Fatal Attraction

Part 29

"So, I heard you married Vikas," said Sunita, gazing at her dear friend.

Her bosom friend loved her luscious locks and took great care of them, like her most prized possession. But the woman seated across her had chopped away those jet black curls.

She rocked a shoulder-length hair, framing her face in the shape of a heart, looking as beautiful as ever, but not how Asmita did. Gone were the kohl, and the pink hued lipstick, only for brown lipstick to replace the pink and with no liner adorning her lower eyelid.

Eight years had passed since she had the chance to meet her friend, but it was only physically, realized Sunita. Her chirpy friend had drowned in the depths of agony, and she wondered if she could ever meet that friend of hers.

A tender smile played on Asmita's lips. "Yes. Seven years ago," said Asmita, taking a sip of the piping hot coffee.

"Well, he loved you for the most of our adult life. He was just waiting for you to see him in the same light as he did. I'm glad he's living his dream!"

The smile on her lips did not falter, but Asmita's eyes welled up with unshed tears. She placed the cup back onto the table lest she dropped the same over herself.

"He wanted to give me time, Sunita. But his mother had other plans. She adopted him and gave him a new lease on life, so he couldn't refuse her, either. I love him, Sunita, but he deserves so much better," said Asmita, patting down the creases of her pressed trousers.

Sunita's hand darted out to hers, and she clasped her twitching hand. "What are you saying, Asmita? You love each other. I-I don't get it."

Asmita let out a wry chuckle and shook her head. She rolled her eyes towards the heaven to prevent drops of tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"Married for seven years, and he's living the life of a celibate man because of my fear of touch, romance and even love. He sleeps on the recliner, so I can feel comfortable, and rushes to my side when I toss and turn because of my nightmares. Seven years, Sunita. He didn't give up when I gave up on me, and I don't know if I deserve it," she said.

Sunita strode towards Asmita and clutched her friend against her bosom. Asmita wound her arms around Sunita's petite waist. She wrapped her shaking arms around Asmita's head and caressed her hair.

"I'm so sorry, Asmita. Vikas knew what entailed if he entered matrimony with you. You don't have to feel you owe him something he's doing out of his choice, Asmita. You deserve to choose yourself," said Sunita.

Asmita tightened her grip around her friend. "I hate myself when I wake him up with wails and whimpers. But I cannot forget the terrors of those nights. I feel like I want to scrap my skin and scald it, so I stop feeling his disgusting touch. And now Neerja is forcing me to see him as his therapist! I can't believe my misfortune!"

Sunita's breath hitched in her throat, which had gone dry. Her heart hammered against ribcage and she could feel sweat pouring out of her temples. Touch? She did not know what her friend had gone through.

Then she realized! Asmita's wincing and flinching at her touch before she had taken off. Her friend, who completed her showers in minutes, taking hours and returning with reddened and sensitive skin. She had tried scraping and scalding herself to erase the touch which had burned into her soul, and she was too oblivious to notice it.

"Asmita. Did he-did he.... that night.."

Sunita could not voice the question troubling her mind, but Asmita had caught on. She pulled out of the embrace, and her lips twisted in disgust. Her shoulders drooped, and she shrank into her seat as if she wanted to disappear.

"He tried. Twice. I resigned after the second time because I hated myself for allowing him to ravage me for the second time. Why was it me? Did I show myself as some weak damsel he can have his way with? It felt like it was my fault that he chose me."

Tears rolled down Sunita's eyes and she could feel daggers of remorse pierce her heart. It turned her insides with disgust to learn the heinous deeds of her brother-in-law. He had kept those deeds under the wraps and she had been the fool to feel pity scratch at her insides after everything he had done.

Sunita cupped Asmita's face between her trembling hands and forced her to meet her sincere, yet stormy eyes. "It's not your fault, Asmita. You know it isn't. You are not responsible for his sick behavior!"

"I froze every time he touched me, Sunita. It made my skin crawl, but it stupefied me. I couldn't find my voice! Maybe if I screamed.."

It tore apart her heart to see her friend blame herself for inhumane deeds he had subjected her to. "Asmita! It's not your fault! It's his fault if he took silence as consent! Oh God, I wish I had known this back in the day!" said Sunita, letting tears roll down her eyes.

Asmita's devastating sobs resonated throughout the veranda. Sunita felt her gut wrench and her conscience smite her for drowning herself in the festivities of her wedding and turning a blind eye to the pain of her friend.

"We'll set it right, Asmita! I'll set it right! You are not alone anymore!" said Sunita.

Her furious eyes darted towards the interior of the Malhotra Mansion. She resolved to expose the deeds her brother-in-law had hidden in the plain sight and speak with Vikas about Neerja's decision. It was her repentance to set everything right in her friend's life, and Sunita had no intention to step back from her responsibility.

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Poor Asmita! Daksh is just -_-