushka fidgeted for some time with her bag since her phone was inside. Manish stepped closer to show her the light from his phone. The way he maneuvered the light on her bag and at times on her arms brought back Simi's words once again to her. 'You two will look good together.' Anushka swallowed another lump while grabbing her phone. She took it out and dialed Mrs. Kapur. A minute later the security opened the elevator door.
"Sir, the generator is facing some problem."
Hearing the guard's words Manish jumped down from the elevator since it was stuck at an awkward height from the ground. He turned to Anushka who had no other option but to jump out as well.
"Don't worry am here."
Damn, Anushka thought. She would have to jump carefully lest she jumps on him. That would be embarrassing. Anushka braced herself first handing over the vegetable bag to the security guard, then her purse and finally she stood on the edge of the elevator. Manish was awaiting her jump with stretched hands as if sure to lap her up like a baby. Anushka took a deep breath and jumped. She fell on Manish but they didn't fall down. Manish supported her well. He is strong, was her first thought.
The ordeal was finally over, Anushka thought lying on her bed now. She intentionally wasn't thinking about the touch, the way he grabbed her. She was disconnected from her thoughts when Bikash threw his towel on the bed. He was done with his shower.
"We can have a home party for some of the people with whom we like."
A happy Anushka said aloud, "That's a good idea."
The party went smooth with the guest list being decided by Bikash himself. Manish was conveniently left out but to Anushka's satisfaction Jatin was there. While having dessert Simi finally got hold of Anushka alone.
"So, did you talk to Jatin?" Simi wiped her mouth with a tissue paper, done with the dessert.
"About what?" Anushka said putting the last piece of chocolate brownie in her mouth.
"Just like that. You said you liked him."
"I think I have a crush on him."
"My, my! Someone's talking. Details, pronto!"
"Nothing really happened. I just talked to him today itself. I like his smile. Its cute!"
"Aww, okay. And what happened to Manish?"
"Oh, forget him. Bikash boils up with the mere mention of him. More so when he learned he talked to me."
"Manish talked to you, when?"
The next minute Anushka narrated Simi the elevator incident.
"What were you wearing?"
"A short kurti and a legging."
"Aha, a figure hugging legging! Did he feel you?"
"No, no. It was a matter of few seconds."
This time Anushka couldn't stop her mind to revisit the elevator incident once again. Simi was right. It was a figure hugging leggings that she was wearing that day. And the thing with leggings was it outlined the flesh provocatively. She knew Manish hands, after she jumped off the elevator, first touched her waist, then back and at last her butt before she could support herself. All of it happened quickly. Did he squeeze her butt? Perhaps. Intentionally or not she would never know.
"Can I be honest?" Simi asked bringing Anushka back to the party.
"Please!"
"The more I see and talk to you the more I have a feeling there's a sexual volcano waiting to erupt from inside you. Just that you are afraid."
"Afraid of what?" The truth in Simi's statement caught Anushka by surprise.
"You tell me?"
"You are probably right."
"Probably?"
"You ARE right, okay! I so wanted an independent life. I wanted to enjoy my way doesn't matter if the society tagged me I as a whore. Till I am able to answer my conscience I thought I'll be good. But life isn't what one wishes it to be. It traps everyone. It has trapped me."
"Rubbish! Look at me."
"Your case is different. Your husband is not like mine."
"Even if he was your kind do you think I would have given a damn? Just because am married to a person doesn't mean he owns me. I have my own desires and needs. Until and unless am fulfilling the basic duties of a wife, my husband should be happy."
"I don't know. Its not easy. Women like me walk on a thin rope across an abyss all their life. They aren't allowed to see and enjoy the pleasures of life lest they fall from the rope. And once they fall our society snatches the residual life from her as well."
"Hmm. Okay, lets get to it objectively. If Bikash had no problem with whatever you did and the society for one day allows all kinds of sexual experimentation whom will you fuck? Jatin or Manish?"
Anushka seemed a little taken aback by the question. Or perhaps by the thought that she would have to answer it.
"Am giving only two options because you like one and the other I think will look good with you." Simi added.
Anushka turned her face. She could see Jatin chatting with her husband in the hall room. He was cute and charming and she indeed had a crush on him but Anushka knew with Jatin it would be more of a sensual experience. Not that she would mind that but....
"Manish." She blurted out.
"O la la!" Simi retorted.
"As you said its objective. Don't read anything into it."
"But I think your choice of Manish is more to do with your desire to get back to your husband. By fucking the man he hates the most it would be a good revenge."
"Oh, shut up! Its nothing like that. I would never do that to Bikash. You asked me something, I answered. End of the story. And we aren't going to fuck anyway, any day."
"Don't you want to know Manish better than you do just like you knew a bit of Jatin tonight?" There was mischief in Simi's voice.
"That's not possible darling."
"Do you or do you not?"
"May be."
"Alright. Let me arrange a 'nice-to-meet-you" party at my place next week. I'll call Manish there but not Jatin."
"Bikash will never come. If he does, seeing Manish he might create a scene."
"Who is calling your husband. Only you be there. Game?"
For a moment Anushka didn't say anything. Then she looked at Simi and smiled with a twinkle in her eyes that was reminiscence of her debonair college days.
Anushka was wearing a black chiffon sari with a matching red bordered blouse with only a thin strap across her back. Her supple skin looked lust-inspiring. And she like a meat who had been sculpted upon by the most erotic minded sculptor.
Manish was already there when she joined the party. Simi wasted no time to introduce them and then intentionally left them alone at a corner to chat.
"Don't mind but you are the wife of Mr. Bikash Mukherjee, isn't?"
