by BS Murthy
'I always knew that I wanted both of you,' he said with conviction. 'What about you?'
'I want to be a share-farmer and not a prick-robber,' she said thoughtfully. 'That's how I've always placed myself in our love triangle, as anyway, Sathyam never meant much for me. Now that you've come up with that unique proposition, I shall reorient my affection for him.'
'I'll look forward to it,'he said taking her hand.
'I can feel that,' she said overwhelmed with admiration for him.
'Now let's put your worries behind us,' he said raising her hand, 'and prepare us for three cheers.'
'Why not,' she said, as they toweled each other, 'I will prepare some coffee for us.'
'If it's in your birthday suit,' he said winking at her.
'Why that way?' she asked coyly.
'I would like to watch your tan vie with the coffee steam.'
'How I love seeing our skins merging on the canvas of brown,' she winked at him.
Soon they were back in bed after romancing in the kitchen for long.
'Roopa, this is as flat as a slate,' he said caressing her belly, having rested his head on her thighs. 'Let me scribble the poetry of our love here.'
'Raja,' she said in delight, 'how you make me feel a special woman!'
'You're the one, and the only one,' he said in all admiration, as he turned his forefinger into a slate-pencil to scribble - goddess of sex.
'Why it never occurred to me that it's fine being barren to keep my figure tight for your delight,' she gloated.
'I would love to father your child,' he said, looking into her eyes. 'Won't you have it darling?'
'How I would have loved to mother your child,' she said, disappointed herself. 'But I feel it won't be fair to Sathyam.'
'I value your sensitivity,' he said, as his face lighted. 'I'm proud to be your lover.'
'But having longed for each other for so long now,' she said on second thoughts, 'tonight is an exception to everything. If you catch my egg on the sly. I'll look the other way, but from tomorrow its all condoms.'
'I have the full measure of your love now,' he said kissing her In ecstasy.
Take a shot and get it right,' she spread herself, as though to keep her word.
'I'm sure,' he said as he engaged her, 'I would be disappointed if I fail to father your child.'
'In a way,' said Roopa, 'I'm caught in a cleft as you know.'
'Anyway,' he said, 'let that not bother us.'
'It looks like life draws the limits even for its own fulfillment,' she said.
'Perhaps,' he said seemingly reconciled to the limitations of their love life, 'it makes sense to live within those limits.'
'I think it's time we rest.' he said, yawning,
'Mate,' she said going all over him, 'let's make it once more to match the date on which we met.'
Before exhaustion pushed them into a fulfilled sleep, that night, the light was on until it was about to dawn. It's a unique feature of life in that, a fulfilling moment, while surmounting a mountain of miseries, obliterates the nightmares of the past.
Chapter 29
A Brimming Romance
The next morning Roopa woke up at nine as if from a dream, and found Raja Rao still asleep, looking at him fondly, 'Oh, wasn't it better than all my dreams put together!' she thought ecstatically. Impulsively as she touched him as if to confirm that her fulfillment was in the realms of possibility, for once, as the softness of her touch failed to excite him in his slumber, he continued to sleep like a log.
'Oh, what a night it has been!' she thought, withdrawing her hand though without taking her eyes off him. 'Didn't I know that it would be marvelous with him? What a lover to have. Can't he be the one in a billion or maybe even in a trillion? Wasn't all that longing worth for this sense of belonging? It's as if he had pushed out all my frustration with his very first thrust itself! Haven't I experienced the feeling of lovemaking in his passion? Oh, how fulfilling it feels! What a joy being a woman! I wish to be a woman in every birth if only for being his woman. Well, but for Sandhya, I wouldn't have met him at all.'
'Don't I owe Sandhya in other ways too,' she fondly recalled about her friend, looking at their man. 'Why, some associations bring in happiness, and some, nothing but misery! Well, to start with, how I hesitated to befriend her! Can I imagine life without her now! Won't he cement that bond even more? But how would Sandhya take to our affair? Won't she feel betrayed at my seducing her man? One cold look from her, and won't I die of shame then and there. Why, she knows how I've been suffering for want of love, doesn't she? What if I beg her for his love? Won't she push me into his arms without second thoughts? Then, as I cuddle in his embrace, won't she as well caress me for my comfort?'
'Until the other day, all I craved was for a corner in his heart, and no more,' she thought amusedly. 'But now, am I not yearning for orgies with him and his wife. That's what human nature is all about, isn't it? The more one gets, all the more one wants, doesn't one? Strange that my life is, who knows, that too might come true. Why, won't he like to bring that about himself? Surely he would love to see his women crawling all over him and on each other as well. Oh God, how maddening it is to imagine it even. How lucky I'm that I didn't give in to Prasad to spite Sathyam. I could have revenged
myself on Sathyam all right, but how could all this bliss have been mine. Oh, negative emotions could aid to avenge, but It's the positive feelings that end In fulfillment, don't they?'
'Won't you get up my love?' she crooned In his ears, as he stirred.
'What's the time like, darling?' he asked drowsily.
'It's well past nine,' she caressed his back, as he laid his head In her lap. 'What about some bed-coffee.'
'What a time we had Roopal' he said, enlacing her waist. 'Oh, It's like a dream come true. Isn't It?'
'Now, I'm unable even to recollect my yesterday's suffering,' she whispered Into his ears, as If to keep her feelings out of the earshot of her past. 'How well you've wiped out my past with your magic wand!'
'Promise you won't desert me,' he said earnestly. 'Having got you, 1 would die If 1 were to lose you. How greedy you made me to devour your love! How I love to savor life with Sandhya and you.'
'After all that waiting, do you think I'm mad to spoil my party?' she said In all fulfillments. 'I would be your Roopa Rao for the rest of my life. How our names match to make music!'
'Oh, to the tune of our love,' he pressed his self closer to her, 'to enthrall our life.'
Having gone Into the kitchen thereafter, she woke up to the surroundings, 'Oh God, Yadamma could have come and gone, having got no response!' she began to think. 'Maybe, there was a load shedding before 1 got up. Or used as they were to our lovetalk, her door knocks could have fallen on our deaf ears. But what would she Infer finding him here tomorrow? I'll tell her not to turn up for the next three days. But how am I to keep away Lalltha from peeping In? Well, I couldn't care less about her. But Isn't discretion better part of valor? On and off, I should go to her myself to ensure that she wouldn't come up calling on me. With that trespasser of a Prasad gone abroad. It would only leave Tara among the likely callers. Of course. It shouldn't bother me even If she gets the scent of It. If anything. It's welcome If she comes to knew of It, Isn't It? After all, won't It feel nice If someone knows that I'm loved? Why not announce the arrival of my man to her?'
'I was wondering,' she said, serving him some coffee, 'how we can carry on In the long run.'
'Why worry, trust our passion for that,' he said nonchalantly,'
'How can we meet without getting noticed?'
'Don't 1 need a Personal Secretary,' he said winking at her. 'Shall 1 say more?'
'Well, It won't work,' she said In disappointment. 'Sathyam won't like my working.'
'Won't Sandhya bring him around?' he said taking her hand.
'Oh you my little schemer,' she said In all admiration.
'Why not we eat out,' he proposed, 'and make It to a matinee too.'
'Won't I deserve to show my fortune to the world,' he smiled taking her Into his arms.
'What a man you are,' she said joyously. 'How you excite me with your looks, touch and talk.'
'What with your smell, skin and seat,' he said pinching her bottom, 'you're XXX randy.'
'Do you drink?' she asked him.
'Yes, a peg or two at times.'
When they had their bath together, she opened her wardrobe to him, and said coyly, 'Why don't you choose forme?'
'You fascinate in any sari,' he said, picking up light brown chiffon, 'but ravish in brown and grey.'
'Why our tastes match,' she said taking the sari from him, 'and minds as well.'
'To fuse in our loving hearts,' he said enlacing her
'By the fortuitous hand of Sandhya's angelic soul,' she said smug in his embrace.
'Oh, you said it darling,' he said looking at her lovingly.
While mesmerically watching her wearing the sari, he said, 'What reciprocity between your body and your sari! Can't I see it gracing your persona while acquiring an alluring shape for itself? Oh, how you are bodily fashioned for lovemaking! To think that you're mine is gratifying really.'
'How your passion solaces my soul?' she embraced him.
'Though your hair is fabulous in its plait,' he said coiling her hair. 'I feel you turn a charmer in chignon.'
'Don't I look an aunty?' she said aiding him nonetheless, 'but I'll be what you want me to be.'
'With your nape too showing its teeth now,' he said kissing her bare back that her blouse exposed, 'you're all the more deadly. Oh, how fascinating you are, my darling!'
'Then, from now on,' she said kissing him, 'this is the hairdo of Roopa Rao.'
'There's no way I can describe the spell of your charm,' he laced her ardently.
'Can't I discern that from your visage,' she said coyly.
'Won't a chain of pearls glisten on you velvet skin,' he said endearingly, 'that's what I always felt.'
'What in your eyes would glamorize Sandhya even more?' she asked him.
'Can't you imagine corals on her rosy bosom?' he said dreamily. 'It would be the day when I can adorn you together.'
'Well, the measure of a lover lies in his ability to envision the nuances of his woman,' she said in all admiration, 'and how you measure up to be a lover of lovers. I'm sure Sandhya too would love that day when you have us both.'
'You know how to flatter your man,' he patted her, obviously pleased with her outpouring.
'Let me see if Lalitha is around,' she said, as they were ready to leave. 'At my signal, lock the door and comedown.'
'What an irony of a honeymoon it is for us,' she said, as he joined her on the main road. 'We're both one in bed but can't make a couple in the lane.'
'Confined to its sheath the cutting edge of iove remains ever so sharp' he said taking her hand, 'maybe that's the charm of iiaisons.'
'Couid be,' she said pressing his hand, 'but I'd iove to be known to the worid as your woman.'
'Let's not be too greedy,' he said cajoiingiy. 'Why uproot Sathyam's iife? Do remember your promise.'
'Sorry, I was carried away,' she said apoiogeticaiiy. 'I shaii keep my word, and iove you ever more for that.'
When they sat at a tabie for two at Biue Fox, she said, 'How I wish it were for the three of us. Oh, you don't know how I iove Sandhya.'
'You can't make me jeaious on that count,' he said in smiie, 'can you?'
'Why shouid you?' she said winking at him, 'isn't our iove aii yours?'
"How she has become a part of me,' he said reminiscentiy, 'her confinement is teiiing upon me.'
'Can't I understand,' she said taking his hand. 'Are you going to teii her about our meeting?'
'Let's mention it in the passing,' he said as he started footsie, 'to both of them that is.'
'I thought as much when you got into your chappais,' she said enjoying the sensuai puisations his touch had induced in her.
'Had you modeied M ariene Dietrich's iegs wouid have been cut down to size,' he said in aii admiration.
'I'm glad I've got a leg man for my lover,' she said joyously.
'Now, I'll give you some legwork,' he said, as he took his leg up above her calf. 'Find out an office space that caters to the needs of our passion and a flat that meets the taste of your friend. You know it saves the bother if you find them both near your house.
'With pleasure,' she winked at him.
Having had a sumptuous meal, they hired an auto-rickshaw to go to Deepak for the matinee show. However, seeing some sari shops on the way. Raja Rao asked the driver to stop nearby.
'Come, let's get a sari for you,' he got down.
'Why now,' she said hesitantly. 'We can get it some other time.'
'Isn't time the essence of life,' he pulled her out of the auto. 'Why waste any more of it now?'
As both of them were scanning the sari in those rows of shelves, she picked up a brown Venkatagiri and began feeling it on herself.
'Won't it go well with me?' she said at length.
'And this as well,' he handed her a grey Pochampally.
'I'll have that then,' she dropped the Venkatagiri.
'You have them both,' he said.
'If only you promise,' she said to him in undertone, 'that you would have both Sandhya and me together.'
'Would I love that any less?' he murmured In her ears.
After she had selected matching blouse pieces for those saris they came out of the shop.
'How else 1 can thank you twice,' she said coyly, as they walked towards the autorlckshaw, kept In wait for them, 'than by wearing them both together?'
'To tell you the truth, you look the best with none on you,' he whispered Into her joyous ears.
'And to reveal my mind,' she said turning coy, 'you're alike handsome, within and without your jeans.'
'Oh, thankyou,' he said, as she got Into the auto declared, 'I'll join you In a minute.'
'What's that?' she asked him when he returned with a packet.
'It's personal,' he winked at her.
'Is that so?' she said reaching for It.
'1 feel so,' he smiled holding It back.
'Then let's go home,' she said feigning anger, 'to lock It In your suitcase.'
'Anything to do with you,' he said, cajoling her, 'Is personal to me. Isn't It?'
'Well?' she said looking the other way.
'Some colorful thirty-sixes for you,'he crooned Into her ears.
'Good memory,' she smiled, thrilled to the core.
'Haunting one,' he whispered, 'of our spheres of love.'
While she rested her head on his shoulder, as though made heady by his love, the auto took them to Deepak Theatre. But by the time they got Into cinema hall, the matinee was already under way. And no sooner they settled In their seats than their legs sought partners for footsie. By the Interval time however, while their legs got weary, their souls craved for fusion. So, as their looks conveyed longing, their legs signaled exit.
'Pickup a few of those,' she whispered as they came out of the theatre.
'How many?' he said heartily.
'As many as you could wet,' she said coyly.
While she waited at the exit, as he went out on her errand, and soon, as she saw him returning with a Vanilla large picked up at the nearby Kwallty, she guessed his Intentions and followed his coming In all eagerness.
'Are you fond of Ice cream?' she said all the same, feeling his pocket.
'It's for you to blow hot and cold,' he whispered leaning onto her.
'What an Imagination,' she ruffled his hair In admiration.
'It's all your Inspiration,' he squeezed her waist.
Soon they reached Domalaguda by an auto-rIckshaw, and as though to shed part of her fear, she asked the driver to take them right up to the street corner.
'I'm sorry, but you have to come behind me,' she said as she went a
head of him.
'Why, Isn't there the precedent set by you last night?' he said making her shy,'
When she gave him the green signal, propelled by his passion, he Increased his pace to reach her place. Then, closing the door behind, he overwhelmed her In no time.
'Oh Roopa, in spite of her iove,' he said, as they iay satiated in each others arms, 'iife without you wouid have been empty. How iucky we couid make it.'
'Give me the credit for enticing you in the end,' she said in a fuifiiied tone. 'I can't teii you how desperate I was for your fiii.'
'That's why, I owe you even more,' he ciasped her hand.
'Raja,' she said, kissing his chest, 'the more you expiore my body, even more I'm coming to know about my soui. I never knew iove wouid mean so much in spite of my craving for you.'
'Even if I spend a iifetime on your frame, fuii time,' he said, fondiing her, 'I'm sure it wouid stiii have nuances ieft to thriii my senses.'
Soon they had their nap as though to refresh themseives for the time ahead and as they woke up she said, 'I'ii make some coffee for us.'
'M ake it a iittie hotter,' he said winking at her, 'for better effect.'
'Why not,' she winked back at him, as she went into the kitchen.
'See how it differs from those ice-cream jerks,' he said even as she returned with two cups of steaming coffee for them.
'With you I'm a game for anything,' she said enthusiasticaiiy.
'Oh,' he shrieked in time, 'you are a marveious woman.'
'For the marvei of a man,' she sputtered.
'I wonder whether the iatex wouid iacerate for you're so hot here,' she said, condoming him at iength.
'Oh! Roopa what a dame are you?'
'I'ii iet you know now,' she said, as she mounted.
'Oh, my bitch,' he cried in ecstasy.
'Abuse me even more,' she moaned in joy. 'I iove it from you.'
'What a randy for me,' he said, as he took his turn in their iovemaking.
'What a buiiyto boot,' she said, satiated at iength.
'Roopa, I'm coming to see the commonaiity between sex and sport,' he said resting on her beiiy in fuifiiiment. 'Basics being the same, it's the piayers who raise the bar.'
