YOU ARE THE SUN IN MY DARK NIGHT

CHAPTER 22

Next day my cousins came in a big car. We were ready to go and I was planning to sit on the front passenger seat. But Pratyusha prevented me to do so.

"Dada, you sit on the back seat with your friend. Children you sit on middle sit and don't disturb them, they have some important matter to discuss."

"But I want to sit in front."

"I will sit there, you do as I said."

As a grown up man, I can't fight over a seat. So I went to the back seat unwillingly. After the car started running, he gently held my hand with both of his hands. Pratyusha played some Bollywood songs and the children talked themselves and with her. No one looked at us. We talked about some random things but Nabarun never left my hand, not for a moment. After some time Pratyusha asked if we need some snacks. Nabarun wanted some so I took a packet of some cookies from her.

He said in a low voice, "you have to feed me, my hands are busy."

I feed him reluctantly. After eating he kept his head on my lap and slept but never left my hand.

Their flat had two bedrooms, Pratyusha said that the girls would use one and the boys would use the other. The 'boys' room had a big bed, one almirah, one bookshelf and a study table. It was simple and clean but I felt uncomfortable as I thought that it must be 'their' bedroom. In the afternoon we went for shopping, those three children were choosing dresses for themselves but Pratyusha and Nabarun were only choosing dresses for me. I tried to object but Pratyusha said, "let him buy these dada, it will make him happy." I also bought dresses for everyone and after eating at a restaurant we went home.

I said, "I can't sleep between two people, I will sleep on the side."

Nabarun replied, "no problem, I will sleep in between."

Tuhin was tired, so he fell asleep after playing game on his mobile for some time. I was worried about Nabarun's actions, but to my surprise he only put his hand on my waist and slept immediately. Initially I was facing my back towards him, but as I realized that he was in deep sleep I slowly turned towards him. After he got married I never dared to look at him for more than few seconds. But it was an unexpected opportunity for me to look at his handsome face. Still today I wonder how can someone be so breathtakingly beautiful. I remembered the third stanza of the song Nabarun sang the previous day. It was 'sunflowers know that they could never get the sun but they are happy to look at their beloved sun.' I was the sunflower there, looking at my beloved sun (Arun), whom I could never get.

I was still sleeping when I felt something on my forehead. As I opened my eyes I saw his beautiful smiling face. I looked at the other side of the bed, Tuhin was not there.

"No one is home, they went to the wet market and will not come for at least two hours. We are alone home," he said as his fingers slid through my face.

"Why did you not wake me up before, I should have go with them."

"There is no need to go with them, they are not going far. Baby, we will not get alone time again. I'm impatient, let me love you."

He kissed my lips but I forcefully pushed him. He surprisedly asked, "what happened baby? Don't you want me?"

"Don't call me baby, I am your brother-in-law."

"Baby, I can't call you that during love making." He pouted and said, "I don't like this kind of role play. We are lovers." Then he smiled and touched my face.

"What role play and what love making? I am not your lover anymore," I said angrily and pushed his hand. I was talking to him politely for so many days because he was married to my sister. I did not want to disclose anything about our past relationship to anyone, specially to Pratyusha. But he was flirting with me endlessly and that time crossed all limits. I should have ended this immediately.

"What do you mean by not my lover anymore? Don't you love me anymore?"

"No, I don't love you anymore."

"Why?"

"Because you are not good in bed," I greeted my teeth and lied.

"Huh! Why didn't you tell me this before? I can improve myself, if you guide me."

"It is not needed anymore, I have someone better now. That girl will go with me to Dubai," I made up those on the spot.

"You got a girl. How long have you been dating her?"

"It's already been six months."

"So you are sleeping with her for the whole time."

"Why not? You are also sleeping with your wife."

"Nishith!!!" he shouted angrily, "mind your language, she is your sister!!!"

"Now you remembered that you are married to my sister."

"I don't want to argue with you about this. If you don't love me then I will not bother you again. You are free to do whatever you want. You don't need to throw dirt on my relationship with Pratyusha for that."

He got up from the bed and left the bedroom. He was angry, I had never seen him get angry before. After few minutes I got up and went to the washroom. I have done a right thing although my heart broke into pieces to do that. But I can't let him play with my as well as Pratyusha's feelings. I cried in the washroom for a long time, I cried under the shower. I really loved him and wanted to make him mine. But he was just interested in my body. I knew from the day one that our relationship could never be real. Maybe he understood that I was deeply in love with him, so he took the opportunity to fulfil his desire. And he wanted to continue this even after his marriage.

I came out of the washroom after almost one hour. He was sitting on a chair and his head was placed on the table. As he realized my presence, he straightened his body. He silently gave me breakfast. It was my favorite potato stuffed parathas and it tasted just like my mother's parathas. Pratyusha knew my favorite and learned to cook well. I noticed that there was another plate on the table, so I asked him, "did you have your breakfast?"

"No."

I placed that plate in front of him and said, "then have it. These are getting cold."

He ate silently and then made tea for both of us. I concentrated on my mobile and ignored him. He went to the kitchen for I did not know what. The doorbell rang and I opened the door. Pratyusha and others came in and she observed me for some time and went to the kitchen. I heard her giggles and his laughs and sighed internally. I did not know what to do, so after Tuhin, Soumi and Radhika took bath I went to the 'girls' room and we four started playing ludo on Soumi's mobile. The husband and wife pair cooked together happily, I did not disturb them. All my favorites were on lunch and they tasted good, just like the food cooked by my mother.

Radhika suddenly said, "didi, I noticed that there were not a single male thing in your room."

Soumi asked, "don't you both stay in the same room? My parents sleep in the same room."

Pratyusha explained, "it's not like that. We both have different study time and different sleeping time. So we arranged our things in different rooms to not disturb each other's sleep."

"Oh! Brother-in-law is a late riser, that's why that room has thick curtains, not to disturb his morning sleep." Tuhin looked like he solved a puzzle.

"Yes. But as I like to wake up early, I sleep in this room. You should not discuss these things to your parents."

They said together, "we will not."

FROM WHEN HE BECAME LATE RISER? HE ALWAYS WAKE UP BEFORE SUNRISE. WHY IS PRATYUSHA LYING? MAYBE THEY ARE STILL NOT CLOSE ENOUGH. IS HE TREATING HER WELL? MAYBE AFTER TODAY'S INCIDENT THEY WILL COME CLOSER.

"Are you happy in your life? If your husband does not treat you well just tell me," I said.

"I am more happy than I expected and all credits go to him. He is the best man I ever saw in my life. Thank you dada for your trust."

"If you are happy then I am happy too."

We went back to our home after lunch, Nabarun did not go with us as he had work to do. Nabarun did not send me a single message after that, he even did not come to meet me before my departure. My feelings were a mixture of grief and relief.