Aunt Reshma (Path Dropped)

The car hums along the highway as I stare out the window, lost in thought. It's been nearly a month since that fateful night with Raghav Ji and Amir, and the memory still weighs heavily on my mind. My affair with Raghav Ji continues, as passionate and consuming as ever, but a part of me can't help but wonder what Amir is thinking. He's been acting like a perfect gentleman, but the ghost of that night lingers between us.

Alok's voice cuts through my reverie, startling me. "Sanjana," he asks, his eyes on the road ahead. "What does your Uncle do?" I blink, trying to focus on his question. We're on our way to visit my aunt and uncle, but Alok also has some business to attend to in their town.

I turn to Alok, forcing a smile. "Oh, Uncle works in accounting," I reply, keeping my tone light. "Just a regular office job, nothing too exciting."

Alok nods, seemingly satisfied with my answer. He lapses into silence, his focus on the road. I, however, am far from calm. My mind races with thoughts of Raghav Ji, Amir, and the tangled web of lies and infidelity I've woven.

I glance at my husband, wondering if he suspects anything. Does he see through my facade? Can he sense the guilt that clings to me like a second skin? I push the thoughts aside, forcing a little laugh to ease the tension.

As the car winds its way through the countryside, I can't help but reflect on my upcoming visit with Aunt Reshma. She's been a constant presence in my life, a pillar of strength and wisdom. Growing up, I spent countless hours with her, and she became the elder sister I never had. But after her first husband passed away from cancer, everything changed.

Aunt Reshma's remarriage meant a new chapter for her, and with it, a move to another city. Our visits became less frequent, and I felt the distance growing between us. Yet, despite the years apart, I know I can always count on her for guidance and support.

I step out of the car and immediately feel a wave of nostalgia wash over me as I take in the sight of my aunt and uncle's house. It's been years since I last visited, and yet the memories come flooding back like a tidal wave. As I approach, Aunt Reshma and Uncle rush forward to greet us, their faces etched with warmth and happiness.

But as Aunt Reshma embraces me, a sudden flashback hits me like a freight train. I'm transported back in time, to when I was just a young girl peeking through the crack of a door. There, in my mind's eye, are two bodies entwined – one male, one female – lost in the throes of passion. The memory is so vivid, so real, that for a moment I forget where I am. I blink rapidly, trying to dispel the image from my mind. Why now of all times, I thought.

*Shaking my head, I **** myself back to the present, plastering a smile on my face as I return Aunt Reshma's hug. Beside us, Uncle stands with a warm smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

After the initial greetings, Aunt Reshma and Uncle lead us inside their cozy home. The interior is just as I remember it – warm, inviting, and filled with the comforting aroma of home-cooked meals. We settle into our seats at the dining table, and soon the conversation flows as easily as the food on our plates.

Uncle and Alok engage in lively banter about cricket, their enthusiasm for the sport palpable. Meanwhile, Aunt Reshma and I find common ground in our shared love for a popular television serial. We giggle like schoolgirls as we discuss the latest twists and turns, our laughter filling the air.

As the meal comes to an end, the men decide to retire to the living room to catch the ongoing cricket match. Aunt Reshma and I rise from our seats, gathering the dishes to take to the kitchen.

As I follow Aunt Reshma into her bedroom, a sense of comfort washes over me. The familiar photographs lining the walls transport me back to happier times, and I find myself laughing alongside Aunt as we reminisce about the memories behind each snapshot. For a brief moment, the weight on my shoulders seems to lift, and I allow myself to simply enjoy the present.

But then, Aunt guides me to sit on the edge of her bed, and her knowing gaze pierces through my facade. "Sanjana," she says softly, "now that we're alone, tell me what's troubling you." I can't help but smile bitterly, acknowledging that my aunt has always had an uncanny ability to read me like an open book.

"You're right, Aunt," I admit, my voice trembling slightly. "There is something bothering me, and it has to do with my marriage." I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation to come. Aunt Reshma nods, her expression a blend of concern and understanding. She pats my hand reassuringly, silently encouraging me to continue.

I take a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I prepare to confess my deepest secret to the one person I trust implicitly. "Aunt," I begin, my voice barely above a whisper, "a few months ago, I met a man, and some mistakes were made." I lower my gaze, unable to meet her eyes as I speak.

To my surprise, Aunt Reshma doesn't react with shock or judgment. Instead, she rises from the bed, causing my heart to race with fear that she might march straight to Alok and reveal my shameful secret. But much to my relief, she simply closes and locks the bedroom door, ensuring our privacy.

Returning to the bed, Aunt Reshma gently pats my head in a gesture of reassurance. "An affair, huh?" she muses, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "I was expecting you to take this step sooner or later, Sanjana."

I gasp, my eyes wide with shock. "Aunt, what are you saying?" I ask, my voice laced with disbelief.

Aunt Reshma chuckles softly, her eyes shining with a mix of mischief and understanding. "Sanjana, my dear, I've known from the very beginning that your marriage was doomed," she confesses, her tone matter-of-fact. "A vibrant, passionate girl like you could never find happiness with a dull, workaholic husband like Alok. It was only a matter of time before you sought adventure elsewhere."

Aunt Reshma's eyes sparkle with curiosity as she leans in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, tell me," she presses, her tone filled with glee, "how far have you gone with this mystery man? Have you sealed the deal, or are you still playing the coy bride?"

I feel my cheeks flush a deep crimson as I avert my gaze, unable to meet her inquisitive stare. "We... we've been intimate," I manage to stammer, my voice barely audible.

Aunt Reshma throws her head back in laughter, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Oh, Sanjana!" she exclaims, grasping my chin and turning my face towards her. "Why the blushes, my dear? You're hardly a blushing bride anymore, are you?"

Her touch and words make me feel a strange mixture of guilt and excitement. As I share more details of my affair, carefully omitting any mention of Amir, I find myself growing more at ease in Aunt Reshma's presence. The once daunting task of confiding in her now feels like a weight lifted off my shoulders.

Aunt Reshma, her curiosity momentarily sated, turns away from me and saunters over to her cupboard. She reaches down to the bottom shelf, pulling out a dusty photo frame that catches the light as she brings it closer to her face. A wistful smile plays on her lips as she studies the image within.

With a gentle hand, Aunt Reshma extends the frame towards me, inviting me to take a closer look. In the photograph, a much younger version of herself stands beside her ex-husband, their faces aglow with the radiance of young love. The picturesque background of a hill resort serves as a testament to happier times, long since faded.

"Sanjana," Aunt Reshma begins, her voice soft yet tinged with pain, "what do you see when you look at this picture?"

I swallow hard, meeting her gaze with a sincere expression. "You and Uncle look very much in love," I reply honestly, my heart aching for the clarity of emotion captured in the photograph.

Aunt Reshma's smile falters, a flicker of old wounds resurfacing in her eyes. "Sanjana, I can see the guilt in your heart," she says, her tone gentle yet firm. "I understand it all too well."

She sets the frame down on the bed beside us, her fingers tracing the edges with a sense of nostalgia. "The truth is," Aunt Reshma continues, her voice barely above a whisper, "just before this trip, I discovered that your uncle was being unfaithful to me."

The revelation leaves me stunned, my mouth hanging open in disbelief. Aunt Reshma and her ex-husband, the perfect couple that served as a shining example within our family, harbored such dark secrets.

Aunt Reshma gently places the photo frame back on the shelf, her movements slow and deliberate as if handling a fragile artifact. "I was a blind fool," she admits, her voice tinged with regret, "not to see the signs. We were as incompatible as you and Alok. We tried to make it work, two young fools playing at love."

She turns to face me, her eyes reflecting the pain of memories long buried. "Although your uncle was unfaithful, I was no better. I too had my share of affairs, sneaking around behind closed doors while maintaining the facade of a perfect marriage."

My gasp of shock at her confession is met with a hollow laugh from Aunt Reshma, a sound born of agony rather than amusement. "Why didn't we divorce?" she echoes, her tone dripping with irony. "Our society wouldn't allow it. My family would have disowned me, left me to rot in the shame of my own making."

She moves to sit beside me on the bed, her weight causing the mattress to dip slightly. "But we found our own twisted way to make it work, at least until your uncle's cancer claimed him. We were two broken souls, bound by a contract neither of us had the courage to break."

Aunt Reshma's smile widens, a mischievous glint in her eye as she continues, "Lucky for me, after your uncle's passing, I managed to find someone more suited to me. Someone who understood the wildness that lay beneath my proper exterior, just like you."

She reaches out, her weathered fingers grazing my chin as she holds my gaze captive. "Watching you grow up, I began to see so much of myself in you. The way you maintained that prim and proper facade, always putting on airs of innocence and purity, while harboring a secret wildness within."

Aunt Reshma's laughter rings out, echoing through the room as she recalls a particular memory. "I remember catching you peeking at me and your uncle when you were just sixteen. Did you really think we wouldn't notice?" Her eyes sparkle with amusement at the recollection.

"Oh, and let's not forget your first boyfriend. If my sister knows half of what you two got up to, she'd likely have a heart attack on the spot!"