“DEEPIKAAAA….” the loud voice of my clearly drunk husband carried over to me and I looked in the direction the sound was coming from. The momentary distraction was all it took for me to clumsily step on some wedges in the rocky path and loose balance. I flailed my arms in the air alarmed and momentarily disoriented as I tried desperately to regain my balance. I didn’t have to struggle for long though as I felt a pair of strong hands on sides of my waist instantly lending me support.
“Hey Careful !!” said the urgent voice of Faizal from just behind me as he helped me stand straight, his hands still brazenly resting on my bare waist. A small current of pleasure shot up my spine from that touch. The moment felt like something that came right out of my fantasies. I stood still and nodded shyly muttering an inaudible ‘Thanks’ waiting for him to remove his hands on his own accord and enjoying the sensation of his touch on my sensitive skin every second it lingered. Unfortunately, it didn’t last that long as he quickly retracted his hands and I could understand why. Sanjay was looking at us.
I quickly looked in his direction wondering if he noticed my slip and that accidental yet slightly sensual exchange. Turns out that not just Sanjay but just about everyone standing there seems to have witnessed me tripping on my feet. He along with 10 or so other men were lounged out on the sloppy landscape outside. Chairs and small round tables made out of cane were laid all over the place. Bottles of various types of alcoholic beverages and snacks filled those tables. All of those men who were probably drinking and partying minutes before were now looking my way gawking. Judging by their states I could tell most of them are pretty drunk.
Sanjay didn’t look too pleased. I couldn’t tell if it was due to the public display of my clumsiness or because he noticed something about the exchange between me and Faizal just now. He beckoned me over.
“Come with me please?” I said in a low voice looking behind me at Faizal. I didn’t feel like going alone amidst a group of drunk men all by myself. Faizal nodded and followed a few steps behind me as I headed towards them. I could feel all those eyes unabashedly checking me out, making my insides curl in revulsion. Though I came dressed up like this in the first place to catch some eyeballs, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.
As soon as I was within his reach Sanjay reached forward and pulled me to his side boldly keeping his hand on side of my bare waist and squeezing my flesh into his palms. My eyes bulged at his sudden display of supposed affection over me. No, it wasn’t affection, it was a display of arrogant dominance. He was making a statement. That means whatever he saw must have made him feel insecure.
The leering eyes of the surrounding men immediately focused on my midsection feasting on the sight of my waist being caressed in front of them. I immediately kept one of my hands on top of Sanjay’s trying to get my fingers underneath his grip so that I can wrench his hands off. But he just tightened the grip making his fingers dig into my hips painfully now. I winced and let go, letting him hold me, not wanting to create a scene.
“Gentleman. Meet my gorgeous wife. Deepika.” he said proudly showing me off like a trophy he won. He emptied the glass of whiskey he was holding in his other hand in one swing and continued looking at me while ignoring my clear discomfort. “And Deepika…meet my friends Sukumar, Thomas, Ali…”. He kept on telling names pointing at various men who were all gawking at me like I was some sort of delicious meat. I could sense my navel peeking through my pallu and shuddering at the sudden onslaught of creepy stares in its direction sharing equal attention with my hip which was being kneaded by Sanjay’s hand. This was not at all how I imagined capturing attention when I set out this morning. Through his actions, Sanjay reminded me once again of what I clearly was to him, his trophy wife. Not a human being that deserved respect. But a shiny toy to show off to his friends and society. I could feel my ego and self-respect being stripped away with each passing second.
Ali, a bald headed who looked like he was in his mid-thirties was pointedly staring at my belly with a look of a hungry animal. I self-consciously adjusted my pallu to cover as much of my belly as possible.
“Have some whiskey darling. And help yourself to any of these snacks you want. You haven’t had anything to eat since morning. I know you are starving but this is all the food that is left. Lunch is long finished and any leftovers have been disposed of. And there is still many hours left before dinner arrives.”
I looked at him incredulously at his fake display of concern. I knew he couldn’t care less if I ate or drank. He was just acting out his idea of a doting husband.
“Oh she hasn’t had anything to eat since morning? That is terrible.” says Ali upon hearing this. He immediately pours a glass of whiskey and comes up from the other side. “Here have this Deepika. And help yourselves to some snacks. You will feel better.” he says coming uncomfortably close.
“No it's ok. I can wait till dinner.“ I say stiffly recoling at the reek of alcohol that emanated from him .
“Oh come on. Don’t be shy Darling. We are all friends here. Take it from him.” Sanjay eggs me on.
Ali comes even closer and keeps a hand on my shoulder and brings the glass to my lips.”Yes Deepika. Drink this. You will feel a lot better.” The audacity of this man. Why wasn’t Sanjay doing anything about this? I turned my head away disgusted.
Suddenly another hand came and grabbed Ali’s. “Don’t force her if she doesn’t want it Ali bhai.” I looked to see who my saviour was. It was Faizi. He pulled Ali’s whiskey holding hand away from my lips and gently pushed him back putting some space between me and him. I feel a rush of gratitude towards Faizi.
Ali looks at Faizi sourly not pleased at being interrupted. Faizi ignored him and turned towards me and Sanjay. I looked at him pleadingly conveying with my eyes to rescue me from Sanjay’s evading grasp.
“I have some chocolates in my bag sir.” He says looking at Sanjay Sir. “She can have that for the time being.”
“Oh that is great. Why don’t you go and get it?” Sanjay says refusing to let me go. Faizi has thrown me rope. No way I was going to let that go.
“No need Faizi. I will come with you. I need you to show me my room. I badly need to use the wash room. Also I want to change into something warmer.”
Sanjay didn’t look too pleased. He grip loosened. I immediately elbowed out of his grasp. “Do you want me come with you and show you to our..” started Sanjay but I cut him off.
“No need. We got it. Faizi knows where the room we stay is. Don’t you Faizi?”
“Yep. I will show her to it sir. You guys please carry on.”
None of the men looked too pleased by this development. “Come on Faizi. Let’s go.” I say already starting to walk ahead not wanting to give them anymore chances to try to make me stay. I was sad, upset and disgruntled. I resented Sanjay more than ever at the moment. Blinking back the tears that were threatening to escape my eyes I covered the distance to the main building in quick strides and went out of sight of everyone. I could feel Faizi following me not so far behind. I subtly brushed away my stray tears before he could catch up with me.
“You allright Boss Lady?” he asked as he caught up with me.
“Uh huh! Yea! Thanks for coming to my rescue back there” I say gratefully.
He just shrugged and said “You seemed like you could use it. Don’t take what happened there to heart Deepika. They all have started drinking since the moment they arrived and is clearly very drunk a d a little out of control now. They are otherwise quite nice people.”
I didn’t reply back as I felt myself getting choked with tears again. He must have noticed as he didn’t push to keep the conversation going and just kept walking ahead.
How is this man with whom I only barely familiar with able to pick up my silent cues with such ease? I wondered looking at the back of his head with a melancholic smile as I followed him. We reached outside again through the back of the building where I could see stone pathways in all directions leading upto various cottage buildings of the resort.
“That is the cottage where I stay.” he said pointing at a mud colored building a little up ahead. “Your and Sanjay Sir’s cottage is that way.” He said pointing to another pathway that seemed to go downhill while simultaneously starting to walk on it. “It’s just around that curve.”
I nod and follow him grateful for his company. “Where are the others? The Ladies and kids ?” I asked looking around. There was no sign of anybody else on surrounding cottages.
“There is a small stream a little south of here. They must have went there to let the kids play in water.”
“I see.” The narrow pathway curved up to another mud colored cottage standing a little isolated from the others.
“Here you go.” Faizi said pointing towards it.
“Nicee. Thanks a lot Faizi. If you don’t mind can you wait a few more minutes. I will quick change and come. Then we will go to your cottage together and get those chocolates you were talking about earlier.”
“Oh about that. I just made that up to get you out of there. I don’t have any chocolates with me. Sorry !!” he said sheepishly.
I broke out laughing not at all upset about getting another hope of getting something to eat got dashed.
“But I am sure some of the ladies will have somethings with them. I have seen some of them carrying fruits. You get changed and changed and come. And then we can head over to that stream I was telling you about earlier where those ladies are at.”
“Its a plan. Please wait for a few minutes. I will be back in a jiffy.”
“Sure no problem. Take your time.”
“Thanks a lot. Really sorry for the trouble.” I say moving towards the door and trying to wrench it open. It didn’t budge.
“Faizi. This seems locked.”
“Oh you don’t have the key? It must be with Sanjay Sir. He must have locked the door out before he left.”
I freezed as I heard that. I began to shake. Ever since I stepped out of my bedroom early this morning it has been just one misfortune after another. Nothing was going my way today. First I wasted a few hours getting ready because of which I missed both breakfast and lunch. Then it turns the dress I chose to wear was not at all suitable for the occasion and had totally the opposite effect of what I was intending. I wanted respect and ended up getting treated like some sort of cheap hooker. I was freezing, I was hungry and now I was locked out of my own room. Everything seemed to be going against me and I just couldn’t take it anymore. I just knelt down on the floor and sobbed finally releasing the emotions that have been building up inside me.
“Hey Hey Hey. What happened? Why are you crying? Is it the key? We can just walk back and get it from… “ Faizi asked alarmed at my sudden breakdown.
I threw down my phone in rage and screamed. “I am not going back up there.”
“Hey hey hey its allright!!” Faizi said rushing to my side and tentatively wrapping his arms around my shoulder. I didn’t resist and let him comfort me. Gradually my sobs died down and I was able to get a better hold of myself. He kept gently rubbing my arms. I wished that hand had the audacity to go a little more down and caress my waist which was still stinging a bit from Sanjay’s rough hold earlier. Damn! What the hell am I thinking?
I gently shrugged out of his half embrace, admonishing myself on where my thoughts were going and muttered.
“Thanks. I am really sorry about that. Just having a really bad day. And being cold and hungry on top of it isn’t really helping.”
“Oh I can help with both those problems. You stay here. I will quick go and get the keys from Sanjay Sir and get some snacks for you too while I am at it too.”
I nodded gratefully.
He helped me sit down on the steps and began to walk back. As I watched his retreating back suddenly I felt like I don’t want to be alone.
“Hey wait up!!” I called out.
He paused and looked back. I stood up and jogged to his side. “I will come with you till the main building.” He smiled and nodded. We walked back in silence. As we reached back however the main building was crowded than before and there was some commotion going on. It looked like the women and kids were back. A hysterical lady seemed to be questioing all the kids there while the other woman struggled to calm her down.
“Last I saw them they were sitting under that large tree near the pond making paperboats”. A small girl animatedly explained to the distraught woman.
“Hey Prakash. What is going on?” Faizi asked a tall dark curly haired guy who was passing by.
“Shamna Beegum’s sons Arif and Afsal are missing. They are nowhere to be seen.”
“What? How? When?” Faizi asked alarmed.
“No idea. We already checked all the cottages. They don’t seem to be in any of them. Most of the guys have already left to go look for them in the woods. Help us man. Not many men left that are sober. We need to find them before nightfall. Its already starting to get darker.”
“Ofcourse. I will start right away. Deepika you wait here. I will….”
“I can help. I will come with you.” I interrupted him.
“Are you sure?” He asked looking at my attire doubtfully. It is going to really difficult to traverse the woods in this. Not to mention exposed. But I didn’t feel good about being left behind with these hysteric ladies with whom I haven’t even formally met yet.
“I will be fine. Let's go.” I said prompting him.
“Fine. Lets go and check the area along the stream. Come on.” he said quickly heading in the westward direction in quick steps. I had to jog uncomfortably in my heels in small strides that my saree allowed to keep up with him. Uggh why is every dress and accessories that deemed attractive on women is also the ones that restrict her free movements the most?
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