‘Well, I’m afraid that our happiness is too good to last,’ said Roopa thoughtfully. ‘Just one misunderstanding would be the end of me.’
‘What misunderstanding is possible,’ said Sandhya making light of it all, ‘given our bondage?’
‘Why do you forget,’ said Roopa, ‘that we’re both married now.’
‘Don’t we know our men well enough,’ said Sandhya assuredly, ‘I don’t see any trouble coming from them.’
‘But I’m no raakhi sister of your man,’ Roopa said tentatively.
‘I know you’re his friendly half,’ said Sandhya, cajoling Roopa in her arms.
‘And that’s my worry,’ said Sandhya cuddling Sandhya.
‘Why, it should be a cause of hope, isn’t it?’ said Sandhya caressing Roopa.
‘Is it not said, by Napoleon if I remember correctly,’ said Roopa tentatively, ‘that man woman friendship leads to love.’
‘I’ve not only thought all about that,’ said Sandhya, kissing Roopa, ‘but also noticed how you gloat over each other. I know women tend to be touchy when it comes to the other woman. But ours is a unique case, isn’t it? The prospective other woman happens to be my own woman.’
‘Oh, darling,’ Roopa began crying.
‘Why cry at the threshold of happiness?’ said Sandhya, wiping Roopa’s tears, ‘If you’re unhappy, how can I be happy? It’s for both of you to decide whether you would like to sail on a platonic boat or swim through the erotic current. In any case, the circumstances of our lives seem to justify the latter course. Maybe, our jesting about sharing a man could have been the prompting of premonition.’
‘Oh, Sandhya,’ Roopa’s eyes glistened, even as her lips reached for their counterparts that uttered those divine words.
‘Oh, how you both,’ said Sandhya kissing Roopa affectionately, ‘bracket my life.’
‘Oh, lovey,’ said Roopa, sinking to Sandhya’s feet, ‘you’re angelic really!’
‘And you,’ said Sandhya lifting Roopa into her embrace, ‘my Goddess of Love.’
‘What about our Raja?’ said Roopa, carried away by that euphoric moment.
‘Our Knight of Vigor,’ said Sandhya in all love for her man and mate, ‘if you please.’
‘Oh how I’ve suffered,’ cried Roopa, ‘craving for one such.’
‘Why not have a second look,’ crooned Sandhya into Roopa’s ear, ‘to see if he’s the right one?’
‘Oh honey!’ said Roopa, joining their lips.
‘What happened with that Prasad?’ asked Sandhya at length.
‘It’s all over now,’ said Roopa, experiencing the sense of relief all again. ‘I’ve just escaped by the skin of my teeth.’
‘I was worried to death about that,’ said Sandhya reminiscently, ‘somehow, the idea of your affair with him scared me no end.’