Short Stories

Akanksha smiled: it was her last day as Mrs Uday Gupta. Of course, it would come as a shock to Uday who hadn’t a clue that her mind was made up. She had made this decision neither easily nor quickly. Five years of agonizing had gone into it. She felt the actual walking out would be the easier. For her decision-making had always been painful.

It had been difficult to sustain the momentum. Initially she had dismissed the bad times as the exception and the good times as the rule and had, therefore, stayed put. Then the bad times out-weighed the good times. Sometimes she was at fault, most times it was him, but what did it matter? Bad was bad. The blame for the failure of their marriage rested on their shoulders. Her walking out would shatter him. She had played it wrong from the very beginning. Her praise fed his ego and made him swollen-headed. She had made him fall in love with himself and take her for granted. He did nothing to shower his love on her, even in gratitude. She had failed to get the love that she wanted from him so desperately.
"Where are you?" she heard him now, shouting from the shower.
"I need my towel!" he demanded.
His towel was in the closet, as always. Humming a tune under her breath she fetched it for him. For the very last time! She smiled broadly as she tapped twice on his door. His bare arm reached out to take it from her. Of course he never thanked her. She saw the towel and the arm disappear and the door slam shut. For the last time she would prepare his breakfast and his dabba. Toast, juice and tea; dabba: last night’s spinach, dal and rice heated in the microwave and stacked in the three-tiered lunch thermos. Half an hour more of his presence in her life and then it would all be over between them.

She looked around her in the living room that was now so cluttered, so full of life, with their memories and possessions strewn all over the place. His cell phone, wallet and keys, her own Vaseline container, nail-file and cherry red nail polish bottle, the morning’s newspaper which lay open ready to fall to the floor, her keys on the dining-table, some cassettes on top of the stereo. None of these things would be around in the evening when he returned. He'd come back to the house where she did not live anymore.
"You're looking nice!" she exclaimed.
Uday nodded mechanically.
"Ready for breakfast?" she asked with a smile.
He nodded again.
"Long day ahead?"
"Yes." He mumbled, picking up the newspaper and burying his face in it. From behind it she saw his arm again lift the toast from the plate.
Last breakfast!
She made one more attempt, "What's the news today?"
"Nothing new, an old couple got killed in their flat last night."
"Oh no. That's sad, who were they?" please, do put the paper down.
"Why don't you read the paper yourself?"
"Okay, I'll read it later." Bad mood. What’s new? Enough of his moods.
Read the newspaper today of all days? No time, Mister. But even if she mentioned this to him he wouldn't ask her what she would be busy with. He ignored her most of the time. Her life was nothing but boredom and he despised it.
But he needed her for his sickness. Emotional cripples do that, they find somebody loyal and silly like herself and then they neither accept her nor reject her. They hold on and yet never let go. That’s not embracing, that’s hand-cuffing! He tolerated her not because she was the tyrant’s last refuge.
"Some juice?" she inquired again. Speak to me, she pleaded silently, acknowledge me, for once, show me that I exist for you.
“Hmm."
In a honeyed voice she asked, "Shall we meet at the pub in the evening?"
"No."
"Let's, please!"
"I'll call you if we can, okay? Now may I please have a moment's peace?""We could even pick up that lovely vase you promised me on our last anniversary, it’s next door to the pub."
He didn't know how much his answer meant to her today. She really wanted him to give her a signal, any signal that would make her change her mind, convince her to stay.
He lowered the newspaper and asked without humour, "Do you have any idea how much it costs?"
"But you promised!"
"I'm just saying let's wait, I'll get it for you, only not today."
"But what should I wait for?"
"Will you leave it to me, for God’s sake!"
"And then you promised me we'd go to Matheran in the Diwali holidays but they came and went and we were holed up here all through."
"Stop nagging me, can you leave me be?" His sharp voice had risen higher than his eyebrows. His eyes were bulging as he leaned forward with his clenched fists on the table. His arms were so strong.
"Please, at least, lets go to the pub today!"
"Back off woman, stop stifling me!"
She had given it her best shot. If he had agreed to meet her at the pub she would have dropped the idea of leaving him, that had been her pact with herself. This was an old habit with her. She would make these strange connections: when she'd light a match she'd wait for it to burn right till the end. As a teenager she had done that when she was in love with the boy across the road. If her fingers got burnt then he really loved her lots! But if the flame died out earlier, his love was weak. She just made these connections and they worked for her. At least they had then. Now this was working for her, he was being his difficult self. All the signs were there and they were all bad.
"Okay". There was a tone of finality in her voice.
He rose from the table, his juice and tea untouched. He picked up his cell phone, which had already begun its polite but persistent intrusion in their lives.
"Yes?"
Pause.
"Of course, I'll do it, don't worry, I'll be in the office in half an hour, why don't you drop in?"
Pause.
"Me too. Bye".
"Who was that?" she couldn't stop herself.
He turned around, raised two fingers, glared and left. On other days she would have hated this, but today his gesture encouraged her. It was a good decision, he hadn’t cooperated one bit all morning. He was pushing her over the brink.
Time to go. Now, time to act. First things first.
The closet first. Yes the bag was already packed and hiding behind her long salwar-kurtas. She lifted it out and kept it by the door. Next, her purse.
She went to her bedside cabinet and opened it. There it was as right as rain. She checked the contents. The money, the credit cards and her jewellery, all there. Is there anything I’ve forgotten? She tried to remember, scratching her head.
"Yes," she heard a soft whisper. "Yes, you are leaving me behind."
She sat on the bed, peering around the room, trying to gather her wits about her. Who was it?
She saw the same double bed, the same cupboard, the dressing table, the chair the books and the little lamps.
"It's me!"
The whisper was a trifle louder now.
"Who?"
"Me, I'm the wall around you."
"Don't be ridiculous!" she heard herself saying.
Was this some kind of a cruel joke? Was she losing it? A panic-attack, perhaps?
"No, I am the wall, I saw it all. I saw everything that you went through and your suffering. I heard you silently and saw what happened. I am sorry that you are leaving me."
She couldn't believe it. The house, the walls were talking to her. This was incredible. Even more stupidly, she decided to answer. She had to know some things.
"But why did you not say anything to me while I suffered? What is the use of offering your sympathies now?"
"Like you, I'm a coward. Till this moment I lacked the courage."
"The past was bad and you know it, now let me go," she whispered.
Why on earth was she whispering back? Somehow it seemed like the right thing to do; one spoke French in France, Hindi in the vegetable market, and one whispered to a whisperer.
"But it isn't Uday that is at fault, don't blame him," the wall coughed.
"Bad cough?" She asked the house softly. She snatched a glance at her watch, she was running late.
"It's been with me since you applied that coat of paint last year. It just didn't suit me, you know, that was cheap paint."
Last year! She remembered. They wanted to put up the house for sale; it had been her idea and not Uday's. But he had agreed. After her uncle had told them that the vastu of the house was wrong, they decided to sell it. Perhaps the vastu was to blame for their plight.
"Don't take it personally," she said gently," it was the vastu…"
"I heard what Uncle said, but is it my fault? That's the way they made me. Who cares how I feel?"
"No, it isn’t true, I care."
Again she looked at her watch. For crying out loud, she was late and talking to walls! She shook her head, crazy. This was really crazy.
"Good-bye then," it whispered.
She pressed her fingers to her lips and touched the wall behind the bed. Some nights had been beautiful and others had been bad.
It had seen them all. She felt a shiver run down her spine, a peeping Tom in their bedroom! Oh God, her flabby thighs!
"Good-bye, house, look after yourself."
"He isn't a bad man, really, but you need time to think. Yes, go away for a while. Go then and bless you!"
She touched the wall again and smiled at the room.
An hour later she was in a hotel-room. She called Vineet. He sounded curt or as he in a hurry? "Okay, I'll finish work and meet you in the room at six."
He sounded busy, irritable: had he changed his mind?
At six-thirty she heard a knock.
She opened it. Her excitement was tinged with fear.
"Vineet!" she exclaimed. He looked distracted. Something was wrong.
"What is it?" her voice shook.
"Did you tell your husband you were leaving today?"
"Definitely not, whatever gave you the idea?"
"Sure?"
"Of course, do you really think I am that stupid?"
He stared hard at her.
"He called me."
"What?""He called me in the afternoon."
The blood drained from her face. "What did he say?"
"He asked me if I had met you yesterday."
"What did you reply?"
"Of course I denied it. I kept my answer short, I didn't know what he was driving at."
"Then?"
"Then he said, that if I was interested in having you he wouldn't stop me."
Her eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth in amazement.
"Then?"
"I said I didn't know where he got his ideas from but I had nothing to do with you and that if he had any problems with you it was for the two of you to work them out."
"But how did he find out?" She felt the tears gather in her eyes.
"Did you tell anybody about us?"
"Of course not, that would be crazy."
‘Look, I don't know what your husband is up to, but this gives me the creeps. We’ll have to hurry things now, there’s very little time."
"What’s your plan? I've left him, now the only plan we have is to be together."
"Don't be silly, I can't have him know about us, don't you see? He is the Agency’s client, do you know how quickly he can get me sacked from there? What will we live on then?"
"Silly, don't worry, I have my jewellery to take us through the first couple of years at least."
"Okay, then leave it to me. Let me get it valued at Paritosh’s and if it's around two lakhs we can immediately move to Delhi and start a new life."
"Should we go now?"
"Not you, I can't be seen with you in public today of all days. I'll just hop across and be back in a couple of hours. You wait right here and don't make any calls till I return, okay?"
She nodded. Of course he’d do the right thing, she trusted him. She lifted her handbag. Suddenly she heard a whisper, "Don't!"
She looked at Vineet but he was busy admiring himself in the mirror.
"Did you say something?" she asked him.
"No, why?"
"It was I!" It's the wall again! Here too?She had to do something, Vineet would think she was mad if she told him about it. But she couldn’t ignore the wall either.
"I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be back," she said loudly, taking the bag with her.
She locked the door behind her and sat down on the lowered seat.
"Now tell me, what do you want to say?"she whispered.
"I said, don't give him the jewelry, don't."
"But why?"
"Trust me, not him."
"Vineet loves me, he isn't like my husband," she whispered.
"If you want to know if Vineet loves you, insist on going with him, if he accepts immediately to your request I am wrong, but if he doesn't then will you go back to your husband?"
"Go back? Are you crazy?"
"Look, I am a wall and I've seen the world, I have seen many couples, I have also seen what Vineet is behind your back. You must not give Vineet your jewels, keep them with you at all times."
She nodded.
"Is that a deal?" There was a note of urgency, a hint of her mother's warnings that she could sense through its whisper. Perhaps it was right, what was the harm in testing Vineet?
"Okay, but you will see that you are wrong," she said confidently.
"What, did you say something, love?" She heard Vineet's richly textured voice.
"No, no, I was just singing something, I'll be out in a moment. "
Then she whispered, "Okay, I accept, but you watch, you'll see how wrong you are."
"Don't lose hope, child." She felt like crying, was it her dead mother warning her through the wall?
"Vineet, I really feel like coming with you to the jewelers"
"Don't be childish, we can't be seen together. Not until the coast is clear."
"Okay, well then, I have an idea, I'll go and get it evaluated and you wait."She saw him start. He didn't seem like himself. His face clouded over.
"I get it! You don't trust me!"
"You are right, I guess I really must distrust you to leave my husband for you."
"That’s very clever, you are trying to have it both ways, don't fight with me, I am not your husband; it isn't nice for women to be seen selling their jewelry."
"Vineet, say whatever you want, I'm coming."
Vineet's face blanched.
"Watch him now!" said the whisper. She started. Vineet was oblivious to the whisperer. He was staring hard at her.
He sighed. "Okay, we'll do this together, at least let us carry it safely, take it out of your purse and make a separate bundle. Have you brought your diamonds?""Yes, they are there, too."
"Now listen carefully." The whisperer was distracting her, or, on the contrary, was it putting her on track?
"My bag has a combination lock so it will be safe there, your purse now, anybody could grab it, you know how people are."
"Okay, fine, but don't you want to freshen up while I do it?""Yes, good idea, I'll just use the washroom before we leave.""Saw that?" she heard the whisper. "Okay, listen now, just call your husband quickly and ask him to meet you at Paritosh's."
"Are you crazy?"
"Do it, listen to me!"
She picked up the phone and dialed his office.
"Hello, this a recording, I am not in just now…" she heard the out-going message and quickly said,
"Uday, this is me, can you meet me at Paritosh Jewelers at Zaveri Bazaar, urgently? This is really urgent."
"Good girl, now wait for him at the door, keep the jewelry with you."
"And you, will you be there too?" she felt so scared now, but with the wall there was a new sense of security.
"I'm right with you wherever you go today, don't worry."
Vineet tried hard to get her to put the jewels in his bag but she resisted with charm. They left the hotel and the cab wound its way through the busy traffic effortlessly. Neither of them spoke. He kept staring ahead, his lips in a thin, tight line. She noticed his large ears, how strange, she thought, I’ve never noticed them before today. She saw that his trousers were styled in the latest fashion. He must spend a lot on clothes, she thought.
As they entered Paritosh's she saw Uday alighting from a taxi behind them. There seemed to be another person in the cab or had he come in a share-a-cab? He looked at her with annoyance, but she warned him by putting her finger to her lips and gesturing for him to follow them. Uday nodded, his irritation giving way to anxious concern. For once she was grateful for his sharp intellect. He had sensed trouble and he was ready. Discretely he followed them into the shop,

Vineet noticed nothing. He was focused on smiling at Mr Zaveri, the owner of the shop. She saw him switch on the charm. It was easy for him, she had always admired that about him. Not like poor Uday who was all rough edges and sharp retorts. Vineet was a man of the world, never abrasive, never offensive. Very suave.
"How are you? Haven’t seen you for quite a while!" the owner exclaimed grabbing Vineet’s arm and shaking it vigorously.
"Oh fine, fine, and you?" Vineet asked him slapping him on the back.
"Good, but could be better, but don’t get me started. What brings you here today?"
Vineet gestured to her to open her bag.
"Some jewelry, can you evaluate it?" Vineet yawned.
"Of course, of course, show me, is it yours or does it belong to -?"He looked at her then.
She studied her shoes.
Uday watched the proceedings from behind as the bag opened and he saw his wife's diamond set on the table. His eyes bulged from their sockets. Had she been kidnapped?
"Akanksha! What are you doing here?" She turned. An old school-friend slapped her on the back. Oh no!
"Hi, Devika! I didn't see you coming in!"
"Feeling rich these days, buying some jewelry, are you?""No, just looking, " she mumbled.
"Are you buying this set? It seems quite old, doesn't it?" she persisted.Vineet piped in, "I like old things actually."
"Devika, meet Vineet," she stammered. Thank God Devika hadn't attended her marriage or she would have recognized Uday and wondered what was going on. Now he was only another unknown shopper in the store for her.
"Let me see it!" Devika reached out for the necklace. Akanksha handed it to her.
"Exquisite, isn't it? Quite intricate. Charming, it has a certain grace, definitely. "How much are they asking for it?"
Akanksha was nonplussed, "We don't know yet, we've only just looked at it, would you also be interested in purchasing it?"
"Hmmm…let me see, why it would do very well for my daughter's marriage, it's coming up, you know, next month in fact. I was looking for something lovely for her."
"Well, he hinted that is was around 3.5 lakhs." Vineet smiled and said warmly.
Devika looked surprised, "That's all? That's really a good price, are you sure that’s all he is asking?"
"I guess you can have it then, we are still in two minds about it. Let me go and ask him if he will negotiate with us for it so I can get a good price for you. You wait with Akanksha, I'll have a word with him and be back."
She knew he would work out a deal with the jeweler so that he would sell it to Devika as if it was his jewelry and he would get a cut for it. Everybody would be happy! Devika, Vineet and Paritosh. Almost everybody.
As soon as he left, Devika quickly looked at Uday, handed the jewels to him and left as speedily as she had entered. Uday said,
"Hurry, let's leave, fast!"
Akanksha couldn't understand what was going on but there was no time to lose. They ran out of the shop and entered the first taxi that stood outside the shop. Uday gave the address to the driver and just as their cab pulled out she saw Vineet come out of the cabin and look around the shop in confusion.
Saved!
But now what would she say to Uday by way of explanation?
He turned to look at her in shock, "How did this happen?""He said that he had spoken to you on the phone this morning….""What? That’s nonsense! Why would I say anything to him and ask you to give him the jewelery?"
"He said, he said, I don't remember exactly but her said that he had called you today?""Are you crazy, what's got into you? Has he mesmerized you or something? Tell me what happened, we have to go to the police with the full story.""No, he won't bother us, he came to the house, I don't know what he did, he probably hypnotized me I think, I don't know how I got the jewelry out, but I felt I needed to call you…I don't understand…" she closed her eyes pretending to faint. She was in trouble, big trouble.
"Okay, okay, let's go home, then you get some rest, then we'll talk about it."
They reached home and as soon as she entered the bathroom the wall whispered,
"Was I right? Now just pretend that Vineet rang the bell and after that you don't know what happened. Trust me that's your only way out of this situation."
"But you don't know Uday, he won't be happy with that explanation."
"Believe me, he will. There are ever so many housewives in Mumbai who go around saying their chain was snatched in the train; do you think that's what really happens? Their chains are not snatched, good God no, they willingly give their chains away with the hope that they will be released from their marital chains, but then they discover too late that they have been duped. There are many housewives who say they opened the door to a salesman and then they don't know what happened and that something valuable has disappeared. Haven’t you heard of such cases? And do the husbands disbelieve them? They just accept that women are dumb and that they are easily duped, this only helps reinforce their belief in male superiority. And so they suspend their disbelief and after sternly chastising their wives they go back to a happy married life. Which is what you should do. Forget Vineet."
She nodded her head; yes, she would have to feign illness for a couple of days and then Uday would forget all about it. R.I.P.
"But, tell me, how did Devika get there? Why did she help me?"
"Ah Devika, now that's where you have to understand life. For some time now she has been your husband's friend. You know, he too, is human."