LIMELIGHT
Rishabh leaned against the headrest
while lying on the bed, and Madhu rested her head on his stomach, scribbling on
his bare chest with her finger. She avoided looking into his eyes, she did not
want to see regret in his eyes, although it was inevitable. "Madhu," called
Rishabh and touched her face softly. She did not respond and looked anywhere
but his face. "Won't you talk to me Madhu?" asked Rishabh. She shook her head
in refusal. "Why Madhu? Did I hurt you in any way?" Madhu looked up for the
first time and her eyes glistened with the tears building up, ready to roll down
any moment. "I don't want you to go, but I know I cannot stop you Rishabh,"
replied Madhu and sat up. Rishabh stared at her for some moments silently, and
then said, "Even I want to spend such beautiful moments with you again. But
both of us have our commitments to our job, Madhu. People might be waiting for
you at the studio." Madhu stood up, covering herself in the white bedsheet she
headed towards the bathroom. She felt used and humiliated. The passionate
moments with Rishabh last night had been divine for her, but for him it must
have been nothing more than fanciful moments of a "one night stand". As the hot
water sprinkled from the shower on her skin, it got mixed with her tears that
kept on flowing uncontrollably. Rishabh had already left by the time she came
out of shower.
The next two days were grueling in the
sets for Madhu. She had to work extra hours to compensate for the two days lost
in her sickness'. But this did not bother her, as it was a welcome relief for
her from the pangs of remorse. On the third day, the shoot ended earlier than
usual. Madhu was thinking what to do with rest of the evening when her phone
started ringing. It was a call from Ritu. "Hey Maddy!! Where are you?" asked
Ritu. "I am on my way back from shoot." "Good, come quick. Purab and I are
coming to your place in an hour." Madhu felt good that very instant. She would
be able to congratulate her friends and have some good time with them.
After having a sumptuous dinner, all
three sat back and relaxed in the couch of Madhu's living room. They spoke
about Purab and Ritu's romantic encounters and their plans ahead. Suddenly Ritu
asked Madhu, "Hey what's the time?" "It's 11. Why are you getting late for
sleep?" asked Madhu. "Arrey nahin budhdhu. We came here for a purpose and don't
want to forget it completely." Madhu gave a confused look to both of them. "It's
RK sir's birthday. So we had planned to surprise him by going at his house and
wishing him at 12 in the night. You are also coming with us," said Purab with a
smile. Madhu's face blanched. "I am very tired, and have to go early to the
studio tomorrow. You two go, if you are getting late already," said Madhu cautiously.
"No way Madhu. Stop giving us that lame excuse. We have all worked together
with RK sir and he will be very happy to see us on his birthday, especially
when Dipali ma'am is also not with him to celebrate," protested Ritu. Before
Madhu could cook up some more excuse, she was literally dragged out of her home
and abducted in their car which reached RK's house just before midnight. Ritu
already had the birthday cake and flowers ready in her car, so they stood in
front of the main door, waiting for someone to open it.
RK was preparing himself for another
sleepless night. His own birthday had completely slipped out of his mind, so
when he heard the door bell at that late hour, he was very surprised. "Happy
birthday!!" screamed Ritu and Purab as the door opened, Madhu stood quiet
behind them. RK was overwhelmed to know that there were people for whom his
birthday mattered. But seeing Madhu there was perhaps the most astounding thing
he could imagine. After Ritu and Purab, it was Madhu's turn to wish him. She
smiled weakly while wishing when RK's phone started ringing. "Excuse me Madhu
one minute. Yes Dipali. Thank you. No don't worry, things are fine here. Ritu,
Purab and Madhu have come to celebrate my birthday. Ok, take care, bye," said
RK and turned to Madhu who had already left his side. She stood beside Ritu who
was preparing the cake on the dining table. RK wanted to talk to Madhu but it
was impossible to do that without Ritu and Purab's notice. So he waited till
the cake was cut and everyone had a bite of it. "OK RK sir, we should leave
now," said Ritu. "So how are you all going?" asked RK. "I brought my car. We
will drop Madhu and then go back home," said Ritu. "Madhu's house is on the
other end of the city. It is already late. You go home with Purab, I will drop
Madhu," suggested RK. "No need RK. I will go with Ritu," Madhu said
instantaneously. "I said I will drop you. Why unnecessarily bother Ritu in
driving around the city all night?" said RK sternly. Madhu did not protest
anymore seeing her friends' contented faces.
Madhu did not speak a word on the way
back. RK looked very calm, but even he did not initiate any conversation. As
they reached her home, RK parked his car and followed her to her flat. Madhu
looked behind in shock and asked, "What do you want? Go back. I have already
reached my home." "I know. I have come for my birthday gift," replied RK
nonchalantly. Madhu looked at him confused when he snatched the keys from her
hand and opened the door. The maid was fast asleep in her room so she did not
notice their entry. RK directly went inside Madhu's bedroom and waited for her
to come. Madhu fumed in anger, but did not want to create any scene by waking
up her maid. She followed him and on entering her room, she locked the door and
turned to RK. "What do you want from me now? Do you think I am your mistress
who will satisfy your lust in your wife's absence?" hissed Madhu, amassing as
much loathe in her voice as possible. RK's face hardened hearing those words
from her and he pulled her towards him with a jerk. "How dare you drag down our
attachment to such lowness Madhu? You call this love? Is this your faith in
love?" "Attachment? You call this an attachment? You spent that night with me,
and next morning, you could not wait to leave me alone and shattered. You made
me feel like a bloody wh**e!!" cried out Madhu. "I left because I needed some
time to answer the questions that were bothering me from a long time. I needed
that time for myself to understand between my desires and my needs. I am a
bloody married man, and yes, I have not forgotten that!! It's just that being
closer to you has stopped making me feel guilty any more. This sin does not jab
my conscience anymore, because it is no more a sin to me," said RK while
looking deep in her eyes. "Then what is it to you?" spat Madhu, struggling to get
free of his grip. "I thought being away from you would give me that answer. But
it just aggravated that restlessness in me, nothing more. When I saw you
tonight at my doorstep, I got my answer Madhu. I realized that every living
cell on my body had yearned for you that moment; every conscious thought of my
mind had coveted for your existence in my life that moment; and every breath
had been taken in your name, just to say how madly and uncontrollably I have
started loving you. Don't ask me where this will lead to; even I do not have an
answer to it for myself. But this feeling is so strong and overwhelming, that
everything else seems so inconsequential."
Madhu had thought no matter what the
situation would be, she would never ever make herself vulnerable in front of RK
under any circumstance. But perhaps her definition of circumstances' did not
include RK's confession of his feelings for her. So, in spite of all her
resolutions, she gave in to his feelings, and once again her buried dreams and
hopes started surfacing.
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