Poetic Justice
Ever since the countdown for the showdown with Vasu began, Nithya was feverish with anticipation. The very thought that Prema was all set to desert Vasu portending a double jeopardy for him pleased her, providing the cutting edge to her vengeance. As she was in reverie at the Princely Pearls that evening, the ringing tone of telephone brought her back into the environs. Going for the receiver, she wondered whether it was Prema on the line. However, it was Chandra who called up to inform her that he was held up with some work.
“How long would it be?”
“I can't say,”
“If you can,” she said, “call on lawyer Sudha and find out the latest. Damn it, her line seems to be dead.”
“Okay,” he said, “I'll also see if Sathya has returned.”
After Chandra hung up, Nithya‟s thoughts turned to Sathya.
“Whatever happened to him!” she thought as she recalled Chandra describe him as a remarkable lover with a romantic face. Even as Nithya was seized with an urge to see Sathya, Chandra was puzzled about his long absence.
Later, when Chandra was through with his work, as he reached Sathya's flat, he found it locked to his disappointment but as he got back into his Fiat, to his delight, he saw Sathya coming down the lane.
“I just rang up for you,” said Sathya going up to him, “and your wife told me I can expect you.”
“I've come here thrice before looking for you and left a message every time,” said Chandra, reprimanding him. “I was wondering what happened to you.”
“Once you hear me,” said Sathya enigmatically, “you'll know.”
“Let‟s go to my place,” said Chandra.
“Your wife has already called me for dinner on your behalf,” said Sathya pushing Chandra into his dungeon, “and we shall move as I finish my tale.”
“Begin it then,” said Chandra as he sat down.
“If you remember,” said Sathya with a wry smile, “we last met here in the first week of December. Shortly thereafter, I was shocked to know from Rajah, my long-time friend that my father, well, he's a character all by himself, had put a private detective behind Kala. Well, the report only confirmed what she had confessed to me, and naturally he was enraged. Believing she would marry me and carry on with her lover all the same, he vowed not to allow me to marry that bitch, as he called her. Hell-bent on bringing my affair to a close, he pressurized Rajah to go to Madras and appraise her lover about what was cooking on behind his back.”