There was no one who gave a good setdown like Sakshi. Sakshi had been a mean girl all through her school. She knew girls like Myra too well. The girls who wanted something or someone who belonged to others too bad. It was like a conquest to them.
And Sakshi was going to turn the tables on her. She had dressed in the simplest saree she could find. She didn't want to dress up because that would give Myra the satisfaction that she was trying to one up her.
Sakshi smiled into her water. Sakshi couldn't one up Myra because Myra wasn't on her level at all much less over her.
She felt the flare of jealousy that passed through Myra when she entered the room hand in hand with her husband. And also when she let him sit down beside her.
Poor Myra had worked so hard to sit beside Siddharth and Sakshi obviously wasn't going to let her efforts go down in the drain. By the end of the dinner, she was going to make Myra regret ever sitting there.
Once the plates had been served. Myra had picked up a dish and piled the vegetables mix on Siddharth's plate. Myra stood up and walked around serving everyone. "I helped aunty in making it. I know it's your favourite. Taste and tell me how it is, Sid please?"
Sakshi gripprd the glass harder. Oh it was on. "I will. Later." Her husband said.
Myra sat down and pouted like a child. What was she? 15? Sakshi fought hard to not roll her eyes. "Pleasee sid. Do it now for me?" She grabbed his arm and tugged him.
"Fine. Fine." He said exasperated. He raise the spoon to his mouth and Sakshi leaned over and whispered in his ear, she made sure her lips brushed the ridges of his ear, "Did you see my note?"
A loud clang rang through the room as her husband had dropped the spoon. "Sorry." He muttered embarrassed.
"Siddharth. I'm sorry. Here let me clean it up for you." Myra said.
Sakshi was going to drag her out of the house by her hair but Siddharth had caught Myra's wrist before she could touch his thigh. "No. That's fine." He dropped her wrist as if it had burned him.
He turned to her and said, "Yes. I got it. So, did you?"
"Did I what?"
He leaned over and whispered, "Did you miss me darling?"
She choked on the morsel of food and gulped down water. Her cheeks heated.
"Sakshi, I think it's so admirable what you do." Myra butted in.
"Well you can join me tomorrow if you want."
"But my leg.." Sakshi knew what that conniving bitch was doing. She wanted to stay in the house for as long as she wanted and the excuse was her leg.
"Oh I forgot about it since you weren't limping anymore." Sakshi grinned.
Her husband snorted beside her. She turned yo see his lips were curved. He was trying not to laugh she realised.
"What about you? Will you come with me tomorrow?"
She prayed that he said yes just to save face.
"Sure." He shrugged.
"I will too babhi. I am bored at hime anyway."
"Sure priya. The more the merrier."
Oh she just wanted to kiss him. She felt the glare that Myra gave Priya.
"Well, If my legs gets better I might join you guys too." Myra said a bit too enthusiastically.
"No Myra beta you shoukd rest. If you keep walking on it you'll injure it further."
Myra looked like she was going to burst and Sakshi laughed quietly. She only stopped when she felt a feather touch on the inside of her wrist. Her mouth dried. She looked at him , he wasn't looking at her.
"Aunt is right. You should stay and rest." He was talking to Myra.
"You won't get bored don't worry. We can play cards and I'll teach you some recipes." Usha Sandhini tittered.
She had to move away from his touch to eat her rice . How she missed it already.
"I like that you're a modern girl. Nit ine if thise feminist types. They are ready to divorce their husbands over a single slap." Usha Sandhini said and Sakshi looked at her sharply.
"That is enough mummy." Priya was the one who lost her cool. For a moment, Sakshi admired her for that. She left the room after muttering an excuse me.
"Priya....excuse me." Her husband said.
***
Siddharth followed Priya as she rushed out. "Priya!" He called after her as she slammed the door of her room shut. He opened the lock and went in. "Priya..." He found her crying with her face buried in her palms. His heart tugged.
"I shouldn't have left him then?" She asked as he sat on the bed. He sat beside her, he put an arm around her shoulder rubbing it.
"They don't know..."He defended his uncle and aunt. But he knew even if they did, they would have still blamed her rather than Alec.
"That's the thing bhai. Even if they did they would still scorn me."
"You did the right thing. That bastard deserved to rot in jail." He felt heat rise in him. God! If only he got the oppurtunity to plant a fist in his face he would.
****
Sakshi watched Priya leave the room in tears and then her husband had left too. Now there were only four of them.
Sakshi poured herself some wine and sipped it.
"She's growing more and more insolent day by day, is this how you're raising her?" Sanjay Sandhini growled and she saw Usha Sandhini shrink in her chair. Sakshi hated him with so much passion. She wished she could throw the wine with the glass at his head.
"She just must've been overwhelmed. Poor her. Uncle, please don't stress, you already have high BP." Myra said in her saccharine voice.
Sakshi choked on her wine. God she was so fake. Sakshi knew it was so exhausting to act a part. But she had to applaud Myra for doing it flawlessly and tirelessly.
"Thank you beta." Sanjay Sandhini told her in the softest voice possible. One that Sakshi had never heard in the six years that she was married to Siddharth.
She snorted and gulped her wine in one go. He just glared at her, "I wish Priya had the brains to marry Veer like I had planned for her. Then you would've been married to Siddarth by now. You both were almost engaged anyway. " Sanjay Sandhini said.
"Maybe you would've even had kids by now." Usha Sandhini said.
Sakshi couldn't believe that she had felt sorry for that woman a minute ago. She was as much as a bully as her husband. Her cheeks flamed at the implications. That she wasn't a good wife or a good daughter-in-law. She filled her glass and again emptied it.
Where was he anyway? Her husband? Her husband who was almost engaged to another woman. She thought bitterly. She stood up trying to leave the room. Her head was dizzy so she closed her eyes.
"Sakshi? Come on. Let's go." She felt his hand at her arms. Finally! He was here. She heavily leaned herself on him as his strong arm came around her shoulder holding her upright. "Good night."
"Good night everyone." She said but her tongue felt so slippery. She was drunk but not drunk enough to catch the glare that Myra was sending her way. Even though her in laws had insulted her gravely. It didn't matter. She held the price in her hand rather he was holding her. He nudged them out of the room.
"My head is so dizzy." She said swaying. She leaned on him and she realised how divine he smelled.
"How did you manage to get drunk in the short while I was gone?"
"Your family made me." She hiccuped. As they reached their stairs Sakshi looked at the stairs which seemed to move. "Oh God...the stairs are melting. They're liquid..."
"Really? Here, let me." She heard him say.
She whooped as she felt herself floating. Was he carrying her? She didn't care. She dug her nose in his chest and sighed. "You smell sooooooo good...it's annoying."
"Is it now?" His voice seemed amused.
She just nodded her head heavy. She felt herself shuffle and she found her bottom hit the mattress. She leaned on the headboard closing her eyes.
"Sakshi...come on. Have a sip." She felt something cold pressed to her lips and she gulped. It was so cool and refreshing.
"I have to do that...that..." She struggled and made actions. "I have to....I have...press....my face..."
Her eyelids were so heavy. She could barely keep them open.
"Is it that elaborate night skin care thing you do?"
She couldn't even nod. Her head was so heavy. She just grunted. She felt herself something cold on her face and she swatted it away.
***
Siddharth tried to wipe her face with the make up remover and she swatted his hand away. "Sakshi...." He laughed. "Come on now. You said you had a press meet tomorrow." He tried wiping her face and she swatted him again. He laughed. "Sakshi...darling. It's just make up wipes." She was looking at him under her hooded eyes. Her cheeks were tinted pink due to her inebriated state.
He rubbed a thumb over her cheek. "What made you drink? What did they say?" He knew his uncle and aunt and Myra were the reason for this.
"We should make baby...." She whispered. He froze. She didn't say that. "Why?" He asked.
"You want a...a...baby."
He looked at the containers in from of him. They were numbered. He just decided to skip the cleanser. He couldn't drag her to the bathroom right now. He put some mostruriser on his fingers.
"I don't want a baby." He massage it on her face. "Whatever made you think so?"
"Sanjay....that bat face...He wants...he's so bad.....he hates me." She whimpered.
"He hates everyone." He poured two drops on her face as she leaned her chin on his chest. Well that just made it harder to rub the stuff on her face but he did it.
She looked at him with twinkling eyes. "You don't want baby with me?" She yawned after that.
"No." He said in all honesty. He didn't want children. Ever. Previously it wasn't a problem since he was in a marriage with Sakshi. But he frowned. What if Sakshi did want children? He could never give her that. Anything except that.
He felt Sakshi nodding off and wrapped his arms around her and laid her on the bed.
***
When Sakshi woke up, her head along with her saree was a mess. But she was reminded of this one particular moment, when her husband told her he didn't want to have kids with her. She looked at the time. God! She was late. She grabbed her head and groaned.
"Good you're awake. Have this." Siddharth said shoving a bowl of ginger carrot soup to her face. How did he know? She frowned.
"Thank you." Her voice came out as a croak.
She took a sip and she frowned deeper. It tasted the same. Whenever she had a hangover, somehow miraculously a bowl of ginger carrot soup was for breakfast. She just thought she had really good servants.
"Thanks to whoever made this."
"Hmm..." A non-answer. Sakshi saw him righting the bed but she didn't miss the blush on his ears. She smiled. He had. She knew. Not only this time but also all the other times.
***
As they drove to the distribution spot, Sakshi stayed quiet. She still felt nauseous and a bit tired after last night. He was wearing a green button down with jeans. He looked good.
"What happened after I left?"
"Huh?" She said absent-mindedly.
He repeated as he changed the gears. "What happened yesterday after I left to console Priya? When I came back, you were drunk."
"Nothing." She said. She remembered the talks. He was almost engaged to Myra and would've married her and had children with her if she wasn't in his life. She didn't know why it grated her that he didn't want children with her. But it did. Was that why he was reluctant to touch her? She wondered. She was the one who initiated intimacy always, he rarely did. She wondered if he even wanted her.
Her breaths quickened and she felt a heavy weight on her chest. "Stop the car." She said. "What's wrong?" He asked. She was already wheezing for breaths. She closed her eyes and tried to regulate her breaths. Her chest clamped.
The car stopped. She felt him lean across and open the window. She felt the cool outside air wash over her neck and face where she had sweated.
"It's okay...." He unlocked her seat beat and held her hand. She opened her eyes and nodded. "Do you want some water?" She nodded again.
He cupped the back of her head and pressed the bottle to her lips. She took slow sips. After that, she slumped back. It was gone and she felt exhaustion wash over her.
"Do you want to go home?" He asked. She had no strength for words so she just nodded. She closed her eyes and let sleep take over. She felt him lean over and clasp the seat belt. When the car started, she felt the seat reclining and then darkness took over her.
***
When she woke up, she knew it was somewhat late in the evening. Her eyelids felt heavy but she could hear things.
"You should leave." That was her husband. She could identify that icy tone anywhere.
"I'm literally here for work. We are not having an affair that you are so guilty." There was a sigh. "What even happened to you? You have changed. You used to hate her and now you care about her? Have you forgotten all about what she has done? Have you forgiven?"
She heard a brief pause. "That's none of your business what I think about my wife. Get out, Myra. And for God's sake go back to your house."
"Fine. All I wanted to say was that you're honestly acting so weird right now."
She heard clicks on heels and the door shut. Sakshi groaned. What was that? What was that night all about? She tried opening her eyes and sat up. Something cold was pressed to her lips and she greedily sipped.
When she finally opened her eyes and registered her surroundings, she saw that it was already late evening.
"Are you alright?" He asked her settling the glass on their bedside table.
"Yes." She said looking at him. He had a towel around her neck and she could smell his cool mint body wash. His hair was curled at the tips.
"Thanks for taking care of me." She said. He just smiled and rubbed the towel around his head.
She threw off the covers and tried to stand up but almost lost her balance.
"I got you." His arm was around her waist and their chests were pressed together. "Are you okay?" His eyebrows were frowned.
"I am just dizzy and hungry."
Immediately he left her and threw the towel on the drying rack. "Figures. I'll get you something to eat."
"That's fine. I'll get it myself. Stay." She said and left the room. She didn't know why she was irritated. Was it the fact that Myra had been in their room, their space? Or was it because he wouldn't initiate intimacy? Or was it because everyone hid the fact that he and Myra were supposed to get married?
She walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out, it was Veer.
"Hey."
"Hello. How are you?" She heard scores of background noises of children giggling and a overly loud TV.
"I am fine? Why did you call?" She rummaged through the fridge to find something which she could not cook but just heat up and eat.
"Weren't you unwell? Your husband, he called Kushi about you and then Kushi told Janvi and Janvi told me."
"I am fine now. I was just tired I guess..." She grabbed some bread and a vessel of milk and bumped the fridge shut with her hip.
"I knew something was wrong...it was like a twin thing...I could feel it..."
Sakshi rolled her eyes, "Shup up."
"What? It's true! We have the twin sense thing." He joked.
"We don't. How are you anyway? How are Janvi and the twins?"
"They're fine. Janvi is busy, the girls are watching TV, they're enjoying the lock a bit too much. I am too. Once this is over they go to school and I miss them sorely.....What is it, baby? You wanna talk? Sakshi, Asha wants to talk to you."
"Hello!" Sakshi said.
"Hello! How are you?" Sakshi's heart warmed at her soft voice.
"I am fine! Thanks for asking. How are you?"
"I am fine too.... Usha and I are watching TV."
She put the milk on the stove. "Really? What are you watching?"
"Paw patrol. Do you watch Paw patrol?"
"Sometimes." She lied.
She put two slices in the toaster. That was when he entered the kitchen.
"Papa Papa...Sakshi auntie watches Paw patrol...." She laughed. She saw Siddharth raise an eyebrow at her.
"Okay she's off to tell Usha...I'll hang up now, Sakshi. Take care of yourself. And if that husband of yours is troubling you, let me know."
"I will...he's not actually." She said leaning on the counter and watched him pull out a plate and glass. "I'll talk to you later. Tell Janvi I asked about her. Bye."
"That was Veer." She said.
"Oh." He said. "Is this all you want?"
"No." She plopped on the counter and behind him. He switched off the stove. "What else do you want?" He turned around leaned on the counter folding his arms.
That was when she saw Myra entering the kitchen and backing off hiding behind the wall. Sakshi felt a surge of anger or something else. Myra who would've married him. Her anger flared and she looked at Siddarth. She gestured him to come closer an when he did she wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer.
"Stop treating me like I'm fragile. I'm fine." She whispered loud enough for him to hear but not to Myra who was eavesdropping. Irritation licked at Sakshi and she wanted to teach Myra a lesson.
She traced her fingers at the nape of his neck. His eyes shuttered closed and his lips parted. "You're not well." He sighed.
"I'm perfectly fine. I have missed you. Kiss me..." The words slipped out of her mouth unaware. And he heeded her. His arms cupped her waist and he tilted his head pressing his lips to her in soft quick kisses.
Her whole being ached. And it ached to be burned. She pulled him closer and deepened their kiss. His lips tasted of warmth and goodness. And she thirsted for it. His fingers moved to the underside of her breasts, a row of shivers passed through her as she sighed. She tugged his lower lip with her teeth.
That was when the toaster beeped and they pulled away at the sound instinctively. His breaths came out harshly and so did hers. Before he could kiss her again, a throat cleared behind them.
He moved away from her and turned back and she got down from the counter. God damn it. She had forgotten that snake was still there.
"Don't mind me. I just came to grab a drink of water. But then...I was meant to see that." She shrugged and smiled at Sakshi.
The air grew thick with tension. Siddharth looked back at her and at Myra and she didn't know how he knew but he knew. His face collapsed into anger and disgust. At her. And he stormed out of kitchen.
***
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