Part 11
25th July,2011, 11:00 am
@ Noida Office of Random, Khushwant's cubicle
1.Provoking Adhiraj- Check
2. Instigating Anjali- Check
3. Informing Shyam- Check
4.Humiliating Subhadra Malik- Check.
Khushwant started smile on her gradual success.After a week she came to office.Several things to be done, her Boss called her.
"So, how is your shoulder?"
"Fine..I want to start the script."
"Yeah, they are planning to stage a play, choose your team, how you want it.."
"You sure that I will lead the team?"
"Yeah..I know you can do it...how you do it ,I don't care..final outcome matters ...Khushwant.."
"Hmm.. I want to work on infidelity,adultery.."
"Ufff..delicate subject..too tough to handle.."
"But usually practised..in India also..basically this is very eternal..time immemorial approach..at least we should give a try.."
"But script..."
"Script is not the issue..I am telling about our magazine...we should publish an issue on this subject, for that some surveys , some statistics will be required.. basically we need to strike the chord of human mind, I mean why and when a person practises adultery, is it by instinct ,or the situation, what is the degree, how far its ambit can be stretched..constructive adultery, desertion '."
"Go for it, make it as script or documentary or docu-drama..choice is yours..but you will need to work on the edges..you understand that..little bit of dilution, will make the thing quite boring and usual...hmm..are you getting my point?"
"Yeah.."
"How is Arnav..?"
"He is fine..shall I leave?"
"Yeah..."
Khushwant was back to her table.She started to write.
She remembered her days when she was being alleged vaguely.She is doing everything deliberately . Neither she forgave Shyam nor Anjali, nor Subhadra. As far Arnav is concerned, she is in love with him.Neither she can forgive him fully, nor she can leave him.And why she would leave him? Why would she be defeated? She is not Anjali that she cannot forget husband's one mistake. Rather Arnav has been always faithful to her.How to reduce her anger? She cannot victimise Arnav, not a chance, what mistake Arnav did, she will not repeat it.But Shyam Manohar Johal, Anjali Johal and Subhadra Malik must pay their debt to her.Arnav has been totally under control.She knew very well that Arnav's total trust upon her can be gained only if she vests all her trust upon him.There is no chance that Arnav will not trust her, that much she has gained that night.
"Khushwant, what are you doing?"
"Nothing, just shunting down by anger.."
"Now Arnav is totally under your control, be happy with that..why you are troubling other people?"
"They must be taught a lesson, else they will again trouble me..only me and Arnav, nobody between us..no one.."
"Khushwant, revenge is not good..look at you, what you have been now a days?This much hatred and bitterness, it is destroying your virtue...Khushwant, for other people you cannot be so unfair to yourself..you cannot lose yourself..your virtue.."
"Forgiving them will be unfair to myself.."
"Will you not feel guilty then? Forget and forgive..let them live with their own burden of guilt..why you are taking that burden on your soul..?Then what is the difference between you and them?"
"I can't forget..I can't forgive.."
"What harm had Adhiraj done to you?Why are you using him?"
"Collateral damage..."
"Think again Khushwant..hatred..revenge will never give you peace of mind.."
"Who is asking for peace?"
"Are you not? What about your dreams with Arnav?"
"They all are broken..I don't dream anymore.."
"Then why are you giving him false hope?Have you ever thought when he will get to know how will he feel?He wants to rectify everything, instead of helping him you are spoiling his life..can't you see that?"
"What he has done to me?"
"Then Arnav is also in your hit list?"
"No.."
"Why not?You love him..right?"
"Yes.."
"Then why are you so full of hatred?"
"I can't help it.."
"You choose Khushwant..you love him more or you hate them more?If you love him more then don't spoil his life by giving false hopes to him..who knows he will not do something lethal to himself? Then you will be able to forgive yourself?"
Khushi came out of trance..her phone was ringing...it was Arnav..
"Hello.."
"Are you alright?I mean I just felt that...you are feeling bad..or something ..everything alright?"
"Why should I feel bad..nothing like that.."
"When your work will be done? I will come to pick you up.."
"No, that won't be necessary.."
"I will come,tell me the time.."
"6 ...yeah..6.."
"Okay..bye..I love you..."
"Bye...woh ..ummm..I love you too.."
She emerged herself in deep thinking.What can be done so that everything will be alright?She cannot pretend to forget everything, but she has to leave the past behind.How?
However, things started to move on so as their life..
1st August, 2011 @ Page-15 of Random
UNFAITHFUL
It's tough to get a handle on how many of us are having affairs, given the inherent secrecy.22 % of married men have strayed at least once during their married lives. 14 % of married women have had affairs at least once during their married lives. Younger people are more likely candidates; in fact, younger women are as likely as younger men to be unfaithful.70 % of married women and 54 % of married men did not know of their spouses' extramarital activity.5 % of married men and 3 % of married women reported having sex with someone other than their spouse in the 1997.22 % of men and 14 % of women admitted to having sexual relations outside their marriage sometime in their past.90 % of Americans believe adultery is morally wrong.50 % of Americans say President Clinton's adultery makes his moral standard "about the same as the average married man,'' according to a Time-CNN poll.61 % of Americans thought adultery should not be a crime in the United states; 35 % thought it should; 4 % had no opinion.17 % of divorces in the United States are caused by infidelity.
Conventional way of referring statistics is cliched now a days.Even in India, adultery has been a subject to practise.It's not about the country or continent, it is a very inherent nature of human being.For that education, background, social status is irrelevant.
The question is what drives a person to be adulterous? Is it a matter of second or more than that?What is adultery?
Having relation outside the marriage is alleged to be adultery.But men and women have different reactions about the adultery."You slept with him?", that is the male reaction.."You love her?" female reaction.Because for a man loving and confessing is not different.Women are not like that, they love and they confess or they want men to confess.Men have a great difficulty in saying "I love you.." directly to his spouse or partner(in case of live-in).Men usually express their love by their actions like doing something for her, gifting something, most importantly , by making love.
But the question is still unanswered? Who is faithful and who is not? We tag that person as unfaithful who tries to find his happiness outside of marriage.But what about them who desires someone else inspite of having a spouse?Just being with the spouse and not being with another person make someone faithful?You are not deserting the person physically, but mentally you are not attached.Does it not make a person unfaithful?
How much compassion and apathy are required to carry on with a relationship?What makes a person as unfaithful and cruel?It is high time to observe the grey area of relation?Is it that easy to forget and forgive? If not then what is the solution?Because this is such thing which cannot be forgot, time to time, ghosts of the past haunt people.How deep the scar in human mind then?
'..to be continued.
Arnav read the article, he saw the author's name, Khushwant Grewal Randhawa.Arnav fell in deep thought after reading this.What is going on ?What is in her mind?Her behaviour in past few days with Arnav and this article are not synchronised. Is she pretending to be happy with him?Why?To make him happy?She told that night that she will try her best not to upset me anymore.Is that making sense? She is only trying to make him happy.She didn't promise for the others.That day she herself told that she is not that liberal,what does that mean?This article is pointing to his past behaviour also,but more precisely this is pointing to Anjali and Shyam's relationship.She is encouraging Anjali to give a try with Adhiraj, on the other hand she is writing this..is it just a coincidence or something else?
Arnav needs to know that.But how?By following her?If she gets to know that will be dangerous.But Arnav must get her out from such complexes shown in her writing.
Anjali also read that article.She held her head for sometimes.
Later at night, Khushwant was laid on the bed, studying something..Arnav came to her ,took the book and kept it aside.Khushi looked at him for a while, Arnav claimed her lips with his, his right hand was rubbing her bosom, he felt the stiffness there, he continued ..
"What are you doing?"
"Men express their love like this only..by their actions..right?"
"You read that..?"
"Yeah..first part is nice, waiting to read the next..next issue...right.."..Arnav continued with his kiss.He nuzzled his nose in her neck..
"Hmmm.."..Khushi was melting in his arms..
"Khushwant..you love me..right?"..
"Hmmm..."
Arnav passed his hand into her clothing,touched her skin, most soft part of her ..started tampering by his finger and nail.Khushi deepened her kiss.One thing led to another..things went far away that night.
At the same time, some other place in Delhi, someone was claiming someone too.Adhiraj wanted to meet Anjali late in the evening, he planned for dinner, Anjali went, and knocked..Shyam opened the door.Then only she realised that she had gone to Shyam's place by default.
"Come in please.."
"I was feeling..restless..can I stay here for sometime..?"
"Sure..your house..you want something..sorry...I was drinking..."
Anjali saw the half filled bottle of whisky..his new habit of course.."You want to have something..kitchen is there..you have to help yourself.."
"How you manage?"
"Home delivery..of course..freege is stocked though,have whatever you want.."
Anjali went to the kitchen..paced here and there for a while..then again came to him.."You see, that day..what you said..what you thought.."..Anjali started to speak..
"I don't want to think about it..please.."
Anjali held his hand.."Please..Shyam..listen to me..you did everything for me, you endured so much for me..I only let you down..but don't think that I don't realise that..I understand..and now.."
"Can you cut it short..?"
"Don't spoil yourself..."
"Excuse me.."
Anjali took his hand closer to her body..and said.."Promise me, you will not drink anymore..promise me.."
Shyam looked at her for a moment, there was something in her eyes, her heartbeat was faster.On the next moment, her soft mounds were being pressed by his hard chest and he was kissing her furiously.He didn't even bother to take her to the bedroom, he did it on the floor.
She was gasping, panting and taking deep breath, "Shall we complete it in the bedroom?"..Shyam said not before lifting her in his arms.She had no wish to reject him at that time.She found herself on the bed under him."You know, having sexual intercourse with judicially seperated wife constitutes rape under Indian Penal Code?"..Shyam informed her.."Think again..before it's too late.. don't blame me later.."Anjali answered him by pulling his mouth towards hers.
The common things between the floors of Arnav's bedroom and Shyam's drawing room were the clothes which were taken off in the passionate moments.In the morning when Anjali asked Shyam to fetch her clothes from the drawing room, Shyam woke up reluctantly and went there..he found her mobile there..it showed 27 missed calls, it was not from Randhawa House..Shyam made no mistake about the person who called her.He gritted his teeth..he went to the bedroom...and asked.."You had any engagement yesterday evening ?"
Anjali kept silent.Shyam got his answer..."Then why did you come to me?"
"I don't know..."
"Okay,I have to go to office..stay here..I will try to be back by afternoon.."
"I am not here to stay..last night...please call a taxi..I have to go back '"
"Fine...get ready..I will drop you there.."..Shyam threw the saree at her out of disgust and entered in the bathroom..
On the other hand,in Randhawa House, "Khushwant..Khushi..uth jaao..it's already 8..both have to go to office.."
"To hell with the office..Arnavjee..sone do na..please.."
"Arre..get up..dekho..fir se so gayi..Khushwant..uth jaa...oye..."
"Main maarungi.."
"I am going for bath..by the time I come out..you must be standing..Khushwant ..are you listening?"
"Dhaaattt..Arnavjee..bedha garkh ho toadda...neend ki maa bahen mat karo.."
"Dekho,,kaisi ghatiya baat karne lagi ho aaj kal..chhee chheee..."
"Arnavjee..I swear..you didn't let me sleep for the whole night..now you speak another word..I will throw the night lamp ..seriously.."
Arnav smiled and entered in the bathroom..but Khushi could not sleep anymore ..something woke her up.She went to the window, and she saw Shyam's car, what was he doing here..then she saw Anjali coming out of the car, she was in the same saree she wore when she went out last evening..what does that mean?She was with Shyam?For the entire evening?For the entire night?
Edited by yakkudimag - 12 years ago
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Anupamaa
35