The Touch of Fleeting Desires
This OS is written from RB's point of view and has several flashbacks. To avoid confusion, the flashback scenes are in red.
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The clock stuck 11:00 and still there was no sign of Prerna. Sneha had slept after being given several assurances and excuses by her elderly caretaker. Rishabh was desperately trying to contact her but her phone was out of the coverage area.His anger, anxiousness and helplessness were growing with each passing second. How dare she do this to him?
Refusing to wait another second, he grabbed his car keys and went on to look for his wife.As he sped past the chaos of the city, events of last night flashed before his eyes.
Flashback: Prernaâsmother had invited Rishabh-Prerna for a pooja at her home. Though a man who cringed at the sight of a temple or a deity, he obliged for Prernaâs sake and attended the pooja. Rishabh greeted the hosts and soon distanced himself from them all, though the host family continued to keep a check on whether he felt comfortable or not. The guests eyed him eagerly, including frivolous females with lustful eyes and erotic dreams.
Stuck in a traffic jam, Rishabh thought of his recent past with his wife. He had handed over the responsibilities of the house and his daughter to her. In these five months, she had proved herself worthy of everything he had bestowed upon her. Though he didnât expect her to take over his routine affairs, she had been performing duties typical to a wife. Prerna now decided his outfits as well and when a flirty office employee complimented Rishabh on that, he felt good despite refusing to express it. The ice between them was beginning to melt and they shared a healthy equation. Post marriage, Prerna and her family had been insulted by the Basus including her ex and due to that reason, her relation with them had worsened, in fact, it was mostly over. Rishabh, despite everything that went against him, respected his wife and her family. He even came to their aid when a crisis stuck them. That aspect made them reciprocate the same regard and Veena was sure that this man was the one for her daughter.
But what exactly went wrong last night?
Prerna approached Rishabh and asked him if heâs comfortable in the atmosphere heâs unused to. The latter nodded. That night, while she was busy in helping her mother, he couldnât help but notice how beautiful and innocent she looked. Even Prerna frequently stole glances at him and admired the man. The females in the party were going green with envy, making the manâs wife feel higher in a strange way.
âHow handsome is he?â, she thought and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
She no longer hated him. In these 5 months she had performed all the duties of a wife without any expectations. She was nursing a broken heart and knew that even her husband had suffered a heartbreak and immense pain due to a past infidelity and a foul play orchestrated by the Basus. Their relation was that of pain, though never properly expressed.
As the traffic light flashed the green signal, Rishabh accelerated with certain locations in his mind. He kept trying her phone and the constant failures irked him.
Veena insisted that Prerna feed her husband with her hands. Surprisingly, Prerna liked the idea and thanked Veena internally as the awkwardness between them along with the piercing gazes and the anxiety regarding her husbandâs reaction wouldnât have allowed her to do the deed without getting instructed. She smiled and offered her husband the prasad, who, taken slightly aback by the sudden development, touched her palm in a gesture of approval, directed it near his mouth and consumed the offering. This small moment indicated a major development and the ice melted further.
As the pooja neared its end, Prerna went outside to place a diya near the tulsi plant. Rishabh saw a familiar face going after his wife, and couldnât help but follow. His arrival at the particular spot got delayed due to some verbose females, but he made it nevertheless. The sight that awaited him wasnât pleasant at all. He saw his wife close to her ex, successful in getting up with his assistance and trying to release her necklace from the manâs embroidered shawl while the latter was visibly lost in her. Rishabhâs presence didnât go unnoticed for a long time and when he was finally noticed, he raged like a mad bull released into the stadium surrounded by savages, stared at the offender with gleaming diabolism capable of murder with mere gaze, which made the offender back off immediately. Rishabh then cast a milder version of that terrifying gaze at his wife. Whatever he had witnessed was an antithesis to the feelings their moments had given birth to. Prerna wanted to explain, but the diabolism evident in his stare consumed all her courage and willingness. She had never seen him this mad with rage. Silently cursing her ex, she subconsciously decided to go with the flow.
âIâm waiting in the carâ, he thundered and left.
Prerna followed him and took her seat beside him.
They spoke nothing in the way. Prerna couldnât dare to look at his face full of intense anger and hatred. She wanted to stop the car and advocate her innocence but was too terrified of him.
When they reached home, Rishabh went straight into his bedroom. Prerna followed and wanted to clear the misunderstanding that had transpired. However, her fear hadnât subsided yet. Mustering courage, she feebly uttered.
âMr BajajâŚâ
His angry stare terrified her again.
âWhat?â
âIâŚAnuragâŚâ
Losing his self-control, Rishabh mildly grabbed her arms and pinned her to the wall. A flabbergasted Prerna didnât expect it and couldnât utter a word in her defense. She felt him too close to her with his heart literally beating against her own pounding heart and his intoxicating scent driving her mad. Such a moment was unique to both of them, and after sharing an intense eye lock with him, she closed her eyes as she could no longer hold herself. The temporary intimacy had given rise to a thousand sensations and she was under his wordless spell.
âYou live with me and dream of someone else? Whatâs the difference between you and her?â huskily uttering this line, he released her and backed off.
âGet lost! I donât want you in my life and in my house.â
Prerna was left dumbfounded and felt totally powerless. What exactly drove him this mad? Did she see pain in his eyes? Or was it envy? Did he get jealous seeing her with another man? Why couldnât he understand that it was a mere slip and catch with no romantic longing from her side? Didnât his house belong to her as well?
Did he just accuse her of infidelity? This question broke the spell. She left the room as soon as the dreadful answer made its way to her psyche.
Prerna didnât return to their bedroom that night, and an apathetic Rishabh assumed she has retired to Snehaâs room. However, as the difficult night passed, the morning made him realize sheâs not in the house. Still aloof from everyone, he went to his office with a part of his mind occupied with the thoughts of his wife. Retreating late at night, he felt a void noticing that she wasnât here. Veenaâs call confirmed that Prerna didnât return to her house and this increased his anxiety. Dark thoughts clouded his consciousness as he slumped on a nearby chair.
Did he misunderstand her? Did he overreact and terrify her to such an extent that she couldnât voice her defense? Was he being unreasonable in jealousy? Was he indeed jealous of another man? Did the bitterness of his past creep in and made him behave like that? With these thoughts in his mind, he raided certain locations with high hopes. Lastly, he went to a park he and Prerna had visited with Sneha. It wasnât a luxurious park reflecting his stature, but a simple one away from the chaos and madness of the city, and Prerna had loved it. He could behold her intimacy with the simplicity possessed by nature, and found it aesthetic.
Rishabh was about to leave but ceased when he spotted a familiar silhouette occupying a nearby bench. Convinced sheâs alright, he felt liberated for a moment and relief clouded his features. He took a moment to approach her, and deep down his heart desired for her to melt into his waiting arms.
âBut, why would she? Neither he was a romantic hero, not she his beloved.â This thought sent sharp pangs to his heart.
Rishabhâs footsteps broke Prernaâs reverie and blood rushed to her cheeks upon realizing that sheâs well acquainted with these footsteps. Next moment they were both staring at each other, with fleeting moments of unsaid desires registering its dominance. Being the dreamy and filmy woman, deep down she expected him to stretch his arms to invite her into an embrace they both desired as well as needed. But, does this man know anything of romance? It was hard to imagine Rishabh Bajaj as a romantic man, and impossible to envisage as the hopeless romantic she could be described as.
He did not apologise with words, but the visible passing traces of sadness and guilt, with the fear of a life without her made Prerna realize that she matters to this man.
Breaking the short reverie, he cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak but words betrayed him.
âYouâre here. I was soâŚwe allâŚI meanâŚSnehaâŚâ
His unfinished utterance made her heart beat louder in excitement, though a bit of disappointment was obviously there. Still, she smiled feebly at him and that made him settle a bit.
âLetâs goâ,saying so, he turned around to move with slow steps.
âWhere?â she asked with anticipation.
He turned his face slightly leftwards, a smile likely plastered upon his handsome face,but cautious enough to hide a display of vulnerability.
âHome,â he said. âMyâŚour home, Prerna.â
THE END!
Edited by Wistfulness - 6 years ago