Next day Randhir was all set to leave for work. He came down the hall to see Kaira busy with her daily yoga. He mouthed a bye in a whisper and she too replied the same way. He came out of the house and he was going to close the main door when he heard the sound of running water. He turned to his left to see his neighbour's wife busy with plants.
He took two steps ahead and stopped. He said a loud “Bye Kaira". By his voice Sanyukta looked up to see her neighbour's husband. They exchanged smiles.
“Good morning, Mrs Singh”.
“Good morning, Mr Shekawat”.
He got into the driver’s seat and held the steering wheel. The smile from his encounter still lingered on his lips and he shook his head and left.
Sanyukta was back to her plants in the garden.
“Bye, Sanyukta, I'm leaving for work”, Aarav said and placed a quick peck on her head and started to leave.
Sanyukta called out to him. He halted and turned around to see her coming towards him.
“Aarav, can you come home early today?” Sanyukta asked.
“Why dear?”
“For some grocery shopping and to buy few items to decorate the house,” Sanyukta replied earnestly.
“Oh, I'm really sorry I can't make it up for today. Can we plan it for another day? Foreign delegates are supposed to be at the company”, Aarav apologised.
“Is it so? You carry on. I'll manage”. Sanyukta was clearly disappointed but did not want to show it.
He went to his car and held the handle of the door and mumbled a sorry which was inaudible to her.
Sanyukta was at home doing few chores. Then she dressed up in a red salwar suit, took her handbag keys and went out and closed the door.
“Tring Tring”, Shekawat house-bell rang and it was opened by the maid there.
“Good evening, Madam”, she said politely.
Sanyukta smiled at the maid and asked for Kaira.
The maid made way for Sanyukta to enter and went to call Kaira. Kaira came to the hall to see Sanyukta there admiring the photograph in the hall.
“Hello, Sanyukta”.
“Hey. I..I...was just...” Sanyukta stuttered.
“It's ok dear”, Kaira dismissed it.
“You both look so good together”, Sanyukta said admiringly.
“Thank you. It's our first anniversary picture”, beamed Kaira.
“Love is in the air”, said Sanyukta and smiled.
“Sure and now it's doubled by the entry of our baby”.
Sanyukta got a little disturbed and she brushed off her thoughts.
“How come you are here?” asked Kaira.
“I'm going out for shopping grocery and other items”, Sanyukta replied.
“Alone?”
“Yeah, Aarav has some important meeting and this way I can explore the place on my own’, Sanyukta reasoned.
“That's good”.
“I need a small help from you”.
“Yes?”, Kaira asked.
“Can you ask your maid to clean our place too? I'll pay her. Actually, Aarav is allergic to dust and I don't want him to suffer. Just today then I can manage myself”, Sanyukta requested.
“Hmmm”, replied Kaira with a serious face.
“Sorry, I'm really sorry. I must leave”, Sanyukta was perplexed.
“Hahaha, you got scared,” laughed Kaira, “I was just kidding. I'll send her there surely. You can pay her tomorrow”.
Sanyukta smiled. “Ok then. These are the keys and keep it with you I'll take it when I'm back”.
Sanyukta stepped out but turns back. “Do you need anything from the market?”
“Er.... Can you get me some hot jalebi? I love them”, and let out a moan and rubbed her bump.
Sanyukta chuckled. “I'll bring that on my way back. Do you want anything else?”
“No. Just the jalebi and it will be a secret between us. Randhir should not know”, Kaira pleaded.
“Why?”
“He will start off with his what to do and not to do in pregnancy. He thinks one jalebi, that small round juicy jalebi, can affect our baby” Kaira replied making a face.
“He says all this because he cares for you”, Sanyukta explained.
“I know but still”.
Sanyukta left the place after talking some more.
At office Randhir was happy but the reason was unknown to him. A guy of his age came to his cabin.
“Hey buddy”, the guy said as he entered.
“Hi”, Randhir looked up from his work.
“So what's special today, Randhir?”
“Nothing”, replied Randhir, “Why?”
“After a long time you look like the happy go lucky guy I knew before. Kaira’s effect, I guess”, Randhir’s colleague teased him.
“What?” Randhir couldn’t understand.
“We all noticed that you are usually either in a serious mode or tensed. But it's different today”.
Hearing that Randhir made a serious face and his friend laughed and left the cabin.
Randhir thought to himself, “In just one day she has changed me a lot”, and he sighed.
YOU ARE READING
An Unwanted Relationship #The Sunset Awards #flowers2018#PenToPaperAwards17
Cerita PendekRandhir is expecting his first child and an unexpected guest enters his life, Sanyukta , his neighbour. They both experience a sudden attraction and are drawn close to each other and attempt to break the barriers of their life. This is a story of an...
