Inconvenient Relations (31 page)

Shiv Ahuja concurred not wasting time with pleasantries; as a businessman, he considered every moment precious.

Waving Shaan to a high-backed Victorian chair in his luxuriously-appointed home office, he got straight to the point, “Why are you so upset when I’m stating the simple fact, son? I didn’t reveal the sordid details, or is
bahu
so modern she doesn’t mind you carrying on with this
mem?”

Shaan didn’t bother to sit; rather, he wished to be anywhere but here. “Don’t insult me by calling me your son. I did not aim to ever carry on with two different women openly, or otherwise, like you!”

Shiv, who had so far believed he’d kept his affairs well isolated, was taken aback. “What are you implying? I never…is that senseless mother of yours telling you tales behind my back? If so, I’ll teach her a lesson…that sick—”

“Don’t you dare call my mother names, Mr. Ahuja! She would take your dirty secrets to the grave if it was up to her. The only way she copes is by locking herself up in a dreary room month after month where she cries unseen when all you do is rain ridicule on her,” Shaan retorted with poorly suppressed disdain. “Every soul in this house is well aware of your extracurricular activities. It’s just so that no one has mustered enough courage to confront you…until now.”

It didn’t take long for Shaan’s father to regain his composure; he being not unlike a seasoned politician. “So what. You are just like me, a regular chip off the old block.”

Shaan’s mouth twisted into a derisive smile. “That’s where you are horribly mistaken. Yes at one time I was fool enough to follow along your misguided path and exploit an innocent life as you so brazenly counseled me to, but fortunately for me and thanks to you, I was saved from committing an unforgiveable crime.”

“Thanks to me?”

“Yes…because it was you who chose Ruhi for my bride. It must have been a lucky stroke of fate she agreed.” Shaan said, smiling to himself, momentarily distracted; their early morning romp still fresh in his mind. He let out an unfulfilled sigh.

“Hmm… It’d appear she has you entangled well and good. I wouldn’t have guessed it by her innocent face.”

“How downright corrupt and disgusting can you get,” Shaan blurted out before it dawned upon him that his father and Des were but two ends of the same spectrum…creatures of habit, irredeemable. Talking to them was like talking to a brick wall. “Corrupt you’ll stand and corrupt will you fall,” he mumbled.

“You’re speaking about me?” Shiv could sense his son slipping farther away.

Shaan strode briskly toward the French doors where he paused for a brief moment to deliver his parting shot. “I came here today just to let you know that as of now I end our twenty-seven-year-old relationship. You cease to be my father, and I cease to be your son.”

“What, son, are you—”

Shaan shot him a fiery glance. “I’ll take that as a habitual slip of tongue, and yes, don’t mention me in your will.”

He watched as his father’s countenance turned purple. “I wasn’t going to, and don’t expect any alms when you and your wife end up scraping for pennies on the streets!”

“I won’t. I have enough confidence in myself to never let such a situation arise,” Shaan retorted before walking out and shutting the door quietly behind him.

Shaan didn’t wish to spend another minute in this house but neither did he want to leave without paying his respects to his mother; he felt he owed her that much.

He found Vibhavari Ahuja in her dark gloomy room looking exceedingly frail and vulnerable in her proverbial rocking chair with Ruhi sitting down at her feet. She was fondling her hair and gazing longingly at her daughter-in-law’s vivacious face. “Beautiful, so beautiful…”

“Tum wapis aa gaye beta?”
(You came back, son?)

Feeling an overwhelming sense of remorse sprout through him, he rushed to bury his face in her lap. “I’m so sorry, Ma. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Come now… What happened to you, son?” Vibhavari stuttered, feeling deeply affected herself. “
Dekho
, your wife is laughing at you. Big boys don’t cry.”

Shaan looked up and saw years of pain reflected in her sad eyes. “No, Ma, I’m still your little child, your five-year-old who used to
gambol
for hours in your lap and refuse to sleep until you sang to him the same old lullaby a million times because he was afraid of the dark. I am the same Shaan who abandoned you when you needed him the most. But now I’ve come back to repent. I’m going to take you out of this dreadful place… Come with me.”

Vibhavari stared in wonder at his face and shook her head. “No,
beta
, no matter what, this is the only place where I’ll live and die. Besides, what will I do in a new town except get in your way? You young folks have barely started your lives together.”

“But,
maaji
, please consider Shaan’s suggestion,” Ruhi said, aghast to witness the deterioration in her mother-in-law’s health in such a short time span. “A new place and a new atmosphere can sometimes do wonders.”

“No, my dear child, I can’t move away. This old house has grown so used to me that it’ll perish if I leave. But I’ll be here waiting for you when you come back to visit me, perhaps with my little grandson or daughter who I’m sure will be as beautiful as you two,” she said, lovingly touching their faces. “But don’t make me wait too long, all right?”

Ruhi took a sideways glance at Shaan’s pensive face as they drove back and decided not to probe into what had transpired between him and his father. Still, he appeared more relaxed and at peace with himself, for which she was very thankful.

She twisted the unfamiliar heavy gold bracelet, which her mother-in-law had clasped around her wrist, and prayed fervently she’d be able to see her again.

***

Evening arrived and the scene changed dramatically from one that was somber to the extent of almost being hostile to one which was resplendent with the pomp and show of a gala North Indian wedding—that of Ruhi’s best friend, Radhika with her other best friend, Abhay.

The noise, the teeming life, and the confusion resembled the melee at a fish market. A foreigner would have a tough time finding himself in such a vast crowd, and unless as a child you’ve been forged by repeated exposure, you are bound to run a mile.

But the two guests of honor encountered no such trouble. Ruhi, looking simply gorgeous in her spouse’s favorite silk
sari
of maroon and yellow enhanced with intricate
zari
work all over, and her husband, Shaan, dashing in a mustard and maroon
sherwani—
which he had spent all afternoon shopping for—had eyes only for each other.

“Thank you, Shaan, for making it. Finally Ruhi looks like herself again. You should’ve seen her face yesterday.”

Shaan acknowledged the greeting of Ruhi’s friend and sneaked a glance at his wife who was chatting away animatedly with her friends, her lovely face radiant with unbound happiness.

He took keen interest in the proceedings having been mentally absent at most of his own. And when it was time for the
Saat Pheres
, he grabbed his surprised wife’s hand and forced her to follow suit.

***

“Now why did you do that?”

“Do what?” Shaan asked.

“Make me prance around the fire after you? Haven’t we done that before?” Ruhi queried, glancing at Shaan’s reflection in the dresser mirror.

Her husband looked up from where he had been intently perusing an album containing pictures from Ruhi’s college days; he found it fascinating. “Since I didn’t pay much attention during our own wedding and have no interest in redoing it in it’s entirety, I found this a great opportunity to renew my vows. It feels good now that I have.”

“But what about
my
vows? I didn’t renew them!”

Standing her up by the shoulders, he explained, “You didn’t have to ‘cause you took them with all sincerity the first time. You don’t have to prove anything to me, but I have everything to prove to you.”

“No you don’t,” she said then, after a slight hesitation, asked, “So you forgive me?”

“Forgive you? What for?” Shaan asked.

“For charging all that money to your credit card, $3,500 is no small amount.” She looked anxious.

“Oh!” Turning away to hide his amusement, he said, “But that’s a different matter altogether. Besides, it was $10,000, not $3,500.”

“What? But it’s been hardly four days since I bought the ticket, and even if you add up all the interest, it’d never come to that much,” she declared, coming around to face him.

“Then what of the greenbacks I was forced to splurge on my business class ticket. Who is responsible for that?” he asked, assuming a severe stance.

“Oh no! Foolish, foolish me,” she muttered, her brow knitting together into a worried frown. “It’ll take me a lifetime to pay back such a sum. How am I going to do it?”

“There’s an easier way. You could split it fifty-fifty, half now, half later.”

“Then tell me please, I’m willing to do anything,” she asked, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.

“Anything?” He raised a doubtful eyebrow.

“Well…almost anything.” She colored violently, catching his drift.

“One half gets taken care of if you agree to spend the rest of your life with me.” He extended his hand.
“Kapish?”

She nodded, slipping her hand into his grasp, allowing him to yank her body against his rugged chest. “And the other half?” she asked breathlessly, leaning on him as her knees started to buckle.

“By completing what you left cruelly undone earlier this morning…”

She closed her eyes and let him assault her lips like a starving man attacks his first meal—fierce, all out, holding nothing back.

Confidences

R
uhi felt her mouth being plundered not unlike how an alien soldier ravishes a virgin landscape during wartime. She responded in kind. This new aggression was welcome; her soul rejoiced in it ‘cause it was devoid of any hint of malice, prejudice, or spite. Instead, it was replete with a passionate devotion, a frenzied excitement, a warm compassion, and most of all, an incredible measure of love, which worked like a salve soothing all the wounds she had sustained so far.

She wrapped her arms tenderly around her husband as he nuzzled into her neck; her hands tousled his hair, caressed the muscles of his taut neck and shoulders, wanting to ease all the stresses away.

He had suffered a lot in his life, pretending to be strong while in fact still very much a child ailing from the lack of love and affection. She had witnessed it today by the way he had broken down on his mother’s lap. She had longed to reach out to console him but hadn’t for fear of intruding in the sacred communion between mother and son.

“Ruhi, you are crying?” Shaan asked upon detecting moisture on her cheeks. Then cupping her face in his hands, his voice awash with anxiety, he said, “I’m so sorry. Am I being rough? I… I didn’t mean to, I—”

“No,” she said, rushing to undo his misgivings, “it is not that. I was just thinking what it’d have been like if we had parted ways—you and I—it hurts to even imagine.”

“Oh yes…yes, my darling,” he said, smoothing her cheeks with his fingers, smooching her moist eyelashes with his lips. “I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t used your pretty little head and persuaded this imbecile to give us some time. Albeit just to come up with ways of hating each other.”

He chuckled. “Then I’d have completely missed out on my queen bee’s sting, an experience I wouldn’t trade for all the riches in the world!”

“You,” she exclaimed, flushing with injured pride. “You dare jest with my emotions?” She turned away in a huff.

Shaan forced her back. “C’mon! Wasn’t that what you chose to name yourself? Bee and Grey—friends without benefits? I still remember every single poisonous barb that you aimed at me, and I plan to extract payment for each and every one,” he exclaimed, firmly pinning her shoulders down, his expression grim with resolve.

“You will do what?” Alarm supplanted anger.

He smiled, softening his stance in an instant while adopting a teasing tone. “Are you nervous, afraid of intimacy, the most natural and beautiful thing between man and wife?”

Her eyes concurred.

“Hmm…then how were you willing to give it all up on our wedding night?” He propped her chin on his forefinger.

“You were a stranger then.”

He was intrigued. “So is it easier to be chummy with one?”

“I guess, since there are no expectations,” she replied with a casual shrug.

“Gosh, had I known!” He shook his head, astounded. “The weird workings of my lady’s mind.” Then with his mouth twisting into a mischievous grin, he murmured in her ear, “Don’t you worry, I’ll make sure this experience is as enjoyable for you as it’s going to be for me.”

She gazed at his noble features, hypnotized, as he lowered himself upon her, thwarting all routes of evasion. His fingertips kindled the delicate skin of her stomach, traced the edges of her rib cage, then with deliberate purpose advanced upwards, seeking the soft swell of her bosom, drifting in slow meditated circles.

Her mouth parted just as her breaths became uneven. He observed her eyes glaze over before she drew them close in a feeble attempt to distract herself.

“Your limbs are turning to water, your nerves are all in a chaos as your mind goes numb with ecstasy losing control, wanting to submit to its most primitive instincts.”

“I can’t breathe!”

“You’d be able to if you just shut up and stop fighting me!” Sensuous lips pursued her mouth again.

“You are crushing me with your weight.” She knew she was blabbering aimlessly.

“Then perhaps you’d like to be on top, a position of power. I don’t mind!” He swung her over like a rag doll.

“But this is so odd.”

He roared with glee at her appalled expression. “My god! You are so damn adorable, no wonder I love you so much.” Then abruptly realizing the import of the words that had just escaped his mouth, he reiterated, “I mean it, Ruhi. I’m truly in love with you.”

In reply, she wrapped her arms tightly around him and planted a shy kiss on his mouth, her eyes shining with unshed tears of joy.

“So you believe me when I say it’s not all physical anymore?”

She nodded in acquiescence, a lump in her throat.

“Then can I show you just how crazy I am about you?” he asked gruffly, his voice trembling with emotion.

“Yes…please,” she gasped.

No further persuasions were necessary as he laid her back with all tenderness and proceeded to translate his words into action while she willingly prepared to lose herself in the realm of sensual pleasure.

“Shaan?”

“Quiet…no talking.”

“But the phone is ringing,” she said, reaching for the bedside table.

“Ignore it! You seriously lack in prioritization skills.” A short pause. “Damnit, girl! I’m going to take away your bloody phone!” he hollered in vexation as she tried to dodge his mouth.

“But it’s your phone that’s ringing, not mine!” she said.

“I don’t care, throw it away, too! People are so rude nowadays.”

“But it’s somebody very insistent! Perhaps your other Venus is missing you?” She needled.

He stiffened. “You are the only Venus I care about. Everything else is secondary.”

The explanation sounded misplaced; this wasn’t like the man she knew and loved.
I can’t accept that!
She lifted the instrument. “It’s
dadamoni
. What—”

He snatched it from her. “Go to hell, Sooj! Are you bent on ruining my married life?”

She wrestled it back. “Sorry,
dadamoni
, he didn’t mean it. I hope you understand.”

“Of course I mean it!” Shaan said. “Don’t defend me, Ruhi. That man needs to know when he’s not welcome.”

“Gosh, will you shut up! Oh no, not you,
dadamoni
. Shaan is not acting himself today,” she said, winking at her spouse who was growing redder by the second.

She could hear Sujoy laughing on the other end. “Ruhi, I’m so happy to know you both are together, but what I need to tell you can’t wait any longer. It’s been bothering me quite a bit. But please make sure Shaan can’t hear us for he’ll surely kill me if he came to know.”

Her interest now piqued, she managed to escape her husband’s urgent clutches and hurry out of the room, nearly tripping over her disheveled sari in the process.

***

Shaan was mulling on a scheme to will his estate to the Hate Your Adopted Brother-in-Law league if such a thing existed or else he didn’t mind starting one; he was sure there’d be umpteen takers. At the same time he was trying to conjecture subjecting Sujoy to various means of slow torture.
I need to reread
Dante’s Inferno,
never know when such things may come in handy.

Therefore he was quite taken aback when he saw his wife return looking indignant instead of downright contrite and apologetic.

“Are you crazy?” Ruhi asked.

“Yes, about you,” he said, slowly taking in her partially undressed state. “Man, you look hot.”

It didn’t seem to discompose her in the slightest. He felt put out.

“You are so stupid. Shaan, are you becoming like me?”

What is she talking about?

“Well, in a way, yes, and it is exciting. The instability, the thrill of not knowing what’s going to happen next. I like it very much!”

“Hmmph!” She snorted in irritation. “My mother always used to say,
Ruhi, beta tum kab badi hogi?”
(Ruhi, when will you grow up?)

“So? Shall we?” He directed his gaze pointedly toward the bed. Appearing to not recognize his overt suggestion, she paced the room, seeming to grapple with a distinct problem. He watched silently, intrigued.

“Let’s go back to LA.”

“Yes, we will. I’ll book the tickets tomorrow.”

“No, not tomorrow, Shaan! Today…right now!”

“Wha…what? Absolutely not…or did you forget you were supposed to grow up!” he exclaimed, astounded at his wife’s unpredictable behavior. Whatever did she take him for, some blockhead?

She came up to stand in front of him, her expression one of calm determination. “You are seeing the grownup Ruhi, and no, I’m not being irrational. Humor me just this once…please?”

Try as hard as he could, he was not able to desist the beseeching look in her eyes; he was way too much in love.

They were on their way to the airport within the next forty-five minutes. He would never forget the troubled look on his mother-in-law’s face.

***

“Don’t they say luck favors the brave?” Ruhi asked with a bright smile.

Yes, indeed. Some poor wretches held up by a weird twist of fate had forfeited their seats to the couple in question.

“Twenty-two thousand dollars and counting,” Shaan replied laconically.

“What do you mean?”

“Luxury comes at a price, madam,” he retorted, casting a wide glance around their stately first class ambiance. “Wanted to let you know how much you owe me.”

“Ohh…” She dropped her gaze, but not before he spied a coy glint in her eyes.

“Care to shed some light on the goings on, Ms. Mysterious?” he demanded, stymied after venturing to dissect her cerebrum without much success. “Are you planning to run away again ‘cause if you are, you won’t get very far.”

“I’m not, and I never will,” she reassured him, clinging tight to his arm.

Grasping her hand, his fingers laced purposely through hers, he said, “You cannot ever get rid of me, understand?”

“I would never want to.”

Time stood still as she felt his eyes probe hers for several moments.

Then finding nothing else to say on the matter, he dipped into his pocket and extracted an old familiar article—her prayer book. “By the way, here’s the precious keepsake you left behind.”

With an emphatic shake of her head, she replied, her lovely eyes misting over, “I don’t think I need it anymore now that I have you.”

Flying back so soon perhaps wasn’t a bad idea after all
, thought Shaan, feeling upbeat again. Their new life together could afford a kick-start.

The trip went perfectly according to him with Ruhi’s attitude closely resembling that of a sugar cookie, and though it wasn’t anywhere near her norm, he wasn’t alarmed; she was probably trying to make up for all she had put him through.

Therefore when it was time to disembark in LA, he was in pretty high spirits.

Ruhi experienced a strange sense of déjà vu when she saw Sujoy waiting for them at the baggage carousel just like he’d done not so long ago. Yet the circumstances couldn’t have been more different. Those memories were too painful to recall, but she was glad to see him again.

“You look antsy, Shaan,” Sujoy said.

“Shut up and get a move on, Sooj!”

Notwithstanding this unfriendly dialogue, Shaan let his friend hug him briefly before thrusting him away. He was in such a flurry to get home he failed to notice the secret exchange between his wife and his colleague.

***

Ruhi’s palms turned sticky with sweat as their apartment drew closer.

She seemed preoccupied, not meeting Shaan’s eye, instead looking out of the car window and fiddling with her cell phone.

“Welcome to a new life in your old house, Mrs. Shaan Ahuja!”

She gasped in surprise when her husband carried her across the threshold.

“You look more terrified than you did the first time!” he mocked, laughing out loud upon seeing her perturbed face. Then much more softly he said, “Don’t worry, I won’t eat you for dinner though I’d very much like to. Instead, we shall have your favorite pizza delivered from Tony’s, then sleep off our jet lag.” He winked. “Does that sound like a plan?”

She pursed her lips. “Shaan, I… I need to go somewhere.”

“What? Come again?”

“I have to go out for a while.”

He couldn’t believe his ears; it was getting curioser and curioser. “I don’t get why you are saying what you are saying, and even if it’s true, you aren’t going anywhere at this ungodly hour!”

“But it’s only seven,” she said, glancing at the clock.

“Whatever it is, you aren’t stepping out. It can wait till tomorrow.”

“No, it can’t,” Ruhi insisted.

“Why not?”

“Because it is something that needs to be dealt with right away.”

That the matter was urgent was clear. He attempted to reason, “Tell me what the problem is. I’ll take care of it.”

She firmly shook her head. “No, I have to do it on my own.”

Why in hell is she so stubborn?

“Then I’ll come with you. Now that I have you, I can’t let you out of my sight,” he said, gripping her firmly by the shoulders, his manner conveying the intensity of his distress.

She shut her eyes, it was a difficult situation. “I have to accomplish it on my own. Please don’t ask me any more.”

“Why not?” he shouted, shaking her hard. He envisioned his world falling apart again. “Why are you being so secretive? What if you don’t come back?”