An affair

The cash counter at Target was looking deserted with no line of customers at this part of the day. I had paid the bill and collected my things quickly and was slowly pushing the cart towards exit when I heard a voice from behind.

” Madam, can I have a word with you?”  I saw the counter assistant beckoning me. She was looking at me with concern just like my mom did when I did something she did not approve of.  The assistant at the counter could be a Mexican, less than 50 and did not seem very tall, as she craned her neck over the counter. Her face was familiar as I visit this branch frequently being close to my house.

Surprised I went near her and said, “Hi, how have you been? I hope the day is good.”

“Yes, thank you. Would you permit me to talk something personal of interest to you?”

“Why not?” wondering what personal thing she could tell me as my contact with her was nothing more than some pleasantries before paying the bill at the counter.

“Excuse me if I am wrong. I have been seeing you visiting this branch for the last one year or even less and sometimes along with your husband,” she said and added,” I have a daughter of your age working in another city close by.”

“You wished to tell me something personal. What is it about, Madam?” I prodded.

“Call me Linda. I am telling this only out of concern for you though it is none of my business to poke my nose. But I could not resist telling you as you look very much like my daughter,” she said.

“Cut out the preamble please. Tell me quickly what is it you wanted to tell me,” I said with some urgency

Linda pulled herself straight and said, “I have seen your husband many times along with you during your visits. But I saw him a week before coming with another young woman of about your age and I did not like the way she was behaving. That is why I decided to mention to you.”

“What is wrong if my husband comes with a colleague of his or wife of our neighbor? What is it that you did not like about her behavior?” I asked.

 “I agree with you it can be a colleague or someone from your community. But not in this case when a woman in public place cozying herself like a newlywed, always holding his hands or snuggling too close to him for comfort or jabbing his chest in mock anger and giggling all the time. But this guy happens to be your husband and I thought I should warn you as I have a liking for you for your polite and smiling ways of interacting with me always. Excuse me if you did not like my sharing with you what I saw. I was actually hesitant, “Linda spoke in an apologetic tone.

“Not at all. I appreciate your concern for me. I am married for the last two years and he has been very nice and affectionate to me. I can never associate him even in my dream with cheating on me. Since you say, you have seen him a week before with her and he was supposed to be busy at a conference in his office, I am confused. Can you describe her in detail? Is she an Indian? Did the man address her by any name?” I asked.

“Excuse me, will be right back in a couple of minutes” she said as she hurried to attend a customer who luckily had only one item to be billed. She came soon and said, “Sorry, they spoke in their native language and that too not much. She is brown, I am sure. Could be a Pakistani too. I was not also paying attention to their conversation. But, believe me, she is a beautiful woman, taller than you, putting on an appearance of coyness and had a captivating smile. Frankly, I must confide in you that I did not like her a wee bit.”

Some worry crept into me and suddenly an idea struck me.” Please note down my number. I am Vandana. The next time you see them here together, please give me a ring or send a message. I will be here within five minutes to catch them red handed. But I am hundred percent sure my man is not like that, “I told her.

Nevertheless, Linda seemed skeptical about my confidence when she said,” I hope to ring you soon. Mark my word.”

The whole night I could not sleep turning on the bed restlessly with some uneasiness. My husband was sleeping well snoring softly. His face was so innocent, I cursed myself for doubting him before dozing off to sleep.

The next morning when we were having coffee, I asked him gently, “Had you been to Target last week or so? The assistant at the counter told me, she saw you.”

“No, the last I went there was about three weeks back with you for buying some AA and AAA batteries and you had even remarked why I bought so many of them. Why do you ask?” he asked in surprise.

“Forget it. She was casually mentioning obviously mistaking someone else for you,” I replied.

It was Saturday morning a week later and my husband had gone to Super cuts, when I got a call from the Linda from Target. Could it be a ruse on the part of my husband to go to Target as it was adjacent to Super cuts, I suspected when I was on my way to Target.

When I reached the counter, Linda said in a whisper, “They are inside one of the aisles looking for something. She is in a colorful Indian dress and looks very nice. Please hide yourself on the chair over there. You can see me. When I see them coming to counter, I will signal you.”

After a long wait of 15 minutes, Linda winked at me. I remained where I was seated waiting for them to come to counter. When I saw the couple with the woman’s hand circling his hip and him placing the things on the counter for billing, I could hardly suppress my laughter. I closed the mouth and messaged hubby to come to Target immediately only to see him rushing in with a neatly cropped hair.

When we both went to the counter and stood by the side of couple, Linda was half confused and half baffled seeing the two men talking animatedly. I broke into laughter when Linda asked me who was my husband as they seemed to her completely alike like a photocopy. I explained the men are identical twins and my brother-in-law and his wife recently relocated to a town 30 miles away and must have visited Target on their way to our house. I assured her that to trained eyes, they are vastly different and I can identify my husband a mile away.

I requested both the brothers to stand side by side and requested Linda to spot six differences amid peals of laughter from my sister-in-law and the two brothers.

Linda threw up her hands and joined in our laughter.