Forbidden Desire, Ritesh Prasad [chrysanthemum read aloud .TXT] 📗

For the last two days she has not even called me. I dialed Avani’s number in anger and she answered.

 

“Hi Jiju… Ohhhh wait I am calling Sakshi. She is in other room.”

“Wait…. Didn’t you convey her what I told you in the morning.” I said raising my voice.

“Ohhh Jiju calm down… Yes I did. She said she will call you after having bath. Didn’t she call you back?” She replied in confusion.

“I have been waiting for her call since morning. Give her phone immediately.” I order her without paying heed to her question.

Avani called Sakshi from there itself and I could hear some people laughing noise over the phone and one of them was Sakshi.

“Hi Rohit…. How are you?” She said still laughing.

“Sakshi why the hell is your cellphone off. Do you have any idea I have been calling you since last night. How could you act such irresponsible?” I said all that in a single breath and in loud.

“Why the hell are you shouting? What’s wrong with you?”

 

“What’s wrong with me? Your cellphone is off and you didn’t bother to call me back. You think I should be smiling.” I yelled at her.

“Okay Okay stop screaming…My cellphone is off because I forgot to bring my charger and unfortunately no one has the charger of same mobile here. I was about to call you yesterday but Avani’s phone did not have any balance.”

“Great…. What an excuse Sakshi.”

“I am not giving any excuse Rohit. You can confirm this with Avani, Shall I call her now. Everything will be clear.”

“No it’s not required.” I said in crisp.

“No no…. if you don’t believe me I can confirm this with her. She was there with me last night.”

“I said na it’s not required.” I raised my tone again.

“Then why the hell are you screaming so much?

“Okay… I also asked Avani in the morning to inform you to call me once you are back. And the hell it’s now night you didn’t bother to call me back. What you have to say on this??” I interrogate her further.

 

“Yes she informed me. I thought of calling you after bath since I was so tired. But I was so occupied in the gathering here. So I thought of calling you at night after everyone is asleep.”

 

“Ohhh Please Sakshi stop giving excuses….the fact is that you were not bothered if you want you could have found out some or other way to contact me. I don’t know what is wrong with you? You have never behaved such weird ever before this.” I said in exasperation.

 

“Rohit ….what is your problem? Why are you overreacting? She shouted.

 

“You were supposed to return back today? What happened? Answer me.” I argued her.

 

“Yes I was, but it will take few more days. There is a marriage of Vimal’s sister here and their family wants us to be here till the ceremony.”

 

“Great!!! What does that few days means? A week or a month or a year? Comon Sakshi stop lying!!!!! You see Sakshi you knew very well that it was Vimal’s sister wedding and he had invited you in advance. Still you hided this from me.”

 

“Ohhh God. You are really a psycho… Why the hell would I hide this from you?

 

“So what do you want me to believe?? That his sister marriage was fixed suddenly just in two days. Please stop acting smart with me you know you can’t.” Anyways …when are you returning back? Tell me the exact date.”

 

“2nd January is the wedding. So most probably on 3rd  January.”

 

“Great…so have decided to ruin my mood and our party as well. No worries you have fun. Will call you later…Bye.”

 

“Rohit listen!!!! Vimal’s family insisted so I had to oblige. Try to understand.” She pleaded.

 

“I don’t know how and when this Vimal and his family became so important for you. Anyways, will talk later on this. I am really in a bad mood now. Don’t want to say anything demeaning to you. So better we talk later….Bye!!!!” I said and disconnected the call.

I was about to put my cellphone down on table. She called me back.

“What Sakshi??? I told you please leave me alone for now. We will talk later. There is so much for me to know, you return back then we will talk. I am not going to bother you anymore you can freely enjoy the wedding and yes do have a lot of fun.” I said and disconnected again.

 

I kept my cellphone on the bed and lighted one cigarette. My mind was indicating me something was definitely going wrong but why the hell my heart was not accepting it and still saying that might be Sakshi was speaking the truth. There was squabble between my heart and my mind while I was lying on bed. My Mind said, “What a fuck!!!! Do you still buy her statement? She was literally lying, she knew everything in advance about Vimal’s sister wedding while leaving for Kharagpur but intentionally hided this from Rohit. And I am damn sure its Vimal who must have insisted her to go. He was trying to get closer to her that you even witnessed on her Birthday party. What else proof you need?? Our New Year plan was pre fixed still she overlooked and agreed to go with him. She has started admiring him or might be are they having affair.”

 

“What rubbish!!! My heart rebuked my mind just because Sakshi was being friendly with him doesn’t mean they are having affair. She had several times told you Rohit that you are the only man in his life. She is innocent….last time also you doubted her loyalty with Asif? What was the end result? You were proved wrong.” My Heart overpowered my Mind.

 

“Ohhhh hello Mr Heart I was not wrong. In fact I was correct as I said he was interested in her and you see he proposed her in just two weeks.

Yes and what Sakshi did? She rejected her proposal…..right? Though the guy was damn stylish and charming. Still she rejected her. That proves her loyalty. In this case Vimal is not even so good looking.. so stop thinking about him. May be he is interested but Sakshi is fully committed to Rohit. Stop conspiring him against Sakshi.

 

I agree with you Mr. Heart but he was a Muslim guy.” Mind said.

 

So what? Stop questioning her loyalty in your case also there is caste issue… still she is with you and for almost 4 years she has tolerated you temper which was really bad at times. She has acted as a responsible wife always. She has given everything to you her heart her soul her body everything what else prove do you want?? Stop being over possessive.” Heart asserted.

 

“If she has given everything then even Rohit hadn’t spare anything he has given his love his trust his soul to her. For the first time he has hurt his Mom feelings. He knows his Mom is not happy with this relationship still she agreed for her son’s sake.” Mind counter back with confidence.

 

“I agree Rohit was bad with temper at times but you know very well what he was going through. It was just a bad phase which is over now. But he loved her at that time also he loves her even now the same way.” Mind spoke in my favor.

 

“Yes than where is the problem she loves him too? Rohit just announced their wedding date few days back on her birth day…right? And Vimal was there when he did that, so Vimal is aware of everything. I think Sakshi is correct you have really made Rohit a Psycho. Rohit please don’t pay heed to his baseless statements. My Heart warned me against my Mind.

 

“Fuck you Mr. Heart!!!!!! I don’t talk rubbish like you I work on logic and this time the game is different. This guy is of the same caste and is well known to her family didn’t you see how Aunty was praising her and his greatest advantage is he belongs from an affluent family. What Rohit is?? Just a mediocre person who hardly could manage his livings. What future will she have with Rohit? I am sure Sakshi must be thinking in the same way. She is inclining towards Vimal. If Vimal and Sakshi’s Mom joins hands together they can easily brains wash her. As said girls are always unpredictable you never know she can forget everything about Rohit’s love his sacrifices his commitment…everything and might ditched him.” Mind said with confidence.

 

 

“You are talking rubbish Mr. Mind you are conspiring Rohit…leave him alone. He is already disturb.”

 

“Ohhh yeah!!!! and What the hell are you doing Mr. Heart? You are ruining his life. Can’t you see just in few days how miserable he has made of himself? On the contrary look what Sakshi is doing she is having fun with Vimal there in Kharagpur. Where was she when Rohit need her the most during his worst time? When he suffered both mentally and physically? You talked about loyalty and commitment. Do hell with these words it sounds good only in movies and books. Rohit Don’t listen to him.. I am warning you will repent badly.” My Mind warned me against my Heart.

 

“My heart started raising his voice, “No Rohit don’t listen to this corrupted Mind. He is your worst enemy…”

 

“No Rohit don’t listen to this stupid Heart, he will ruin your relationship.”

 

“No Rohit ….listen to me” My heart says again. The intensity of argument between my Heart and Mind paced with each passing second.

 

“STOOOOOOOPPPPPPP YOU BOTH!!!!!! You will kill me this way.” I said jumping from the bed. Both my mind and heart became mute the very moment. I lighted another cigarette and went to the balcony. I was confused, I was stressed, I was blank, I don’t how to react. But one thing I knew for sure, there was definitely something wrong in our relationship.

 

Days kept on passing and soon it was 31st December Night. Sanjeev called me to know about the arrangements. I said the Party is cancelled and told everything about how it was ruined by Sakshi. He was shocked to know the same.

I had no mood to go anywhere nor to meet any friends. So I finally asked Sanjeev to come to my place with a large whiskey bottle along with some items for dinner as well. I wanted Ankit to be here as well but he was celebrating the New Year eve with his family in his home town. This was the worst New Year party I have ever had. Just we two watching TV and drinking no music no dance nothing. I finished half of the bottle of Whiskey just in half an hour. I was filling the glass and gulping shots.

“Easy Man!!!! You will kill yourself this way.” Sanjeev said protesting my boozing.

“I am fine Sanjeev. You are going very slow just two pegs…I said showing fingers and laughed loud.

“Look at me this is my seventh.” I said gulped that one as well.

“He smiled looking at me and said “Boy you are out”

“Stop no more pegs.” He said taking away my glass.”

“Ohhhh Fuck Sanjeev, we have just started. Common give my glass back. Do you think you can finish alone the remaining half bottle on your own? You are out with just four pegs… its beyond you reach.” I said pulling my glass back from him.

 

It’s was few minutes remaining to 12:00 am and soon a new year was about to begin. I filled both the glassed my eighth peg and Sanjeev’s third and looked at my watch counting the seconds…10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2, and…..1 we both cleared the glass in one shot. Sanjeev almost puke …. I laughed. “Hey easy Man!!!!”

Rohit you will kill me this way.” He said coughing.

I started laughing loudly and said “Sanjeev I told you it’s beyond your reach.”

 

I took my phone out and dialed Sakshi’s number it was switched off. I dialed Avani’s no it was busy… I kept on dialing it was still busy. After few