Offerings

They were at the door of Khanna House. 

It’s a matter of a few hours, Maya reminded herself, After all they’d been regular to these monthly parties. She’d loved them, the ambience, decor, food, drinks. Richmond gardens was a respectable society with no place for indecency. If they both played their part, no one would know about their broken marriage and her battered body. 

She opened the door and was greeted by warm dim yellow chandelier lights. People in silks and suits moved around chatting and drinking wearing their best smiles. 

First step done, she thought. Her hand on husband’s arm slipped down. They’d taken first step of separation when Mr. Khanna popped before them, handing them a glass of wine, “Ah! Mr & Mrs Dima, welcome! You have been missing my parties. I hope my company doesn’t bore you now”.

“No”, Maya heard her husband say. “I have never been to a nicer party than yours and I mean it!” Mr. Khanna left, pleased.

She looked around, taking a long sip. The wine certainly was top shelf. Everything felt more luxurious than before.

Her chain of thought was broken by a high pitched voice, it was Tina. “Is that you Maya?”

“Where you’ve been?” she asked, one hand on chest, eyes wide with concern. To anyone it would seem Tina was her bestie. 

“You have been missing so much dear” Tina said.

“This party is nothing like before”, Maya said. 

“You don't say. Yes, Mr. Khanna is a wealthy man now. And…” Tina’s report was interrupted yet again. It was Suzanne. Tina coughed.

Maya couldn’t help staring at Suzanne who was in a red silk gown. She looked different, looked …happy? ten years younger? 

“How?” Words failed Maya.

“Good food, Yoga”, Suzanne whispered before leaving.

“Yoga? Well well, pelvic asana for sure” Tina blabbered. Maya was about to question when her eyes went to a couple in the corner. The man and woman were standing apart but Maya felt their relationship similar to her own.

“That couple?” Maya pointed. 

“The Dey couple. They have been here in last two parties. New here, Architect, his profession. Very social, I feel… I doubt ……”

Maya eyes couldn’t move away from the woman. She was looking away from the husband, detached, taking sips lethargically. She was gorgeous, as if dipped in melancholic beauty. Maya felt a sudden pang of sadness.

“Why?” Maya asked. 

“Is he the reason?” Tina said, understanding her question. Maya followed her eyes to Mr Dey, he was average looking but with a certain charm. He was beaming, as if the party belonged to him, his hand, subtly sliding around another woman’s waist.

“Dey was seen screwing a woman”, Tina whispered in Maya’s ears. Her voice was low but screeching with excitement. 

Maya looked at Tina in shock. There had been gossip. But not of this vile nature. Things have changed too much.

“Out in open you know, Mr R saw them. He was upset with such indecency…tsk..tsk.. He was going to complain to the secretary”

“Did he?” Maya took a sip.

“Nah, he wanted to but couldn’t. He was too shocked to name the woman”

Tina found herself leaning with interest. 

Tina coughed..“Our yoga lover, I guess the love positions have worked quite well”

“Must be a rumor. Definitely. I’ve known Suzanne for many years. She is a good person. Respectable” Maya said, offended.

“Oh dear, so a good person can't have physical needs?”

Maya followed Tina’s gaze to Suzanne who was stealing looks at Mr. Dey, the man oblivious to the ladies glances, had found yet another petite waist.

Back at home, as Maya removed her makeup from eyes, cheeks, lips, uncovering the hidden bruises. It hurt but her mind didn’t notice the pain. It was lost in the strange hall where everything was changed, things and people.

Buried in work, she missed the next party. She was back to the mirror spending hours hiding the new bruises. She was earning enough to afford a rented place in a wealthy neighbourhood. Why did her husband torment her with such violence? Or it has turned into a habit? He cannot be a sadistic husband, he wasn’t before. All she want is his love, like before.

Her phone rang, flashing Tina’s number.

“You disappeared again dear. I miss talking to you like old times” 

Annoyed with intrusion, Maya put phone on speaker. “I have news. I got a call from a friend. Remember the Dey couple? They have bought the apartment. Guess what, Dey guy sign the deal and same night, the owner died. Natural death, they say. But it sounds too convenient, isn’t it? This couple is something”, Tina kept on.

“But there is a good news too”, Tina’s voice was back to usual. 

“Suzanne’s CSR activities have received honours from the government. And her husband is promoted to director”

“Great news”, Maya said as she excused herself. 

It looked like Suzanne was living a second life, with a new body. Why her? Maya felt a strange feeling was welling inside her. She was surprised at the news but worried about her feelings. Her friends called her humble person. When did envy and anger enter her. How did this happen? 

That night, despite the randomness, when she saw the email, she felt there may still be hope of getting back the lost love.

The email just hinted of a solution to her problems. But she was not to speak about it.

She’d never felt claustrophobic before, not in such big room. James Dey, Interior designer, the nameplate said. This meeting was anything but housing consultation.

“Don't worry, you can leave any time you want” She jumped as Mr Dey appeared from nowhere. She felt strange, as if being watched, tracked. He was smiling. 

“We can help you with your problems…  Dont worry, we are not stalking you” He chuckled again. 

“These parties help us in the business. They may be little stressful but it works for us” he shrugged.

“How…?” Maya heard herself say.

“We are blessed with an ability, a God gift”, he said, leaning back.

“For every problem you have, we make a solution, and then we use blessings to turn it into success”

“Sorry, I don’t follow”

“Say, your problem is kind of poison” Maya cringed at the ghastly metaphor. “With our gift, we find right antidote, and then transfer it to you”

This doesn’t make any sense, she thought. But was surprised when she heard herself ask, “Why secret?”

“Oh, you need not worry. Many of your friends have used our services. Like newest of all, your best friend Tina”

Maya blinked.

“How can I trust you?”

“It depends on how eager are you to have a bruise-free life? Fifty thousand rupees is peanuts to you” She was sure now, It’s a prank, it’s too cheap.

“Large sum are easy to get noticed and tracked. And we are not after money”. He said reading her thoughts. “It’s a community service”, he added.

“If you want to engage our services, give me a call” 

Maya was nodding which surprised her that she was even thinking about it.

“One important thing” He walked towards her. An inch apart, he looked down at her. She felt strange as she looked into his eyes. Her nervousness was getting washed away in his strange disarming aura. 

“You see we are two individuals. To resolve your problem, me with the solution, we need a medium. A connection…. The manifestation can be only through coupling”

Bitterness filled her mouth. Disgusting, she thought, as she rushed to the door.

“Your life is your choice”, she heard his voice behind her back.

That night she was grateful that her husband was too drunk to deal with. And felt doubly grateful when Tina called.

“I have good news. I got promoted, hurrah. And, there’s more.. our long running court case of Calcutta mansion was concluded in our favour! “

As Maya congratulated Tina, she decided she would offer herself.

That night, Maya entered bed feeling guilty but the feeling vanished as her husband embraced her instead of abusing her.

She is not illiterate, not someone who would fall for superstition for nothing, not her. This surely is more than that. It has worked.

Mrs Dey smiled at her husband. 

“Your eyes, They summon” he said.

She looked satisfied. “Richmond gardens is wealthy society with fine line of families and education. Prudence and high morals were virtue they prided on. Especially this Maya. I hated her from very first moment she looked at me with those pitiful eyes…” She hissed.

But the next moment she mellowed and looked at her husband sitting by her feet. “But you’ve done well. Burnt down their virtues. You have offered me fine entertainment. Where will we find puritans to humble?”

“I will find them all”, he jumped to her. “Turn them all and offer it to you. Anything you desire”

The End