Astha turned an uncaring face towards the angry Shlok and went inside. She went straight up to her room and put her bag on the bed with a noticeable thud. Shlok, who had immediately followed her upstairs, turned her around in a single movement.
"What's all this about? Why did you come here from the salon?" His tone suggested controlled anger though his stance was aggressive. Astha looked at him straight in the eye.
"Who was that woman Shlok?" Astha's voice was flat, which gave no clue to Shlok.
"Who?"
"Mrs Kulkarni, that woman whom you were talking to in the salon." She was persistent. Shlok immediately tensed, his mouth thinned into a straight line. He finally gave a sigh and replied, or rather asked her another question.
"How do you know Mrs Kulkarni? Who told you about her?" His face was deadpan, giving away nothing to her.
"That's the point. I don't know who she is. And that's why I am asking." Astha did not back down. She felt and knew she had all rights to know who she was, and whether her suspicions about that lady was right.
"She is someone I knew that's all." Again that careful expression and that neutral voice which gave away nothing. Astha was starting to get frustrated at his reply. Why wasn't he answering her properly?
"Was she your lover Shlok?" Astha just cut to the chase. She didn't want to mince words, since he was already being edgy. Shlok looked panic stricken for a very very brief second before his eyes shuttered with that same expression. But that one second gave away more to Astha than all his replies could ever give. She felt a sickening sensation at the base of her stomach.
"Yes." He had never lied to anyone and he didn't want to start now. Astha's expression turned hurt and bleak before she too hid her feelings well beneath a cool facade. He didn't know how to reach her and that really angered him. From being angry at her, he was now more apprehensive. Shlok really had not expected this exchange happening between them.
"Do you usually take your partners to your salon? For their..er...needs?"
"Sometimes, yes." His tone was almost cautious, not knowing what was to come next.
"Then I have nothing more to say." With that, Astha turned around and picked up her bag. She opened the cupboard and went to keep the bag in, just as Shlok's hand shot out to turn her around.
"What do you mean?" He almost clenched the words out. How dare she dismiss him like that? He wanted to know what was wrong. It wasn't fair for her to shut him out.
"Nothing." Astha was hurt beyond reason, and she sounded uncaring when she replied.
"Then why the hell did you run away from the salon if it was nothing. Just spit it out. Don't play these games with me." He didn't raise his voice, but his words had the effect of a slap on her face. She faced him with fury written on every inch of her beautiful face.
"All that I wanted was to get a decent hair cut. That's all. I would preferably like to go to a place where you haven't f**ked either the clientele or the staff. Is that too much to ask?" She spat out the words right on his horror stricken face.
"Astha..am sorry." He began in a lighter voice.
"And you bloody well should be." Her anger was still evident and she was shooting daggers at him.
"W*F! I didn't know Sonia would be there. She and I co-own the salon and spa chain. She usually never comes to this branch. Obviously today was a blasted exception." He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He didn't know where to begin and what to say. And he definitely didn't want to upset Astha more than her present mood.
"You co-own it with her?" Now Astha's voice was tinged with disbelief, of the bad variety.
"Yes. Look Astha, I am what I am and my past stands as it is. You always knew it so why the heck are you creating a scene now?" His eyes were stormy, allowing her to see his discomfort for the first time since they came in.
"She was touching you." It was a pained whisper from her trembling lips. Her eyes almost automatically filled with tears before she turned away and brushed them in haste.
"What?" He was deeply disturbed seeing her tears. "Astha, talk to me. Don't turn away from me." He was almost pleading, his touch very gentle. She did turn around though she didn't look at him directly.
"Your Mrs Kulkarni was touching you. And you allowed her." Again the same painful voice. Her expression was almost accusing him of cheating her. But that was bizarre. He never cheated.
"Astha, first of all she is not my Mrs Kulkarni. And secondly, she touched me only because she knows where she can touch me." He tried reasoning it with her. Usually he laid the rules and his partners followed, no questions asked. For the first time there was nothing for him to fall back on. No control. And that disturbed him a great deal. He constantly didn't know where he was with this tiny scrap of a girl.
Though it was a heady sensation, it equally frightened him. He didn't know what she was thinking. It was times like these, when Astha didn't communicate with him honestly, that he lost it. He ended up being unsure and confused, neither of which he particularly liked.
"Astha, what was between me and Sonia was over long ago. We are just business partners now that's all. You have no reason to feel otherwise. You are my present and my future. Don't rake up the past unnecessarily. You will achieve nothing but pain." He made her look at him as he spoke.
Astha however had other thoughts running in her mind. That Mrs Kulkarni had deeply disturbed her. She didn't understand why, but knew instinctively something was not right. It wasn't as it should be. For the time being Astha knew she won't get anything else from Shlok about Mrs Kulkarni. But she intended to find out more. Very soon.
"Are you still mad at me?" His voice was hopeful for a reconciliation.
"Yes." The short tone suggested she wasn't going to come down any time soon.
"What do you want me to do Astha? I have said all that I want to say on this. Just stop sulking." He tried pulling her to himself but Astha pulled her hand free from his grip.
"I think I need some fresh air, and I may after all go for the hair cut too. To a salon of my choice." She emphasized the last part deliberately. Shlok again sighed and took his car keys.
"I will drop you."
"No. Once was more than enough thank you. And don't you dare foot the bill. I am earning and I will pay for myself." She again snapped at him, much to his fury. But Astha didn't want to accept his money. She somehow felt cheap and she didn't like the sensation one bit.
Shlok had no choice but to let her go. He looked on helplessly, as she once again took her bag and left downstairs. Astha slammed the front door deliberately, signaling her anger was far from over.
Shlok looked at the time, grimacing when he realized he had already skipped two meetings. He dialed a number in his mobile phone and connected to his office. Work was always his solace. No tantrums and definitely no heartache, he thought.
