"How can be so sure about that? I mean if Sara wants she can make some random excuse about that place and camp here as long as she wishes to! In any case your mother is unlikely to coax her to move out. She may think it better to have Sara around to keep an eye on you!" Sanyukta voiced her doubt. "Give your mind a break, Sanyu. My mother is not as controlling as you think, nor is Sara desperate to have me. You have never been insecure before, then why now? While I'll be busy working my posterior off here you will end up torturing yourself with these insane thoughts! Give it a rest now. Let's eat, my stomach is growling!" He rose, leading her into the kitchen where they began reheating their dinner.

"We'll share a plate!" He said, plating the food and heading back to the bedroom. He poured some wine into a glass and took a sip before putting it to her lips. "Let's get drunk tonight and do crazy things! But only if you eat first!" He said, feeding her with a spoon. He ate a few morsels, continuing to feed her in between. She barely spoke while eating and he helped her tidy up the kitchen afterwards. "We are in for a killer hangover tomorrow! Bubbly is notorious for that!" He grinned as she took a deep swig from the tall flute. "Randhir, I did not imply that your Mom is a control freak, I have always admired her for being spunky and determined. Please don't assume I am being disrespectful." She sounded diffident.

"I know, Jaan! Come here, into my arms! Sanyu, we've known each other since childhood. Mom has never been the maternal type, unlike your Maa. My Dida has always been my mother, she looked after me selflessly right unto her last breath. Mom inherited my grandfather's ambition and business acumen, relegating her mother to the role of a caretaker to her children, almost taking her willingness to look after us for granted. In common parlance that is called being manipulative and calculating, but without Mom's effort the state of our business empire would be unthinkable. Her confidence and ability to convince people wins her half the battle. She does her best work when she is unshackled and she expects the same of me, although she has given Vidushi the liberty to pursue her chosen metier."

"To Mom, formidable girls like Ira and Sara represent the woman of substance who have the tenacity to break the glass ceiling by simply grabbing charge from men. She likes qualities like assertiveness and high achievement orientation because they define her. Naturally she thinks such girls will be a suitable match for me." He ran his fingers through her hair. "I know Randhir, in her eyes we would be better matched if I belonged to that ilk. But love does not make a customised choice. I am prepared to pay the price for marrying above my station in life but don't know why I am scared of losing you. So much can happen here in my absence. Like in the story your Dadu wrote about in his email- the husband encouraged his wife to pursue her vocation while he absorbed himself in his own work."

"'Unlike his wife he was the one to take on a lover whom he never let go till he died. I mean, that guy was a rational person with a scientific temper, but his illustrious wife had to live with the indignity of his infidelity. That sounds like a message in the bottle to me. What if I am no longer your priority in a few months?  The physical distance separating us may only exacerbate the problem."  It made her feel small to admit her fears and she fell quiet. "You mean, what if I take up with another woman like Ira or Sara? Truth be told, I don't know what's to happen ahead. The human mind is too complex to be mapped fully. I am as capable of behaving like an idiot as any other guy. Sanyukta, we don't intend betraying each other. All spouses take vows when they marry, but not all abide by them. I know that your faith in our bond is rock solid and you are quite unlikely to go astray."

"I am telling you this because I love you, men usually have no scruples about sleeping with someone unless they are deeply rooted in family values or religion. If the wife in Dadu's story had reciprocated her husband's infidelity it would have only validated his stand that morality is not what we make it to be. If a man betrays his partner and gets away with it chances are he will be emboldened to cheat again. His partner may never find out if he is clever at concealing his tracks. I have known guys who come right back to their wives after their trysts with other women, and the wives never suspected anything. Tell me Sanyu, whether I am faithful to you or if cheat on you and then call you daily pretending like I am the same person whom you married, how will it make a difference to you? Listen to me, no spouse is predictable, sometimes the best laid plans can go awry."

"Wise men say live in peace until you find out, then lose the cheating partner as soon as you can. And don't just get even, try to get everything that he holds dear- money, house, kids, family dog, take it all! Move on or perish, the choice is yours!" He could hardly believe what he was telling her, surely it must be the wine, he told himself. Damned truth serum! Suddenly she burst out laughing. "You must be fully sozzled to trade secrets with me! Why are we opposites  Randhir, why are you so practical when I am turning into a sentimental fool? Why don't you fear a broken heart like I do?" She sat astride on his lap and kissed him deeply. 

"Dunno, I was brought up to think with my mind, not my heart.  I am not sure about anything, Jaan!" He fondled her as he spoke. "My grandfather could have tried to be faithful to his wife, but he chose to do his own thing, and he regrets it to date. My father could have easily cheated on my mother when she was on her long business trips but he never did. Sometimes I think he should have had affairs just to deal with his loneliness. Both men have been my ideals. Who has been right and which one was wrong? Tell me! People make us believe that life is black and white, no one warns us of the unseen grey."

"Sanyu, this is our last night before you fly back. It is stupid to brood over whether we may have triplets some day or if the house catches fire or if Hugh Hefner asks me to take over Playboy Enterprises! Let's get real and blow our minds away. In any case you got me right where I need to be!" He laughed as he took off his tee. "Bed or shower? You choose!" He whispered in her ear. "Right here, against the wall! She whispered back and he did as she asked, slamming himself against her as he passionately ground into her against the bedroom wall. "Might as well, we are not going to be as athletic in a few years!" He grunted as she moaned loudly. He dropped her back on the bed and they continued their business of giving each other mutual pleasure till exhaustion enveloped them and they crashed for what was left of the night. 

Next morning she woke up to the smell of fresh coffee brewing in the kitchen and called out to him. "Go and shower until breakfast is ready. I am managing fine here!" He called out, and she marched into the bathroom. By the time she had showered and dressed he had dished up their breakfast of scrambled eggs and buttered toast. She helped by preparing the grapefruit and pouring coffee. "Perfectly cooked eggs, full marks to you!" She complimented him. "How much time do we have, Randhir?" She asked him. "Cab should be here by 8.45 am! But we have enough time for a quickie!" He winked at her. "Doesn't Junior ever get tired?" She smiled back at him as they cleaned up after breakfast. "Probably in the future, when I am on wrong side of 50!" He responded, dragging her back to their room. 

An hour later they rose and showered again. On her instructions he vacuumed while she changed into her travel clothes. "I don't want your mother to find even a stray hair of mine lying around!" She had explained to him. "Won't matter to Mom, she thinks I am still a bachelor, foot-loose and fancy-free." He replied. "I keep forgetting that you've been brought up by liberal-minded parents. But mine were conservative, and I am used to being that. So Mister, you better watch your morals behind my back!" She warned him. "Conservative? Really? We've lived in together for two years before getting married! How would my mother-in-law react if she knew all the unspeakable things you've been doing in bed with me?" He laughed to see her expression. "Only because it was you, and you know that!" She thundered. "Wives! Marriage turns them into shrews! Sara will be a refreshing change!" He was teasing her again.

"If she is just like Ira she'll give you an STI! You better remember that!" She snapped her bags shut finally. "Condoms have been around for decades now! Hey, did you fill these bags with rocks? He asked her, wondering if there exists a wife who knows what it is to travel light! "Shut up, husband! I have to take home stuff for everyone, especially my baby Aman!" She added. As he placed the bags in the doorway she opened her fist revealing her little box of sindoor. "What's this?" He asked, puzzled. "Maang bharo meri, suhaagan baney rehney ka iraada hain!" She muttered. He grabbed a pinch of vermilion and filled her parting with it, just like she asked him to. "Meri Bollywood biwi, so inscrutable!" He grinned. "Hai na? We Indian biwis are like this only, mind it!" She grinned back happily, locking her sindoor box away.

They left to descend to the apartment lobby, bags and all. The cab arrived within five minutes and the cabbie helped Randhir load the bags in the trunk. The ride to Newark airport took them a little over an hour. Sanyukta nestled close to Randhir while he held her hand. They whispered to each other like a pair of new lovers. "Tell me if you are low on cash, I'll wire you some!" He told her. "Paise nahi, mujhe mera pati chahiye!" She replied. "Just let me know when and I'll fly back to you!" He said, giving her a light peck. She wanted time to stop, the fact that they going to live apart from each other was slowly beginning to sink in and her eyes welled up. While she grabbed a tissue he comforted her, assuring her that they could video chat twice daily. As the taxi dropped them off to the kerbside Randhir paid for the ride. 

"Call me as soon as you get to Mumbai! Shall miss you!" He said before pulling her to him for a goodbye kiss. "Apna khayal rakhna, Randhir!" She said to him as he found her a cart for her bags. "You take care too!" He responded before she walked into the airport. He waited till she disappeared out of sight. "Love you always, Jaan!" He said to himself. Strange, he thought, both would be under the same roof for the next 2-3 hours. She would be waiting to board her flight while he awaited his mother's arrival. But they would not be together. As if destiny was preparing each to live away from the other.