Timid Sunlight

It was another cool morning, with unfurling clouds and sizzling slow breeze in Thimphu valley. Karchung had gone and Dema remained in her luxurious house amidst the height of town. It was the same house in which Karchung grew up, the memories of his childhood lingered over the dromentary, where through the veils of his house he had seen the entire Thimphu engulfed by the buildings and slowly spreading like an epidemic all over the hills. Once the lush green fields filled with mosaic of crops has transformed now into the magnificent city. Through the glassed window she could just see timid sunrays flickering and the last sound of karchung’s vehicle.

Tring… Tring….Tring……..

She did not wonder who was on the other side, but gave just a senseless smile towards Karchung being gone.

“Hey babe, going tonight? Should I pick you?” said a very comforting voice from the other side.

“Yes, yes sure now I am free like a bird” she even didn’t hesitate a second to confirm.

Karching, a humble, dedicated and honest lad was raised in the midst of development in Wang valley. He has all the memories of hardships in early days so those tumbling stones made him a novel from novice. Today in his mid-30s he has become a well-known business tycoon over the country.

The massive company “Dragon Napkin” which has ruled the entire country, from the small restaurants to the national airlines. They have been supplying the best quality of napkin paper and it has lifted him from the floor to the sky. Two close brothers like companion who met during collage days had seen the dream of the business in early years of their collage which is now unfolding into reality in front of their own eyes.

“Oh yes, it may take me two more days up here at Bangkok”Krachung replied to his partner.

“Alright, come soon, we have lot more productions to be done as the orders are in line” Tandin hung up the phone with intense voice filled with worries.

Here Dema couldn’t resist herself from going out with a guy who tells that he will give her comfort. It was as if her wish came true when he called her.

She has dressed in uncomfortable short skirt and skin holding top just enough to make her so called modern girl. After applying tons of cosmetics to become Kelly Dema from Karchung’s Dema she feels it is time to go. Her Hair is midnight black and it flowed over her shoulder making a boundary over her oval face. The dress she wore suits her voluptuous figure and makes her look alluringly elegant.

When Dema was just waiting for her comfort of the night to pick her up at the junction of Babesa many people were staring her, out of which were a group of young men who had been giving her bad vibes since she arrived.

“First you go and ask her if she wants lift” A tall boy of early 20s suggested his friend.

“No she might be waiting for her boyfriend, heard he goes to GYM”, the next friend commented.

In midst of their conversation she entered in a black creta and ventured away.

It was almost 8:30pm at Bangkok and Karchung was busy scanning over a jewelry shop for a bracelet. “This will suit Dema best” he murmured in his mind and with so much of care he bought it and kept in the bag in which he had already bought other expensive items for his sweetheart.

“I cannot hear, could you speak louder?” a grey haired man shouted from the side of bartender. It is the guy with whom was Dema today.

“I think I am getting drunk” Dema repeated. A moment later she was kissing him over the dark corner of the Karaoke as he caressed her andshe was kind of happy for it. At one instance she just tried to push him with hesitation but in another instance she could not let him get disappointed.

Tring…..tring…..tring…..

“Hello… who is this”? Karchung picked the phone in luxurious room of the hotel.

“Hello, good evening sir, do you want a women in your room” a warm and comforting women voice replied from the other side. “Women? For what?” he was surprised and taken aback.

“She will just comfort for a night”. He now understood it clearly.

“Sorry I am good alone” he replied over the phone and hung up. He could not think of betraying to his wife. Karchung has been man of value and he is just another soul in search of perfection in the imperfection.

Next morning Karchung tried his best and finished his work by 10: 20 am. And boarded the flight for 3pm back to home.

Back at home Dema was taking refreshing bath, taking out the dirt’s of what Kelly Dema did without guilt and shame. She was smiling for what had happened yesterday night.

“He is much better than Karchung and he loves me much more than him” she made foolish assumption and did not know that when feelings rust it will rust so bad even the soil smells bad of it. Again today when it was dusk and the entire horizon over the valley was under darkness she came out of her house and checked the phone for message of arrival of her so called pseudo boyfriend.

Tandin was taken aback when he saw Dema with another guy at HUB. She was wearing a smile of freedom and was laughing with all her might where making other people begin to give her grin of hatred. At one moment he felt to slap her for betraying his close companion a business partner and more of a good brother but he thought it will not be good to enter in others family matters.

“She is not picking the phone, where did she go?” he again dialed the number sitting on the steps of his house. “The number you are trying to call is not responding” a sweet female voice responded.

“Madam have you seen Dema”? He enquired her over next flat which is adjacent to his room.

She stared at him for a minute and responded with hoarse voice “I saw her going out and she was dressed differently today”.

It was good on his part that extra key of the room was left at his neighbor’s place for emergencies. Only after entering in room he felt homely and breathed a fresh air. The room was exactly the same how he left last time. He took out the jewelry and decorated on the table with a smile and a gesture of love he kissed it.

It’s been almost 10:30pm and she is still not back, so out of curiosity he took out his phone and tried looking for her location and it showed near city bus parking. “What is she doing there at this hour? Most of the time she always preferred to stay at home” He was surprised to see her out.

The music was loud and it was impossible to hear or could he see clearly as it was dim dark. He tried to look for her every corner and was about to move when someone’s familiar face struck him, it was Dema. A masculine man was by her side, his hands over her waist and was caressing her.

“What the hell!!!” he would just say it in stammering shocked voice.

Suddenly she looked towards him and with hush voice whispered “Karchung”

The pearls of diamonds cascaded over his weak cheeks enunciating the defeat of his love.