Revenge

It capped a hectic day for me who was to go on a shopping spree with wife.

‘Don’t understand, why girls are crazy about shopping, they can shop any time any day of the year. I think, they are emotionally weak, it simply shows their inability to resist pretty things. I don’t want to waste my time trying to figure out the seemingly irrational love, girls have for shopping.

They should rather make time for the work that values, like researching which shares to buy, how effective the next budget would be, what economic reforms Government should bring now, which laws should be amended etc. OK, leave it.’ I snapped out of it, when I heard Geetu’s voice.

“I am done. Now, let’s eat something, then go back home.” She said without humor.

Suddenly came a deep sigh with a smile, “Aaah, eventually.”

She raised her eyebrows at me “Huh?”

“Nothing, let’s go,” somehow I could contain my excitement that still some hours are left in the day.

We quickly grabbed something from McDonalds.

“Hi Pranav, it’s nice to see you after so long.” an unfamiliar voice came from a short distance away.

“Hey, Rajnish, you here buddy? Good to see you, meet my wife. Geetu, he is Rajnish, my college friend.”

Friend?, I questioned myself.

I asked him to visit our home, it was decided that he would be coming for lunch that Sunday.

***

It was beautiful Sunday Afternoon. Geetu prepared a lot of stuff for Rajnish’s lunch, we both were excited.

“Hello Bhabhiji, these flowers are for you.” Rajnish spoke softly.

“These are so pretty, Thanks!” Geetu looked at him and gave a beautiful smile.

We had a great time. There is nothing better than meeting a college colleague. However, I couldn’t stop myself recalling some old memories of college days.

He was not a normal student. A shy kind of or better to say a dumb one, everyone would make fun of him. And I was leading those. But, those were college days. I just wish he is not carrying the burden of those things with him now, when he is at good post in a reputed company. It’s a thing of past and he should not dwell on it.

***

Next day, when I was parking my car in my society, I was surprised to see Rajnish, “Hey, you here, come with me, let’s have some coffee.”

“No No, not again. I just had it in your home only. While waiting for you, Geetanjali and I had a nice talk over a cup of coffee. Thanks, will catch you up later, I have to leave now,” he replied quickly.

On reaching home, I asked Geetu about Rajnish’s visit. She just ignored my curiosity, in turn said, “Again you forgot to pay the electricity bill. They warned to pay the bill immediately; otherwise, they will cut off the power supply.”

The next few days slid by easily. But then one day, due to planned outage, it was a half day in office. When I was waiting for elevator to my floor, Rajnish came out of it. “Oh today, you are early, I was not aware of it. Just had a lunch at your home. Geetu is a nice cook, you are lucky, man.”

I noticed that he travelled the journey from ‘Bhabhiji’ to ‘Geetanjali’ to ‘Geetu’ in just a couple of days.

It certainly didn't feel okay, not in the slightest.

On entering home, I was eager to know about his visit, but just wanted Geetu to start talks about it. But even after lunch, she didn’t say anything about Rajnish, I couldn’t resist myself and asked Geetu, “Did you invite him to lunch?”

“Whom?” she asked.

“Rajnish,” I replied.

“No, why?” she looked confused.

“I saw him coming out of elevator, he said, you are a good cook.” I answered.

“Does he think so? That’s nice. Honestly, he is a nice person; otherwise you never appreciate my cooking. Anyway, I am going to take a nap, a little tired,” she said as she rolled off to sleep.

I was puzzled by her not telling me anything about their lunch today and what all conversation she had with him. But I didn’t think, it’s right time for that, as she really looked tired. I pushed the doubt back down and continued to stay normal.

Then it used to happen on a regular basis. Geetu didn’t tell me anything about his visits. When I inquired, she pretended to be ignorant and just said ‘he is a nice person, ask him to come home more often.’ Why was she hiding his frequent visits? Though I trusted her a lot, yet the sequence of events made me think, if my marriage is at risk.

Then a day came when I had to go out station for some official work and I was to return next morning. But, since the work had finished early, I reached back just after midnight to give Geetu a pleasant surprise.

To my dismay, I saw Rajnish was running towards the Exit gate of my society, he was trying to hide his face, but I could easily make him out.

It felt like thousand things were running into my mind at one time. I couldn't take any step further as many things kept flashing back.

Somehow I managed to reach and ring the doorbell. She opened the door reluctantly.

“Why does it take so long to open the door,” I shouted.

“I was sleeping. You were supposed to come in Morning, I didn’t expect you now,” she replied harshly.

“What were you doing? Who else was here?” I was bitter at her, searching her face for an answer.

“What happened, why are you asking these things?” she stared back intently.

“First tell me, whooo whooo who was here?” Wild emotions made me choke my words. “How come you’re being so mean and inconsiderate of my feeling?”

“To hell with you!! You always wanna pick a fight with me. I know you’re really trying to upset me. I can’t stand here for one more minute. I’m sorry, but the spark of love is gone. I am going to sleep.” She left the rest unsaid. The fire in her eyes flared, matching the heat in her voice.

She polarized me, she is never going to tell me the truth. But why is she behaving this way. I love her so much, and she is betraying me. How could she? I am so tensed these days, I am breathing stress on a daily basis and she seems be ignorant. What kind of lady she is. How nicely she is pretending to be innocent.

I was hurt, dejected.

***

An idea suddenly struck me. She got a call from her parents, asking her to visit them. She refused, saying, “Pranav needs me here.” Tears started streaming down her face, but she controlled her voice. On insisting, she agreed.

I was eagerly waiting for her to leave. As soon as she left, I called up the person and within 3-4 hrs, all the cameras were in place.

She came back in two days only. I knew, she couldn’t stay there long without meeting him. I started getting ready for office, went early. The whole day I was uncomfortable, it prevented me from getting my work done on time. I was tired and weary. A restless imagination was surrounding me. I felt like going home and check, what happened today.

I hurried home, my heart was pounding. As usual, I could see Rajnish again, coming out of my society gate, was trying to hide himself. On reaching home, I asked Geetu, “Did Rajnish come?”

I got a pre-phrased response “No”.

She was not aware that now I could see every single moment that they spent together and hear all of their talks. I trembled at the very thought of it.

She slept and to feel fear or anxiety, I opened my laptop and started seeing CCTV footage. My hands were as shaky as the tremble of an earthquake.

But I could not find anything about Rajnish’s arrival. Why? Did he not come inside? Or might be, he saw me coming, so left from outside only.

Then it was the same every day, he was not there in any clip. He didn’t enter my house. But he always pretended that he just came out of my house. Why didn’t I notice this thing earlier. Now, everything is becoming clear suddenly. What in the hell, was he doing. He is sick, I took a split-second to wonder if he had not changed yet. I could remember in college days, we used to call him abnormal. None of this memory haunted me until today. Oh, shit.

What a fool I had been. For had lost the love of my life, I should ever trust. Little did I know then how easily most precious is lost and how hard the struggle will become to get it back. This was not supposed to happen.

I called him up next day, asked to meet in Starbucks. After initial formal talks, I came to the point. After hesitating, he confessed that he was only torturing me mentally. It was his revenge for the mental torture that I gave him in college days by bullying him. I was taken aback by this and walked away saying, “You will end up regretting it.”

***

A bit of a shocker for a moment, no doubt! But this news headlines forced me to ponder. It was about murder of a college friend.

Oh, police at my door. It was for the interrogation, as victim was my college friend.

I narrated the whole story that I had been through for last two months, to police. The only change in my narration was that, I put Rajnish at my place and victim at Rajnish’s place. Victim was Karan, my college mate, was living nearby.

I took a deep breath, “I wish I’d been there earlier. It might have made all the difference. So all I can tell you is why he was murdered. “

I continued, “Karan told me that Rajnish threatened to kill him, he wanted me to help him out, so he told me all the sequence of events that happened between them. He requested me to talk to Rajnish and clear out all the things. I decided to meet Rajnish coming weekend, but it all happened much early than I thought.”

I’ve had my revenge.