The Corporate Monster ✅

B E L O V E D

Aniket wanted to scream.

Then moment he exited his house, he started his motorcycle with the key he left behind in the ignition and raced out of the compound. He speeded through three streets before he finally calmed himself and his raging anger, and had enough sense to slow down.

He saw a bar open, and his beating heart told him that he should go drink his weight in liquor and forget about his troubles.

I have three little angels, his sensible half reminded him. Krithi's glowing face came up in his head, and he immediately regretted his thoughts. He sighed, and ruffled his raven black hair with frustration drowning him, and raced past the bar without another rebuttal.

He drove through the streets without thinking about his destination, but somehow, he ended up near St.Anne's hospital. The exterior was simple; it was made out of white concrete; three floors that covered about the whole street. A very old man had passed it down to Krithi without her knowledge while he was in his death bed and his Krithi had taken care of him, whereas his own children had chosen to abandon their elderly father.

"Sai?" The watchman asked, sitting on the chair allotted for him.

It was near dark, and Aniket wondered if the man ever went home. He had noticed the watchman guarding the hospital all day and now, he was still seated at his post.

Aniket wanted to ask how the man came to know him, but decided against it, since the whole hospital had known the face he wore.

"How are you? It's been a long time!" The cheerful old man greeted, unaware of Aniket's conflicting emotions.

"I'm good, sir." Aniket lied, producing a small
smile. "How are you?"

The security sighed. "Oh, you know, same old, same old." The man's smile returned. "Hey, did I invite you to my daughter's wedding?"

At the mention of 'wedding', Aniket clenched his hands until they cramped. "No, sir." He had his wife's wedding to worry about, and the thought of such a joyous occasion didn't seem so happy anymore. "But I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to make it."

"Oh, no." The man said, hanging his head in sadness. "But I haven't even told you the date."

"I-I don't attend weddings, sir." Aniket refused the invitation calmly.

"Oh, alright then. Are you here to volunteer?"

Aniket was unsure. Didn't he sign himself up for it tomorrow? "Yeah." Aniket lied and bounded up the steps, not bothering with a goodbye.

He pounded through the halls, finding his wife's office. He had lost his mother, and his family, but he wasn't going to lose Krithi. He had to confess tonight before something of consequence happened, and he could not see what was rightfully his claimed by another man.

He knocked on slightly open door, expecting a response. When he didn't receive one, he creaked the door open to find Krithi slumped over her desk, snoring lightly with the twins clutched in her hands. The two brothers were awake, babbling over their mother's head jovially, and trying to awaken their sleeping mother. Aniket creeped into the office like a burglar in a mission, tiptoeing through the room with difficulty. Even though he's lost a few pounds in the two month of depression, he was still too heavy to be quiet.

He still didn't how his wife managed to carry him without a sweat. She must hide her strength in her bones, he thought.

Aniket didn't know whether he should wake the woman up or wait until she wakes up. But, knowing Krithi, he knew his wife to be dead-weight sleeper.
Aniket shook his head, remembering how they had met twenty-five years after her birth: her mother had one hell of a time waking her in order to see him.