Sunday 15 January 2012

I breathe rain

She smelled the absurdity of moist land and vapour that  touched her nostrils everytime she breathed rain.She was born in a local nursing home in the suburbs of Calcutta while it was raining and it was like rain had betrothed her since the day."Jhor escheche,jhor escheche"(Its a storm).She watched her mother and maid rush through the verandah collecting clothes and quilts."Bador meye.Dekhche maa khete khete morche."(look at you.cant you see I am working alone)She got up to aid the others when she saw him.He looked at her.It was always his intense yet short gaze that made her feel delicate and warm.She had known him since she was a child.And now after sixteen years of existence,it tickled her stomach.The thought of him.Something she owned and she hid it from herself.She felt shy.She was reminiscing her childhood when her mother yelled at her and slammed the door shut.
She met him occasionally.They cuddled and kissed.It only went upto the extent of necking.She was still on her guard at all times.Maybe that was the reason he still wanted her.Maybe she was the reason she felt proud.He went on to go to London.She stayed in India.They kept in touch.They talked alot.They fell in love.
He came back after five years.Almost a Londoner.They got married.She moved away from India.
London was dry and dirty.Loneliness had begun to take a grip on her.She was half delirious all the time.Eventually he started avoiding her.She discovered he had other girlfriends and was away most of the time.When at home he would often get physical.
One cold morning, she was at the pharmist when she almost fell down the staircase.She lost control and sat on a bench.When suddenly a man,a little younger than she was probably,came upto her and said"Miss are you allright?"
She looked at him in surprise"O yeah.I have just had a bad day"and forced a smile.
There was something so sympathetic and soft about his gaze.She wanted to cry.
He sat beside her,gave her a hankerchief and said"You are bleeding miss"
She finally saw the blood and burst into sobs.
"hey hey its okay.Its okay.Where do you live?"
"Across the street"
"Come I will help you"
He tried to help her to stand on her feet,when she couldnt.He moved her skirt a bit upwards and there was some bruises she got there.He half carried her.To her apartment.
At her place she offered him some coffee.He didnt say a no.He was twenty seven and an artist.His father was an Indian who married and English.But divorced.So he had to live with a step mom alot of his life.There was something so beautiful and boyish about him.It was like she wanted to mother him.She met him again.That night while talking alot she put her hands between his knees,he forced himself upon her.He unclothed her upper body and felt her breasts with his mouth.She let him be while she quickly moved her hands to hold the nape of his dark neck.After an intense session he pressed her legs against her body and told her he had had enough of her.A while later she gazed up at the ceiling with tears in her eyes.She touched his hair and wondered if he would still see her.In the morning she woke up alone on her bed with a note on the pillow.It was a number.She called up.It was him.She was glad he had a thrilled voice."hey meet me at my apartment tonight"
She said it wasn't possible since her husband would be home.That night he stayed outside her house.She could see him.Something inside her froze.
They would meet everyday and everyday they would make love.Her husband got suspicious.He got even violent when she decided to leave him.The matter took two years to solve and she finally married for the second time.
On the day of her marriage they went skinny dipping.She felt his hands.His lips and the subtle flow of water around the hinges of her body.She could taste the aroma of salt in her stomach when she finally breathed water again.

9 comments:

  1. This has to be one of the best tories i've come across. and am not even close to exaggerating :D

    xoxoxo
    R

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  2. Ahh well,Rachika is right.:-) Bador meye kothakar!!!Lovely!!!!:-D

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    Replies
    1. Hahahaha thank you for taking a moment to comment :)

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  3. u r d best....... m spell bound swthrt..

    -sarjana

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  4. nice narrative, and very gripping story :)

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