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

on moving at its own pace. Kaushik being busy with his own married life, now we interacted very less. Sanjeev also took a job as sales executive in a garment showroom. I was busy with my life and during weekends i used to meet Sakshi as usual. I thought everything became normal between me and her but I was wrong soon a new bump was ahead in our journey. It was around end of March 2010, I was getting ready for office around 11:00 am Sakshi called me and said she needs some money immediately and asked me to wait till she comes home and take it from me. She asked me for 1000 bucks. I questioned why you suddenly need so much of money? She replied Vimal has returned from Bangalore and one of his relative who works as Senior Manager in a five star hotel in the South Kolkata and has informed him there is multiple vacancy there in his hotel. So he has decided to take job and will stay in Kolkata. She further said that Vimal has encouraged her to take job as well and the hotel will pay a very good package. So they are going for the interview there.

 

“Sakshi why the hell you need to work? Concentrate on your further studies. I am there to take care of your need.” I said after hearing her entire narration.

 

“No Rohit… I want to become independent. Beside your salary would not be enough for both us and we need to do the family planning well in advance. If i start working early we will have some saving before marriage. Please let me work Rohit” She said looking at me.

 

“See I am not against your working….you can do that even few years after marriage. I just want you to complete atleast your master degree or some professional course, higher qualification is must for better paying jobs.” I said trying to convince her.

 

“No Rohit I want to work first and make some savings… I will think about higher studies later. Vimal said this type of opportunities don’t come easily. I am going for the interview that is final.” She said and snatched my wallet and took two 500 notes.

 

“Okay…if you really want to take up job go ahead then.” I said as i didn’t want to argue any further beside I was getting late for my office as well.

 

Later in the evening she called me and said. Both Vimal and she had been selected for the Front Office executive with a salary of 15K per month. Their office timing was 11 – 9 pm. off will be rotational on any weekdays but never on weekends. There will be no festive holidays but they can take comp off in lieu of that. Since hotel industries cashes business on weekends and festival.

 

“What Sakshi??? No weekend offs and no festive holidays. Sakshi when will we meet then? We just had those weekends time for us. Now you are saying you will work on weekends. I am not in favor of your job.” I said being upset.

 

“Rohit I am taking this job and that is final. I will inform you about weekly off in advance. So you need to bunk office once in a month and I will do the same. So at least we can meet twice in a month. Besides that we will always be in touch over phone. So you will get used it don’t worry. We need to sacrifice our time today to make our future better.” She asserted.

 

“Okay…but still I don’t know why I don’t like your idea of taking job so early.” I added further.

 

“Rohit please let me do this…..i am so thrilled, it’s my first job. I would be earning of my own. Wish me luck for tomorrow.” She said in excitement.

 

“Okay Honey….Wish you all the best. I know you can handle any challenge.” I said in a half- hearted tone. I also came to know that Vimal was going to stay in Avani’s house for the time being.

 

Since both were working together they got opportunities to spend more time together and in contrast we just met twice a month. We hardly talked over phone during her office days as she was very busy with her work. For initial days she kept me calling regularly in the morning and night before going to bed but gradually that also decreased. I used to miss her badly during weekends. We just had two days in a month for ourselves and that was really unfair. Even schools and all jobs are entitled for at least a weekly off, but my situation was really pathetic. Even during those meetings she would only talk about her work, office friends and the amazing life styles of the big shot customers. She started fantasizing about aping the life styles of those rich industrialists, businessmen that came to spend their weekend in the hotel and would spends lakhs and lakhs of rupees for mere fun and entertainment.

 

My gut feeling was right, things started to change drastically within months after Sakshi took the job. She became a complete new person in just few months. She was far from reality, to her everything that she saw and experienced while working in the luxury hotel became a thing of obsession; be it trendy life style of the rich industrialist, owning luxury car, designer clothes, or abroad holidays. She started fantasizing of achieving those. But there was a much bigger concern than this petty issue that I mentioned above and it was her closeness with Vimal which I had overlooked. The first thing that pinched me the most was when she missed my birthday, I begged her but still she could not take leave and I spend my special day alone in home. At nights she used to sleep early as she felt very tired after work and since they both worked for the same organization, they had better opportunities to spend more time together. Sakshi on several occasion told me about the movies that they watched together or the restaurant they went for dinner on their off days. This sometimes would lead to conflict between us but we never had any major fights.

 

It has been more than a month we had not met and as per her she was working for the entire month without any leaves since this was peak season. I countered her excuses how could one would not get a single leave in the entire month and July was monsoon season it’s never peak business for hotel industry, had it been winter or festival times I would had buy her statement. We even talk over phone just for formalities. I would sometimes recall those days when she used to insist me to have long talks once I reached home after office. I used to beg her to let me go for sleep but now the situation was totally different.

 

July 25th 2010, she finally agreed to take leave after my much conflicts and persuasions.

I decided to stay the entire day in my flat, since I didn’t want to miss a single second of this day as we were meeting almost after two months. We had the lunch together which was prepared by me without her offering any help. Post lunch we were lying on bed and I notice that there was almost two feet gap between me and her, which never used to happen unless we had a fight or argument. Though she was talking to me but I observed she was checking her phone frequently and was texting someone at regular intervals, still i overlooked things. I tried to hold her hands in one occasion during our conversation and slightly pulled her towards me but she remained firm. So I myself came closer and tried to kiss her but she intentionally moved her face to the other side. I found this very odd

 

“What happened?? Have I done something wrong??” I asked her straight.

 

“Please don’t touch me or do anything, I am in no mood.” She said while still fiddling with her cellphone.

 

“Sakshi we are meeting almost after two months, I just felt liking kissing you. I don’t think there is anything wrong in it. Why are you behaving so weird?” I asked being irritated.

 

“Why is it necessary to kiss every time we meet?” She asked still being in same positioned.

 

“Sakshi what kind of weird argument is this? Before this you never questioned me time, date, mood etc. Now suddenly why this type of question??”

 

“Ohhh I denied you for kiss....so it hurts your male ego, so for you I am only an object to own and enjoy….right? She questioned casually while texting someone.

 

“What rubbish!!!!!! Instead of pointing finger at me. Look at yourself that what you are doing. We are meeting after month gaps. But you have no value for these moments. You are with me but your mind is somewhere else. You have not rested your phone for a single minute. Still you are busy texting someone? It’s you who is treating me like an object” I said in heated tone.

 

“Stop shouting at me…. I am not your property that you will treat me whatever way you want. Firstly you had problem that I was not giving you time and now when I am with you still you have problem… God knows what’s wrong with you nowadays?” She said casually still lying on the bed.

 

“What’s wrong with me???? Ohh common please ask the same question to yourself. Where are you with me Sakshi????… Your heart and soul is somewhere else. If it had been here and if you were a little concerned about me than by this time you would have kept your mobile aside and would have got up and talked with me normally.” I said being frustrated with her attitude.

 

“Rohit please I am no mood to argue with you unnecessarily. So it’s better I should leave” She said moving out from bed.

 

“What’s wrong with you Sakshi??? Why are you spoiling the day? There is no point of getting heated here. I just want to spend some quality time with like we used to do earlier.”

 

“Ohhh Rohit! Stop being dramatic….things have changed I am no more that free college going girl. I have a lot of work pressure and other priorities. I am not a Bollywood heroine who would romance with you all the time.” She yelled at me.

 

Ohhh Yeah… so for how long you have been working?? It’s not even 6 months completed, and who you are CFO or CEO of the company?? That you don’t have few hours spare time for your dear ones. Sakshi don’t forget even I have been working for more than 4 years. Where there is will there is way. So stop giving me those stupid excuses.” I said raising my tone.

 

“I am in no mood to get into unnecessary arguments with you. I am having bad headache so I am leaving now.” She picked her bag and left my flat. I also didn’t try to stop her.

 

I sat on the bed and lighted one cigarette and took a large puff. Whatever happened just few minutes back was really not expected from her, I said to myself, she is really changing and I can feel that in her behavior. Is she really planning to get out of this relationship? Is she having affair with Vimal? Is there anything related to her work that is bothering her too much, which she is unable to reveal to me? I wanted to know what the actual reason was behind her weird behavior. But the very next moment I thought I shouldn’t do anything in haste otherwise it might make matter worse. Rather I should give her time for few days till she speaks on her own. So I decided I will not call her rather wait for her call.

 

I was getting impatient with each passing day. Days kept on passing and it was almost a week, we hadn’t talk to