by Amit Khan
A popular track was on and all the youngsters enjoyed and started grooving afresh on that film music.
We too were on the dance floor. Tilak held my hands and started dancing slowly.
I responded and started dancing as well. He was in the mood to take liberties with me tonight. Then suddenly, while dancing, he pulled me closer. I was surprised and I could feel the urgency in his touch. His body was throbbing with anxiety.
“It’s getting warmer,” I smiled and said.
“Hmm,” Tilak smiled as well. “No doubt, heat is rising. But not so much! Not beyond bearable!”
Soon I started enjoying the dance.
We were dancing freely now. Then came a moment when Tilak led me to a corner while dancing.
“What are you thinking?’ he whispered.
“Nothing,” I answered while my feet continued the rhythm. “Just thinking about Brinda.”
“What about Brinda?”
“You know…what’s going to happen…what’s written in her destiny?’
“Nothing! Just death!” Tilak pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around me. “Brinda will not survive. Only a miracle can save her now. Just for some time, forget about her, Shinaya. I want to tell you something.”
I was surprised.
“Hope you won’t feel bad.”
“If it’s not too bad,” I said, “then I won’t feel bad.”
“No. you will have to promise me,” Tilak said. “Whatever I say, you won’t feel bad.”
“What is it Tilak? You seem to be in a different mood tonight.”
“Whatever you think!’
“All right…I promise you,” I said firmly. “No matter what you say today, I will not feel bad.”
“You promise?’
“I do.”
Tilak relaxed after my assurance. Then he came closer. He was visibly emotional.
“Look at me Shinaya. Look into my eyes.”
I was confused by his attitude. But I did as he said. I looked straight back in his eyes. His breathing was heavier. His feelings were uncontrollable.
“I love you Shinaya.”
“What?”
I was dumbstruck.
I could not believe what I had just heard.
“I love you,” Tilak caressed me and rubbed his face against my shoulder lovingly. “I am in love with you, Shinaya. Do you love me?”
I was in heaven.
He was the first man in my life. The first man in the life of a call-girl like me who was saying ‘I love you’!
“Answer me,” Tilak grabbed my shoulders and demanded an answer. “Do you love me?”
I was silent.
I had no answer. I was not even able to think what answer I could give. Even though I had planned and manipulated events; still the suddenness of his love-expression caught me unaware.
A love proposal from Tilak Rajkotia; that too in such a casual way was the last thing I had expected.
“Just wait here. I will be back in a minute,” Tilak said.
“Where are you…?”
“Back in a minute.” He was already walking away leaving me alone on the dance floor.
I saw him moving towards bar counter.
I looked around. That couple indulging in intimacy was gone. Probably they had found someplace to continue their adventure.
Soon Tilak came back with two glasses of whiskey in his hand.
“What is all this?”
“One for you. One for me.”
“But I don’t drink.”
I lied. I enjoyed drinking once in a while.
“No problem,” Tilak said. “I won’t force you. But if you love me, then at least take a tiny sip from this peg. I will understand what’s in your heart. Your tongue is not helping you admit your love. Maybe this drink will help it. I mean it’s just a gesture.”
I smiled at him.
“That’s a nice way to get an admission of love. So if I drink one drop, then it will prove that I love you.”
“Definitely.”
“And if I take two sips, then what will that prove?’
“It would mean,” Tilak said cheerfully, “that you love me even more.”
“Okay. Give me the glass.”
I took the peg from Tilak’s hands.
There was a look of uncertainty on his face. He just stared at me. He did not know what I was going to happen the next moment.”
I gave him an adoring smile.
The next moment I gulped down the complete drink in one shot.
“Now what do you think?”
“Oh darling,” Tilak said as he embraced me. “You are great…just great!”
I lost myself in his embrace.
●
While returning to the car I played my first move.
I was putting on an act. One fine act of being drunk! And it was essential to act. After all, I had drunk alcohol for the first time in my life. And that too- a full peg!
I looked out the window of the car. It was beginning to drizzle. The climate had turned romantic.
I was often losing control and throwing myself on Tilak.
He would then support me.
“I think…the drink has gone straight to your head,” he chuckled.
“Of course I am drunk,” I giggled. “Drunk on your love.”
“If I knew that the drink will cause so much effect on you, I would never have offered it to you.”
“Oh! That would have been so bad…” I crooned like a kid.
“Why?”
“Then how would I have proved my love for you?”
Tilak Rajkotia could not stop laughing.
“You are really an interesting person.”
“Only interesting?”
“And beautiful too.”
I once again slumped on Tilak. This time he did not just support me. He put an arm around me and kept driving.
The rain was getting heavier. Tilak slowed down and he switched on windscreen wipers. The wipers started swiping across the screen.
My thoughts were going out of control. I could feel that even Tilak’s mind was going bizarre. There was only one thing we were craving for- nearness!
“But this love is a sin, Tilak,” I said, caressing Tilak’s back.
Every part of my body wanted to be touched.
“Why…why is this love a sin?”
“You are my friend’s husband.”
“But you know that Brinda won’t live for long. Soon she will leave this world. After that, I will marry you. Tell me Shinaya…will you marry me?”
Once again I was hearing something that was impossible to believe.
Tilak Rajkotia was proposing marriage to me.
“It will be my privilege Tilak, to have a husband like you.”
Suddenly a lightning struck accompanied by deafening thunder.
Tilak stopped the car near a tree.
It was a deserted area.
Tilak’s grip on me was getting tighter. He left no space between us. Our nearness was promising to reach oneness.
I was still acting drunk.
“Oh Tilak,” I was trembling with sensation. “Tilak, I love you.”
He started kissing me. He caressed my face and kissed my eyes then my forehead. My heart started beating faster. He left an impression of his lips everywhere. His one hand held me close while other aroused my sensations. I was in his arms and wanted to stay like that forever.
His seductive touch was awakening a desire in me. I closed my eyes as a wave of pleasure traveled through my body. His expert moves were turning me on. At least I had to show him that I was turned on like never before.
He bent over me and we adjusted ourselves to the front seat of the car. It was nothing new for me but I acted surprised.
“What are you doing, Tilak?”
“I am…I am crazy about you,” Tilak said catching his breath in the middle of the excitement. He looked on the verge of exploding. “I want you Shinaya…right now. And I want you to be
equally crazy about me.”
“Oh yes!” a sensual whisper escaped my lips as Tilak continued to caress me at my most sensitive parts.
I was lying on the front seat. No more waiting. The time had come.
the There was darkness in the car. Nothing could be seen. But it made no difference. We were so intimate with each other that we needed no external light source. Desire was guiding us with force and energy.
Time had come to a standstill and rest of the world did not matter for the two of us in that parked car. Without wasting any more time, all barriers were off. He had replaced the caressing with deep insertion of his fingers that was much more warmer and pleasurable. We were truly sharing each-other.
A lightning struck again.
That was a moment of light. Tilak glimpsed at me. And he was hypnotized to see me naked. Totally zapped to see me in all my ‘regal-glory’. It wasn’t his fault. Any man would have felt the same.
After all, he had never seen such an erotic beauty with a body to die for.
“You are really pretty,” he just spoke out involuntarily. “Very pretty.”
I was amused.
The poor guy did not know that he was about to become my slave for life.
Tilak continued to love me, enjoy me and this time turned on more magic. Before I could realize what he was up to, one wave of pleasure was followed by another and then another still. He succeeded in turning me into a volcano about to erupt.
Rain continued to pour down heavily.
There were more thunder and lightning. As if a white whip had slashed across the curtain of the sky or as if the sky was about to break in two halves. A storm was definitely on its way. One storm was already roaring within the two of us. It was time to meet the storm.
Tilak held me. The front seat was far from perfect for this.
But we were least bothered. We had turned in to wild beasts waiting to devour each other.
And nothing was going to stop us. The final game began.
The same old game.
The game that had been going on forever between a man and a woman. Played so many times and yet it never satisfies. Because every time there is something new and something fun about this game. The happiness and a sense of ‘well-being’, though momentary, is worth relishing until the next time.
Every passing moment was transforming into a hurricane that was sweeping us out of senses.
We were both going crazy.
Once more nature expressed its arrogance through a lightning that illuminated our togetherness.
Tilak an I was at the height of ecstasy and orgasm respectively before we exploded in delight. A faint scream of satisfaction filled the car.
A few moments later, we were slumped on the front seat of the car. Limp and exhausted. The sweat of our bodies was in the car seat as well. We were heaving, unable to utter even a word. It was as if we had just finished a marathon! There was no need for any word. The fire in our bodies was slowing extinguishing. The storm was calming down, at least temporarily.
●
That night I was so happy.
I was feeling as if that night had brought all this happiness in my life. All my wishes were about to be fulfilled. All my prayers had been answered. I had found a perfect husband for myself. And I had found him so easily. My every move had been successful. It had been way too easy to believe. Now Brinda’s death was the only barrier or the last glass wall between me and complete success of my plan. I will then be the owner of this giant empire.
And I believed I would not have to wait for long!
Three months! Doctors had given Brinda three months!
Only 90 days.
And 90 days was nothing. They would pass in the blink of an eye. And Brinda could also die before that. As 90 days was the maximum that she could hope to live.
The more I thought about it, the more my mind flew with new dreams and new plans.
Now I did not have to be scared of life in the nightclub. There was no chance of having to go back to that life. That was my ultimate fear. That life, memories of those nights used to give me nightmares.
I did not want to die like my mother – a penniless, diseased and lonely death.
That one night relieved me off all my worries. I saw so many dreams. I don’t remember any other night in my life happier than that night.
All that happiness…all those dreams…crushed into nothingness as the next day began.
This was like a massive blast that reduced me and my dreams into shattered pieces of glass.
●
7
Deadly Twist
It was 9:30 in the morning.
I gave breakfast to Tilak.
I fed soup to Brinda and gave her medicine.
Tilak was ready earlier than usual. He was looking fresh today.
Dr. Maalpani arrived in the penthouse.
“How are you doc…what brings you here so early?” Tilak asked.
“I was going to the hospital but I thought I should stop by to deliver good news.”
“Good news?” Tilak Rajkotia wondered.
I was standing there and got curious as well.
What good news was Dr. Maalpani talking about?
“Well, really good news. You are going to love it. By the grace of God, a miracle has happened. Wasn’t I telling you that God will bless us one day? It has happened. We are blessed.”
“What miracle?”
“The report of the blood sample sent that night has arrived. And it is a surprising report. You two will be delighted to hear that the risk of death threatening to take Brinda away from us has slightly faded off…at least delayed.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I mean the medicines have started working, Mr. Tilak. Believe me, her blood report is much better than expected.”
I felt giddy. As if my mind and heart had ceased to work.
“What happened?’ Dr. Maalpani looked at me and asked. “Aren’t you happy to hear this?”
“How…how is this even possible?” I stuttered badly. “I mean, of course, I am happy. Very happy!”
“I know. I know how important this news would be for both of you. That’s why I could not wait after I got the report and came here so early.”
I looked at Tilak Rajkotia.
His condition was not different from mine.
He was looking pale.
“So doc,” Tilak asked wetting his dry lips with his tongue, “Brinda will not die in three months?”
“No. absolutely not! In fact, now I am very much hopeful of more improvement. If her blood keeps purifying like this, she may be saved.”
“Oh!”
“I don’t understand one thing, doctor,” I said.
“What is that?”
“How did blood report improve all of a sudden? As far as I know, medicines have not been changed in last few days.”
“Exactly,” Dr. Maalpani answered. “In fact, the same medicines had been continued for a long time.”
“Then how did this miracle happen?”
“Destiny! God works in mysterious ways, I would say. Whatever medicines she has been given, they have shown their effects now. That explains the improvement.”
“Oh!”
My lips went dry as well.
“Whatever has happened…has happened for good,” Dr. Maalpani said. “Let me tell this good news to Brinda.”
Dr. Maalpani swiftly walked towards Brinda’s room.
●
Dr. Maalpani left after dropping the bomb at the penthouse. What left behind was the rubble of my plans and wreckage of my dreams. I was completely numb and not able to think anything.
Once again, I had lost.
Just think.
Medicines had to pull off a miracle now!
Everything was over. My plan…my life…my dreams.
I ran towards my room and collapsed on the bed. I hid my face in the pillow.
“What happened?” Tilak followed me to my room. “
Why are you so upset?”
I did not answer.
I was sobbing. I just could not bear the shock of everything changing so suddenly!
“Shinaya!” Tilak was moved by my tears. “You are crying.”
He held my shoulders and turned me around.
My eyes were welling up.
“What happened?” Tilak took me in his arms. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Don’t you know what happened, Tilak? I am shattered. My life is destroyed.”
My throat was choking with emotions. I sobbed loudly.
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen to you.”
“But…”
“Remember one thing Shinaya,” Tilak said firmly, “and remember well. I made a promise to you and I will keep my promise.”
“So, you will marry me?” I asked in between my moaning.
“Yes,” Tilak repeated resolutely. “I will marry you.”
I was shocked.
For a moment I forgot everything and stopped crying. I stared at him with disbelief. It was as if I was watching the 8th wonder of the world.
“Do you know what you are talking?’
“Yeah. I very well know and I mean every word of it,” Tilak assured me.
“But how is it possible now? Your wife is alive. How can you get married again?”
“Give me some time. Let me think. It will need to do some thinking to make it work. How to go through with a second marriage with you while Brinda is still alive!”
Tilak started to pace in the room nervously.
He looked more disturbed than me.
He loosened the knot of his tie.
Then I saw him doing something that I had never seen before.
He took out a cigarette pack from his pocket and lit a cigarette. The way he was smoking, I thought he was not a regular smoker. Maybe he was one of those guys who smoke when they are tense.
Tilak kept on walking in the room for quite a while.
“Did you think of something?” I asked after almost half an hour had passed.
“No,” Tilak stopped and said, “Nothing yet but I will come up with a plan. Give me some more time to think. I will find a solution.”
“What if there is no solution?” I expressed my fear. “What will we do then?”
“That’s impossible. There is a solution to every problem and I will find it.”
My face resembled a canvass painted with worries and doubts.
