Part Three
Heaven, that's what he had believed himself to be in. A dream so beautiful he could die. The moments spent with her were nothing but pure bliss. He sipped his tea as he looked in space, standing next to the French door which opened in the patio where every one had gathered for dinner, from the youngest to the oldest. His wife sat there on the sofa in one corner being pestered by his mother, his child securely nestled in her arms. He looked at his family and tried to be happy but failed. The sight didn't make him thank his Lord for the blessings he had instead it made him realize what he had lost. The happiness which was a foregone idea for him for as long as he was subramanyum. And not ishita's husband.
He parted ways with ishita because he wanted an offspring, an heir. And now he had his child, his flesh and blood but not her. He had a wife but not a partner. A companion but not the journey spent together in a decade. They were together but not by each other's side. They shared a child, not parenthood.
Recompense. The universe had decided to punish him in his own perfection, in his own bliss he had worked hard for, he realized now seeing his ex smiling up to her husband in grey jacket who stood by her with an arm around her shoulder while she sat in peach suit with her daughter in peach too, on her lap posing for a photograph.
After the photoshoot, the guests started to leave. Bala and his family bid them all goodbye. Subramanyum himself made sure the cars were arranged.
Raman was the last one to depart. He walked with his luggage in tow and an arm around ishita who had their daughter in her arms. When they reached the drive way, subramanyum called for a car but Raman stopped him saying, "don't bother."
"How will you go the airport?" Bala inquired.
"I've called a cab."
"Thanks for coming, Raman."
"Any time, bro." Raman then engulfed him a hug.
"Raman, it was a pleasure to meet you." Subbu gestured for a hand shake while Raman decided to keep both his hands in his pocket.
"I always used to wonder what a loser this 'subbu' would be and now that I see you I don't feel anything but pity. I'm glad this weekend is over and I don't have to pretend to be indifferent around you when in reality I'm dying to punch you hard but I'm going to refrain from doing that because my daughter is in vicinity and I don't want to set bad example for her."
After one last kiss on his daughter's forehead and a chaste one on his wife's lips, Raman left.
"I have reached." Raman's message flashed cross her phone screen. Ishita tucked her daughter in blanket and called her husband.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked as soon as he picked up.
"You have ruined my habit in just one day."
"How so?"
"Your arms are more comfortable to sleep in."
"Dont test my patience.. What are you wearing?"
"Guess?"
"How would I know its my white shirt?"
"Two days suddenly seem too long. I miss you already." She smiles and said after a long pause.
"Liar. You would have been here with me had you meant it."
"What do I have to do make you believe me?"
"Hmm.. Surprise me." He said as he got in bed and talk to her for the next hour before he dozed off.
And surprise is what his wife did the next day. He walked in his office after the meeting only to find his wife sitting on his chair in aqua lace sari. "Hello stranger!"
"What brings you here?" Raman asked, inserting both his hands in pockets.
"Your boss." She turned in her seat to face him.
"What has he done now ms.?"
"Mrs. Raman."
"Mrs. Raman." He nodded in acknowledgment and stood by his desk, next to her. His legs crossed at ankles.
"That's the whole issue. He doesn't do anything." She shrugged.
"Last I heard, his wife had some severe back ache which caused the lack of deed."
"With such casual demeanor he makes a me wonder if his field of interest has changed."
He leaned in towards her, placed both his hands on each armrest and whispered, "don't doubt my expertise. If it weren't for your pain I would have taken you right here."
"And if I told you it was a lie?" She looked down and asked sheepishly.
He merely raised an eyebrow. "I could murder you now." His tone and the gleam in his eyes contradicted. She decided it was safe to restore to fervent to win this argument as she whispered, "then I'll gladly die in your arms."
He jerked her forward for a kiss and pulled back when the land line rang. He switched on speaker.
"Mr. Arjun is on line one." It was shagun.
Ishita who had her arms around him, glared at him while he commanded, "ask him to call me tomorrow. Also cancel all my appointments for today. I'm going out with my wife."
"Personal secretary?" Ishita asked as soon as he cut the call.
"Shalini is on leave today." He explained in between the kisses, "and she is just filling in."
Fantasy, that's what she believed she had been in. A world which now seemed so foreign. An emotion she can only dream of but not experience. Love, which she saw in each his gestures towards his wife. Shagun Arora kept the file in her desk as she saw them walking towards the elevator. While they waited for it to arrive, Mrs. Raman dusted away something from her husband's black coat while he only looked down at her with a smile. A smile so peaceful she had never witnessed on his face during all the time they had been together.
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