Love, par sex ke baad (Love, but after sex)

Chapter 17

"Hello Mom, please come in," I said, smiling. At least I hoped I was smiling. I hated Salil for being late. She didn't step inside immediately. She took a full moment to survey me from top to bottom as if she was examining me for injuries. Hah! The injuries were well hidden in my clothes. I smiled wider. She finally smiled back and hugged me. "It's lovely to see you, Avantika."

Aaliya pushed past her mother into the house and called for Salil. "He isn't home yet," I told the young girl. She pouted but hugged me all the same. "It's nice to see you, Avantika."

Her mother smacked her head. "Manners," she reminded Aaliya.

"Sorry, bhabhi," Aaliya said to me. I really didn't mind her calling me Avantika, but clearly, my mother-in-law disapproved. I smiled at her and winked, making her giggle. I could see us being friends. Salil's brother Sahil and his dad were just as warm as Aaliya. They were all settling down as I served water when Salil walked in.

He greeted everyone and apologized for his lateness, his gaze lingering a second longer at me. I nodded at him, telling him I was okay. He freshened up quickly and joined us for appetizers. "You made mushrooms," he gleamed, looking at the appetizers. I smiled at him.

"Looks like she is trying hard to please you," said Salil's mother. I reddened in anger and embarrassment. Salil visibly stiffened. She was smiling, but there was something sinister in her eyes. It seemed like she was implying that I was Salil's slave; I hated it. Salil's siblings hooted in the background.

I got up and said, "I'll get more drinks." I walked quickly to the kitchen. Arti handed me a tray full of orange sherbet and held my hand over the tray "don't let her get to you." I stared at her questioningly; I wanted to know what she knew, how she knew, but her gaze was stern. I knew she wanted to protect Salil and me, but her knowledge about Salil's mother made me jealous.

I walked back to the living room with the sherbet. Salil was sitting with Aaliya. She was telling him something very enthusiastically, and he was giving her a hundred percent of his attention. I could tell that he wasn't interested in the topic, but his attention did not seem to waver from his sister. He adored the little girl.

"Salil, get something strong to add to this sherbet," Salil's dad said. He clearly did not like the sweetness of it. Salil grinned and brought some rum back. He added to it to his dad's, his brothers, his, and my glass. His sister stared at him. "What about me?" she asked, pouting.

"You are too young," he said.

"Twenty one! I turned twenty-one last month. Thanks for not sending me a gift, by the way," she said, rolling her eyes. I laughed and poured some into her glass. Salil glared at me, and I shrugged. "What? She said she is twenty-one."

"She is a kid," he said through gritted teeth. I grinned at him. A sudden thought struck me – he would be an obsessive father. If he loved Aaliya so much, he would die for his own daughter or kill more like. The thought of our daughter warmed me. He noticed the shift in my expression and raised his eyebrow at me. I shook my head imperceptibly, but by then, Aaliya had anyway pulled his attention back at her. The girl could not bear to have Salil's attention waver from her.

"Avantika, get the dinner ready; I think we are all ready to eat," dad said. I nodded and got up to go to the kitchen. Arti was already heating the food. Salil's mother joined us in the kitchen. She stilled near the kitchen door. "YOU," she roared. I stared at her, but I realized she was talking to Arti "you are still here? Do you have no decency?" I hoped no one would hear his mother's voice. "Mom, please relax," I said, but Arti cut across. "Yes, I am still here; where else would I go?" The coldness in Arti's voice shocked me. The way she talked made it seem like she had more rights than Salil's mother to be here.

"You filthy, disgusting" mom tried to find more words to insult Arti when Salil entered the kitchen. His eyes were held pure rage, and even though I was standing away from him, I took a step back instinctively. "She is here because I want her here" his voice was soft and extremely dangerous.

If she wasn't his mother, she would have run away in fear; I know I would have. "Then you are even far gone than I thought you were," Niana Khanna breathed venom. "Does this poor girl know the vile things you have done?" she asked, pointing at me. No one said anything. "Have you no shame that you keep this one around even though you are married?" she hissed at him.

I glared at Salil in horror. Does that mean that Arti is more than our maid, that she is in the real sense his slave, his sex partner? I looked at her, and she squeezed her eyes shut; silent tears were pouring from her face. Salil's lips were pursed, but his eyes held hatred. I had no idea what he would say or do, but I took a step towards him and mumbled: "don't." I don't think he heard me because his next words cut through me "my marriage has got nothing to do with Arti's work."

Before Niana could respond, Aaliya bounced into the kitchen. "What is taking so long?" she stared at the horror on all of our faces, the anger in her brother's face, the tears in Arti's face, "what's wrong?" she asked in a small voice.

"Nothing," I said quickly, "Arti messed up the curry a little bit." She turned to her brother "then why are you so angry?" she asked him. "Oh, you know your brother," I said, trying to sound casual as I walked up to Aaliya and pulled her to the dining room "he wants everything his way. But don't worry, just sit and relax. The dinner will be out in two minutes." She looked consoled. I walked back to the kitchen, not meeting Salil's eyes, and continued to heat the dinner. Arti followed suit, and we served dinner.

Dinner was loud. Salil's dad and brother did not seem to notice any tension in the room. However, I could sense the change in Salil. He was staring at me, hoping I would meet his eyes. I resolved not to because I did not want to create another scene. Why was Arti still working for us? What exactly had their relationship been like? If he liked her, why was he married to me? Arti had never shown any jealously towards me. How is that possible if they were in a relationship? Were slaves not allowed to feel jealous? I doubt BDSM could forbid feelings. My thoughts kept me very distracted, but thankfully no one seemed to care.

His family, tired from traveling, retired to their bedrooms soon after dessert. Salil went to his room as well. I took my time clearing up all the rooms. I knew I could leave it all to Arti, but I didn't think I was ready to be alone with Salil yet. Arti tried to talk to me a couple of times, but I glared at her, and she stopped. She worked alongside me, glancing at me every few minutes.

When we were almost done cleaning the kitchen, she finally spoke again, "please, please listen to me." I stopped working and turned to look at her. Her eyes were moist, and she continued speaking now that she saw I wasn't staring daggers at her. "I got married two years ago; I am very happy with my husband. Salil sir is a great man. Please don't let anything change your opinion of him. We were nothing; it was nothing." Her words were imploring me to understand, "He loves you," she added in a small voice. My gaze hardened at her last words, I knew he loves me, but that doesn't mean he didn't love her before me. Did he stop loving her because she got married? She seemed to see the question in my eyes and answered it before I could voice it "we never loved each other at all." That last sentence relaxed me. I knew Salil had partners before me, but I never thought I would meet one of them every single day. I wondered why he hadn't told me. "Please don't ask him anything until they leave. Don't break him before they leave, please," she begged me with her hands folded. "If you don't love him, then why do you care?" I asked her coldly.

She seemed shocked by my question. She wiped her tears and straightened up, "not all love is romantic, madam." With those final words, she left the kitchen.