*couple of explicit words mentioned in this chapter. Hope I won't offend anybody.
Asthas anger knew no bounds, that Moran, is married with a child and he had the audacity to touch me. She noticed the Mangal Sutra on her neck. He walked upto her with a smile on his face and gave her a side hug and a kiss on her forehead. If only you're wife could've seen your interrogation tactics just awhile back. Pompous ass! I'm sure she too would've given you a few on your pretty face.
Just then she said something to him kissed their daughter and was making her way towards the lift. She stopped staring and turned to face the lift. She stepped inside another was holding the lift for a colleague and as she waited she saw yet another bizarre thing.
Why was she looking at a picture of fallen heroes of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. And touched the face of a handsome young officer with her fingers. Placed a kiss with her right hand. When another officer came and gave her pat on her shoulder.
What's going on in this floor. Maybe he was her brother. But that wasn't brotherly affection. May be she was married to him before and now Det. Moranhotri! Poor girl. She knew better about making compromises than anybody else.
When she came rushing back to his cabin what she saw contradicted her views on him more. Is he for real...
Little girl was sitting on his lap and he was braiding her long hair. He looked so happy, so content and so at ease with the little girl. He didn't look like the self obsessed smug she she thought him to be. Here was a loving doting father sharing a very tender loving moment with his daughter. How is that possible? What a wonderful father is he? How can one person be so different, just awhile back he was manhandling her and now I see this. Is she angry, disappointed, hurt or happy? She didn't know what she was feeling. Should she be feeling anything? Who's he to her? Nobody. Yet another asshole who thinks she married James for his money.
She knocked on the glass door. He looked up, she walked inside... Trying not to look at him or the little girl.
"I've left my handbag" she said. He tried to get up but she didn't want to get off his lap. She stepped closer to where she was seated earlier and looked at his desk. And there were more evidence of his life. Pictures of the little girl when she was born. The proud father carrying his bundle of pink joy. Learning to walk, swim, ride bicycle, making sand castles, first day at nursery, school. She's a flower, a bunny being kissed by her father. Beaming with pride wearing her papas ceremonial cap and the medal. There were birthday, Father's Day and even valentines day cards. Some hand written more like scribbled with doodles. He had kept them all under the glass on his his desk. To see and cherish everyday. She wished she had shared one second of those moments with her own father. She realised how unlucky she'd been as a child. She does not have a single picture of just she and her Father. She was not able to recall a single moment her father showing any kind of affection. At least he's a good father! She thought trying to hide her own pain and crestfallen face.
She found it hidden under a file. She grabbed it and just walked out. He called out to her. But she didn't stop to hear him out. She wasn't interested. She wanted to get away for there as soon as possible, she was feeling suffocated suddenly. She almost ran towards the lift. As she was going to press the button his hand covered the entire panel.
"Mrs. Almeida! I'm sorry! To have upset you! I.." She just put her hand up and cut in..."I don't want to hear any apology from you, I'm not interested. Who are you to upset me. You're nobody to me. If there's anybody you should be apologising then it's your wife" she said fighting to keep her tears from betraying her. And made her way towards the emergency exit. The stairs.
It took him some time to register what exactly she said. Holy cow! I'm married and and nobody bothered to inform me. I hope she's pretty! Nah...not pretty hot and sexy! With all the junk in all the right places, oh! Yeah! Congrats to me!
But the next moment he was lost. His wooden heart was being abraded with her words. He stood rooted. You're nobody to me! He remembered. She's right. I'm nobody to her and she's nobody to me. So what's all the drama Nancy! But he wasn't convinced.
She ran to the car. Samuel was waiting for her. Is everything ok missy? He asked her seeing how disturbed she looked.
"I'm ok. Uncle. Let's go home" she said putting up a brave front.
But she wasn't. Not by a long shot. She was extremely ruffled by the things he said, did and what she saw. Was she lying when she said he's nobody to her? If so why is he affecting her so much. It's not the first time a man has tried to hold her against her will. But very time she had been able to just forget about it owing to their wayward ways. She did tell James and he would make sure that person never comes close go Astha. She s never felt guilty. But today why does she feel guilty. She didn't do anything wrong. It was he who grabbed me. But you let him hold you. You felt safe and relieved in another mans arms. You ought to be ashamed of your self. Your dead husband isn't even buried yet and you're already getting cosy in another's arms.
He was sitting alone at the rooftop Aer bar and lounge at Four Seasons, Sipping his scotch on the rocks. In deep thought looking out at the city below as far as the eye could see. The events that unfolded during the day has left him perturbed to say the least. His wit and sarcasm seemed to have abandoned him today. When he needed them the most. Just like everybody else in his life, he thought.
Just then a beautiful woman came up to him and said "you seemed as if you could use some company! Mind if I join you?"
What's with women and me today? One thinks I'm married and this leach thinks I need her company... Yeah! Right! Have small talk and then what, f*** till you forget your name. No thanks.
"Where does it say I do? I like to be left alone and I'd appreciate it if you'd let me." He said not making an effort to hide his irrigation.
"Excuse me for trying to be civil. I don't need to take this crap, undeserving jerk! You don't know what you're missing you stupid prick" she left cussing.
He's never been this rude to women who makes passes at him. He's very curt and respectful. What had happened to him today! She happened to him! That's what.
He was lost in his thoughts again. It was little past midnight and the bar was almost empty due to Diwali. He could hear fire crackers bursting, sporadic pops of fire works kept going on in the distant. He could see it and hear it as well.
He remembered his childhood. Celebrating Diwali. He was ten. That was the last Diwali he remembered celebrating as a family. With his mom and dad. His dad was a up and coming businessman. He owned a motor bike dealership. His mom very beautiful and into fashion and loved shopping. She would be gone for hours without end out shopping with her girl friends leaving him with the maid. He hardly managed to spend time with either of his parents. One was busy making money other busy spending it. They bought everything he asked for. They didn't even ask why? They just got it for him. His friends envied his life. But he envied theirs. They would always complain how their mothers always fuss and nag to eat, to study not to go out, stay out till late, not to get wet in the rain. He thought he'd give up all his toys and expensive clothes and shoes for that. For their love. They loved him, but to them it was measured and shared in numbers. The expensive the gift the more they loved him.
Even for his birthdays dad never took a day off! Taking the day off meant closing shop. Imagine the loss. Customers would go to his rival, dealership. We can't let that happen now do we. He would say. Tell me son what you want I'll buy it for you. See now much daddy loves you! He remembered his fathers words.
But then everything changed even more for the worst when his father changed his faith just so he could get married to his mistress. Who happened to be a wealthy widower. It was obvious he was getting married for the money. He resented his father. He was ashamed of him.
On top of all this, if things weren't bad enough his mother too one day just out of the blue said she's getting married as well. She got married to a old rich guy. His children came to their home once and created a very ugly scene, called his mother a Gold digger. That she wasn't in love with their father but just getting marred to him for his money. He refused to believe that his mother would stoop so low with such low morals.
But he soon found out from his mother it self that she married him for the money, fearing his father wouldn't take care of her financial needs.
He was 13 at the time. He was sent to boarding school. He remembered every Sunday at sharp seven o'clock in the morning he'd be standing in the line first to call his mother. She never visited him like the other parents, but he made sure he got his 5 minutes with her very week. Every week he'd look forward to that five minutes the only time he felt he was not alone. The matron will be sitting near the telephone booth with a hand held stopwatch. Not a second more was allowed. Of the kids don't listen she'd cancel the next weeks call. She was very strict. Shlok and all the other boys hated her.
Even today his life is lived in segments of five minutes. He would decide on how much time he should spend with a person. Not many friends, hardly any, he's not kept into in touch with any of his boarding school friends. Colleagues 2 to 3 segments. Women he sleeps with 3 to 4. Even when he goes to a crime scene he'd decide the amount of time he'd need to spend there. Time was his currency. He measured the worth of each person in his life with the number of segments he was willing to spend with them.
So how much time would you prefer to give up for your cow girl. All my life! He didn't even realise what he was saying.
Then after high school he was sent to Harvard business school to get his post graduate in Business Managemt. He had wanted to become a Graphic Designer. But his father had already enrolled him saying since it's his money he should do as he says. He was forced to do as he wished. He tried to change the course but they didn't permit it.
It's while there he discovered girls. Having been in an all boys school, and never around girls he was like a kid in a candy store. With endless choices and all available. He always resented them. But they served a purpose for him. They made him feel powerful, needed and Wanted. Made him feel important and special. Even then he was very clear with them what they can expect from him. So he didn't feel any guilt. He never loved nor thought he wanted to fall in love and do the whole going steady thing. He was never a boy friend nor a lover just a sexual partner.
What's gotten into me! She was practically begging to be taken home. And you shunned her. You have lost your marbles for sure my man.
He leaned back on the lounge chair and looked at the nights sky scattered with millions of stars and and he was thinking of her. He tried to remember what she smelled like...and then he could sense it as if she's there standing close to him.
"Mind if I join you?" A familiar voice said. What is she doing here. Of all the places at this hour. What his vision was greeted when he opened his eyes just took his breath away. Cow girl you clean up real well. She was dressed in a maroon colour sleeveless cocktail dress just that was few inches short of her knees. Her curly locks slowly swaying to the midnight breeze smoky eyes and red lips. Black strapped stilettos and a martini glass in hand. She couldn't have been more desirable. "Mrs. Almeida" he stood up. Call me Astha" she cut in.
He stepped closer to her and extended his hand towards her and she towards him. He took her hand in his drew it upto his lips. Keeping eye contact with her placed a open mouthed kiss on the back of her hand. He saw her cheeks turned a deeper pink, her lips parted and her breathing heavy with desire. If there was a way to measure his desires for at that very moment then it would've malfunctioned due to the sheer weight. He couldn't resist any longer. Everything seemed to be urging him to kiss his desires to an oblivion. The cool breeze and soft Clarinet music by Kenny G playing Breathless were like aphrodisiacs. Not that he needed any at that moment. She was breathtakingly alluring without anything else. He stepped closer whilst pulling her towards him, she put her other hand on his chest to stop from crashing on to his hard body. He could feel the warmth of her breaths, just like the fist time she hugged her, he could feel her warm heaving body next to his, her deep black eyes seemed to be talking to him. Urging him to take her in to his sinful Heaven. He was in no position to deny her, he obliged. Midnight sky that seemed to be bored until now lit up with fireworks with thunderous raptors. He wasn't sure if it was fireworks or the his heart. All seemed to be cheering and rejoicing having witnessed their togetherness.
"Sir! Sir... We about to close. Do you want me to call a cab for you?"
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