by KASI, MV
"There will be an opportunity soon, I'm sure. But please, keep us a secret. Just for a few days. Until I can speak to Ananya. And besides, it is so much fun sneaking around, adds the forbidden dynamic to our relationship, making it even hotter," she said huskily.
He wasn't very happy about not letting his family know right away, but decided to give her some time. "Okay, if you say so," he said and let her seduce him.
CHAPTER 18
Sidhu was in his bedroom wanting to speak with Ananya privately while she was tidying up their room.
"Anu you have been too harsh on Srishti these past few months. And even when you are with me you seem angry and tensed. I've asked you several times and I'm asking you again. Please tell me what is bothering you," he pleaded with her.
They had just finished having their lunch with the family. Srishti had another outburst and Ananya had disciplined her in front of everyone. Srishti was upset and left the house to visit Samrat.
She looked at him coldly. "How is my behavior affecting you? Did I not cater to everything you needed? Was I not a good wife in anyway? Did I refuse sex even one time?"
He looked frustrated. "You are doing all those things, but I can sense that something is wrong. You haven't been yourself for a while."
She was irritated and didn't reply. She continued tidying up their already clean bedroom.
He stopped her when she began to fluff the pillows and hugged her. "You need to relax Anu. Let's do what you enjoy. There is a wedding function tonight that the entire family will be attending. We both don't have to go and eat there. Why don't I make a res—"
She shoved him away, hard. "Is that all you want from me? I am just someone you can release your tensions on, in the bed. I'm sick of being your sex toy that you can wind up and have available anytime you want. I have feelings and emotional needs too!"
Sidhu's expression slowly changed from being concerned to being cold. "I was about to suggest that I would be making a restaurant reservation at the new place that opened. The one you had written about in your blog and said that you would be providing a review to it soon."
She felt torn. "Sidhu—" she broke off when he indicated with his hand to stop talking.
"That's okay. I will probably work late tonight as there are some construction plans that I need to go over," he said expressionlessly.
She felt guilty and frustrated at the same time. She was the one messing up. And Sidhu had always been the sane and mature one right from the beginning.
"I need a break," she blurted out before she lost her courage.
He nodded absently. "Sure. I know we were supposed to plan a trip together. Why don't we take it in the coming few days? I'll make time somehow. Pick whatever place you want to visit."
She broke into a sob. "No Sidhu. I don't want to go on a trip, I need a break. I just can't take it anymore. I'm becoming crazy and I feel like I will burst if I spend one more day here."
He looked alarmed. "Anu...I've already told you that many times. Let's start looking at some houses soon. There are some really good gated communities that will be perfect for Srishti and us. Maybe we can pick one of those—"
She shook her head. "No Sidhu. I need a break from you. I can't bear to see you or sleep with you without loving you more and more deeply...and remembering again and again that you—"
He held her face in his hands and looked slightly panicked seeing tears in his strong wife's eyes. In their fourteen years of marriage, he barely saw her cry. She only shed tears when her grandparents or someone she loved had passed away.
"Anu, what is it? Remembering again and again that I what? Please I'm begging you, tell me," he insisted.
She felt humiliated that she couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face. "That you loved Mahi so much and still have feelings for her. Feelings that would blossom into something more if I wasn't standing in your way."
He looked shocked. "Anu, are you mad? I would never ever cheat on you. I love you!" he shouted.
That made her cry more. "I know you would never cheat on me physically. You are way too principled and nice for that. But emotionally you want her and I find that even worse than cheating on me physically," she told him softly.
He looked shaken. "Anu, I don't want anyone but you. Both physically and emotionally. Stop imagining things," he told her, hugging her desperately.
She broke into sobs. "Please, I need this break. I'm begging you. Let me go for a while. I need to sort myself out."
His heart was pounding and he felt helpless. "Where? Where will you go Anu?"
"Maybe to my parents' house. I can stay with my brother. I need some time alone to sort the mess in my head," she told him softly.
He was quiet for a while and then, "Okay. Take some time away from here. I'll take care of Srishti. Don't worry about her. Let her miss you a lot and know how much you mean to her."
Ananya hugged Sidhu harder while he gently rubbed her back.
"I'll leave in the morning."
CHAPTER 19
Srishti was at Samrat's place, playing Stimmulus games along with Mahi for almost three hours. She left later that evening when a car was sent to pick her up.
As soon as they saw her off, Samrat cornered Mahi. "It's been a month already since we have decided to be together. When can I let my family know about us?" he demanded.
Mahi had been insisting that the 'right' time would come soon. She had dragged him to a lot of events with her friends where they were treated as a couple. He had even met her aunt and her cousin. Even at work, almost everyone knew that they were together.
"Soon. I just want it to happen naturally. I don't want to invite Ananya specifically to apologize again, and then tell her that I'm nailing her brother, and that we are a couple," she said.
He was irritated. "I'm thirty six years old, and I don't like all this sneaking and hiding things from my family. Especially when you were able to announce to everyone you cared about that we are together," he grumbled.
"Just a few more days and the opportunity will arise soon. I promise," she said, feeling a little guilty.
The next morning, when Mahi went to work, Ananya came to stay with Samrat with her bags.
*****
Samrat had a mixed reaction when his sister told him that she was planning on staying with him for a few days. At first he was angry that Sidhu had done something to her, making her want to leave him. He had badgered his sister to ask her what had happened, but she was pretty tight lipped. She looked sad and forlorn and just stayed inside the guest bedroom all day. She just came out for meals and refused to even answer phone calls.
Finally he had called Sidhu to ask him what had happened between him and his sister. Samrat usually hated being involved in other couple's fights or drama, but since Anu looked like something catastrophic had taken place, he was worried.
Sidhu had been at his wits end as well, calling his wife all kinds of fool. He told Samrat about how Ananya felt that Sidhu was still in love with Mahi and that he just settled for Ananya currently, because he had no choice.
Samrat was taken aback listening to the reason. He cursed his sister for being so blind to her husband's love. Sidhu had been crazy about Anu right from the moment Srishti was born. He had been so protective and caring towards her, always wanting to spend as much time with her and Srishti even though his work demanded more from him.
CHAPTER 20
It has been two weeks since Ananya left Sidhu to come and stay with her brother. At first she was too torn up and simply focused all her energy in finishing up her books or added some more blog posts. She didn't answer phone calls or talk to anyone.
Then later after a week, she began to receive calls. Mostly from her concerned friends and family. Her mother-in-law had also called to bemoan the fact that people have started to spread rumors that she and Sidhu were getting a divorce.
She had been avoiding calls from Sidhu since she wanted a proper break from him and to rethink their relationship. S
rishti had been visiting her regularly from the past few days, and told her that she and papa missed mummy a lot, and to please come back home.
She was annoyed at the emotional blackmail from Srishti thinking that Sidhu must have put her up to it. So she answered Sidhu's call on her second week.
"Yes, your mother called me several times, telling me that people have started to gossip that I left you," she told him when he asked her if she was talking to anyone on the phone.
Sidhu sounded annoyed. "I don't care for people's gossip. I want my wife back with me. And Srishti misses you badly too."
"She is already spending some time with me and can visit me anytime," Ananya stated.
There was silence on the phone.
"What about me? Can I visit you anytime, too?" Sidhu asked her huskily.
She shivered, recognizing his voice from during their intimate times. It was very hard during the nights, missing his closeness and his touch, but she tried very hard to stick to her resolution.
"No Sidhu. I still feel that you have unresolved feelings for Mahi that is stopping you from loving me the way I want you to. Maybe...you should seek her out and see if you love her still. I-I won't stand in your way if you want to make it official. In this day and age, everyone will understand," she whispered to him.
There was silence on the phone and then, "Are you saying that I should start an affair with Mahi to see if I love her? And that you will be willing to give me a green signal for cheating on you and then possibly give your blessings if I marry her?" he asked her coldly.
She broke into a sob. "I don't know. But maybe that's for the best," she said.
"You are a fool!" he shouted before hanging up on her.
*****
That evening Samrat met Sidhu at the construction site. Both of them were going crazy not being able to be close to the women they loved. Samrat told Sidhu of a plan to get his sister to meet or at least talk to her husband.
"Why would Mahi help me and what if she misunderstands me?" Sidhu asked Samrat in puzzlement.
Samrat wasn't too happy about not being able to sleep with Mahi during the nights since his sister was home, and because they hadn't still told her about them.
In fact Mahi didn't come to his house since the day Anu had come. He had to sneak into her house for a few hours like a burglar and steal some precious moments before sneaking back to his house. Mahi said it was cute that they stayed up late in the night on their phones like teenagers, sharing things about their day and then talking dirty like adults.
Samrat wasn't amused.
He had to do something. Something that would prompt his sister to get back to her husband, and also for him to be able to announce that he and Mahi were in a serious relationship as a couple.
"Mahi won't misunderstand you. And maybe to keep it natural, we shouldn't let her know either," Samrat suggested.
Sidhu still looked uncertain. "Okay, but I think it will really be strange if I turn up at her place all of a sudden. What if she thinks I want to start a relationship with her? I don't love her anymore and she's not even a close friend."
Samrat brushed off Sidhu's concerns. "Don't worry. She won't be interested in you. She will just think it as a strange, but random visit."
Sidhu was not really convinced. "I don't want to play with her emotions Samrat. Even if I don't love her anymore, I still care for her as an old friend."
Samrat took a deep frustrated breath. "Okay fine. She won't misunderstand you, and even if she does, she will not feel anything for you. Because she is with me! We have been together for a while," he told Sidhu abruptly.
Sidhu looked shocked and then stared at Samrat blankly. "What? When did this happen?"
Samrat shook his head. "It doesn't matter when. It just happened. Mahi and I are in a serious relationship and we already told everyone from her side. She wanted to keep it quiet from my family because she thinks it would hurt Anu."
Sidhu just blinked. "Okay."
"I need you to lure back my sister from my house so I can be with Mahi. And also tell my parents and everyone about my relationship," said Samrat impatiently.
Sidhu grinned. "I can't wait to lure back your sister, either. She is being foolish. She even told me that I should go start an affair with Mahi and then later marry her. She also said that she wouldn't be in my way and that society will understand."
Samrat sighed. "What is with the women in our lives pushing us towards other women? Can't they see we want only them? Anyway, so go as planned and I will get Anu to witness it from my balcony."
Sidhu grinned. "I will. I definitely will."
When Samrat was about to head back home, Sidhu grinned and asked him, "So you and Mahi huh? Is it serious?"
"Well, it is serious for me. But knowing her track record, I'll probably need to kidnap her and tie her up somewhere for her to marry me like my mother did with my father. But I'm giving Mahi some time to get accustomed to me. I'm not the easiest person to live with or get along with," said Samrat gruffly.
Sidhu smiled, remembering Mahi fondly. "I don't think she would be either."
CHAPTER 21
Mahi was just about to sit down for her evening snack when her bell rang. Samrat had gotten that fixed along with adding some ridiculous security measures around her house. What did he think that the seniors in the neighborhood would try and attack her during the night? She shook her head smiling.
Although in the past weeks, Samrat had sneaked into her house for a few hours, she missed holding him and sleeping with him during the nights.
She often saw Ananya in the balcony or outside Samrat's house and waved to her. Ananya in her classic manner would just stare blankly, as though she were in middle of contemplating the global warming issue, and didn't want to be disturbed until she found a resolution.
She knew Samrat was getting impatient and he growled out his threats often, to drag her to his sister and get the conversation started. But she had been putting it off, not finding the right moment to break the ice between Ananya and herself.
"I don't expect a friendship bracelet from her. But would it kill her to smile at me once in a while?" she muttered while removing the two safety latches and then two hard locks.
She opened the door absently, preoccupied in her own thoughts, only to stare at the person in front of her.
"Sidhu?" she blurted out in shock.
Sidhu smiled at her. "Oh hi, Mahi. I was just driving by, and ever since you returned, I was thinking of meeting you. Can I come in?"
She blinked a couple of times before nodding at him with a slight frown and then letting him in.
"Hmm something smells nice in here. Oh wow vadas?" Sidhu asked excitedly, looking at the snack plate on her coffee table.
Mahi just nodded, still wondering why he dropped by at her place to meet her all of a sudden after nearly eleven months of her returning back to India.
She sat opposite to him while he was helping himself to her vadas along with the chutney she had made using her aunt's recipe.
"Hey that was mine!" she told him in a mock angry tone that she had used when they were in college.
Sidhu looked at her sheepishly after he almost finished all the vadas. "I remember how I used to finish all your home packed lunches. Your aunt was a great cook. As soon as I saw you, the first thing I did was to grab your lunch and then run away with it," he reminded her, flashing his dimples.
Seeing Sidhu's mischievous smile reminded her of the boy she had fallen madly in love with when she was eighteen.
She smiled recalling one of their first conversations with each other, just after four weeks of college.
EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO
"So Mahi, what are we naming our children? You know, after five years of marriage, when I feel I have spent sufficient alone time with you, I want us to have a daughter who looks just like you, and then later, after a few more years, a son who looks as handsome as me," a guy asked her.
She was shocked and then pissed that a
strange guy would dare to speak so freely with her and that too about having children with her. "What? How dare you—" she began, about to rip him to pieces.
The guy's eyes twinkled with humor. "Based on your frequent looks towards me these past four weeks, I figured you liked what you saw, and so did I. So, why waste time? We should be together, it's meant to be..." he said, winking at her.
She didn't particularly like good looking guys, especially ones who knew they were good looking and were cocky. And this one was in a league of his own.
"Sidhant...is it? You are nothing special. There are a lot of better looking guys than you, and they are even humble, unlike you," she scoffed, even though it was a lie.
He was stunningly good looking and he knew it. She and the other girls couldn't take their eyes off him whenever he was around.
He broke into another gorgeous grin, "Oh really? Let's come back to this topic after a month or so and then see what you have to say at that time. And Mahi...by then...you'll call me Sidhu," he promised her.
After a couple of months, she gave in to Sidhu's wooing, because he was genuinely sweet and mischievous, while also being understanding of her various hang-ups.
Sidhu had often teased her saying that he wanted to marry her, mostly because she had an aunt who knew how to make the best South Indian food.
*****
PRESENT
Mahi, smiled. "I do remember you eating my food. Maybe that was the reason why I stayed slim during our college days. You always ate my lunch and I had to end up buying crappy cafeteria food."
What Sidhu didn't know was that she had specifically requested her aunt to pack Sidhu's favorite dishes in her lunch box.
Sidhu laughed. "I even ate your food when we went to restaurants with our friends. You had to literally beat me away to get something to eat. But then you were such a slow eater while I inhaled my food."
