That Fateful Night
Driving on bumpy unmade rural roads was never easy, especially during this hour of the night. But I knew I had to accelerate today, despite the cautious driver in me ringing safety warnings in my head. After what seemed like an hour, I finally managed to spot our little bungalow at a distance and heaved a sigh of relief. I parked the car, trying to make as little noise I could.
As soon as I opened the door, she jumped into my arms. Her smell, from the delicious bunch of flowers in her hair hit me before her body and I floated on the marble, all weariness vanishing.
“Doctorji, you are late! Forgetting your pretty wife on your first wedding anniversary isn't really going to earn you any brownie points from her,” she said, poking an accusing finger into my chest.
“I'm really sorry, Lavanya. Whenever I thought about leaving the hospital, some patient would show up.” She kept glaring at me, so I continued, “From running noses to bleeding arses, I have seen it all today.”
“Excuses, excuses and more excuses. You know, you should have been a lawyer, not a doctor,” she said, turning away in a huff.
“Oh sweetheart, I really do apologize! I hope this will make up for it,” I said, pulling out the sparkling diamond pendant from my pocket and placing it on her slender neck.
“Wow! Nikhil, this is beautiful!” she exclaimed, touching the shimmering stones.
“It was made for a creation far more beautiful than itself.”
“Nikhil, you liar…” she said, thumping me lightly on the chest, but smiling finally.
“Where's mygift?”
“The market was closed today. I'll get you something tomorrow,” she said pinching my nose.
“Aww, doesn't matter. But surely you've prepared my favourite curd curry…”
“Nikhil, you expect your wife to do the cooking even on our anniversary?”
“I had thought about taking you out for dinner but…” “… but you came in late and all the plans went down the drain, isn't it?”
Before her anger rose again, I stepped aside and walked towards the telephone.
“Tell you what, we'll order pizzas from Pepper Hut!” I said, picking up the instrument. “Right! It's 11 in the night and your hut would have long been shut. And even if it hadn't, I can assure you no one would deliver to this God forsaken place,” she said.
“And why would that be?” “Because we live in a damn remote area with no proper transport and facilities. Even the network bars in my cell phone hesitate to stand up here!” she was almost shouting now.
“Now now, Lav, how many times have we discussed that? It's just a matter of a couple of months now. And then I can request for a new posting. I've even had a talk with Mr. Paranjpe…” I tried to soothe her.
“You could have taken a leave today or come home early today. I so wanted to go somewhere with you,” she said, her hands flying to her eyes.
“Lav, I'm really sorry. Alright, let me take you out for dinner now,” I said.
“It's nearing midnight, Nikhil. Which place is going to serve us?” she asked, wiping her tears.
“I know of this place, some two kilometers away from here. The other day Dr. Mathur was talking about the food at this dhaba where he had taken his family to…”
“Dhaba?”
“Yes, a small eating place on…”
“Of course, I know what it means. Are you really going to take your wife to some stupid local dhaba on our first wedding anniversary?” Lavanya stared at me in obvious discontent.
“The situation doesn't leave me with many options!”
“And who's to be blamed?”
“Lavanya!”
“And this dhabaof yours, will it be open at this time?” “Dhabas are operational round the clock, especially the ones
near the highways as they cater to travellers and truck drivers…” “Alright gyaanguru, it better be half as good as I am told,”
Lavanya said, pulling my arm.
We locked the house and sat in the small hatchback that I had
thought would be useful to maneuver the roads here. Lavanya sat beside me, her mood perilously close to heating up again. I wanted to talk to her, flatter her like she so desired but I wasn't much good at this. Once in a while, I would try my best to be romantic but I failed at it miserably. Fearing that I would fuel the fire, I chose to keep mum and focus on the road ahead. I was sure once the food reached her stomach, she would forget the anger. I could bet on that, going by the ten years we had known each other for and the
one-year that we'd been married.
I inserted a disc of the latest songs in the car audio player. The
soft slow beats reverberated in the car and soon created a pleasant