“Don’t forget your lunch box….and the pickle is in the small plastic airtight container next to it, as always….Bye Venky”….Neha gave her husband a quick hug. She lingered only a second longer…”What the hell was happening? Venky seemed a bit pensive and distant of late…had he sensed that there was something wrong with her? Did he notice that she was getting tired these days? Life had been perfect and Neha had loved every second of the 8 months that they had shared after their marriage….Inspite of their busy schedules at work, they had had a lovely time together………but then how could she have ever hoped that it would remain perfect forever? She had never dreamt that she would be alive to live with this torture….Venky trusted her more than his life…she had betrayed that trust….she had brought misery to both of them….Oh how she wished that the HIV should just kill her that moment…the secret was weighing her down….
It came back to her….the foolishness…the drunken revelry…when she had gone totally off guard…How her emotions had taken over her and how she had traded away her life for those few moments of carnal ecstasy…..it had happened three years ago and she had never thought it could……oh how she wished she had told him about all this….now it was too late….
* * * * *
She turned into the street and parked outside the building which had an old broken down sign that read “ Internet Café”. The chats had helped to temporarily alleviate her pain. Dr.Ajay had been the only one to know initially. But he had insisted on interacting with affected people like her. It would help her come to terms with the shock and the grief – he had said. Neha could not dream of talking about this to even Venky!!! A stranger???? How could she???? No…never….she was too ashamed to do it…in the end she decided to use the internet….she obtained the ID from Dr.Ajay. It was much easier this way….But how did she ever think that this would make her feel better???? She had to tell Venky….but how?when?
* * * * *
Dr. Ajay was just outside his door. Go right in Neha- he said. Just keep talking…Ill be back” He was happy that she had finally mustered up enough courage to meet and talk…not just through the net, but in person…….just one meeting with this person would do a lot more good than all the “internet chatting” that she had been doing with him all this while. He shook his head as he walked towards the admin office …..These silly youngsters….what is it with all of them? A little restraint would do them some good….Neha was a good girl….young, smart and successful….she had jus begun a new phase in her life….he felt bad for her husband…whoever it was….
* * * * *
The admin division was something Dr. Ajay hated…he was lucky that he was done so soon.His thoughts returned to the people in his office while he walked back to it.As he turned the door handle, Dr. Ajay made up his mind to ask Neha to bring her husband……whoever he was….he needed to know…Nothing in his experience had prepared him for this though……Neha was sobbing and he could barely discern the words- Forgive me my love…I never had the courage…..it happened so long ago that I didn’t think it would matter if I didn’t let u know……The tears couldn’t be helped….Dr Ajay walked away as he let Venkat embrace Neha…..
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