One day, Amisha’s husband Rohan, went to Mumbai for some work
related to his hardware business. Amisha had told him to check on her dear
sister, Samaira. She wanted to be sure that she was eating and living well. So
after finishing his work for the day, he went to Samaira’s house, late in the
evening. He hadn’t called her up as he wanted to pay a surprise visit. Amisha
had told him to do so, so that the real picture would be clear to them.
When the
maid-servant opened the door, he was awe-struck by the opulence of Samaira’s
bungalow. The high ceiling with dazzling chandeliers, rich and plush carpets,
paintings on the walls and elegant, expensive furniture; took his breath away.
He sighed, as he compared it to his humble two-room, spartan abode. Some people
surely had all the luck, he mused. He told the servant that he wanted to meet
Samaira, his sister-in-law. She asked him to be seated and called up her mistress
through the intercom. “Bibiji, your brother-in-law, Rohan sahib has arrived and
is waiting for you here.”
Samaira was
non-plussed. What was he doing there? Maybe her beloved sister had wanted to
give her a surprise. Hadn’t she come too? As she started getting up from her
bed, she felt dizzy and sat down again. She had had a couple of pegs of wine in
the evening. Even as she dressed in a salwar-kameez, brushed her hair, applied
a coat of powder and walked downstairs, she could feel the floor tilting below
her. She unsteadily descended the stairs from her first-floor bed-room and
swayed into the living-room.
Rohan gasped on
seeing her. What a ravishing beauty! He had seen her movies and pictures in
magazines, but seeing her in flesh and blood was an experience that he wouldn’t
forget in a hurry! She was a unique woman, hand-crafted by the Creator himself,
chiseled to perfection. He just couldn’t spot any flaw in her. Guiltily, he
compared her with his wife and her sister, Amisha. How come she was so
ordinary-looking and insipid? God had definitely been partial towards the
younger sister! How he wished that he had had the good fortune to marry Samaira
instead!
But he had come
here to check on her well-being, hadn’t he? he chided himself, not to lust
after her! “How are you Saira? I am Rohan, your Amisha Didi's hubby. Amisha was worried about your well-being, hence
asked me to meet you. I hope that I haven’t inconvenienced you in any way.”
“Of course not, jiju. You are most welcome,” she said.
As she started sitting on a couch, she tripped on the carpet and landed straight
into his arms. He held her briefly, as he supported her and steadied her. She
smelt of some heavenly perfume, though the stench of liquor assailed his
nostrils, as she opened her mouth to thank him. She had been drinking, he
thought, disgustedly. Yet, he couldn’t help noticing her pretty pink lips, soft
and inviting. As he unconsciously swept his tongue over his lips, she smiled
slightly.
So her charm
was casting her spell over him too, she thought vainly. His eyes were lowered,
as though he didn’t want her to guess his amorous thoughts, but she was sure
about what was on his mind. They were all the same, selfish and lecherous, she
thought despairingly.
As the maid
bought in tea and snacks, she offered him a cup and asked him about her sister.
“How’s Didi? How’s your business getting along? Why didn’t Didi come her too?”
“Amisha is as
usual, busy with her house-work and tailoring. My business is flourishing. In
fact, I came here today for some work. Amisha has many orders to deliver, before Holi, next week. Hence she couldn’t come. She has promised that she will come and
meet you next month. By the way, why don’t you come over, one of these days?
You must take a break, every now and then!”
“Yes, I’ll try
and do that,” she said half-heartedly. She just didn’t want to go back to her
village. She had outgrown it and its people. Then she remembered her parents.
Hesitantly, she asked in a small voice, “How are Pitaji and Maa? Do they ever
remember me?” Sensing the emotion in her tone, Rohan said, “Frankly no! It
seems as though they are consciously avoiding talking about you. Both seem
moody and depressed. You will understand their trauma if you realize that they
have had to bear the taunts about you, in the village. They are nearly
ostracized. Only one or two people sympathize with them and help them.”
Samaira had tears
in her eyes as she said, “I am the black sheep of my family!” Rohan looked at her with
such pity that Samaira felt a wave of longing engulfing her. She only wanted to
belong to someone, anyone! Right now, Rohan would do!
“Have your tea, Samaira, you’ll feel better,“
he said. But after the very first sip, she felt nauseous. As she began
retching, the maid rushed to her with a wide porcelain bowl. Rohan was amused
and aghast. This seemed to be a regular feature in that house. The mistress
throwing up in the bowl after a drink too many! What would be Amisha’s reaction
on hearing about this sorry state of affairs? She’d be heart-broken!
To be continued....
The copyright of this story is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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