The Dead Husband

1

Muskaan was smiling as she was deep in her dreams when she felt a moist sensation on her forehead.

"Not again," she muttered only to find her husband Aditya bending over her.

"Wake up, Muski," Aditya's deep voice was melting like warm chocolate in Muskaan's ears, "I've made a cup of coffee for you."

"At least, now please stop calling me Muski," Muskaan opened her one eye, hiding her another eye beneath her arm–a mischievous smile dancing on her lips, "Who would listen to a Team Leader in the top MNC with a name Muski?"

"But my childhood bestfriend's name was Muski only," Aditya said, burying his face in Muskaan's neck. Muskan's betelnut shaped face glowed like a rosebud made of stars. Her doe-like eyes closed in joy.

"And now your childhood best friend is the mother of your five year old kid," Muskaan said, slowly getting up, "Let me go. I've to wake up Arjun."

"Mummy, I'm already awake," A cute five year old kid wearing an Ironman T-shirt came running towards Muskaan and Aditya and Aditya lifted him up in his arms.

"Uth Gaya Mera baccha?" He asked Arjun and kissed his hair.

"Yes, Papa," Arjun said, "These days I'm waking up early." Meanwhile, Muskaan was drinking the coffee Aditya prepared for her while checking her smartphone.

"Why so?" Aditya asked, sliding Arjun's hair back so that they do not fall over his eyes.

"Because I want to top the class in these half yearly exams," Arjun replied in a matter-of-fact manner.

"Remember Arjun, what I told you," Aditya said in a solemn voice, gazing out of the window, with Arjun still in his arms, "Being a good person is more important than being successful."

"No, Papa," Arjun pouted, "I want to become like Mamma. I don't want to end up like you."

Aditya's Adam apple moved but he put up on a happy face and said, "But you can become like Mamma without getting those dark circles under your eyes. Come, I've prepared breakfast for you and your Mamma. I'll buy some carrots for you in the evening returning from office. Your eyes are getting weaker day by day."

Arjun scoffed, "Papa, it's not an office. It's just a computer centre limited to one room with a batch of five students."

"But it's the only reason I could afford to pay for your Mamma's MBA college," Aditya muttered to himself, "It may seem like insignificant but I'll be forever indebted to that computer centre."

After laying the table for breakfast for Muskaan and Arjun, Aditya started getting ready for work. He looked at himself in the mirror. At 5'11", he looked too lanky in his faded blue-checked formal shirt and trousers. His eyes under his speactacles were tired yet warm. His beard was uneven and he kind of understood the reason why Muskan's colleagues were staring at him as if he was an alien when he went to her Hinjewadi office to drop her at work. He told himself to at least shave so that he looked a bit more presentable and his wife wouldn't be a laughing stock for having him as husband.

Aditya was lost in thoughts when he went to drop Arjun at the bus stop and didn't actually pay attention to Arjun going on and on about how Muskan's boss Vikram gifted him imported chocolate.

His reverie broke when he heard the bus horn honking.

"Take care, beta," he helped Arjun climb up on the bus steps and handed over Arjun's bag and water bottle to the bus conductor.

Arjun got into the bus without even looking at Aditya.

"I love you beta," Aditya muttered but couldn't say it aloud as he turned back.

"I love you Papa," he heard Arjun screaming from the bus windows, giving Aditya a flying kiss as he turned back.

Aditya was glad that he was correct. Being a good father and husband was more important than being a successful man.

Muskaan was busy in her office work when he cellphone started ringing. She was looking resplendent in her pink Salwar Kurti. On seeing Aditya's name, she smiled to herself when she saw her boss Vikram's secretary calling her, "Muskan! Vikram Sir is calling you." She adjusted her dupatta and knocked at Vikram's cabin. Vikram was reading a file. He was wearing a grey suit and had a French-cut beard. His hairstyle was sophisticated and he was wearing a Swiss diamond studded watch.

"May I come in Sir?" Muskan asked.

"Yeah, Muskan," Vikram said, looking at Muskan from her head to toe, "I must say your husband has a very good taste."

"Sir?" Muskan clutched the end of her dupatta.

"I mean, your salwar kurti. It's looking beautiful on you," Vikram said.

"But Sir I bought it not my husband," Muskan said, "So it's my taste that's good."

"Oh! I forgot," Vikram tapped his forehead with his knuckles, "Your husband's salary is so meagre that he can't even afford basic necessities, let alone gifting you a dress."

"I think Sir," Muskan said, gnashing her teeth, "You haven't called me into your cabin to discuss about my husband. And I believe you are a busy man so maybe I should just leave."

As Muskan started walking away, Vikram spooned her from back.

Humiliated, Muskan slapped Vikram, fire dancing in her eyes.

"What the hell, Muskan?" Vikram was agitated, "How dare you?"

"If you dare touch me again," Muskan said, her voice threatening, "You must ask me nicely." And saying this, Muskan pulled Vikram by his tie and kissed him passionately, whispering into Vikram's ears, "Let's go to your friend's flat after work."

Aditya was taking class in the computer coaching where only three students were present when he heard the sound of a camera shutter but he kept on teaching. When the class was over, he called a girl, "Kashish! Please stay for some minutes. Rest students can leave."

Kashish was a tall twenty-year old girl with a fierce-looking face. She stood carelessly facing Aditya and said, "What happened?"

"Give me your cellphone," Aditya said.

Kashish kept standing as before without moving to give her phone to Aditya. Aditya held Kashish's wrist and took the phone from her. Opening her photo gallery, he opened a photo in which another girl was looking at the whiteboard oblivious to the fact that she was being photographed by her classmate.

"What's this?" Aditya demanded, "Why were you taking Samiksha's photo?"

When Kashish gave no answer, Aditya opened a WhatsApp group named "🔥 girls" where Kashish had posted Samiksha's photo.

"I'm calling your parents," Aditya said.

"No Sir," Kashish started pleading, "My parents wouldn't let me out of the house then."

"And what about Samiksha?" Aditya said, "Will she be able to walk freely out of her house after her photos posted in such...such a vulgar group? I'm sorry for what'll happen to you afterwards but that will be the consequences of your own actions and I won't let an innocent girl suffer because of them."

And Aditya dialled the number on Kashish's phone.

Muskaan was lying with her head on Vikram's bare chest, with both of them covered with only a bedsheet.

"This is heaven," Vikram sighed, "This would be heaven only if your husband wasn't there."

"What about my husband?" Muskaan asked, tilting her head towards Vikram's face.

Vikram got up, cupping Muskaan's face in her hands, "I want you only for myself. I can't bear the existence of that bastard. Muskaan, what about if I get him run over by a truck or if I have him poisoned? Then you'd be able to escape that impoverished hellhole."

"I too want to escape from that prison," Muskaan said wistfully, slowly a smile forming on her lips with wiped up lipstick, "But we don't need to kill Aditya for that."

"What do you mean?" Vikram's eyes betrayed his curiosity.

"You just arrange for my promotion," Muskaan said, "I've thought a worst fate for my dumbwitted husband."