He felt a cold sweat on his temples. Soft gush of wind made him feel the beads and his fingers getly approached the knot of his tie. He felt an awkward suffocation and released his neck from the now chocking knot. He saw Keya flipping through something and typing, pressing and re pressing.
His mind raced and his heart sank.
The scene before three months flashed before him.
KEYA: Hey! How was your day?
KEVIN: oh, quite good. The deal finalized, the party was perfect. (concealing a grin ) how have you been doing on your reports? seems preoccupied.
KEYA: Yes, have been for sometime. Keith said he would expect me to finish by tomorrow. Probably we will wind up the discussion by lunch and then proceed. So it is a little touch up work that is keeping me up against the wall.
the name Keith had always disturbed Kevin. He felt a turbulence in his system, as if, his veins have accidently turned turtle on each other, entangled and messed...prohibiting his mind to think and react. Keith was Keya's best friend and now her business partner. No, Kevin didn't feel a tinge of jealousy. It was just that he had always wanted Keya's happiness. She was a man's desire; beautiful, ravishing, intelligent and witty. He had wanted somebody against all the bimbos swooning for him. He knew that he was good, an ideal man and a good husband to Keya. And Keith??? He was somebody who read Keya so well that had always taken Kevin by surprise and his envy spurred from there. Watching Keya in deep thoughts and still working, Kevin quietly left for the hall.
he heard Keya's voice in the backdrop...he assumed she was speaking to Keith. He was lost in the cobwebs of his thoughts, spurting, struggling and juggling across him were the reminiscents and the memories...but no speck of remorse anywhere. he knew Keya had been a perfect wife, dutiful daughter in law for his parents and an expert agonyaunt for him. she had handled work-life with an ease. he envied her agility, her warmth with people, her expertise of understanding people. he had liked and accepted everyone from keya's life, except Keith. He knew Keya loved him and will never leave him for keith. But the only unravelled question in his mind was about her untamed, platonic, fathomless and enviable affection for Keith.
KEYA: Care to go for a walk, I feel little tired and wanted some fresh air?
KEVIN:uh..yeah, sure..you okay?
KEYA: Yes, little tired, maybe.
KEVIN: you want to take a break??
i mean a long break..maybe we could go holiday somewhere for few days?
KEYA: Oh..that is sweet..sure
kevin knew the answer before, keya had never said no for anything. and she would gladly go and enjoy.
KEVIN: let me know about the place, we can plan accordingly.. by the way, did you speak to Stacey today?
KEYA: Well, why...something I forgot?
KEVIN: Ha, her birthday.
KEYA: Oh God, I will go to her place tomorrow, will have to make up for the loss.
the beach walk looked like a long stretch, an abandoned moor, a playful arena of an artist and an overhaul of a suppresed desire. They walked in silence, a deafening roar of questions on Kevin's mind, endless cues hovering on Keya and a mysterious awkwardness circling them...a vicious circle that started and finished without anything. There was numbness in Kevin's inner voice, his uproar was silenced by Keya's tenderness and his insecurity was raised by her bewitching charm. He was in a tugwar of his own emotions.
KEYA: You okay? or are busy thinking something?
KEVIN: Hmm work stuff..nothing important.
keya knew that kevin had never taken his work problems seriously. he was always, home first kind. and she had always loved this, for she could never be an abandoned wife...she knew kevin loved her more than anything. but she also knew that something like a termite was eating him, something disturbed him but Keya was clueless..She wasn't aware that Keith can be the thought provoking instrument playing and hitting her husband so hard.
The turnmoil of emotions continued marinating Kevin's soul and he could never talk it out. he felt ashamed of the ugliness of his own thought...and kept quiet. he secertly wished Keith to be dead and then cursed himself for thinking wrong.
LATER (PAST) THAT WEEK
Kevin noticed that everything was in a mess..he saw stacey's car outside his place.
STACEY: where were you? i am trying your phone like mad...we have to rush to the hospital
KEVIN (in shock): w..HAT IS IT? is keya fine? what happened?
STACEY: Let's go, Keya is in pain and Keith is no more. there was a terrible accident.
Kevin felt his head went for a spin..his hands trembled and he felt that there was no sensation. His thoughts blurred his vision and a dead pan expression shadowed over him. His senses left him in lurch and he asked lord for mercy, courage and strength.
The ward looked abominable and Kevin heard the lull of death.
he saw Keith, his face flashed before him, his laughter heard with Keya...which he detested. he could not apolozise, and for what? he stood numb.
he had no courage to see Keya.
He heard Stacey's voice in the backdrop
Bhai, Keya's lower body has been hit hard. She is paralysed from her waist. she can not walk anymore.
His mind went blank..he could hear an ugly uproar in his soul. his tears cajolled him to go weak in the knees and his strength belittled him. his emotions went wary.
Kevin, Keya wants to see you..do not tell her about the accident.... or about keith.
Kevin's footsteps echoed in his mind..the passage ligths looked blindening and the hospital staff looked like the messengers of death.
**************************
The sound of silence is the loudest uproar.
Kevin's reverie broke and he looked at Keya again, busy typing something...her legs resting on the table. she would have been seated like this for quite sometimes.
KEVIN: You want to take a short break keya?
KEYA: Here you are,(smiling) yes sure but where do we go?
KEVIN: First, a walk he lifted her to her wheelchair and then loosned the grip ; and then probably a holiday that we have been sleeping over for long.
keya looked at him with pleasure in her eyes, helplessness in her legs and agony in her soul. still grimacing she nodded wistfully.
