Fiction: Shashi was married once. An unexpected encounter with another man reignites her desire

I was ready at 5 pm. No hair oil. Focused on talcum powder. Nirmala brought out a small bottle of scent she had borrowed from a friend and sprayed generously around my neck. A sweet smell enveloped us, transporting me instantly to a distant dreamland. Everything was perfect.

“Athige!” Nirmala poked my arm and giggled, cupping her mouth.

Athe brought a fresh string of jasmine from the neighbour’s house and pinned it to my hair.

“Athige, you look like a film heroine.” She winked, and we both laughed when we saw Vishnu enter.

“Oh, you are ready.” He ran his eyes over me and pinched his nose as if to indicate the scent filling the room. “I will come in ten minutes. Let me freshen up,” he said, disappearing into the bathroom.

He came out exactly ten minutes later.

“Shall we go?” He asked after running a comb through his hair. I nodded, and we walked out of the door as if we had done this a dozen times before. I waved at Nirmala. Athe smiled, gave a head nod of approval, and I followed him out as his wife, feeling the Bangalore breeze on my face for the first time in days.

Vishnu did not walk; he almost ran. His strides were long, and he didn’t turn around to check if I was keeping up. Didn’t he want me with him? But I remembered Amma’s advice about adjusting, learning new ways and not complaining. When Vishnu stopped at the end of the road under a shelter, I caught my breath, and everything felt perfect again.

A red bus screeched to a halt in no time. Vishnu signalled, and I followed him into the vehicle. An empty seat greeted us in front, but I waited for Vishnu to lead. He studied the space for a split second before walking past that seat and sitting near the window a few rows ahead. I took the cue. Our eyes met for the first time when he saw me standing, my fingers around the steel of the grab handle, tightened.

“Sit!” He patted the space next to him. I slid into the seat, our bodies not making any contact. The bus grunted and growled as it swerved and huffed through the big roads of Bangalore along with cars, other buses, autos, and bikes piling on the road. Large, bountiful trees swanked through the streets. Pretty mannequins wore colourful outfits in shops. Ice cream shops, eateries, stylish men and women – it was a whole new world. I was lost in the sights when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was time to get off.

The place I stepped into wore a distinct look. All the glamour and frenzy had given way to a quiet spot. Little kids held their parents’ fingers, flower and fruit sellers called out their wares, and the balloon man blew a funny tune. Vishnu turned to the right and quickened his pace. I gasped as Vishnu strode purposefully, as if he were late for a critical meeting. I tripped twice as the saree caught under my foot, but I managed to stay close when we finally stood before a massive gate. An ornate entrance with a floral archway greeted us. Were we in a garden? Where was the temple? A fountain gurgled in the centre. Rocks, trees, and colourful plants were everywhere. Children ran free, and a peanut seller stopped us, but nothing stopped Vishnu as he walked right into the garden’s heart.

A green carpet stretched as far as I could see. Bees buzzed over colourful pink flowers, a faint scent of rose pricked my nose, and a koel sang somewhere over me. A cheery voice drifted in from a distance. Where had Vishnu disappeared? No. He was only a few feet ahead and was waving at someone. I ran like a child going after the parent when I saw a lady in a blue saree walk toward us with a bright smile. The saree with large white flowers hugged her soft curves, and I sensed Vishnu beam even from behind. My legs refused to move, and I waited for someone to tell me what I was supposed to do when I realised the lady was coming towards us. Was she a friend or a relative? She looked different and pretty with a nice blue bindi and a clip fastened her soft curls. Bright bangles clicked on one hand, and a black handbag on the other. She looked straight out of the film that I had seen.

“Hi Vishnu!” She beamed and threw her slender arms around him.

“Sorry I am late, darling.” His voice was soft as silk.

“It is okay, Vishnu.” She giggled.

Hearing his name in her mouth churned my stomach, and sweat broke in my palm. Although I couldn’t name what was unfolding in front of me, I knew it wasn’t good. Vishnu and the new lady walked arm in arm. Another couple sat under the canopy of a massive tree, cooing into each other’s arms.

A large fountain gurgled in the centre. I pictured Vishnu and the lady breaking into a song and the orchestra playing behind, just like I had seen in films. My chest sank into my stomach, and I dragged my feet behind the couple, feeling out of sync.

Excerpted with permission from The Invisible Lines, Sudha Subramanian, Vishwakarma Publications.