The Landlady 4

( The readers are requested to read Parts 1 to 3 of this series "The Landlady", to understand the continuity of this story so far …)

The Landlady - 4

My laptop was open in front of me. I was sitting at the dining table working on some PPT slides sent by my team, just fine-tuning them. Ritu came and stood behind me.

"You know how to prepare these? Can you teach me?" She said, putting her hands over my shoulder.

I said, "Sure. I'll teach you, but why would you need to learn PPT? "

She said, "Not only this but excel too. And how to open attachments on email. How to see and reply to emails and attachments on my smartphone. I have a laptop, but I don't know how to make full use of it. Nobody's there to teach me….", She left the sentence incomplete, expecting me to say something. 

I said, "Definitely I'll teach you. But you didn't tell me, why you need to learn Excel or PPT ?"

She said, "I'll tell you. Finish your work and come. I need to discuss something very important with you. Come, I'm waiting for you."

I finished the slide I was checking, then shut my laptop down. Ritu was sitting in her usual single seater sofa in the drawing room overlooking the balcony. Her tall 5'11" and 87 kgs frame had filled up the sofa. She patted her lap asking me to sit there. I went and sat on her lap. "Sit sideways, put your legs over the arm of the sofa. I want to see your face while talking to you." She put one arm behind my back and around my chest and pulled my body towards her. She put her other arm over my thighs, landing on my butt , and pulled. I was fully stuck against her body, half lying across her fat thighs. It was such a soft, thick cushioned seat for me. My face was turned upwards looking up at hers. 

"What are you doing, you 51 year old woman ? I'm a full grown young man of 36, not a child, the way you are holding me on your lap."

Ritu laughed, "To me you are just a child dear, literally and figuratively. Just compare. I'm 51, you are 36 years, 15 years younger. I'm 5'11", you are 5'3". 8 inches shorter. I'm 87 and you are 64 kgs, 23 kgs lighter than me. So, what's wrong if I hold you like a child on my lap. Now, listen to me, I want to discuss something important with you.

You see, when my husband died so many years back, he used to handle all the family business matters along with my father in law. Then my father in law continued to handle it alone. He had a very trusted Manager Mr Devendra Mathur. After my father in law's death, all this business came in my name. This Devendra uncle used to still handle everything. He used to come to me or send me files and papers and cheques to sign. I seldom go to the office, that too on special occasions of celebrations and all. As Chairman and MD of the company, I am paid a good amount of salary which is more than enough for my expenses. In fact, I save a sizable amount from that. Devendra uncle said that the profit of the Company is rolled back into the business. Now the problem is, this Devendra uncle died a few months back. Now there's a new manager, who was the second in command and is now handling the business. I do not have any problem, my money comes as usual. But this new manager is sending me his reports through emails and excel sheets and ppt slides. I have to ask them to send me photocopies as I cannot see them on my laptop. I also do not understand the Excel sheet figures much and the pictures of ppt." 

Ritu paused a little to adjust my body at a more comfortable angle for her, as she was having difficulty with my body slipping off from her lap. While she was repositioning my body on her lap, I asked her, "So that is why you want me to teach Excel and PPT ?"

Ritu said, "Yes, that you will do I know. But my main point is that I want you to now take charge of my business and handle it on my behalf."

I was flabbergasted. "What are you saying Ritu? How can I handle your business? I don't know anything about the Motor parts industry. My knowledge is in a totally different product line. Besides, I have a regular job. How will I get time to manage a big running business of yours ? Also why will your Manager or Accountant or your senior staff share important information about your business to me ? What authority can I yield on them?"

Ritu was not ready to take no for an answer. "You are a smart guy and also a Management graduate. I have confidence that you will learn fast. And as regards your job, you leave it and join me. Wait, don't react so vehemently. Let me complete. I'm not just offering you a job, I'm asking you to be a 50 percent partner in my business. You will be the MD, I'll be the Chairman. Then even my Manager is bound to listen to you. Right now you don't have to leave your job. You don't join me as an employee, then you won't have problems continuing with your present job. You just be my business partner and slowly start getting involved in my business. Then if you feel it is worthwhile, you can leave your job." 

Ritu got up from the sofa with me in her arms. She didn't even let go of me. She just stood up with me cradled in her arms, as if I weighed nothing. She slowly started to pace around the room with me in her arms, adjusting my body to get a comfortable hold. 

I was dazed by her proposal of partnership, that too 50 percent, "You have gone crazy, Ritu. You hardly know me for two days and you are making me a 50 percent partner ? Just because you are finding similarities with your late husband, you are reposing so much faith in me. You must first verify my credentials. Check out my character, my honesty, my integrity. You are asking me to take care of your business, this is my first advice to you. Do not trust somebody so bluntly in business. And you are wanting to give 50 percent shares to me. Do you know what that means ? At any point later, if I can manage to get some more shares, I will be the owner of your business. I would advise you to speak to your lawyer. If you have a good lawyer, ask him to first verify about me. Then you ask him whether it is wise to give 50 percent of your shares to me ? 

One other point, giving me 50 percent shares will send a wrong message to your business associates, your employees that I have tricked you into this. I have not yet decided whether to accept your offer. But even if I do, I will not accept more than 25 percent shares. 

Why are you smiling, do you think I'm joking with you ?"

Ritu was walking with me cradling me in her arms. When I started on my mini lecture, she was initially listening to me with interest. Then I saw a faint smile creep in on her lips, which slowly broadened as I continued my monologue. She pulled my body up a little and brought her face down. She snuggled her nose with mine like I'm a small baby.

She said, "When my father in law was seriously sick before he expired some years back, he called me one day. He said, 'Beta Ritu, you didn't want to learn anything about the business. Now my time is almost up. Now this business will have to be handled by you. I'll tell you something which you must remember. You cannot be a master of everything. So get good people to manage areas which you are not good at. Like for managing the business, you have Devendra, you can trust him fully. For any other area, choose only those on whom you can have full trust.'

So after his death, I searched out my school friend Harleen. She had gone on to become a good Corporate lawyer. She was my very close friend in school. From then on, she became my lawyer for all official and personal matters. 

Today morning I had a long chat with Harleen about you. I told her everything about you. Also the fact that I can find my ex-husband in you. Also that I like to treat you as my child. I told her that I want you to help me in my business and I want to offer you a 50 percent partnership. She asked for all the details about you. I sent her your details through WhatsApp. She had asked for some time. Today at 6 pm, she called me up. She had used her law firm's contacts to check out about you at Kolkata and Chandigarh. She gave a very good certificate about you. She told me, 'You have made the right choice, Baby'. 

She also advised me not to give you more than 30 percent shares, as that would send a wrong message, just as you had said.

That is why I was smiling."

Ritu hugged me tightly to her body. So tightly that I had to say, "Not so tight old woman, you are hurting me." 

She released her pressure and said, "I knew I cannot go wrong about you. And when you were even doubting my decision and advising me to check up on your credentials and honesty, that gave me more confidence in your integrity and character. I'm so glad that I have found you."

She was near the dining table carrying me in her arms. She pulled up a chair and sat down. She made me sit on her thighs, facing her with my legs going around her waist. The dining chair being armless, I was sitting on her thighs, as if straddling a horse. My arms were around her neck, my face was almost in front of hers, well almost. Sitting on her fat thighs, I was still not reaching her height, her upper body being so much longer than mine. 

I was looking at Ritu with a new found admiration. I was advising her on not taking decisions on blind faith on me , but to make checks and verifications first. That was more to train her for handling her business better. Little did I know that she had already consulted her lawyer and got my details ratified before making me the offer. I was really impressed. I said smiling, "I must say that I'm really impressed, Ritu. The way you were portraying that you did not understand anything about business, I was giving you all that lecture."

Ritu chuckled, "No no, this was just plain common sense, which has come with experience. As you always remind me, I'm 51, you know. Now tell me, what is your decision ?"

I said, "See Ritu, I think right at this point, I cannot leave my job. I will definitely help you in your business. But I will not be able to take any remuneration for that."

Ritu said, "That is why I'm saying that you be a partner in my business. As you say, be a 25% partner to start with. Then that will be your own business, which you can definitely look after. You don't take any salary, that's all. But whatever travel and other expenses required for your work, that the company will directly handle. We will not make any payments to your account. Then you will remain safe. I think this should be ok with you. Then later, if and when you are confident, you can leave your job. Then we'll decide on a salary."

I was amazed at the way Ritu was talking now, so professional like a business owner negotiating shares and remuneration. Riding on her thighs, with my arms around her neck, it was an odd position to discuss such serious matters as partners in business and share distribution percentages between partners. I had to say, "Ritu, the way you are toying with me in your arms and lap from yesterday, I'm finding it difficult to now hear you talk business with me so professionally. I never expected that you are so confident in handling such professional business matters also. You are so complete a person in every sense. You are an ideal combination of all the positives of a man and a woman put together."

Ritu laughed and said, "Don't praise me so much, otherwise I'll not let you go and marry you and keep you for myself."

Just then the phone rang. Holding me with one hand behind my back, Ritu took the phone with the other hand. She pressed behind my head and buried my face inside the side of her thick neck. She lowered her chin, so my face was nicely tucked inside her wide neck. I felt so safe and secure being held over her breasts, with my face buried inside her neck. 

Ritu was speaking to her maid, all the while holding me over her breast. The maid was asking when to serve dinner. Ritu asked her to bring the dinner up in 10 minutes' time. 

She brought my face out from her neck and said, "Now, go baby, freshen up. Dinner is coming. We already got delayed discussing serious business matters. You will have to sleep, there's an office tomorrow morning."

I must say that the caretaker couple that Ritu had, were excellent cooks. Today they had prepared Chinese dishes. The spoon and forks were perfectly laid out on the table. The food was delicious. At the dinner table, Ritu said, "Listen, my maid and the caretaker are here for a long time and are my main support. I have told them that you have turned out to be my old friend's cousin. I told them that in fact when you were a child, you used to play on my lap. You also maintain the same story."

I asked, "Have you said the same thing to your lawyer friend, Harleen?"

She said, "No, to Harleen I've told the truth, that I've fallen in love with you, and I want you to be with me always."

I looked up sharply at Ritu. Was she joking? She hasn't said this to me till now, that she loves me. Ritu was looking back at me, her eyes serious and meaningful.

I asked, "What was that, Ritu ?" 

Ritu's voice was cool, "You heard me. I love you. And I want to keep you for myself. That is why I wanted to give you equal status in my business. But it's ok if you want to start with 25% of the shares. But I've already given you 100% of my heart." She smiled, a loving smile.

My dinner was over. I got up from my chair. Ritu was sitting just opposite me on the other side of the table. I went and sat on her lap, over her thighs facing her like earlier, riding her like a horse. She embraced me with her breasts and her arms wrapped around my back. I said, "Ritu, you shouldn't joke on matters like this." 

Ritu smiled down at me sweetly, "I'm not joking dear, I'm serious. I cannot live without you. I know it's difficult for you to marry a middle-aged woman of 51 years, 15 years older than you. Even if you agree, your parents will never agree. So I can't expect you to marry me. But I can at least request you to not leave me and go. That is why I want you to join me in my business as an equal. Then this will be your own business too, and we will both work together to make it grow. I don't want any commitment from you, just please don't leave me and go away. I've lost my husband once, I can't lose my love once again. Please, I beg of you." 

What could I say? Ritu's eyes had swelled up. She hugged me to her breasts and wrapped her hands behind my back. She pressed my head down towards her. My face rested just under her neck on her bare chest, just over her breasts. My hands went around her back, with me sitting astride her thighs facing her, and my legs hanging on both sides.

Ritu stood up with me, holding me the way I was. She kept my head pressed from behind on her chest. Now her other hand came under my buttocks hoisting me up on her body. My arms were already around her back. I wrapped my legs around her waist. She walked with me holding me pressed to her breasts. She carried me to the bedroom and put me on my bed. She said, "It's getting late, go and change to your night dress. I'm just coming from downstairs." 

I changed, and laid down on the bed, waiting for her. Didn't have to wait long. She came and looked at me, "Arrey already in bed right after dinner? Haven't you heard the saying, 'After dinner walks a mile?' Come let's walk."

Saying this, she bent forward and picked me up in her arms cradling me on her breasts. She said, "Come, today I'll put you to sleep in my arms. Just close your eyes and try to sleep. She put one big palm of hers over my eyes and cheek. She pressed my face on one of her big soft breasts. She pulled up my legs with her other hand under my knees. She was holding me squeezed on her body high up near her breasts. She was walking slowly, holding me tightly in her arms, from room to room. My eyes were closed, more because her big palm covered my face. 

Today while picking me up from the bed, she had removed her dressing gown. She was just wearing her nightie now. A light blue-coloured cotton nightie with thin straps. Her shoulders and her arms looked so full, so solid but with no muscles at all, totally feminine. She pressed my face to her breast and something small hard touched my cheek. She guided my face with her palm such that my lips were on this soft mound. My lips fervently closed on the hard but soft piece of luxury. I heard her voice whispering, "Latch on to it baby, it's for you." I didn't need any second invitation. It was as if I had been a hungry baby for months.

Ritu guided my hand to her other breast. It was so big, that I couldn't hold it all in my palm. But my fingers knew what to look for. They closed around it and squeezed. It was not so soft, not so hard. I played with it with my fingers, caressing and squeezing. 

It was such a satisfying experience. As if my tall, big mother is feeding me while carrying me on her full breasts. I was feeling so safe, so 

secure, so protected and so loved being carried and fed on her breasts by the woman who loved me. Parallelly I also felt so weak and helpless against the strength of this bigger and taller woman. But strangely enough, I loved to surrender myself to the feminine strength of this older woman, who has taken my masculinity in her total physical control and captivity and owned me now.