Lips Do Lie

Chapter 12 - Essence of Pretence

Manik paced in the room talking over his phone

"No Cabir not yet not until we get the circuit...I cant leave Goa now", Manik spoke ina controlled and cautious voice.

"But Manik we have the chip and that is the most important thing", Cabir responded from the other side of the phone

"The chip only functions when put in the circuit...its is useless without it...we will never be able to access the information in the chip without the circuit...Damn where could he have hidden it...I ransacked Nandini's luggage but couldn't find it", he hissed angrily brushing his fingers in his hair.

"But are you sure it was in Nandini's luggage..I mean what if Harshad hid it somewhere else"

"No I am damn sure it was in her luggage only and now I don't even have any access to that", Manik kicked the wall out of irritaion

"Alya is a part of the local investigating team...she might have got something..anyways I have asked her to meet us tomorrow...Manik its not less than dangerous staying here and then there is Nandini"

"Ahhh can we please not talk about her?", he said in an irritated tone

"What happened Manik? Did she do anything?"

"She is only left to kill me rest she has done everything...Madam mujhpe gussa thi and gusse mein usne mere wallet se saare paise uthake motel ke bell boy ko de diya...I seriously don't know what do I do with this girl...I don't have cash to pay for the room or food...that bloody manager is chewing my brains for money"

Cabir laughed heartily. I gave him a reason to be amused in this tense situation, "But what did you do to get her this angry?"

"Nothing major..I just kissed her that's it", Manik justified as if he was the only harmless soul alive on the planet.

"What the hell...I didn't know you guys have been kissing as well...Manik boy this is serious and you are losing it"

"Cabirrr", Manik grunted and asked him to shut up.

***

I was so furious so furious on Manik that given an opportunity this time I would right away fire the bullet directly at him. I was his puppet for convenience, he didn't bother to answer my questions or queries but just kissed me to shut up as if that was the only answer he had for all my doubts on him. Now it wasn't like I was complaining either, the soothing effect of his kisses had a magical impact on me; they were definitely more assuring than his spoken words. But still how dare he always kiss me without my permission. Of course I had partly got back on him by emptying his wallet in front of him, the defeated look on his face gave me immense amount of satisfaction. I banged the mug thrice in the bucket in the bathroom assuming it as Manik's head but that hardly helped in venting my frustration.

The damp clothes were doing no good in receding my temper either. Manik had done me favor by leaving his shirt behind after drenching the shit out of me under the shower. I picked the shirt and squeezed the collar in between my palms as if it had Manik's neck in it and finally huffed and changed into it.

I suddenly heard Manik talking to someone in a little louder tone. I figured out that apparently he was arguing with the Manager regarding the room tariff. Manik was requesting him let us stay for the night at least, for a moment I chuckled to myself imagining Manik in a pleading position but the next moment the thought of having to spent the entire night under open sky seemed more horrible comaparatively and upon that the life risking dangers that we were exposed to was certainly not a great thing. I had to quickly chalk out a way of diverting the manager and suddenly an idea struck me. Manil's companionship was working wonders over me. I quickly took the towel, folded it and shoved it under the shirt thus enlarging my belly. It was a good idea, the manager had hardly seen me across the counter that too mostly I stood behind Manik and he had not seen me completely and as such Manik had lied that we were husband and wife so this had to be a sure shot emotional way out. I stepped out of the bathroom as Manik's pregnant wife.