A Close Shave – Sonali Bijur ,

 

Ting tong .....ting tong ....ting tong ...ting tong 

Isha opened her eyes groggily thinking she had imagined it but someone was actually there at the door ringing the bell incessantly. The clock confirmed that it was indeed an unearthly hour of 2.30 am. Who could it be? Dragging herself out of bed, pushing all thoughts of negative things happening to her near and dear ones, Isha opened the door and found Kunal standing there. Her heart sank a thousand feet. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Or rather didn’t want to believe her eyes. Forcefully she curved her lips into a smile and moved aside to let him in. Kunal mumbled some apology and deposited his big travel bag and backpack near the door and himself on the sofa.

Isha managed a weak “Is everything all right?" after giving him a glass of water,which Kunal took his own sweet time to gulp down till the last drop and then gave his charming smile. A thousand questions were racing through Isha’s mind. But she forced herself to remain calm and waited for a sensible and plausible explanation for this unannounced arrival. Kunal’s dishevelled appearance added fuel to fire. 

" I lost my house keys " he said. 

The bags he was carrying were still a mystery. 

Isha had not heard from Kunal for the past one week and she was hoping never to. 

Even though Isha was a girl with a modern outlook, she was a bit unwilling to meet guys suggested as ideal for her profile, from a dating site. 

Age wasn’t on her side; she was almost nearing 35. With all her best friends married, the pressure to follow them was mounting from her parents’ side. She living alone in the capital city where women were UNSAFE with a capital, wasn’t helping much either. But being tall, well built, pretty and excellent in her field of work and earning much more than any of her friends had earned her a few years more than them. But finally, she had succumbed to the pressure and agreed to put her profile on some match making and dating site 

Among all the men she dated, Kunal was the only one who had held her attention for more than a few minutes. He had come across as honest and endearing with his boyish grin and chivalrous mannerisms on their first meeting.

She had started liking his mischievous pranks and adventurous attitude over the next few meetings. It was a welcome change compared to all the boring, technically sound, fat bald men she had for company at her office. 

Kunal was too perfect to be true but brushing all the thoughts aside Isha had thrown caution to the wind and agreed to be swept off the floor by Kunal’s charming attitude for the next few weeks.

Initially it was all good when he would pay for their lunches or cab rides, but later on whenever she would insist on paying Kunal would let her and now she had found herself paying for most of his expenses too. This was something disturbing Isha But Kunal had been giving some convincing excuses of expired debit card, forgetting the wallet etc which had not made her see things clearly through the rosy glasses she had wilfully donned. 

A tiny speck of doubt was always present at the back of her mind regarding the authenticity of the facts stated by kunal. He seemed to be having too much time on hand for a software consultant that he claimed to be. His lifestyle was a tad slow for a guy claiming to be on the move all the time and he seemed forever pressed for funds for a someone earning in six figures. The unexplained disappearances and unsatisfactory explanations for unanswered calls and texts were helping her see things clearly now They say one can get an idea about one’s lifestyle from the way one keeps his desk, house and feet. The last being solely Isha's way of judging people and something that she had relied heavily on in the last few years and it had given her near accurate results. 

 

But now seeing Kunal spread comfortably on the sofa, she was beginning to doubt  her assessment . An uneasy feeling was creeping up her spine. 

She decided to save all the questions for later and went back to her bed leaving Kunal sprawled on the sofa already asleep. 

Next morning when she found him still on the sofa, Isha felt that she had probably gotten herself into something messier than she could imagine. 

She got ready to go to the office but Kunal showed no signs of finding the solution for the lost keys. Isha offered to drop him on the way to her office but Kunal said he would deal with it in the afternoon. 

Isha left for her office. 

In the evening when she returned, she found the door ajar. On entering she found a dinner table laid for two with candle light. Kunal had cooked her favourite Pasta with garlic bread and opened the wine bottle that she had been saving for a special occasion. In spite of the uncanny feeling, she smiled. 

They chatted, giggled just like old times but the feeling wouldn’t go away. 

Isha finally broached the subject of lost keys. 

" I had gone to Chennai for a few days for office work and I forgot the keys in the hotel there. Since its a rented house i don’t want to take a locksmith and make a new set. So I have asked the hotel to courier the keys to your address. It should come by tomorrow or day after . This way we can get to catch up on the time we have lost " Kunal said with a bright smile.

" Yes perfect " Isha replied 

They cleared the table and decided to watch a movie. 

It was late so Isha announced that she was sleepy and headed towards her room. To her horror Kunal followed her to bedroom saying " I just couldn’t sleep on your couch last night.  I will share your bed. Don’t worry I will behave myself " he added with a wink . 

Next day was no different. Isha went to office and Kunal watched TV. 

By now the neighbours were getting curious too. 

A week went by without any sign of the keys or Kunal leaving. 

When Isha returned in the evening, she could hear loud voices from her flat. She entered the house and was horrified to see two police people hand cuffing Kunal. 

" What’s happening " Isha asked 

On seeing her one of them said " Madam we are from the Anti-Narcotics Cell. This guy is a drug dealer. We are arresting him on charges of supplying drugs to school children. We went to his old house but the owner said he had vacated and left. We got this address from his call records. Are you his wife? " 

" No, I am not his wife " Said Isha. 

" He is just a friend. " 

Isha looked at Kunal for an explanation but Kunal seemed dazed, in a different world which explained everything. 

The police dragged Kunal and left with him , not before reminding her not to leave the city and  that they will be calling her for questioning if required . 

Isha slumped on the couch, drained. She mustered just enough energy to call her mom and cry.