THE APPARITION

Rupa nervously lit a cigarette and settled her lissom body on the couch. She looked at Prem through the rising curl of smoke, and said agitatedly, “Look Prem.. this has gone too far. Even you must admit that it’s getting to be quite frustrating. Ha.. you a senior executive of a well-known multinational company, with two grown-up children and a wife who does nothing but shop all day… you should realize that this whole cloak and dagger arrangement between you and me, is becoming a shrieking crisis”.

Her voice was controlled enough when it began, became a shrill cry towards the end. The cry of a beautiful unattached woman appealing for security in a world that forced her to use her beauty to ensnare gullible men, so that she had to live a life that she hated but had no option — ­ the life of a high class prostitute. At least that was what she believed would be her profession, till she was no longer desirable.

She said as much to Prem, after the sixth time of meeting him, “I did not think this would happen. For the first time in my life I have fallen in love.. all other others were people I sold my body for a time, but you Prem.. you have captured my soul,” said Rupa as she turned a despairing glance at him. “I am so hopelessly in love with you,” she murmured as she threw her lovely arms around his neck and looked at him beseechingly.

Prem sat on the edge of the bed, a very worried expression on his face. What had started as a lark when noticed this new beautiful secretary in the outer office, had become a situation which was getting more and more difficult to handle as the days wore on.  Sometimes he felt the foolishness of it all. He a greying swarthy handsome executive, always well-dressed, well-respected for his admirable managerial qualities, his charming manners, who was a man of the world, whose offices spread far and wide, and who could handle every situation with aplomb, felt as putty in the hands, nay the body of this woman who obsessed his every waking hour.

For, Prem found the slightest excuse to make an appointment with her. It grew such that he had to meet her every Tuesday and Thursday when he was in town, in a sleazy downtown hotel, where he snatched an hour or two from work at the lunch break. The times they spent were the most glorious he experienced in his life, satiating his appetite. But now, his middle-aged face with puffy eyes, under which dark circles had grown darker in the past few months, were clouded with anxiety.

Prem rumpled his hair, a habit he had when he was deep in thought, and turned to her, “Rupa.. my darling.. what do you want me to do? After all, we had no commitment to each other.. that was understood from the day…,” his voice trailed off.

Rupa picked it up and said sadly, “Oh, yes… from the day you first hired me as your whore… but that was ten months ago… Prem, now I am tied to you. You made me swear that I would give up my profession and that I should only belong to you.  This apartment, the car, the money, the clothes… yes they are all mine. But now I am getting tired of this routine. I want to be something more to you… something more permanent.”

Before she could finish Prem quickly moved to her, gathered her in his arms and said, “But my Rupa dearest, you are more, much more to me than every anyone else has been or will be.. I am all yours… is that not enough?” He kissed her passionately, long and hard, unshouldering her flimsy negligee straps and drawing her hands lingering across her taut breasts. Rupa responded with equal fervour.

Prem was a man known as an upright senior executive in a multinational organization, who lived another life of which she knew nothing, and of which she was not a part. Recently, she had forcefully complained that she did not want to live her secluded life.. she wanted to be a part of his. This complaint was happening too often for Prem’s comfort.

**

The long and arduous meeting was over in the executive conference room. Mahish stretched out his arms above his head, and said to Prem who said staring at his pad, “What’s wrong with you? You seem so distant and so far away. When you were reporting on the cost estimates, you were faltering, and I had to pitch in and help you. It was good thing that I had a copy to cover up for you. Yet, there were puzzled glances from the Chairman. Are you feeling well? May be you ought to take a few days off. You look like hell. Come let’s get a cigarette going. I was dying for once especially when you made me so nervous.”

Mahish pushed back his chair, but his colleague and friend for the past two years, was still staring morosely at his pad and doodling quick jerky scratches.

“What?” Prem woke up from his reverie, “Oh, yes..  feeling a little queasy.. I guess you are right.. but, .. but,” he turned and looked helplessly at Mahish. Mahish’s eyes glinted shrewdly behind their glasses.  Something was definitely on Prem’s mind… he was never like this, he was always suave, always with the right words at the right time, speaking in his polished commanding manner. But, now he faltered! Prem was thinking “I…er…  er…” and stopped with a helpless look at Mahish, “I” Prem faltered.

Mahish got up quickly and said decisively, “That does it… come out with it….  let’s go to the club and have a drink over at the bar… may be your mind will be clearer.. and you tell me what’s going on…. I cannot have my partner… partner in crime in this poor shape.”

Mahish dragged the unwilling Prem, and as they sat in a quiet corner of the bar, Prem with a sense of relief poured out his story. Mahish let out a low whistle… so that was what Prem was up to.

“I say”, he said in astonishment, “if you do have this little mistress on the side, you do hide her quite effectively, with your usual ease and diplomacy. No one… no one, not even I, your close colleague and friend would have dreamed of such a thing… and good ten months did you say?” He looked with a genuine sense of pity and concern, as Prem lifted his drink with a trembling hand and swallowed the neat whisky in one gulp.

“Heh.. heh.. steady on, we have many hours of the night left, Prem”, Mahish said lightly, and put his hand on Prem’s glass. “You cannot continue unless you are sober… so let me ask you the questions, you know I am going  to ask.. and let’s see what can come out with to sort out this mess.”

Prem winced…  this was no mess, this was much too realistic to treat as an affair. For the past two hours this afternoon, before he came to the meeting he was with Rupa, when after they made love, unstoppered tears rolled down her cheeks, as she told him her story, and a sudden fear clutched his heart.

Rupa was an epileptic, and was under medication. She had hidden it successfully from others except, of course, her old mother with whom she lived in the suburbs. But that was not all.. she said between sobs, “I come from a family of old zamindars.. my great grandfather… He lost everything in gambling… and was shot by one of his creditors when he had gone bankrupt. My father was the only son and the creditors began hounding him.  We sold everything, the land, the jewellery, the furniture, and yet it was not enough. We lived on the estate’s outhouse meant for the supervisor.. and yet we were hounded, asked to leave.

I will never forget the night when my father shot himself. It was a rainy night, had been raining for hours. Mother had just finished cleaning the vessels, father had gone to the veranda to smoke a cigarette; he was so distressed. I was his only child and often he would say when we were made paupers that he wished he had a son to help him with the burden. I felt so inadequate.

In resentment, I stopped talking to him. I felt I should have been that son. I was close to him before, but after that I avoided him…  poor father… he needed me.. I was his child… I should have borne it all bravely and helped him…  but I guess I was so spoil all my life I did not realise till I ran out that night, when I heard the shot, and found his brains spattered in blood and slime over the floor. I shall never forget that sight of him lying there.. till my dying day.”

She shuddered violently as he held her close and soothed her.

“I do not know how my mother and I went through those horrible days…but then we found ourselves in the city with an elderly distant uncle, who took pity on us and kept us in his house. It was then, when we were slowly coming back to normal, that those nightmares started. I would wake up in the night screaming… and there, before me was an ethereal image of my father, as if he were slowly emerging towards me in a cloud of mist..  vaguely etched but definitely him, even to the jacket he wore on the day he shot himself..  the same eyes but so sad… as if I had betrayed him.. And then my mother would shake me awake and the apparition would disappear.

I was so terrified..  I could not tell my mother… it would have frightened her and make feel more miserable than we already were. The nightmares and the apparition would appear on full moon nights, at least once in three months. My uncle took me to see a doctor when he found out about the seizures..  yes.. my seizures developed during those times. I could not tell him about the apparition of my father, he is too realistic a man, and would have told me that it was my imagination, an overwrought mind.. For, you see the screaming and the apparition would sometimes turn into a seizure.

My uncle took me to a doctor.  The doctor said there was nothing much to be done, except to be on constant medication…that it was heredity defect, and that most times one could live through life without ever having a fit. He said it appeared mainly due to stress. It was because some cells lying dormant became activated.. She turned to look at him in despair, “That is why I do not go out of town with you on the trips you ask me to. I am so scared that I would have a seizure. I’m ashamed..  you would be disappointed in me..  and I love you so… Prem… I cannot live without you..”, and she clung to him desperately.

Prem looked at Mahish, and said with hopeless despair, “What am I going to do, Mahish?”

Mahish let out his low whistle again, and said, “This is really a goddamn mess..  what paths passion can lead us into.. ?”

Mahish was an average ordinarily looking man, but firmly committed to his family of three sisters, a brother and many uncles and aunts. He was a bachelor, said to be sober and serious about his work and absolutely devoted to his many nieces and nephews. He was a happy go lucky fellow, and was always cheerful and sunny in nature. He had seen such stories on TV serials on the weekends now and again, and thought with amusement, that these were all fictitious make-believe for gullible audiences, but her was one great serial  and happening in reality, and to his best friend.

Mahish asked tentatively, “Do you think Arti knows?”

“Who.. Arti?” asked Prem in astonishment, thinking of his mild bespectacled nondescript wife show life seemed wrapped up in household chores and their two college-going daughters. “No.. no.. she’s one dutiful pati devata person… yes.. you know her dharmpatni ways… you’ve seen them.”

Mahish was a frequent visitor to Prem’s household and he knew only too well what he meant. “So let me ask you one important question..  my man, how much do you really want to go on..  are you honestly in love.. or is this a passing fancy with this Rupa of yours..  remember that’s her profession after all..”

“No.. no..,” Prem protested.  “That’s not the issue, Rupa is really in love with me.. there is no doubt about that.. she is not that at heart.. remember she was forced into it by her cousin.. not that  that was the only way to earn her living… but she abhors it now.. she wants only me..  and the frightening thought is forever”.

Mahish realised that Prem was avoiding the only issue that mattered — his involvement.  Perhaps he did not want to put it into words. Perhaps he saw himself as the knight in armour. Perhaps he had not had this kind of heightened experience with his dowdy wife. Perhaps he saw his youth passing away and was holding on to a sense of virility which he achieved with his Rupa.

“Prem,” he said, “look at me straight in the eye, and tell me, do you really wish that against your marriage.”

Prem began to protest again vehemently, but Mahish waved him aside and continued harshly as he felt he must. “Your girls, your reputation, your job.. is that worth giving up for a new found youthful love in your old age.”

Prem’s snooping shoulders in utter defeat and his silence answered his question.

“So,” Mahish said briskly, “the only thing is to tell your Rupa and get out of it.”

“It is not so easy Mahish.. she says… Oh God why did I start this”, Prem held his head in anguish. “I have not told you the end. Rupa says that if I leave her now, she will tell Arti. She means it. She is very determined and, what is more, she wants me to divorce Arti and marry her.” He gripped Mahish’s shoulders across the table in desperation. “Don’t you see what this is going to do. It is like the sword of doomsday hanging over my head.”

Mahish had taken back a very drunk and a very disconsolate Prem home. As usual Arti did not say anything, she just pursed up her lips, and went into the kitchen to get some black coffee. She seemed to be prepared for all contingencies, though she never passed judgment on anything her husband did. He was her lord and master, and the young girls, docile and self-effacing like their mother, asked no questions, only looked on with tolerance at their mother’s dog-like devotion for their father. He was above reproach, their father.

Now Mahish sat back in his chair with his hands across his chest and thought of what he should do to help them. Prem had promised to stay home for a few days and report sick. That would take him off the hook if Rupa called to find out about his non-appearance on Tuesday, one of their regular days. Prem also promised that he would think of a way while he was “sick” at home.

But all Prem did was to sit in his study and smoke innumerable cigarettes. He explained to Arti that he had a headache and hence was at home. Something so non-plausible that Arti, sitting at her sewing in the large spacious well-appointed family room, thought about deeply, put down her embroidery and with a puzzled frown, went up to their bedroom where their clothes hung in the walk in closet. She began rummaging among his suits. She did not think much of his puzzling reason, but yesterday when she was shaking out the suit to air it, something odd happened.

Deepak, the older daughter had come into ask for some money to buy a book, and stopped to sniff at the suit.” “Mummy,” she said cheerfully, “since when has Papa taken to ladies’ perfumes.  If I am not mistaken that’s Chanelle. May be you rubbed it off him,” she said teasingly.

Arti laughed it off.  What did it matter what perfume he used? To her one was like any other, they all smelled the same. These youngsters were learning too much to distinguish between men and women’s perfumes, she had then thought to herself.  But now bringing the suit close to her nose, … there was a distinctly unique fragrance.  Was this female perfume? She then did something she had not done in the last seventeen years… she thrust her hand into the pockets feeling for objects and extracted a packet of condoms tucked away in his hidden inner coat pocket. Now, why Prem would take condoms to the office?  Yes, he used them with her… but that was because he was firm on her not having any more children, although she often protested in the earlier years that she wanted a son. But these years it did not matter it was so ridiculous at this age.. she could not conceive… so where were these being used?

Arti had the unhappy habit of gnawing on a problem till she found some solution to it. That was the way she dealt with everything except that which concerned her husband. Anything about him was taboo… never to be questioned. But if the servants did anything she did not understand, or if the price of gold was not quite right in one shop… she would pursue the matter till she had got to the bottom of it, like discovering which of the servants were fault… or where the price of gold was just right. Now she broke that taboo and gnawed at this puzzle like a dog on a bone. Where was her husband getting this perfume from, and who was using these condoms?

Arti went about it systematically. Firstly she went through his toiletry, nothing smelt like that. Then it was surely from outside. She went though all his drawers… no condoms like that. She was upset with herself that she could not solve the problem. Her daughter, Simrim came back that evening and found her still sitting over the embroidery, to which, though, she seemed not to pay much attention.

“Mama,” Simrin said playfully”, “if that’s a baby’s dress you are embroidering in a tearing hurry, remember that I have many years to go to get married!”

But Arti did not pay much attention this time to her daughter’s teasing.  She frowned and kept on with the embroidery.

She kept herself on call for her husband who was no feeling well and as now sleeping. “Mummy,..  I am taking part in a drama. It’s a magic show. Something to do with bhoot bungalows. We have a magician to help us with the stage effects, and he’s to teach us about how to make things appear and disappear,” continue Simrin.  Arti half-listened and forgot about it.  Mahish had dropped by to pick up a recipe which his bhabhi had wanted. He was  on very good terms with the family, and with the girls. He teased Simrin about this magic man and her forthcoming drama, and they both went up to see Prem laughing and joking.

The telephone rang. It was Arti’s one and only friend Sushma. “Can you come to us tomorrow Arti, we are having a bhajan get together. I thought you would be interested.”

“Yes, I will,” said Arti eagerly.

More eagerly than usual, thought Sushma as she put the phone down. Usually Arti made some excuse and had to be coaxed. Arti went to the Bhajan session. It was one that Sushma, a very devoutly religious person, held once every month. She said, it sort of cleansed her soul. Arti could hardly wait till it was over. Sushma was distributing Prasad after the puma.  Arti caught her hand and said, “Sushma, I want to talk to you about  something important”.

Sushma was a very obliging person. To help a friend was one of the first mandates of Shri Bhakt Swami Rajeshri of whom she was an ardent devotee.  So it happened that Arti, sitting comfortably with her friend after the rest of the ladies had gone, asked her casually, “Sushma, you told me once that there was a very good detective agency that helped find your lost niece last year, when your family had given up hope on the police investigations.”

“Yes, yes… but has something happened in your family. Oh my Bhagwan…Arti,” she said anxiously.

“No, no, it’s not us. It’s.. oh, nothing so urgent, except that I have a cousin in Bareilly who is trying to trace a niece who eloped with a boy from the neighbourhood. The poor parents are distraught. They do not want to make it a police case… so she called me the other day and asked that if I was living in such a big city, I would surely know of a good detective agency. I want to help them. Could you give me the name?”

“Oh, poor people,… yes, yes…   I have it here in my telephone book.. let’s us see…”,  Sushma flipped the pages. “Yes, here it is, Godkar Detective Agency..  I can recommend them highly. They are the soul of discretion. I am sure they can trace the poor child. What is the word coming to these days…!”

Arti lost no time. Armed with this information she got the address of the agency and went herself to their offices to meet with them.  The transaction was made. After a few days her husband looking none the better for his rest was back in office, saying that he could not let her work pile up, and that there was an urgent problem to attend to. He was in a daily conversation with Mahish, his friend. His wife now listened eagerly to all his conversations, and could make out that there was a problem for which there was no solution. She heard her husband saying in a distraught manner, “Surely, Mahish you must have come up with some solution”. So, when he said he had to get back to work, she thought nothing much of the problem. But still being what she was, a pursuer, her pursuit of the detective agency did not falter.

Every day for a week from then on, a report was faithfully produced for her. She made her weekly visit to the agency, as she did not want the agency people in her home for fear that someone would ask questions.. and she knew she was not a good liar.

“Mahesh, I cannot hold out any longer, I tell you. Rupa is driving me crazy..  I have to visit her and make a show… somehow the idea of making love to her is becoming distasteful, and so I go just so that she does not suspect anything but she is becoming too persistent and I have to make excuses as to why I have not told Arti as yet… Once it was that the girls’ exams were coming on, and I did not want to disturb anything, then, the other one was that Arti had gone to visit her mother’s, and now I am running out of excuses. What shall I say next?  My work is also suffering.  I am so upset…”

Mahish puffed at his cigarette and said quietly, “Get rid of her”.

“What, are you mad?  In this day and age, I am supposed to get rid of her….?”, Prem asked.

Mahish said,  “Yes, precisely… who is she?  Not many people know her …  people who find her will think when they discover her background that one of her thwarted clients had done her in..”

“I tell you I won’t listen to this.  May be a better thing to do is to get a transfer and leave this place..”, Prem averred.

“If she is so determined how can you prevent her from following you?”, Mahish persisted.

“Rubbish”, and in sheer frustration, Prem walked out of Mahish’s office.

At home, Arti was extra-solicitous about her husband. She said, “You are working so hard these days and spending so much of your energy.. may be we should go on a holiday..”

“May be that’s a good idea, I shall think about it,” Prem said hurriedly, as he got up from the breakfast table. Arti watched him with great concern as he put on his jacket and picked up his briefcase. The information from the detective agency was complete down to the childhood history, the reversal of fortune.. the shift to the city, the visit to the doctors… the diagnosis and also secret observations of behaviour of the household members through the night, with the necessary stealth camera of pictures.   These agencies were expensive, but it was worth the completeness of the information they had supplied her.

“Say Prem.. I thought of your reaction to my suggestion.  I see that it was a wild card. I tell you, I have something foolproof now..  It will take some time but it will work. You remember you told me that your Rupa had these visions.. these hallucinations, and then gets the attacks?”

“So what?” said Prem gloomily.

“I say we can make capital out of it.”

Prem looked at him curiously, “Now, what jugglery would Mahish suggest?”

Rupa was frantic when she called on the telephone at this office. Prem was furious, he had told her never, never, under any circumstances to call at his office. She had access to his secret coded number on his cellular telephone on which she always called him. But now her call was put through his secretary.

“Prem, I am frightened.. very frightened… now the apparitions are coming on with dreadful frequency.. there’s, there’s…”. She started sobbing.. “there’s even a macabre voice that tells we.. beware… beware… it came the day before and the last night..  it drives me out of my wits.. now the whole household knows… they think I’m crazy..  I’m not..  I tell you..  I am not.. do you believe me..  do you?  And I get getting these open letters from wives of former clients…  threatening letters to watch my step..  that I’ve ruined their husbands..  I cannot make sense, please come..  why is this happening to me?” her voice ended in a hysterical note.

Prem was sure that the secretary was listening for he heard the gentle click when Rupa’s voice stopped.  Aw.. hell… now he had to begin with explanations. “Hold on, Rupa,” he said, loudly for be benefit of the secretary, “I’ll find out what my office can do to help you.. your husband was a great friend of mine …”

“What.. what,” sputtered the other voice at the other end.  He had quietly put the receiver on the cradle. He smiled apologetically at his secretary as he put on his jacket, while leaving the office. “A friend’s wife.. poor thing she’s having hallucinations since her husband’s death.. a trauma..  you know?” She smiled back at him. Her boss was such a kind helpful man!

Instead of going out, Prem made a bee line to Mahish’s office. He found him dictating a note to his secretary.  Mahish took one look at Prem’s face, and dismissed his secretary, getting up to close the door behind her. “What’s this you are up to?” Prem blabbered, “I did not think she would call me to hold her hand.”

“Now wait a minute, calm down.. may be the episodes are too close together..”

“Hell.. I will have to go and see her now..  she’s lost her nerve…  I should not have agreed to your wild ideas.”

“Tell me what’s happened, call me and I shall meet you at the pub”, was Mahish’s cryptic reply.

Arti had now stopped getting information from the agency. She told the director who himself had taken up the work she had asked him to, that she had had enough.  She wanted him to do something else.  Could he…?  The director nodded, “Well I have just the man for this job.  You known our code is secretary… so we will get the job done.. there is no problem.. it’s just the delicate question of the price.  We have done this sort of things many times you know”, he said with a meaningful smile.

“Very good”, nodded Arti pushing her spectacles further up her nose and nervously covering her thin shoulders with her sari. The director smiled to himself… such a plain looking middle aged lady… why did she not let things alone. These affairs were so common these days…  but then so long as he was making money.. it was no concern of his to begin counselling her.  The poor soul did not know she was being rooked… but then these sotto voce things had a price.

Arti was pleased with herself as she left the office, and walked to the corner of the street where the driver was waiting in the car. To detract attention she got out of the car, when she visited the detective agency, she had the driver stop at the corner and walked into the department store and out of the back on the street where the detective agency was situated. The director had told her there was no need to give him details, he knew just what had to be written, so she was spared that task.. just as well she did not know how to handle writing such letters.. now that was taken care of.  She drove off with a satisfied gleam in her bespectacled eyes.

Rupa rushed at Prem as soon as the door opened, naked friend in her eyes.  “Prem… oh… Prem,”
she cried, “I do not know what to do. I am so frightened to go home, my people think I am stark staring mad. My mother is in tears all the time. I sneak in at night… and then I cannot sleep. I keep my eyes open all the time for fear that the apparition of my father would appear.. it happens.. only  now there is a weird sound.. his mouth opens and closes ghoulishly… there is a phosphorous burning light around him, and then it disappears. It’s as if he is warning me or something… and then those dreadful letters for the past week, every day a new one by courier… the whole family knows.. my uncle keeps asking me what it is.. what is so important.. at first I laughed them off.. but every time it is from the wife of an old client.. some of whom I  do not even recall…”

Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she did not look a pretty sight. “Once the seizure came on, without any warning… without a nightmare..  There’s something strange going on..  what shall I do… tell me. Is it some strange phenomenon from the outer world.. is my father telling me that I am doing something wrong in wanting to…  wanting to break up your home.. your family?  God forgive me if this is true.. I shall be haunted for the rest of my life and if I spend it with you..  it will never go away.  I have already done wrong to my father when he was alive.. and now and now..” She broke down sobbing.

Prem sat down slowly. It was beginning to happen, that which Mahish had predicted. “Break her down,” he said as an afterthought. “Like this, not only will you be able to lead your normal life.. but will have no constant nagging thoughts of doubt and guilt if she were around.”

It was Mahish who thought of the idea. He had heard about this magician and his wonderful magic effects from Simrin, Prem’s eldest daughter when he visited the family on one occasion. It was he who masterminded the effects, after shelling out a lot of money, actually Prem’s and had the magician sworn to secrecy.

“But I say, Mahish, there’s also some threatening letters that are coming to her frequently by wives of some of her previous clients”, Prem told him about this added bedevilment of Rupa. Prem began to feel really sorry about her.  He did still care for her and the pleasures she gave him, but even he knew that it had got to be stopped if it becomes serious.

“The more such letters, the merrier,” said Mahish heartlessly. “This will force her to take a step more quickly than we thought.”

Prem looked up at Rupa’s worried and beseeching face, as if he could come up with a solution’ “Look, my darling.. how can I control these things over which  I have no knowledge. These apparitions are…”

“Yes, yes,.. say it.. even you can say it.. a figment of my imagination,” She retorted bitterly.

“Calm down my dearest…  suppose we find a way where you can go from here.. then at least the letters will not reach you.. and as for the apparitions, I have a friend who knows a magician who might be able to…”.

“What?  Make them go away.. I tell you… they are real,” she cried.

Prem tried to calm her down, and after a while she sniffed quietly, and lit a cigarette, listening to him. “You could go and live in Bombay… you always liked that place you told me… I could settle an amount for you to look after you for the rest of your life.”

Prem was thinking of one of the large properties he had, which he could sell off and settle on her. It was not too much a price to pay for a lifetime of misery and ruin all around him. He talked to her for over one hour, till she saw reason. Reluctantly, she agreed with him but not after extracting a promise from him that he would visit her, at least once a month.

He told her that in the meantime he could find somewhere to get a separate from his wife, and then find out how he could sue for a divorce.  His daughters were going to England anyway, the next year for further studies, with their uncle living in London as their chaperone.  Anyway..  they were very docile girls and would in time, being away, resign themselves to their parent being separated and not be much hassled… and so on. Prem though of everything conceivable to persuade her to accept.

What he was offering her was by any standards a tremendously large sum of money so that she would have a flat, a car and more than enough to live comfortably all her life. She need not have to worry about a profession.  She could even study for a good profession, like graduating in banking, since she had a good head for figures and so on.  He refused to he was paying her off. As long as she agreed, that was all that mattered, and he thought in some vague way, that he could  manage to visit her in Bombay, and be free of pressures there while having a good time with her…

Finally, and with a sign of relief, Prem had it all tied up.  The next three days he worked feverishly with Mahish’s help in collecting the amount, selling this, investing that and buying a flat in a posh place in Bombay.  Any one in Rupa’s place would have been more than grateful for his thoughtfulness, he though not without guilt.  He thought, though not without guilt, that this was something people did in movies not in real life, paying off a mistress.

Prem arrived home one evening, dead tired but relieved that he had everything wrapped up.  Arti met him at the door with a sweet timid smile. After a light companionable dinner, they were sitting in the living room, the girls were upstairs studying for their exams, when coolly Arti dropped her bombshell.

She got up and came to his chair, “You know Prem, I have been meaning to find a quiet evening like this to tell you something that’s on my mind, has been for a long time.” She saw the quick look of alarm, “No… no..  its nothing like that…  you know I am devoted to you…  have been all these 17 years. I would not want to deprive you of any happiness you wanted.  Here, … take a look at these”, and she dropped an envelope into his lap.

Prem looked at the envelope, an amused smile spreading over his face. Now why was she doing this? She was always turning over to him the vast dividends she got from her father’s dowry money which was also a huge amount… He opened the envelope… pictures spilled over his lap and slid to his feet, pictures of him and Rupa, in many compromising positions!

There was very little explanation necessary after that. Arti, with a courage she had not known existed in her, put up her hand timidly when he sputtered in trying to offer him one.

“No need to tell me”, she said, “You have found me wanting in being able to give you… ”, she hesitated, “the delights that you needed”.  She finished delicately. “Don’t ask me how I got these and how I know. If you wanted another woman for this purpose, you could have told me. I feel that, with the girls going away to study in England, and with Bhaiji to look after them, that it is best that I go back to my maika… You can give any excuse… say that I am unwell and need rest and have to be looked after by my mother.  This way is the best. I have already informed the family in Bareilly that I am coming for a long time.”

“I think”, she faced him more courageously, “since it would be a disgrace for the family if you divorce me; that this arrangement should be more or less permanent. This is not unusual, many husbands and wives are separated when the husband works in another place… though this is not the same, it will serve the purpose between you and me… and you can be free to visit that person more often.  It is I who shall go away.”

Prem ex positioned vehemently… but there was a strong determination in Arti and she would not budge from her decision.  He tried to tell her that it was a mistake… he was sorry that in fact the lady in question was leaving the town and so on. But Arti smiled at him sadly and said, “You do not have to give excuses… you were there yesterday and will continue to do so.  Its only because I have found out that you are making false promises.”

Prem could not rest in peace. He did not sleep all night. He was afraid to call Mahish from the house, his wife would hear.  So, as early as possible, he dashed to Mahish’s place the next morning.  Mahish was in his bath.  He came out hurriedly, and when he saw Prem sitting morosely in the living room, he knew something had happened. They walked out in the garden.

”  Mahish, I tell you she knows everything, everything. I did not know she must have had me followed…..  but I was so careful… how did she find a clue…”

“Look here, old man…. no use grousing about something we do not know. I had hoped that his whole thing was over… and things would return to normal in your life. You must manage the best that you can… I say.. in all this I forgot to tell you, I have accepted the offer of the transfer to Bombay… you know the one I was thinking about. It took me a long time to make up my mind… but this is the best.”

“What! You are also deserting me,  my friend,.. everything is falling apart. I shall be all alone here now”.  There was real consternation in Prem’s voice.

“Well,.. there are other Rupas, old man… it should not be difficult for you…”

Prem was furious and grasped him by the collar, “Don’t you dare…  how can you think of such a thing.  I have burnt my hands so badly..  and I thought after handing over all that she needed, that I would be free from Rupa, and would return to the safe haven of my family.  Arti is deserting me… yes, she is,” he said grimly noticing the unconcerned and exasperated look on his friend’s face. “Now, you are also deserting me!”

“Be reasonable Prem, you have your life to lead and I mine. I have done what I could for you. You cannot expect me to always keep holding your hand and pulling you out of scrapes… grow up… Prem”, Mahish turned to leave, and then as an afterthought turned back again and asked, “By the way how much have you finally given Rupa, so that she does not come back for more”. Prem said automatically, “Close to a million.”

“Wow, .. quite a packet,” said Mahish, his eyes opening wide in astonishment, and turned to go into the house, with Prem staring at his back in puzzlement.

Prem visited Rupa for the last time, to tell her about the details and hand her the documents that she would need.  He would take care of this flat after she left. Rupa opened the door. She looked surprised.  The first thing she said in a fluster was, “Oh, you did not call me that you are coming, you always do? I didn’t expect you at this time. Come in.. come in… I shall have to go out soon, so I shall have to hurry up.”

“Ok, I’ll come again.  It was only to tell you that the money has been deposited in the bank in Bombay, here is the receipt, and to give you the documents for the flat, here are the documents, the car shall be there in a few days, it’s on its way from the agent in Bombay.. and…”

Just then the doorbell rang. Rupa looked at him in terror and then furtively at the door, as if she were in a dilemma.  She tried to ignore the ringing, and said twisting her fingers nervously, “Oh.. it’s only the paper man.. he will go away in a minute.. come sit with me and hold me…”  But even as he held her, the bell kept ringing insistently.  Before he got up to get to the door, the latch opened from the outside, and the door pushed open.  An astonished Mahish stood in the doorway.

“Mahish, Mahish.. you, how did you find me?” Prem looked at Mahish who stood open-mouthed, Rupa sitting sullenly on the couch.  There was pin-drop silence.  Utter astonishment and then rage dawned on Prem. Suddenly Rupa got up, went to the drawer, picked up a packet of envelopes, came up to Prem, and threw them at him. She said harshly, all that appeal, that clinging suddenly wiped out by the hard look on her face, “You fool,.. take these back to your old woman, while you go out of the door.”

Mahish stepped aside, as Prem dumbly took the packet and stumbled out of the door.  Suddenly he turned around and waving the packet at Mahish shouted, “You swine, you double crosser.. you deceitful ba**ard, you and Rupa. My God.”  He was speechless.

Mahish gave an innocent smile, and said, “Now, whatever do you mean by that old man?” and gently closed the door on his face.

__END__