PART 27:
Vikrant's Residence:
Sarita tossed and turned around in her bed as her fitful sleep reached its end. She woke up with a start, her breathing ragged and her brow wet with perspiration. She was disoriented and looked around with confused eyes. It took her a couple of moments to absorb her surroundings and to understand that she was not dreaming anymore. She closed her eyes to calm herself and tried to regulate her breathing simultaneously.
She caught the blanket that was slipping off her bare shoulders when she suddenly realized that she was completely naked underneath. She clutched it to her chest and the reality of what transpired the night before, crashed on her unannounced, coupled with the nightmare she just had.
She shut her eyes tight to avoid facing the acute agony again, at least for a few minutes; the same anguish that she felt deep within her soul last night. She prayed to god to somehow transform this particular reality into a bad dream. She fought the tears, but it made its way to the corners of her eyes and escaped the barrier formed by her eye lids, to flow silently down her cheeks. Her body racked with sobs and she brought her knees to her chest to stop from trembling. She rocked her body, hoping that it would heal her invisible wounds and numb the pain that her heart was enduring.
She was in a state of contented bliss last night after experiencing what was probably the most precious and breathtaking moment of her entire life. She blushed when Vikrant gazed at her hungrily and was in seventh heaven when he made love to her. He held her like she was a delicate porcelain doll, with love and care; and just when she thought she couldn't love him more, he proved her wrong. And she came to a conclusion that he must care for her deeply to show so much self-control after knowing that she was inexperienced. In fact she wondered if he was in love with her, considering the way he pecked her shoulder after they reached that heavenly climax, together.
And boy was she in for a rude awakening; she did not have the privilege to bask in the glory of their love making even for a few minutes, before her husband pulled away from her physically and emotionally. And when the words Sorry' and A mistake' escaped his mouth, she felt like a complete fool to have believed that he loved her too.
"Oh, God!" She exclaimed, holding her head in her palms to get rid of the dull and numbing pain she was feeling all over again after recollecting the details of what should have been the most memorable moment for any couple.
"This is not helping at all, Sarita!" She spoke to herself. "You need to stop thinking about it!" She scolded herself. "Just stop it!" She ordered.
"Why should it hurt so much?" She asked no one. "Please help me, God! Please stop the pain!" She pleaded, crying.
A few moments passed and the rocking and crying came to a gradual halt. She brought her palms up to rub her eyes and wipe away the tears from her face. She straightened her back and there was visible transformation in her attitude; from being hurt to being indifferent. It was like she blocked away that part and event of her marital life. She got off the cot, wrapped the blanket around herself. She picked her clothes that were strewn all over and went to her cupboard to pull out fresh clothes.
Her eyes sought the clock to check the time; it was 6:30 A.M. and she realized that Abhi would be up soon. She had exactly half an hour to get ready and boil milk for him, she noted. She made her way to the bathroom and dropped the used clothes and blanket into the laundry bin. She was like an automaton, brushing her teeth, taking her shower, dabbing herself dry and changing into her clothes; like last night didn't happen at all.
She stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped the sari around her and cried out a little when it grazed the wound on her waist. She smirked thinking that this wound was nothing compared to the one that tore her heart into tiny pieces.
Sarita turned around to leave the changing room to find Vikrant entering the bedroom. She met his intense gaze head on and squared her shoulders before looking away angrily. She walked towards the dressing table and rummaged through the drawer in search of the anti septic cream, completely ignoring her husband and his presence.
She grabbed the ointment and was about to leave the room but paused when she saw him stare at something on the bed. She followed his gaze to unearth what caught his attention; and was stunned to see brownish red mark on the bedspread. Her eyes shimmered with tears instantly and she fought hard to control them. She jumped into action immediately; she threw the cream on the table and started pulling out the bedspread hastily. She assumed that he must be feeling ashamed of it and hence was staring at it like it was some awful thing.
Once the sheet was free, she bunched it up in her hands, made her way silently towards the laundry bin and dumped it inside. She walked back to the room and went to the cupboard where the bed sheets were kept, pulled out one and started spreading it on the mattress.
That was when her husband chose to initiate a conversation saying, "Sarita, can I please talk to you?"
To be continued...
Cricket
Anupamaa
14