Characters:

Doting but too busy husband of Padmini, a harassed businessman trying to beat competition to ensure his enterprises stayed afloat.

          


Ranjana: 

          Best friend of Padmini since school days, a socialite with a roving eye 

         and a notoriously wayward husband

The torrential rain with dark clouds gathered more vigor, pouring thunderously. The long expected rain was due for some time and brought a welcome relief form the sweltering heat. But a worried Padmini waited anxiously for the rain to stop. Her destination was the car parked nearly about hundred yards away. She silently prayed for the rain to cease, at least for a little time to make a fast dash and get into its safe enclosure.

          The idea of rushing to it, getting wetter and driving to buy a surprise gift for Vikram was given up. But half of the fun would be gone if he got up and remembered his fiftieth birthday.
          The danger lay lurking in her thin cotton shirt, getting damp sticking to her torso and making a huge spectacle of her in the mall near by. Those lecherous men loitering around, window shopping would ogle and make her more uncomfortable than ever before. She sure liked getting appreciative stares at forty but not now... Still, being there making a leisurely thoughtful birthday gift selection would be unthinkable attired in a body hugging wet thin cotton shirt and jeans. Then she shrugged, tossing her lovely wet head, thought to proceed anyway, to get that precious gift.

"Hello! Can I help you?"

It was the sheer seductive timbre of the husky male voice that leapt out at her. She turned slowly as if mesmerized by it.

Anand stood smiling holding an open umbrella. She instantly recognized him, a regular at the up market health club where she had enrolled on advice of Ranjana, her close friend since boarding school. She had noticed a handsomely aging Anand many a time's wearing trendy jeans and kurtas. Ranjana made her repeatedly aware of his appeal and did confide that she wouldn't mind having a fling with such an interesting mature man.

God...why couldn't she be more like Ranjana, open and frank? She thought to her self.

"I can only spare him for you my dear. Do have some fun baby, you only live once." Ranjana would smile gleefully at her.

Padmini laughed at that time and never thought she was serious about it, some thing utterly unthinkable at this mature age with grown up kids. She knew Ranjana always had a roving eye. Those escapades of her were shared during the privacy of numerous lazy afternoons. Ranjana was perhaps out to ascertain her feminine charms and a wild spirit over her own timid behavior. Those suggestions to notice missing some real discreet fun as their ages were catching up, life going by, did revive some dormant adventurous desires. However Padmini envied Ranjana’s personality, a go getter, honest and in tune with herself.

                  "I know what you are going through all these years, with Vikram all screwed up in his business. He is mad about    

           money and gets sucked up on troubles and leaves you alone, unwanted, doesn't he?  And my husband has tons of

           money and he found passion in chasing new women every day, and that leaves me alone and unwanted too, but I

          don't take it like you do baby. Both are after their own passions; don't have time and energy left for us. So why

          should we bother so much?"

Ranjana provoked her for a rebellion and independence repeatedly and even got a few angry responses from her.

She broke out of her reverie and with a quickening heart beat she thanked him, 


self consciously getting under the shade of the protective cover and pointed to her car. This encounter could have happened any other time but why now? When she was determined to surprise Vikram on his birthday, he never manages to remember. Anand was staring at her, with a kind but openly appreciative gaze. She could only half smile.

Stop it, what's wrong with you, melting like a school girl.

But inwardly she felt flustered as never before.

Oh I bet you are going to mess this up.!!

Meanwhile Anand kept her under the shelter of the umbrella barely touching her, protective yet keeping a distance. She felt her voice abandon her and resolve to avoid him, flee temporarily.

                   "Thanks" she heard her self squeak. It was a squeak? Oh no she thought, how appalling!!!

They walked in ankle deep water soiling her sneakers. On the way suddenly she slipped but an alert Anand held her arm, firmly and averted a fiasco. She felt his fingers touch her wet skin and strangely wanted it still firmer and harder as a whiff of his manly after shave faint, but so utterly sexy over powered her senses. She was not eager to be politely disengaged and made to stand still and did not shrink from the contact as she would normally have done. An inexperienced disorientation began to hover over her now shivering self. 

It was not just cool wind and effect of rain. What was it?

The car was now only half way away.

Let it be dragged by the wind and blown further to be able to walk those extra yards in the rain…… wont it be so nice to walk and get wet in rain…..to feel    like free bird?

No how that is possible? What about Vikram and his birthday?

"Be careful please, there are those deep pot holes you know?"

          His voice again, struck some deep core in her; Padmini nodded still confused by her own state of mind. “He better not say another word’!!!

Yes I know there are pot holes.

          "But don't worry; I will get you to your there."  Anand spoke softly. “There he spoke again… what a voice”!!! Padmini thought.

          Where? What is he suggesting? Could he sense my stupid thoughts? He must be mocking and taking me as… I    

don't know what?

         "Thank you very much; I wouldn't have troubled you, but have to buy a gift." Padmini tried to justify her being so close under his umbrella; Vikram never ever cared to remember her birthday and why she was she so foolish and fawning towards him?

          "Some urgency I presume madam?"

           He whispered softly; she nodded still mesmerized and noticed with horror they were standing with heavy rain drops making big splashes around them.

            Her heart beat raced. Oh god, that is it. That's how she always wanted to be talked to; so charmingly concerned.

“Padmini." please call me Padmini."

"No Mini is good enough." She blurted out.

 "Mini" what was she saying. She had not been called that since college." 'snap out of it" she said to herself.

“Mini is a very lovely name."

He seem to chuckle and pronounced it seductively, sending her reeling inwardly. You are not to get all frazzled, Padmini scolded her self

         The road was deserted with people taking shelter here and there. Every body seems to be looking at them; a pair enjoying the first rain of season under an umbrella. She was aghast to see Anand spoiling his brightly polished pump shoe helping her reach the wretched car parked so far.

But she wanted it to move further; to walk those extra yards in the rain, didn't she? He too was accompanying her

as if he wanted to… ?

She glanced at his arm still holding her. Strong and hard!

         He always completed his regimen and Ranjana always had to comment on that …”what he will do with all this

tone up …when he has a huge matronly wife…no affair reported so far….but you soon…she winked and conveyed her

plan, before going a business trip? Padmini quickly looked away...teetering a bit. His long fingers held her firmly

again.

”Do you have to buy your gift right away? Anand asked.

"No! Not that urgent." 

"I see, then why don't we have some hot coffee in this beautiful rain? I know of a coffee shop near by.”

"Sure! Why not, that will be nice."  

No. I did not say that Padmini was horrified..!

She felt shell shocked by her own words, forgetting the gift for Vikram and being so caught up in her thoughts, saying yes to have a wretched coffee with this man, she hardly knew.

You have to seize a moment and don't let it go waste. Ranjana would have appreciated her bold initiative.

Was it for only a coffee? Oh no, I can't get out of this now…….why not I can have a coffee with any one I like to…... who can stop me and why I am being so hesitant…… what is the fear?

Anand unlocked his car and held the door open for her. She rushed in and closed the door, did any one see her?

They reached the main road, traffic was negligible and vision blurred. Padmini wished she should have never done it, getting in his car and driving to no where for a coffee. She took out the tissue paper and proceeded to wipe her wet face, neck and hands and suddenly got aware of her own discomfort. It was not an unwelcome discomfort, the complex realization made her totally disoriented.

Anand's own state of mind was no different.

He had noticed her many times with her friend who was so obviously interested in him. He paid no mind to her. But Mini, she was different. While her friend chattered away she was always quiet and so lovely even when the sweat poured down her face.

And now she was sitting next to him. He had to act confident, or could she see...or sense how nervous he was..?

He had no idea what was going on in Padmini's mind but he thought her acceptance to his coffee invitation was….

charmingly shy.

Yet could sense the strong willingness somewhere...

.........To be continued 

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