-Written By Suresh Iyer
(Reading Time: 8 min Approx)
Sarika tapped her fingers nervously beside the computer mouse as she kept staring at the screen.
She had arrived late to office as she had to get the pregnancy test reports.
Her office colleague Satish popped up the message after seeing her online in his desk.
-“Hey, any news?”
-“Positive…”
Satish immediately called on the intercom and whispered – “I am thrilled.”
-“Me too, but what about Jeet? What if he finds out?”
-“Come on, we had already discussed a lot about this. And you had taken precautions, isn’t it?”
-“Yes, each time after we met, I had it with Jeet too the next night”
-“Then what’s the problem, he won’t suspect anything.”
-“Yes, I too hope so.” Signed off Sarika as she kept the phone gently.
Who would have thought that she would be embarking on an affair at this stage in her life?
Call it a midlife crisis or whatever but Sarika needed something in her life; and Satish appeared out of nowhere. They worked together, and even her husband Jeet developed a good friendship with Satish.
Satish undoubtedly must be her soul mate in past life to have clicked so easily and become so vital to her well-being in a matter of weeks, Sarika thought.
Despite her marriage to Jeet, after a period of ten years, they seemed more like roommates than man and wife. Jeet was a gentleman but Sarika found him as too soft. She wanted someone who asserts himself. It was only their naughty daughter Shruti who kept their relationship going together.
In order to run their household, Sarika had to find work and earn as the income of Jeet was just not enough to run their family. Satish was her senior colleague and they instantly connected to each other. Over a period of time, she’d become more and more open with him, sharing the details of her life and her feelings of loneliness and depression. Satish was supportive and kind, witty and intelligent, unlike Jeet.
Not so surprisingly, Satish seemed to be of the same mind and after a few more months, they communicated intimately all the while leaving out the traceable details of their lives. Both having admitted that they were married though unhappily so, they seemed to have a boundless number of topics to cover.
She remembered the first kiss she had with Satish as they met for the first time not as office colleagues but as friends in a restaurant.
Around them, the restaurant bustled and went on as before while Satish drew her to him, rubbed her neck and then tipped her chin up for a kiss. As his lips brushed over her lips, they both breathed in the scent of each other and sighed in unison.
Reluctantly, drawing back to look at each other one last time, holding hands, they sat down together and started talking about their next phase of life.
And now Sarika was pregnant with Satish’s child. The days went by and finally, after several sleepless nights, the much-awaited date of delivery finally arrived.
Sarika became a proud mother of a baby boy.
Her daughter Shruti was excited to see the little baby.
Jeet was also thrilled to see the bundle of joy. He kept texting his near and dear about the happy news. He was interrupted by a gentle knock in their private ward.
Jeet peeped out to see and beamed at Sarika.
“Your office friend Satish has come. You both have a chat. I will take Shruti out and buy some sweets”.
Little Shruti held Jeet’s hand tightly as they walked out.
“Papa, do you love me more or the little one?” – she asked innocently.
Jeet laughed heartily sensing little Shruti’s insecurities.
“Definitely you, my darling. You are always a God’s gift to us.” – he replied.
Shruti was certainly a God’s gift. Jeet was advised by Doctor few years ago that he will never have a baby and that they could go either for adoption or donor insemination. After a lot of thought and discussion, Jeet and Sarika agreed for Donor Insemination and Shruti was born.
Now Shruti is five years old and by Nature’s miracle, Jeet was going to have his own. Jeet recollected how happy Sarika was when she got pregnant. As Jeet was engaged with his daughter and buying sweets, back in the hospital.
Satish and Sarika proudly watched their baby boy. Satish kissed its little fingers and brushed his lips over Sarika. Life is all about expecting the unexpected.
These three lives trapped in the secret room with their hidden secret; who knows when the door will open? What will happen if their secret comes out?
