Benign Flame: Saga of Love - BS Murthy (best way to read an ebook .TXT) 📗

Prasad; Roopa, he’s always been an adjusting type,” said Sathyam in apparent admiration for his friend.  

“Now tell me,” said Sathyam as they walked towards an exit gate.

     “Since I’ve spotted you, I’ll have the first ear too,” said Prasad in jest.

“After graduation, I joined the State Government, and have been working ever since at the Secretariat. Now I’m a Senior Assistant, waiting to become a Section Officer. In a nutshell, that’s all there is to my life,” said Sathyam.

“But you’ve missed the essence of it all; when did you get married?” said Prasad.

“We’re two years old,” said Sathyam smilingly.

“So, your wit is unceasing, love marriage, I suppose,” said Prasad.  

“It’s love at first sight, but in pellichupulu but I’ve heard yours is a love match,” said Sathyam.

“Yes and no,” said Prasad as they got into an auto.

 Soon reaching Domalaguda, they got into the Sathyams’ penthouse.    

“If I won’t inconvenience my sister, I would like to have my dinner here; ever since Rani has been to Delhi, I’ve been eating junk, and it’s been a week now,” said Prasad as they settled.

“You’re welcome sir,” Roopa smiled her invitation.

“It’s sisterly,” said Prasad heartily.

“Now tell me all,” said Sathyam.  

“Let my sister serve some water first to quench my thirst,” said Prasad.

“Won’t you like to hear his story?” said Sathyam, as Roopa turned back after giving them some water. 

“Buddy, I’m afraid you’re giving an impression to my sister that there is a great deal of interest attached to my life,” said Prasad, “but for matrimony, my life is as ordinary as any. Rani was my classmate in Delhi and we happened to like each other though I didn’t dare daydream our marriage for her dad is quite a big shot there. But without my knowledge, as she pressured him for my hand, his fondness for her and my eligibility, otherwise, made us man and wife in the end. Now I’m here tending a sick unit that he took over only last year, and at home, we’ve Gaurav and Omathi to engage my family time. That’s about it all.”

“Surely your wife is a remarkable person,” said Sathyam.

“No denying that but you’re better off for my sister,” said Prasad, patting Sathyam while looking at Roopa.  

“I’ve to see Rani to concur with you,” said Sathyam.

“Rani is dear to me as wife and Roopa endears me as sister, so you can rely upon my judgment, can’t you?” said Prasad.

“I’m lucky that way,” said Sathyam looking at Roopa in admiration.

While the friends continued to reminisce about their childhood days, Roopa was engaged in preparing the dinner.

‘How lucky is Rani to have married a handsome man like him whom she loves as well,’ Roopa contemplated. ‘But why does he refer to me as sister at every turn? How odd that a handsome young man should keep calling me sister. Why, even Ramu, being so close, doesn’t address me that way. It’s as if the sisterly reference takes something away from my persona, or to be honest, it hurts my vanity. To tell the truth, maybe it’s a bit of both; what if I too start addressing him as brother to make him feel sissy? It’s no more than a mere form and any way; this guy is my husband’s friend and just another interesting character, no more and no less. That’s all there’s to it, isn’t it?’

However, at the dining table, Prasad was even more effusive in his praises, and as if icing his seductive cake, he said in the end, ‘it’s like an annaprasana for me, tasting food for the first time in my life.’

“You exaggerate a great deal sir,” said a visibly embarrassed Roopa.

“You’ll know how I feel if only you could taste your preparations with my palate. How I wish Sathyam will invent an empirical formula of relativity of palates to prove me right. Don’t you know how good he is at maths?” said Prasad in pursuit of his game-plan.

“Why don’t you stay back tonight,” suggested an apparently flattered Sathyam.

“I would have loved to, but I’ve got to go now,” said Prasad, wanting to create the impression that he was not the one to take undue advantage of his friend’s generosity.

“Till Rani’s return, do join us at our dining table,” said Sathyam.

“It’s worth going miles to savour her preparations and enjoy your company; but why trouble my sister,” said Prasad.

“You’re always welcome,” said Roopa in spite of herself.

“I’m no fool to miss out on the fare; thank you and good night to both of you,” said Prasad heartily.

Though Prasad said that he would go on his own, Sathyam insisted on seeing him off at the street corner; and returning home, he said to Roopa,

“Thanks to the small world, we’ve met again. I hope you liked your new brother.”

“Looks like he’s an interesting fellow,” said Roopa.

“It goes to his credit that there’s no change in his attitude, in spite of his elevation.  Don’t we see people putting on airs though they wouldn’t get to spell the ‘S’ of success? But how it’s rumoured that a businessman roped him in for his plain daughter! What a pity their love match is dubbed as a mercenary marriage; well if seen with jealous eyes, all that is seen is green, isn’t it? I’m sure we’ll pick up the threads from where we had left them,” said Sathyam in an apparent satisfaction that only childhood friends could afford one.

However, Roopa, struggling to catch up with the elusive sleep that night, took to contemplation, ‘If only Raja were to be in this man’s place, what a different time it would have been! What would be he doing now? Does he recall me at all, leave alone craving for me. But what separates these two remarkably handsome men? Whereas Prasad’s demeanor is demanding, Raja’s persona is compelling, isn’t it? True, Prasad exudes self-confidence but Raja personifies self-worth itself. No denying that Prasad is handsome, but oh, Raja has that exquisite sex appeal, rare in men. No doubt, Prasad is an interesting person, but is not Raja a lovable persona. Prasad could be a ladies’ man but Raja is a romantic hero, a rare breed at that. And above all, Raja is the he-man, and more so my dream man, there’s no mistaking that.’

It’s as though it is in the nature of woman to value herself by the worth of her man more than her own self-worth.

 

Chapter 24

Scheming the Theme

 

‘Satisfactory, isn’t it?’ thought Prasad on his way back to his home. ‘Haven’t I played my cards with finesse? Surely, Sathyam’s dinner gesture could be a pointer to what might portend. Yet the proof of the pudding is only in the eating, isn’t it? Anyway, it’s still a long way to get there. But then, the goddess willing, won’t I have it someday? Well, a good start could ensure the lead all the way.’

‘Sathyam is a simpleton as ever,’ he thought, trying to analyze his friend and his wife. ‘If a man of thirty were to remain that way, he must either be kind-hearted or dung-headed and / or both. It looks like Sathyam is a bit of both. However, Roopa - what an appropriate name she has - remains a puzzle, and I must ensure that she’s dazzled enough not to begin quizzing me. What’s it that makes this fabulous woman so irresistible? Surely, there’s much more to her persona than her oozing sex appeal. Well, the more one espies her; all the more he gets obsessed with her. It’s as if her whole body is endued with a magnetic layer to keep the male gaze glued to her, isn’t it? If not, how can one explain her dusky complexion? Oh, some god could have turned horny while making her! Why else is she the femme fatale of the first order?’

So it occurred to him, ‘Unless I’m on guard, I might as well trip on the path of attraction and even fall in love with her to my hurt. Surely that would be an unwelcome development, wouldn’t it be? By the way, would sex become any more pleasurable if penetrated with love? Why at all this doubt, as if love would take that any deeper into her. Hah, hah! But, it’s the lust that vests the thrusts with power and any woman would know that for sure. Whatever, Roopa should be had before I develop any emotional hiccups for her. Only by taking her to bed early could I feel at ease, and remain safe in her enchanting company for which I must patiently hasten her into my grip. It doesn’t seem easy though, and I should be prepared even for a long haul, but once in bed, she would be worth her weight in gold, nay platinum, to be precise.’

Following his time-tested tactic of making women ponder a little over his absence, with Roopa in mind, he made it late to Sathyam’s place.

“What happened, we’ve been waiting so long for you,” greeted Sathyam.

“Wait, I’ll explain; first let me apologize to my sister,” said Prasad dramatically.

“Oh, it’s all right,” said Roopa visibly embarrassed.

“I won’t take anything less than your forgiveness,” said Prasad looking into her eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?” said Roopa all perplexed as Sathyam looked on amused.

“I know how vexatious it is to wait,” said Prasad to her.

“Okay my friend, you’re forgiven,” said Sathyam smilingly.  

“You should know that I’ve skipped lunch to savor my sister’s preparations,” said Prasad, soaping his hands at the wash basin.

“I too have a raakhi sister in her friend Sandhya. What a sweet soul she is,” said Sathyam reminiscently.

“Who can better my sister in any way?” said Prasad looking into Roopa’s eyes, and turning to Sathyam, he added, “When is the next rakshaabandhan coming up?”

“That I’ll let you know,” said Sathyam. “Though I regard Roopa no less, know that Sandhya is all too different.”

“Maybe, but Roopa is Roopa,” said Prasad with apparent conviction.

Struck by his direct manner, Roopa looked at him in awe, and thought in puzzlement, ‘Isn’t he showing an uncommon interest in me. What is he up to? Though he calls me ‘sister’, his manner doesn’t bear any brotherly mien, does it really? Why, won’t his demeanour betray lust? Oh, what a hypocrite he is to get into this sisterly mess. Isn’t it proving to be awkward for him and embarrassing for me as well? Anyway, for me, he’s just a handsome man and an interesting company. All the same, he’s like any other man in my life that’s all, is he not?’

After a couple of visits, Prasad failed to turn up for a week, leaving Sathyam in jitters, even as Roopa felt that she was missing him as well.

‘Haven’t I got used to his company,’ she thought many a time, during that time. ‘Or am I craving for his flattery? Hasn’t he developed the knack of praising me without alarming Sathyam? And, it’s not at all brotherly really for when Sathyam is not around, how he intonates my name in passionate tunes! How longingly he espies me, all the while holding his gaze at my bosom. Isn’t his carnal bother troubling his alleged brotherly candour? What hypocrisy, worse still, is it his strategy to hide his designs on me from Sathyaam? Is it that I’m indulging in his character assassination by merely surmising? But then, isn’t his want for me crystal clear to me. Whatever it is, it’s his problem, and I’ve nothing to do with him that way anyway.’

‘But is it as simple as that?’ she felt as she developed second thoughts. ‘Am I not missing him, and willy-nilly, getting attracted to him? But, how’s that possible when I’m head and heels in love with my Raja darling. Then, am I flirting with him? Oh, no, I just happen to enjoy his company, bored that I am. That’s all there is to it.’

When Prasad finally arrived, Roopa was all alone in her home.

“What’s this vanishing act, mister?” Roopa found herself asking him.

“You know I had no way to tell you,” he said