Author's Desk

2012-02-04T04:09:00.000-08:00

That’s how it was! She complained as she scrubbed hard at the tea-stain on the bed-sheet. That is how it was, like a tea-stain. Her relationship with the only man she had learned to love all her life was once enthralling like a nice cup of hot tea on a tiring day and now it had come to be nothing but a stain. She had tried her best to get that stain out of the bed-sheet of her life but just like this stain, it still remained. How-much-ever she tried to scrub it off. It showed. People could feel the tension in between them whenever they went to a party together. It showed in his attitude, it showed in her weak attempts at smiling. She had to admit. Despite everything, despite all the frustration, she still loved him. She had even tried to bridge the gap but in vain. She felt like she was walking on quicksand. The more she tried to come out of it, deeper she got sucked into the bad of it. He was not putting in any efforts of his own, she thought bitterly. How had they come to be where they were, in their relationship?She gave up. The stain was forever. Tide, vanish nothing could take it off. She washed the bed-sheet with clean water and put it on the line to dry. There had to be some difference between tea-stain and the relationship going sour, she thought. Giving up in latter case was not as easy as it was with the former. Bed-sheet could be replaced but, relationship was meant to be. She was exhausted. Mental and physical stress, the combination had burned out her strength. On her way back from the balcony, she saw Sudeep’s car entering through the gate. She rushed to the bedroom and tidied the room and herself. Ready to welcome him home, just the way he wanted. She played her role well. She walked out to the living room just in time. The key turned in the keyhole and Sudeep stepped in. She brought him a glass of water as he removed his shoes. He looked tired, she noticed.“I am going to Rinku’s school to bring her home” saying so she immediately excused herself and walked out of the house.

[Written for Preeti Shenoy]
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Arti Honrao

Author's Desk