“Take your clothes off quickly! It’s already late!”
Tears welled up in Avantika’s eyes. It felt like the beast would pounce on her at any moment. She would have to spend her whole life with this man. She had nowhere to go. Her father had struggled so much to get her married. Avantika’s father had been a school teacher and was now retired. The money they had was all spent on marrying off the first two daughters. Two daughters were still unmarried. Avantika was the third of five sisters.
The man was older, but Avantika had no objections to that! On their wedding night, without saying a word, he asked her to undress. He had gone out onto the balcony. He would surely come back and pounce on her soon. Avantika took off her saree and sat on the bed. She was still wearing her blouse. She felt so bad. People have so many dreams about their wedding night, but hers had turned out terribly.
She wrapped the bed sheet around herself and sat there. The man seemed to be smoking a cigarette on the balcony. She would have to give him her twenty-two-year-old body, but couldn’t he at least take it with some love?
The man came back. Avantika’s heart raced. She felt like running away.
He smiled and said, “Wow! You can change clothes so quickly!”
Avantika felt embarrassed. Does a person say that when someone is changing clothes? What an odd man! What had he been thinking all this time?
Avantika said, “I’ll go to the bathroom.”
“Go ahead. There’s an attached bathroom in the room.”
“You go to the balcony.”
“Feeling shy, are you? Alright, what’s your name? I always forget names!”
“Avantika.”
“Such a beautiful name!”
The man went out to the balcony. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad person. Avantika got up and went to the bathroom. She found a three-piece outfit there. She was starting to feel better! But also, a little shy.
The man was sitting next to her. He smiled at her. Avantika lowered her gaze. She felt shy looking at him!
“Do you know my name?”
In a soft voice, she replied, “Aslam Sheikh.”
“Why so shy? You remembered my name, and here I am, forgetting yours!”
Avantika didn’t say anything.
“Would you like some coffee, Avantika?”
Avantika didn’t say anything.
“I’ve got everything to make coffee in my room. You sit, and I’ll bring it.”
Avantika wanted to say, “You sit, I’ll make it,” but she didn’t. The man got up and left.
Aslam came back with two cups of coffee. He extended his hand and said, “Try it. See how it tastes. I can usually make good coffee, but I don’t think it’s that great today.”
The man seemed to talk a lot. People who talk a lot usually have good hearts. Avantika’s father also talks a lot.
Avantika took a small sip from the cup. It tasted good! They didn’t drink much coffee at her home.
“There’s no furniture in the house. I got the flat six months ago. I didn’t bother setting it up because I wanted to move in with you. Now, you settle in your flat. We won’t be able to buy everything at once, but we can buy things little by little. It’ll be hard for you, but can you manage?”
Avantika looked at the man. Why did she feel so fond of him? She felt like reaching out to touch him.
