“All right, sweetheart, see you at 5 then.”
“See you. Can’t wait!” Sushila hung up with practiced ease. Two boring
hours, but money was money, and Jai Batra was not that hard to tolerate.
*************
“See you at 5. Wear the red dress, please!” Archish spoke softly into
the phone. Natasha blushed.
Archish was easy on the eyes and easier on the heart. He was empathic,
attentive, and observant. He could make a woman feel like a queen – the most
beautiful queen in the history of mankind. Sincerely.
He loved the good life and lived it. His detractors might say without
doing anything, but only he knew the hard work it took.
The main reason he loved his work was not the money or the perks. It was
the genuine happiness that he brought to people. People don’t realise how
lonely, unwanted, and unappreciated we make people feel as they approach middle
age. It is inhuman, almost. Every time he brought a smile to a face, every time
he saw a face light up in response to a compliment, he felt great about
himself.
The money was easy in the sense that he did not have to break stones or
code for twelve hours to get it. But it was hard because usually, in the first
two months, his clients only complained. Only slowly, after repeated
compliments and many dates, did the sweet side of their personality come out.
Absorbing all that negativity day after day with a smile is not an easy job –
ask anyone.
Archish was a professional gigolo. He met middle-aged ladies and dated –
a few at a time. They plied him with gifts and cash, and provided the good life
– the luxury spas, the 5-star hotel stays, the business class holidays – all
paid and provided for.
At this time, one of the people he was seeing was Natasha Batra – the
wife of Jai Batra – one of the best-known business tycoons in the city. Jai
also doubled up as a sugar daddy. Natasha didn’t have the details, but in her
mind, blowing up his money on a similar service was the perfect definition of
sweet vendetta.
Who was Archish to complain? He was more than happy to be the chosen
one. Now, all he had to do was ensure that she did not feel lonesome enough to
take on another ‘partner’. So, he spent a lot of time with her.
********************
“Hello!” Jai Batra grinned salaciously as he entered the apartment.
Sushila groaned inwardly, ‘At least keep five minutes for the prelude, dude!’
she thought, but then realised that his prelude had started as soon as he’d put
the phone down. Anyway, he was a direct to action kind of guy.
So, they did just that.
Afterwards, she heard his stories of accomplishments .. yet again. How
important he was, how many meetings he had to cancel to be here with her, how
idiotic his team members were, how dumb the rest of the world was, how stupid
and incompetent his wife was, how unattractive, how he had resisted advances
from two women this week… she patiently bore it all.
When he was done, he left the cash on the table, at the usual place, and
arranged for a day to meet the following week. She looked at her calendar and
blocked the time. They kissed and he left.
Sushila showered again and then got back to her books.
Her Master’s was due to end next year. Then, she could look at a
placement and leave Jai Batra behind.
How suave, accomplished, and smart he had first appeared when she met
him a year ago. How star-struck she had been! And how flattered when he paid
romantic attention to her – only her – out of the entire class. He was a
speaker at an event in her college. He had singled her out and asked for her
LinkedIn profile. Then, slowly, they had moved from LinkedIn to Instagram and
Instagram to Whatsapp chats, Whatsapp chats to coffee dates, coffee dates to…
He had asked playfully about her boyfriend initially. When he realised
that she was focused on completing her Master’s and not boys, he had been
delighted. He insisted on paying all her bills – rent, conveyance, everything
except tuition fee, so her parents didn’t get suspicious.
Sushila didn’t even realise when he went from being mentor to being
sugar daddy. They never used that word, but they both knew what was happening
here. She had considered dumping him, but she was too invested. That, and there
was complete discretion. He would never breathe a word, nor would she.
A few months ago, she had realised that she was a part of a group
list. At first, she was shocked. How did such a busy man find time to sleep
with more than one woman? But now, she just smiled at the idea. His life, his
problem.
************************
And this is how it would have continued if fate greed hadn’t
intervened.
Jai and Natasha Batra were happy in their alternate universes. They both
had partners who were young and attentive. They were using money as the
currency of love. It was all working out.
The key to such an arrangement is mutual ignorance or mutual tolerance.
So, this state of equilibrium remained while mutual ignorance was in place.
One day, the equilibrium broke.
**********************
“The &^*^! She is seeing someone behind my back, and using MY credit
card to pay for it too! How disgusting can she get!” Jai Batra spat out the
words with the right mix of venom and anger.
Sushila found it hard to stifle a giggle. The irony of this man
complaining to her was too unmistakable to ignore. However, she
stroked his shoulder in a placatory gesture.
“Can you imagine! 2 lakhs for a holiday! I thought what is she doing
with 2 lakhs for one weekend? I used to feel guilty and give her all these
indulgences. I never looked at the bills at all! One random bill I noticed –
spa booking for two! Which +1 did she have with her 500 kms from home? Now it
all makes sense. All this while, God knows how long, the %^*(( has been blowing
my money on some toy boy!”
Sushila remained silent. It was
becoming harder and harder to keep a straight face. The stroking on the
shoulder continued. Boy! This was going to be a long two hours.
Finally, he got down to it. Afterwards, as they were sipping their
coffee, he suddenly leapt up from his chair and looked straight at her, “Sushi,
I need your help. Will you help me?”
Sushi didn’t like the sound of this. But she could not possibly deny
help to the guy who had done so much for her. “Of course! What is it?”
“I want you to befriend my wife. Get her trust. Then, get her to confess
to this boyfriend of hers. Record that statement. Once I have that audio, I
will take her to court and leave her a pauper. If I file for divorce now, she
will take half my stuff. I haven’t worked so hard to share it with that
%^&%$.”
Sushila stared at him, “Are you planning to divorce her?”
“What else can I do? She cheated on me!”
Sushila continued to stare.
“This is different. You and I. We love each other. Who will fall in love
with that old, fat hag?”
Sushila looked at this ageing, middle aged man who kept himself ‘fit’
and mistook that for ‘attractive’. She didn’t know whether to loathe or pity
this person. Both, probably.
“Why don’t you hire a PI to do this for you? There are plenty
available.”
He shook his head, “No sweetheart, can’t take that risk. I am too
prominent a public figure to have a PI looking into my family affairs. It has
to be someone I trust. You are the only one.”
Sushila smiled again. She knew that the same request would be made to at
least a few other women this week, and for her sake, she hoped that one of them
would agree.
But Jai Batra either did not make that offer to anyone else, or no one
signed up. Sushi would never know. All she experienced was that he wouldn’t
give up. Every time they met, he kept pestering her to agree. Finally, she had
to say yes. More to get him off her back than anything else. She considered
breaking up with him, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. The human heart is a
mysterious muscle.
************
Three months later, the human heart was a lot less mysterious.
“Jai, I cannot do it. Your wife is a tough nut to crack. I have been at
it just like you said. I have done everything you asked me to do. I have missed
important classes to help you. And it has not worked out. Sorry, Jai, I can’t
keep trying any more. It’s too much stress. My studies come first, and they are
hurting – a LOT!”
“Please sweetheart, it’s only a few more days. I know her. She is simply
bursting to tell someone how lucky she is to have met this wonderful guy.”
“Well, she is not bursting to tell me, and I am busted, trying to find
out!”
Jai shut up. They really had tried everything. Sushila had befriended
Natasha at the salon, pretended to have similar hobbies, and had spent a lot of
time in the last few months. She had gone drinking, played spin the bottle, and
showed her pictures of her own supposed “friends with benefits.” But Natasha
had been nothing but a warm, older friend and mentor. She had never mentioned
her own bad marriage, much less an affair.
Suddenly, his face lit up again, “Ok, let’s try one last thing. If this
does not work out within two weeks, I swear, Sushi, I will never involve you in
this thing again. We should have thought of this before!”
Sushila shook her head, “No, Jai, Enough is…”
“Please, Sushi, I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate. Without this, I will
lose more than half my money! Access to my kids! Please, Sushi… if I have to
have a chance in my divorce, even a fighting chance, I need this! Please!”
Sushi was too tired to go on resisting. Jai Batra was used to having his
own way anyway. “Tell me,” she whispered with as much disinterest as she could
muster.
“Why don’t you befriend the guy? The boyfriend? Then try to get to his
mobile phone when he is in the loo or something, and get a screenshot of his
chats or photos with Natasha. That will be something!”
“Are you insane? Do you know that the picture of a screenshot means
nothing? Also, I am not a PI. That man is a professional gigolo, according to
you. Why would a gigolo waste his time on a student with no money to spend?”
“Because even the gigolo has desires! Look at you! You are perfect!
Which man would not want to spend a coffee date just gazing into your eyes?”
Once again, Sushila was fatigued out of resistance.
Chapter Two was about to begin.
***********************
Chapter
Two
“Really, what’s a smart
girl like you doing with a dumbass like me?” Archish flashed his signature
smile – always full of charm and meant to disarm.
“Feasting her eyes,”
Sushila said truthfully.
“I am eye candy, yes. To
many people.” Archish said quietly.
“I am sorry.”
“No, don’t be. At least
you were honest.”
“Look, if you want to go
back or something…”
“No, no, its good to be
here. You’re good fun to talk to.”
“OK then..”
And that is how the first
Tinder[1]
date was working out.
*************
It took only a few weeks
for the magic to work.
It was fully filmi[2].
They tried their best to not be attracted to each other, but they were. They
just couldn’t help it.
They moved in together[3]
in less than eight weeks. Archish was upfront with Sushila about what he did
for a living. She hadn’t yet come clean about why she chose him on Tinder, but
did confess that she was seeing someone older and married before they met.
He cooked while she
studied. He went out to work while she attended classes. They cuddled and
slept.
Jai Batra was thrilled
when he heard that Archish had moved in with her. This was going to be perfect.
Now, it would only be a matter of time before he got his recording.
****************
Sushila was conflicted.
She knew how much she owed Jai and what this recording would mean to him. But
she was also sure that she loved Archish and did not want to deceive or cheat
him. Honestly, she simply could not continue to even lie to this man, who had
given her nothing but honesty, love, and solicitude.
Solicitude – what a
wonderful word. Add “I See”, and solitude becomes solicitude. What a difference it makes, when we see,
really see, those around us and what they are going through.
She didn’t know how
serious he was about her. Was it time to have ‘the chat’? Would she lose him
forever? Only one way to find out.
Sushila steeled herself as
best as she could. Terrible situation to be in – not even a bestie could be
trusted with this dilemma. How did she get in this situation in the first
place? What was she thinking, volunteering to spy?
Archish walked in as
usual. He washed up and hugged Sushila. The smile that came back to him was not
radiant. It was washed out.
“Tired?” he asked.
“No. Not really.”
He came and sat next to
her. Taking her legs, he started massaging them gently. Neither said anything
for a while. He changed the TV to a stand-up comedy show. They laughed at a few
dumb jokes. After a few minutes, he looked her in the eyes and asked, “So,
what’s eating my darling?”
She was not ready for so
much love!
Hesitatingly, she spilled
it all out. Why she matched him on Tinder, why she needed to give a recording
to Jai Batra, and how she wanted commitment from him, even if he was not in a
position to give it.
“But I am in a position to
give that commitment! I want to marry you, baby! There is no doubt at all!”
Sushila was startled. Out
of the whole thing, THIS is what he focuses on? She was too dumbfounded to do
anything but stare at him.
He laughed. Again, that
easy, charming laughter.
“My sweetie pie, did you
really think I wouldn’t know? What did you think I was doing with you?
But before we get there, I
have to complete what I started saying. Sushila, you are the love of my life.
If you can accept me for what I do, great. If not, you will have to support me
after your graduation, while I start to make enough money. We can get married
tomorrow, if you’ll have me. And if you want to wait until I can pay for
myself, I am up for that test, too, my love…”
Sushila quickly silenced
him with a kiss and a nod that said “Yes.” This was not what she had in mind.
This was too quick. But it was right. In her bones, she knew this was right.
This was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
In a while, Archish
continued, “Natasha Batra told me to find out who her husband was sleeping
with. I just did a little footwork and found you. I care for Natasha. Jai Batra
has not treated her well at all.
And then, I found you on
Tinder too! I thought that was a coincidence, but a few dates confirmed that it
wasn’t. You were spying on me, and I was spying on you.”
“Why did Natasha want you
to spy on me?”
“Oh, her motives were far
more personal. She was jealous. The irony of sending your boyfriend to find out
about the mistress of your husband was lost on her. But I did want to give her
the details that she wanted. However, as I got to know you better, I realised
that we were.. oddly placed. We were four people in a ratio proportion
statement. A was to B as C was to D.
Then, one day, she did the
most incredible thing. She asked me to get evidence of the cheating. So that
she could file for divorce. I was willing to put a face to the name for her. I
wasn’t about to become a PI[4].
That’s where Natasha and I broke up.”
Here, Archish paused.
“So, in short, Jai Batra
wants to get evidence of his wife’s cheating so that he can cheat her out of a
fair alimony. Natasha Batra wants evidence of her husband’s cheating so that
she can claim that alimony and file for divorce. You and I love each other and
want to marry. Where does that leave us?”
“I think.. in a very good
place.” Archish said mysteriously.
*******************
The milking started slowly.
Sushila kept asking for expenses. Archish was a gigolo, after all, and it can’t
be easy to keep one. Jai Batra paid up. Sushila’s living expenses also went up.
Jai’s meetings with her were a thing of the past. So, now, he was paying for
her living expenses, for Archish’s living expenses, and getting a test of
patience in return.
Archish contacted Natasha.
At first, she avoided his calls. When they finally met, she said, “Archish, I
don’t want to leave him. I want restitution of conjugal rights. For that, it is
important that we don’t meet again.”
“But, why?”
“I have two reasons in
flesh and blood – my children - and one in the heart. That’s all there is to
it.”
“But… he is not with you.
Whether you divorce him or not, he is not with you.”
“But I am with him. That’s
the important thing. I can’t be untrue to myself. The time with you was
perfect. After a long time, I felt like a living, breathing woman again. But
when it came right down to it, I realised I didn’t want to file for divorce. I
didn’t want his money. I want him.”
“You are a strange one!”
“Yes, I am.” Natasha
smiled.
****************
“What do we tell Jai?” a
concerned Sushila asked Archish.
“Nothing. We tell him
nothing. He will anyway find out if Natasha files a case for restitution. He is
a very important man who can buy everything from prestige to love. Let him
savour his money.”
“But he is on my case[5],
and getting restless by the day.”
“You know why he is
getting restless? Because he is helpless. Tomorrow, if you say you have no
proof, he can’t do a thing.”
“In that case, Archish,
let’s put an end to this charade.”
“As you wish, sweetheart.”
Sushila nodded, then asked,
“Tell me something. There are four of us in this chain. None of us is doing the
morally right thing. But your disdain is reserved for Jai Batra. Why only him?”
Archish was silent for a
minute before responding, “Where does this chain start, Sush? It starts with
Jai Batra thinking he is Adonis, just because he has money and power. Jai Batra
seduces or buys Sushila. Natasha, to avenge the insult, buys Archish. And
suddenly, four people are doing the wrong thing. But that’s also not where my
anger comes from. It comes from the state in which I have seen the wives of
these powerful men. That depression, that feeling of being worthless that comes
from being discarded. And why does the discard happen? Because the man is
powerful and rich. So, he buys people. This dehumanising – of his own wife, and
the women he seduces with power – what does that dehumanising deserve, if not
disdain? I am too powerless to do anything more than this disdain.” He shrugged.
Sushila kissed him on the
forehead.
***************************
“I’m sorry, Jai, I cannot
go on doing this. Neither Archish nor Natasha have shared anything. Are you
sure this is not a figment of your imagination? You have ONE spa bill as your
proof? What if she was wrongly charged and didn’t realise it?”
“You are right, Sushi! It
must have been a mistake. She is totally into me and the kids. So sorry to have
put you through this. Let’s forget all this, push that Archish out of your
house, and go back to being together. I miss you so much!”
Sushila stared at the man.
She was speechless.
“Sorry, Jai, we are not
going back to anything. My exams are due in less than a month and I need to
focus.”
“Are you breaking up with
me?” Jai was incredulous.
Sushila felt like laughing
in his face but maintained a stoic silence.
“Are you? Really?
B%^&? After everything I have done for you?” Jai grabbed her by the
shoulders.
“Let me go, Jai. You are
hurting me.” Sushila still maintained her calm.
Jai let her go with a
rough thud. Sushila got up and straightened her clothes. Without a word, she
left the room.
**********
Chapter
Three
Six months later…
“Archish, you are such a
sweetheart! This is the perfect day! I never thought I would be so happy on my
wedding day. But I am!”
Archish smiled
indulgently. What a change from his earlier, luxury-imbued life this was. An
Arya Samaj temple[6] in
the city. Ten guests, making up the grand wedding party. Thankfully, four out
of these ten were beaming parents.
The bride, dressed in a
simple red saree, the groom in a dhoti-kurta[7].
The lunch after the simple
ceremony was a langar – a community feast where everyone sits on the floor. The
food was organised by the temple.
Guests received
hand-painted vases – made by the bride’s mother, as return gifts.
The sari Sushila was
wearing was a gift from her mother-in-law.
After the wedding
ceremony, the bride and the groom returned to the small one-bedroom apartment
that they had rented after Sushila completed her studies and got a job. Archish
lived with her and had been applying for sales positions. He was due to start
at a small firm next week.
[1] Tinder is an app that
allows people to look for potential partners.
[2] Indianism for – Just
like in the movies.
[3] Started sharing a
house
[4] Private investigator
[5] Being on someone’s
case means to follow up with them on something again and again.
[6] An Arya Samaj temple
performs Hindu prayers in the Vedic methodology – through yagnas – offerings to
the Fire. No deities are worshipped and no ornate rituals are observed.
[7] Saree is the Indian
dress for women, while dhoti-kurta is the Indian dress for men.
