An Affair

“Do you know what Ram is doing?”said Pravin casually. He was standing in front of the mirror adjusting his tie.

“Which Ram?” asked Nisha without lifting her eyes from the newspaper she was reading.

“Your friend Sandhya’s husband. He is having an affair with one of the lady officers in our office.”

Nisha was shocked.

“What are you saying? Ram has an affair? How can he? There is Sandhya and the children!”

“Nevertheless he is carrying on with a lady officer. Ram has become Krishna!” laughed Pravin.

“How can you make fun of it like this? And you should not talk flippantly like that about God.” Nisha felt irritated by her husband’s casual attitude.

“Did you not talk to him? Advise him?”

“Now, now… don’t get angry. I did ask him. He says it is only for fun and that it wouldn’t affect his home life.”

“It is terrible. The cheat! I will go and tell her”

“I think you should not meddle in other people’s affairs”,said Pravin stressing a little on the last word.

But Nisha had decided in her heart to meddle. Sandhya was her dearest friend. How could she keep quiet when she knew her husband was being unfaithful to her?

In the afternoon she took an autorickshaw and went to Sandhya’s flat. She rang the door bell and Sandhya opened the door. The beautiful and appetizing aroma of  cashewnuts being roasted in ghee and onions frying came wafting through the air.

Sandhya was overjoyed to see her friend.

  “Nisha! I am so glad to see you. Did you remember today is a special day?”

Then it hit Nisha. Today was Sandhya’s wedding day!

“Actually I didn’t remember it”, said Nisha truthfully, “now I remember it is your wedding day. I just thought I will visit you today,”

“That is very nice. I am so happy you came today. Come inside. You know today is extra special for me, For me and Ram, Nisha, it is our tenth wedding anniversary. Is it not special? I have asked Ram to come early today. You know how he works overtime. He never comes home before 9’oclock nowadays! As if the whole office rests on his shoulders!”

“I know where he works overtime, The cheat!”, thought Nisha wrathfully.

“But today he has promised to come early so that we can go to the temple with our children and later to a movie perhaps.”

Nisha’s heart was filled with anguish.

“I have made lots of dishes. You know how I like cooking. You must taste everything.”

It was obvious to Nisha that Sandhya was making all efforts to make this day perfect.

The badam burfi and the delicious pakoras turned to ashes in Nisha’s mouth. She could not utter a word but without noticing it, Sandhya prattled on.

Then Nisha looked at the clock in the wall and said, “Oh! Sandhya, really I must leave now. The children will return from school”

Nisha took her leave without uttering a word of what she had intended to say to her friend.

Obviously Sandhya was in a heaven where ignorance was bliss or was it a fool’s paradise?

 Nisha did not have the heart to shatter her dear friend’s bubble of happiness.

Any way, not on her tenth wedding day, thought Nisha sadly as she slowly entered her apartment building.