Payal's Story

1.4

That day she told me everything about him. (But why a married man?)

She started with her eyes closed as if it was a pleasure for her talking or even thinking of him...

”I was in Lounge of Taj, after our corporate meeting waiting for office cab to drop me home. Thinking about my previous boy friend who was in a Bombay, we had passed from the same collage and had never had any other guy in my life. Ever since he shifted to Bombay the long distance relationship started with a stimulated determination.
Initially him getting to know “Where I am, What am I doing, Who is with me” used to amuse me and a thought somebody is actually caring about me today. But I had a lifestyle due to the job I have, going out for dinners with foreign clients is a part of it, hanging out with friends since he is not around is a part of it. But he started getting panicky about all. I on other hand was sure that this is it, I love him and I am honest.
One day it all changed my mobile was switched off and he took it as my reason to be escaped from his steady eyes. Next day the things he told me I tried to tell myself were his insecurity. And after that ever his every word every question used started pinching me right at my heart. His questions which were earlier adorable now became awful. And then to get away from him I started with drinks bet it never helped.

That day I was sitting there with a formal suit with wet eyes, he was in town and one of my dear friend had told him of where I am.
He was expected to come there.
I don’t know after two years of our separation what he actually wanted from me. Recollecting myself. I went to the last corner of the Lounge next to Ritesh. He was working on his laptop dressed casually as if he was a regular here. He noticed me and I thinking of Amit of what he is coming here for ( his name is Amit, I just wanted to avoid taking this name again). Ritesh looked at me and smiled and got back to his work.

I never wanted to be there wanted to run away but wanted to be there to look at him Amit once again. Took out a book from my bag and while scrolling through pages which I never read just looked at the numbers on pages to remember where I had left it earlier. As I looked at reception Amit was there.

But, not Alone.

He was there with his girlfriend the way he had his arms across her waist. I saw him for the first time with another girl that just made look at the book with my tilted eyebrows, my eyebags coming out I just wanted to through away the flower pot right in front of me at him. They both have not noticed me yet may be they were still enquiring about my official meeting’s venue.
I just looked at them and went back to that book, the letters of which were not legible at all to me, all I was hearing was my long breath and my heartbeat which where both hating him. So he is here to show of his girl friend. How dare he could do this. How dare he can. Oh my god I was saying this loud and clear And Ritesh heard it really well.
I looked at Ritesh and he was looking at me. His eyes had concern and a question

“What Happened”.
I got up and went straight to his table.

“Can I share the table with you, If you don’t mind”.

“Yes sure, shall I order some thing for you, some water”

“Yes Some water will do”

“Do you know that guy who is waiting at reception counter?”
As I looked at his eyes, they were concerned and as if he guessed every thing right.

“He is my ex, I don’t know why the hell he is here, I am waiting for my office cab after the meeting”

He said with a smile, “I can guess why he is here, If you allow we can give him a tit for tat”

“What?”

“What’s your name?”

“Payal”

“I am Ritesh, I work for Amex and I come here to write a novel you can say nit published yet”

“Let’s call your friend to this table and leave everything to me”

I had no words, He guessed everything right.
He sent a steward with a message that Payal is waiting for him in Lounge. And as he was coming with and arm around that bitch talking to him with a smile and occasionally getting close to his ears to say something with a smile to which both of them laughed at each other.

“He is a real bastard”

Ritesh now shifted the chair next to me and closed his laptop now not looking at him. As Amit looked at us. He went quite now only that bitch was talking and he was nodding to her talks.

“Hi Amit, this is Ritesh Khanna here, I hope you know Payal, she recognized you while you were at reception”, he stood up to shake hands with him.

I was now looking at him with straight in his eyes. He on other hand was now quite with a flat face that I had never seen before. He turned his eyes to look at Ritesh and looking at him now. If he had heard me what I was saying he could hear it,

“Disgusting”.

“We planned to have dinner here”

“But steward told us you were enquiring for Payal”
This was now a bombshell which landed right at his face exploding that arrogant face into pieces of his sweat. He was not looking at me now, he can never find courage to look at me.

“I, yaa somebody told me she is here for a meeting so just came here”

“Why?” I said with a tone so sharp that the flower pot right in front might had broken.

Ritesh noticed it and avoiding any thing else and considering the work is done. Held my hand and said, “Payal, you know the time, I have been waiting here for couple of hours, now I think we should leave or your watchman won’t let us in.

Amit had nothing to say he was frozen, almost white face with eyes which didn’t understood where to look at, now his hand off the bitch he was carrying. Ritesh closed the laptop and stood up to leave. Some how I was not done yet, having Ritesh by my side gave me the confidence to swear him little loud so that he and his bitch can hear it properly. Ritesh held my hand and we moved forward and were soon out of it.