Insatiable Desires

Chapter 19

Nandini was busy peeling the potatoes, sitting on a charpai with her mother in law when one the men came inside with a woman. Nandini looked at the woman, who had her head draped and face covered with the dupatta, wearing a beautiful blue lehenga choli. Her wrists were covered with fingerprints.

"Maaji, ye sarkar se milne ki zid laga rahi hai. Chaar din ho gaye, lekin jaane ka naam hi nahi leti. Kehti unhe milkar hi jaungi," the men complained and Manik's mother nodded, dismissing the man and staring at the woman.

"Kaun ho tum?" the old woman enquired, impressed as the woman didn't even flinch under her scrutiny and replied, "Rumanika."

Nandini looked at her, wondering where she had heard the name. She continued cutting the vegetables, lost in her thoughts while her mother called out her husband, who just came back from work. Nandini kept her head down, focusing on her task as Manik came out a few minutes later. "Sarkar!"

Nandini didn't know what it was, but the way she called him, with affection in her voice maybe, that made her look up. As she looked between them while silence surrounded around. She looked down, feeling something that felt indescribable. She felt something brewing between them, but how could it be? She was still peeling the vegetables, the woman's name ringing in her head until she remembered, 'Rumanika–Rumi.'
She yelped in pain as the knife sliced through her finger.

"Nandini!" Manik said, walking over to where she was sitting and kept the plate aside as he scolded, "Tera dhyan kaha tha?"

He walked her towards the basin, away from the eyes and opened the tap, rinsing it with cold water gently. As her eyes watered, he looked at her in concern while asking, "Zyada dard ho raha hai?" Nandini shook her head, sniffing innocently, wiping away the tears as she pulled her hand away. He gently held her wrist, stopping her and asked, "Kya hua?"

"Woh yaha kya kar ri hai?" Nandini asked, her voice cracking by the end of her sentence. It had been four months since everything and they had been back to normal. Manik had started being his usual self although he didn't raise his hand at her again, despite how  angry he got. And her presence made Nandini feel as if she would snatch away everything from her.

"Usko maine kaha tha ki agar usse ye dhandha chodna hai toh mujh se aake mile. Piche Raman ka ek khet hai, woh usme kaam karegi aur badle mai Raman usse ek jhopdi aur mahine ki tankha dega. Aaj ke baad voh kabhi humare saamne ni aayegi. Samjhi?" Manik said, however Nandini didn't respond. As he walked out to inform Rumi the same, Nandini walked to the kitchen to complete rest of the tasks, not having the heart to even look at that woman and feeling bitter towards her husband.

~~~~

Nandini was pressing her mother in law's legs, massaging with oil when her mother in law informed, "Saath vali Sunita nahi hai. Uske abhi ladka hua hai." Nandini stayed mum, knowing what was coming up next. "Ab cheh mahine ho gaye hai tujhe bhi. Jo hua acha nahi hua. Lekin usse bhul jaa aur mujhe jaldi se pota ya poti dede ab. Rumanika jesi bohot aaye jayengi. Lekin tu in sab ke baare mai mat soch, samjhi. Acha tayaar ho ke raha kar." When Nandini didn't speak up, the old woman asked in frustration, "Sunai de raha hai? Jawab de."

"Jee," Nandini replied, her eyes filling up as she silently continued her work, no words exchanged between them. Finishing the work, Nandini got up, ready to leave for the kitchen as the older woman laid on the charpai and ordered, "Mahir ko aaj se mere paas suladena."

Nodding, Nandini walked to the kitchen to finish the remaining work of the day. Some time later, after making sure Mahir was asleep, Nandini retired to their room. While Manik was busy working on some village reports, she grabbed a plain saree to change into for the night. Going to the bathroom, she took a bath before wearing the saree and coming out.

Moving out of the room, she heated milk for everyone for the night and handed it in their respective rooms before carrying one glass for Manik in their room.

"Suniye. Ye pee lijiyega. Thanda ho jayega varna," Nandini requested softly, keeping it beside him on the stool, as he looked at her. Her hair was left open, wet due to the bath, making her shiver slightly as the cold wind swept by. Nodding, he focused back on work while she laid on her side.

A few minutes later, he kept the papers aside and picked up the glass, looking at Nandini, who was busy blinking her eyes in sleep and asked, "Mahir kaha hai?"

"Woh Maa paas so raha hai aaj," Nandini replied tiredly and he hummed. Moving his hand over her face, he swept the hair from her forehead before his hand froze and he kept his palm on her forehead, checking her temperature.

"Tujhe bukhar ho rakha hai," Manik said, feeling her warm. She simply hummed, her eyes closing, not paying heed to his words. Shaking his head, Manik got up from bed, bringing some of the ayurvedic medicines from the almirah. Sitting beside her on bed, he shook her gently while calling out her name. She snapped her eyes open, her gaze meeting his.

"Uth kar ye dawai le. Tujhe bukhar hai," Manik said, taking her off guard since she thought he wanted to be physical and that's why he woke her up. Slowly sitting with her back against the wall, she face paled and shook her head as he held out the green paste for her. The last time she took it, she felt her condition worsening than improving because of its bitter taste.

"Nahi. Main subah tak theek ho jaungi," Nandini said, pushing back his hand. When Manik glared at her in warning, she cried out, "Ye bohot kadwi hai. Mujhe ulti aajayegi ye kha ke."

"Kuch nahi hoga. Dawai toh leni padegi. Jaldi muh khol. Aur raat ko nahane ko kisne kaha tha itni thand mai?" Manik scolded her, holding the medicine in front of his wife who was acting like a baby as she shook her head. Sighing, he looked around and got up, picking the glass of milk. Sitting back, he said, "Ye iske saath lele."

When he held out the glass in front of her and she didn't take it, he raised his eyebrows in question, making her mumble, "Ye aapka jutha hai."

Manik looked at her in amusement, shaking his head and a minute later, she took the glass, realizing it was stupid of her to say that. The things in bed between them surpassed the used glass. She twitched the nose, trying to avoid the smell of medicine as she gulped it down with now lukewarm milk.

Keeping the empty glass aside, Manik helped her lay back down and she stared at him, her eyes half closed as he pulled the blanket over her. As he was arranging it around, covering her properly, her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

~~~~~

In the darkness of the night, Manik felt Nandini sifting beside her. Waking up, he looked beside him, only to find her shivering. Sitting up, he felt her forehead, finding her burning. Getting up, he filled a bowl with cold water and grabbed a cloth, sitting beside her. Dripping it in water, he squeezed the liquid out before he placed it on her forehead and continued to do so, trying to bring her temperature down.

Nearly half an hour later, she was sleeping peacefully, her temperature coming down a bit, he stopped. Keeping the almost empty bowl and cloth aside, he laid beside her, observing her closely for around ten minutes. As soon as his eyes were closing in sleep, he snapped them open as she again shivered beside him. Sighing, he moved closer, gently pulling her closer and wrapping his arm around her waist, making her wrap her arm around him as she cuddled closer in his warmth. Pressing a kiss on top of her head, he sifted his fingers through her long hair, lulling her to peaceful sleep in his embrace for the first time since their marriage.