The rendezvous (872 words)

Swapan entered the bedroom looking for Divya. Not finding her there, he checked the bathroom, but it was empty too. He was to leave for Mumbai early the next morning, and he wondered where she might have gone. Walking to the window, he spotted her chatting across the fence with their neighbour, Shanthi.

On the bed lay her iPad, open. He intended only to shut it, but his eyes fell upon an email. Swapan was not the kind to snoop, yet the salutation, Divya dearest, compelled him to read further. One can gauge what went through his mind when he read the following email

Divya dearest,

After our chat yesterday, I could hardly sleep the whole night. I just need to meet you as soon as possible. You mentioned that we can meet leisurely when your husband goes on tour. You were also telling that he may go tomorrow morning. Can we meet tomorrow at Domino's near your home at 10 am and decide on the venue where we can spend the day together?

I have a lot to share with you. I loved and married the wrong person. My spouse is a clumsy blunderbuss. We are incompatible in every aspect, physical, intellectual and emotional. We frequently quarrel and stop talking to each other for days. I derive no joy. My marriage has utterly failed. I wish to put an end to this farce.

You are the only one who can help me. We have been very close since our college days, and we keep our friendship as green as ever even after marriage. I need an outlet and look to you for my next step. You mentioned that although your marriage cannot be termed as a failure, it lacked the fizz and excitement of the initial years. We are somewhat in the same boat, lol. Looking forward to meeting you tomorrow. Send me an SMS.

Love and hugs

R

Swapan froze. Who is this R she’s been close to since college? Why has she never mentioned him? Is she really skipping work tomorrow for this secret rendezvous? And what nonsense about our marriage lacking fizz?

His head throbbed. This tour is not important. I won’t go, but she needn’t know. I’ll leave early as planned. He carefully left the iPad as it was and sat before the TV in the hall.

Meanwhile, Divya came in laughing to herself. On seeing him looking at her, she said, “Sorry, Shanthi was talking to me and would never let me go. She was complaining about her in-laws, who were expected to arrive tomorrow”

“What is there to laugh about for you?” he asked rather abrasively 

“Nothing” she replied, hurt by the tone of his voice and wondering why..

“I will call you at your office tomorrow after reaching Mumbai around 11 am”, he said casually

“No, I am not going to the office tomorrow. I just wish to relax,” she replied.

He did not react and left the hall quietly. He was now convinced something was amiss that needed to be probed.

She saw the open iPad on the bed, and when she touched the screen, the email appeared. She was shocked at her carelessness. She sent a message to R that the meeting at Domino’s is not convenient and should wait for a few more days.

The next day, around 10.30 am, Swapan entered Domino’s with his hat drawn, Sunglasses and a false moustache. He saw Divya in the corner talking animatedly with another lady of her age. After some time, they left, and he quietly followed them to find them entering his house. Am I being foolish, or has she got a scent of his reading her mail, he wondered?

He rang her up after a while and asked, “How are you? I hope you are relaxing free from office pressures.”

“I am enjoying it with my friend Ranjana, my closest buddy since my college days. She sent me an email asking me to meet her today at Domino's. Poor thing, she is passing through troubled times with her hubby and looking to me for advice,” she replied.

“I know. What advice can you offer in a personal matter like that?” he asked.

“How do you know?” she asked

“I know because you were telling me. Do you suspect me of reading your emails?”

“No, not at all. I was just telling her that after some time, small differences crop up and that she should give him his space. I even fibbed to her that the fizz and excitement of the initial years had faded over the years, though you know it surely has not,” she said with a giggle. “I wish that you meet her one of the weekends at our home’ she added

Late that night, when they were in bed, he whispered into her ear,” Is it that you miss the fizz these days?” and dragged her close to him even as she hit him gently on his chest in feigned anger.

Divya, meanwhile, thought silently: Thank God, I chose to meet Ranjana at Domino's. instead of Rahul. If only Swapan had seen that one email, I shudder to think. I’d better clear my inbox first thing tomorrow morning.