Faith

“I don’t believe you. I agree she might have been my net friend and your real life friend but I have mixed too well with her. I want face to face proof. No phone calls, no sms, clear evidence.” Abhirup said.

“I am telling you again and again Abhi, all my friends say that she is a corrupt woman who shamelessly flirts with her colleague Jeetendra openly. They are absolutely repulsive. I don’t sit on her floor so I don’t know but my friends who sit on her floor or share her block say it again and again. I can even have them vow it in stealth. None will do it openly. Why will they?”

“Uh-huh!! I want clear cut proof. I too want to see how perfectly she dons her mask, a woman who gives me left to right for cracking an obscene joke is shamelessly flirting with her colleague in front of every one? That’s a little too much to believe.”

“Okay come to my office tomorrow, I will queue up witnesses for you.” Sunetra said.

They have been friends for years. Ever since their college days. Sunetra loved Abhirup and he loved his cyber friend Tamasa. Tamasa has recently been transferred to Sunetra’s company. Abhirup has proposed to her and she has asked for some time. When Sunetra came to know about it she implored him to not go forward in the relationship.

Next day Abhirup went to Sunetra’s office. He had complete faith on Tamasa but he wanted to prove Sunetra wrong. One by one she called up her colleagues from Tamasa’s floor and every one vowed that Tamasa was having a shameless affair with Jeetendra. They were absolutely repulsive. Actually a lot of them were thinking about complaining about them because their constant cooing and petting was getting on the nerves of others.

“See! I told you!” Sunetra said solemnly.

“Okay, if she is having this shameless an affair then you can easily show me.” Abhirup said grimly.

“But how?” Sunetra asked a little perplexedly.

“There is a small store room right where Tamasa sits, its key stays with the security. Can you manage to slip me into it for half a day?” Abhirup asked.

“If it is exposed then I will be sacked.”

“You are right. But I can’t mistrust my own judgment till I see some concrete proof. Thanks for the warning Su. I will be leaving now.”

Abhirup was shocked. He has known Tamasa for years. More than seven years now, and she was so decent in cyber world and even face to face. He has taken her out at-least a hundred times since she shifted to kolkata and she seemed a shy and cute woman. Though very naïve but dignified.

He reached Tamasa’s office next day. He asked the receptionist to inform her that he wants to meet her.

“Are you looking for me?” He was surprised to see a stranger.

“No, I am looking for Tamasa.”

“My name is Tamasa Basu.”

“My friend’s name is also Tamasa Basu.”

“Oh! The new girl! I will send her.” She shrugged and turned to go.

“What happened dear?” a male voice boomed.

They both turned their faces towards the newcomer. He was a tall, handsome man. He shamelessly stroked her cheek. The receptionist frowned and Abhirup stared.

“Nothing Jeetu, this guy is looking for new Tamasa. Let’s go and send her.”

A few minutes later Tamasa walked in the reception and Abhirup met her with the widest grin that a human face can sport.

“I have bought two tickets for movie. I will pick you up in the evening and tell ma that I will drop you after dinner.”

Didimoni

GLOSSARY: DIDIMONI: ELDER SISTER, KAKABABU: UNCLE, KAKIMA: AUNTY. Pandal: a tent built for placing idols during pujas; Saraswati: Goddess of knowledge and art; Moorti: idol, Durgapuja: one of the greatest festival of Bengalis, Barokaka: elder-most uncle, Mahashashti: first day of Durgapuja.

“Haru, come to my home tomorrow and start thrashing the paddy. Its all stacked and waiting.” Kakababu said.

Haru’s father worked in Kakababu’s field. Kakababu was a very kind man. Not the landlords of Hindi movies Haru has seen. Actually all kakababu’s sons were well settled. He hardly ever enquired about the crops, instead of that he quite contently took in whatever was given to him and to add up helped them. Haru has been learning how to read from kakima. They live in the village to maintain the house and relax. Town is hardly an hour from here by car and kakababu possesses one. He sometimes takes Haru to town.

He arrived when it was still dark. The paddy was stacked in the courtyard. It was a strenuous job. He had to thrash it and after that collect the paddies and sift the dust. Once that done he had to store it in the granary.

He started working. Suddenly he felt that there was someone on the verandah. He stopped thrashing, the dust settled down and he saw a gorgeous girl. She was about her age. Eighteen or nineteen years old. She looked like a goddess, Haru has seen Saraswati moorti in pandal, she looked just like her. Her skin was white with a slight yellow glow, dark eyes, and beautiful face- not perfect but soft and adorable. She too was staring at him with eyes full of admiration.

She in turn saw a young guy with very best features and physique. He was wearing only his trousers, his shirt was hanging from a nearby tree. She could see his perfect structure and it was just like a Greek God’s statue, only difference was this statue was alive and jet black.

They both exchanged glances one too many times shyly. None spoke.

“She is my elder-most brother in law’s daughter Haimanti. She came to town last week and your kakababu brought her here for a few days.” Kakima told him in the afternoon when he was having his lunch. She too was sitting there on a chair, listening to her.

He dreamt of her in the night. She looked even more beautiful in her dreams.

When he reached her home it was still dark, he started his work and after a couple of hours she came out brushing her teeth. She smiled at him and his heart stopped.

He did not dare to smile back because he knew his place but that did not control his innocent heart. He kept on dreaming about all the movies he has seen in which a millionaire’s daughter marries a poor farm boy.

It became a routine. He thrashed the paddy and she sat there with a book watching him. Both admiring each other’s beauty.

Then that day came, he went to work there but she did not come out. A couple of hours passed and kakima came out, “You want some tea?”

“Where is Didimoni?” he gulped.

“She has left for town last evening.” Kakima said.

The tea became tasteless. He loved tea, it was an extravaganza at home but whenever he came here kakima always gave him a few cups.

Days passed to weeks, weeks turned into months.

“Haru, Barokaka will be coming to the Durgapuja this year with all his family.” Kakima said.

He felt as if he was flying in the sky. The whole world transformed. Every thing became beautiful. He eagerly started to count the days. Then Mahashashti came. He has been working there all week. A car stopped.

He softly came out of the main gate. A group of well dressed men, women and children spilled out of the gate. Haimanti was with them. She casually looked at him and went inside.

He stood there waiting for her to come out. Kakima came out after a little while. “Haru, will you send the barber woman in the afternoon on your way home?”

He nodded and went back to his work. He realized that the girl he has worshipped since first looking at her has absolutely forgotten him.

Duties

“You too have some duties towards him Tandra.” Her sister glared at her.

“I knew that, you too will take his side. He must have been telling you all types of stories with eyes full of tear. How mean I am. How querulous I am. How I treat him badly.” Tandra sniffed.

“You know very well that I care about your welfare first, then of someone else.” Chandra said. “Now wipe your face and sit near me, listen to what I have to say.”

“He is a boy born and brought up in a large town. He has not married you to have children or look after his home. For the second thing he could have appointed a maid.”

“For the first, as per Indian tradition, he of course needs a wife.”

“If you skulk in the home looking and acting like a witch, for how long can he suffer you?”

“He comes home tired after all day. You meet him with a huge list of complains and problems.”

“You don’t understand his passions, his tastes, his hobbies. Forget about sharing them. To add up you don’t let him go out with his friends. You want him at home all the time. When he is not in office of course.”

“In that case my kid sister, you will have to become his best friend. Can you become that?”

“If yes then all problem will be solved. If no, then let him have some friends of his own. Give him some independence and when he is with you treat him with love and understanding. With sweetness and compassion. After that, see the change.”

“Tell me if he does not change.”

“It’s not your fault; you have seen your mom busy with only you guys and household chores. Your father busy in fields, so you have grown up without the concept of soulmate.”

“If you can’t be his soulmate, be his best friend, if you can’t, be that either be his friend and lover.”

“I know you can do that. Now smile and go back to home. He is waiting for you eagerly.”

A love story

“Korak! Hey!! Wait!!!” she heard her shouting her name and turned.

 

She was panting; she was a little overweight and awfully cute. Every one in the office loved her. She liked Korak a lot. Korak was a little grateful for that because she was a very shy and demure girl.

 

“Let’s go to Mouchak and have some coffee. We will split the bill ok?” she smiled sweetly.

 

“Where were you when I was coming out of office?” Ruchi asked. “I was looking for you all day; I wanted to tell you that we will leave office together. I wanted to talk with you. My tummy is aching since last night.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Mayank, that silly boy punched me so hard in my tummy last evening!” she said giggling.

 

“Don’t bluff. Mayank can never hit you.” Korak smiled. Just like Ruchi Mayank too was one of the sweetest beings in the office.

 

“He did!! That mean boy did hit me Ruchi, how could you think I will lie to you?” she looked at her innocently, though Korak could see mischief sparkling in her eyes.

 

“Then you must have done something awfully naughty.” She smiled.

 

“That I did. He begged me to give you a message three months back, have been asking me again and again but I  have not given it to you.” she was very grave now.

 

“Why?” Korak was surprised. She has never seen Ruchi serious like this.

 

 

 

“He is in love with you.” Ruchi said solemnly, has been so since you joined the office.”

 

“I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that it would have been better if he told it himself, right?”

 

“I have been his best friend since last ten years. He is gay. That is after seeing you he has realized that he was gay.”

 

“He just can’t think about any one but you any more.”

 

“He is not asking you to decide any thing. He is just hoping that you will mix with him and decide yourself.”

 

For a few minutes she was at loss of words. Then she shrugged her shoulders. “I really don’t know Ruchi.”

 

They both left the café and went their ways.

 

She spent the night thinking about him. How wonderful he was and how caring he was to her.

 

As if by some telepathic connection her phone beeped, it was a sms from Mayank. “Are you free tomorrow?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Will you spend the day with me?”

 

“Yes.”

Delilah

“Just do as I say and we both will be benefited.” She said calmly. “I will manage every thing smoothly.”

 

Her husband was a millionaire; he fell for a girl half his age. Both were equally clumsy so he kept swaying like a pendulum. In between commitment and freedom. He has lived alone for fifty one years. Free as a bird flying in blue sky.

 

Then he fell in love with a young woman of thirty years. Was thinking whether or not to marry him when she interfered, trapped him and married him. She convinced him he was too old and she was too immature for her age. They decided that they will get her married to his nephew. Ha!! That’s what she made him believe.

 

She knew very well that his nephew was in love with her niece. So she plotted a plan. To use the stick in a way that the snake dies without snapping the stick.

 

She did not had much problem in giving her niece a little bit of money but the amount of money which her hubby was planning to shower on his ex flame was outrageous. After all, it was her money too now.

 

She asked her niece to change her name, take the same name as her husband’s lover. Then she weaved the net.

 

She squeezed out a huge sum of money from her husband; it was distributed 3:1, his nephew shifted to Denmark with his share of money. Married the girl of his choice and he thought that his ex flame is happy and safe.

 

 

 

A few years passed by. He happened to visit India on a business trip, alone. His Indian manager met him. She was a striking young woman with great records.

 

He was surprised by her similarity with his ex flame. He prodded and her side of the story came out.

 

She has moved on ever since he vanished a few years ago. Why should she wait for a non-committal person? A man who has not even said “I love you.” after knowing her for years.

 

She never married; she is too busy with her career. May be she will marry later but not now. She never realized who he was because he used fake name and description while mixing with her.

 

 

He returned to USA after the trip was over. His wife was waiting for him in airport. She gave him a big, tight hug.

 

“Darling, there is a surprise for you.” he smiled.

 

“What?” she smiled happily, looking at the envelope.

 

“Two tickets for Denmark in the next flight, we are going to meet Tamal and Tanaya.”

 

“The flight will take off an hour later. We will buy necessary things there and call up Tamal from the airport.” He smiled sweetly.

 

“Lets have some thing to eat and we will have to immediately check in.” he held her hand warmly and firmly.

The waiting

She was waiting eagerly for his chat icon to become online. Its third day on a row when he has not been online on time. They both value commitments.

 

They have loved each other for last seven years but that has not changed their respect for each other’s ways at all.

 

Internet was the only way of connection between them now. He was to reach Muscat on Monday and send her a mail or chat with her. It’s Wednesday. She leaves her account open all day, but he has simply not shown up. He has not even called up his home.

 

She called up his home during the lunch.

 

“Ma did Pratap called?” she has already started to call his mother ma and father baba. Mother and father in Bengali.

 

“No. neither he, nor the guy who arranged the job. His phone is switched off.”

 

She straight went to his home from office. His parents were sitting in the drawing room with a worried expression. “What shall we do Nisha? Was his mother’s first question after handing her over a cup of tea and a light snacks. 

 

“Eat something Nishu, you are coming back straight from office.” Mrs. Dutta said.

 

“Ma I am not hungry.” She could not tell her that she was scared to death. She did not even touch the snacks.

 

They kept trying the agent’s number all evening. Finally Mr. Dutta escorted her home.

 

“What’s wrong didi?” her brother asked. They lived away from their parents. Both of their parents lived in Maharashtra, they had to shift to Kolkata to work.

 

“Pratap was supposed to contact me on Monday.” The tears she has suppressed started to roll down her cheeks.

 

“Come, come Nishu. Every thing is alright.” He hugged her and wiped her cheeks.

 

When she returned after wiping her face she saw he was sitting in the drawing room sofa talking with someone, “I have emailed you all the details. Please check if the guy is alright. Nishu is crying her heads off.” He said semi-lightly. Being a man he was not much worried. He thought his brother in law has messed up a little and will call or contact soon.

 

The phone rang next morning. His face became serious. “Okay, can you arrange his return ASAP?”

 

“Nishu, your fear was right. That employment agent who took Pratap to Muscat left him waiting in the airport and vanished with every thing. Including his passport and visa.”

 

“Pratap has been wandering in the streets, my friend contacted the local police with his photo and they have been able to find him out and have lodged him in the Indian embassy. They are now busy finding out the authenticity of his words. I have arranged for his copies of passport and visa to be sent from here.”

 

“We will have to arrange for the passage money.” He said.

 

They were planning to get married next year, suddenly the factory in which Pratap worked closed down.

 

One of his colleagues offered him a job in Muscat, every one asked him to not go but he kept insisting, and finally they gave in. he arranged for three lakh rupee,  handed it over to the agent for formalities. Left for Muscat with dreams in his eyes a week ago.

 

 

“Why doesn’t the government does something concrete against these agents?” Nisha asked with tear filled eyes.

 

All her brother could do in response was shrug resignedly.

Child of lust

“Mrigank, are you going to leave the office or planning to work on Sunday after working through the weekend?” Shashi teased him.

 

“You go, I will leave after a while. Just a little is left to finish the project.” Mrigank answered, brushing away a lock of hair which fell on his forehead.

 

He was the cutest guy in the office but he strictly maintained a distance from colleagues. He was soft, polished and as handsome as cupid but there was an invisible wall around him. No matter how much one tried there was no scaling that wall. Shashi has heard that even her boss’s daughter had a crush on him but married someone else after trying to woo him for years.

 

He always spoke softly and kindly whenever he opened his mouth, even his fury had a little kindness and lot of softness in it. But he rarely opened his mouth. No one has heard him laughing out loud. His smiles too were a rare phenomenon.

 

Shashi has fallen in love with him. He was irresistible. Every one has warned her of the dire consequences but she could not help it. She was struggling but the more she struggled the deeper the love became.

 

She was standing in the bus stand when she felt someone else approaching her. She turned, it was Mrigank.

 

“Are you going home? I would love it if you can come with me for a cup of coffee. I am starving.” He said.

 

She felt as if the earth tilted a little under her feet. In her two years in the office she has never heard about Mrigank taking out any woman to any place, forget about a restaurant.

 

The cup of coffee ended with a movie and she returned home intoxicated by his closeness. He was a decent man in and out.

 

They were standing on the door of her home, “Please come inside and meet my family.” Shashi requested.

 

“Not today. Are you free tomorrow? There is a painting exhibition going on in Fine Arts Academy. I have two tickets and I really will love it if you can spend the day with me.” He looked at her and she consented so instantly that her cheeks became red.

 

 

She left the bed very early after tossing in the bed whole night. It was a beautiful morning. Winter has just settled in and every thing was pleasant.

 

She took a long time in deciding what she will wear. Then she started to wait for him. Her phone rang, it was Mrigank. “Come downstairs, I am waiting in the taxi.”

 

“Please come upstairs for a while, for a cup of tea.” She insisted.

 

“Later, please.” He insisted.

 

She took her leave from her parents and went downstairs. He was waiting in the taxi.

 

The exhibition was wonderful; it became even more charming because he was with her. She was not an expert in the field of art but loved beautiful things, but he was quite an expert and she was impressed by his depth of knowledge.

 

They sat down in the banks of Ganges to relax after the exhibition was over. They selected a place where they were the only one at that time.

 

“I want to tell you a story. Will you listen?” he looked at her with his beautiful, deep eyes.

 

He started the story after her consent.

 

A young woman reached Kolkata with sky high ambition. She was gorgeous. Her boss was a married man, very happy with his family life. She trapped him. She conceived his child and blackmailed him till she got settled. Then she left the child and disappeared with her lover.

 

The man who has already admitted his folly has been forgiven by his wife. They brought up the child.

 

The child grew up and fell in love, the girl’s family came to know about his past and the girl refused him, married someone else.

 

“That man has again fallen in love with a woman after restraining his feelings for years. What do you think he should do?”

 

Shashi looked at him and then lowered her eyes. “My parents don’t treat a human being unjustly just because his parents did not control themselves.”

 

She felt his hands firmly gripping her hands. When she looked up she saw his eyes were sparkling with unshed drops of tears. She gently laid her head on his shoulders and closed her eyes. Feeling his presence with her whole being.