The salesman's love

It was becoming increasingly difficult to leave her when it became night .Her smile looked mournful. Did her eyes hold a reproachful look or had he imagined that? “Darling I’ll be back in the morning,”he whispered, it was for her ears only .He looked around conspiratorially. No …no one had noticed him speaking to her .The mirror on the opposite wall reflected their images .He, thin with a little stoop ,tired hollowed out eyes .wheatish complexion and she beside him ,slim ,fair ,wide beautiful eyes ,dressed elegantly in bright pink sari .They made a starkly contrasting pair .He smiled at their reflection ,patted her hand once more ,lifted the keys from the shelf and went down the steps without looking back .he stood silently watching him go .
Reaching his house he hung the bag on the peg .His dinner was kept on the table..It had become cold .He made no comments it was an every day affair now, Washing his hands and face from the pump outside he sat to eat .Not one did Lakshmi ask him about his being late every day .Today was the same . He could hear the crashing of pots and pans like cymbals from the kitchen .The baby was crying .He heard her scream at the baby asking his elder one to take care of the baby .From her tone he knew that she was aware of him in the next room .Her voice had shrilled. He pictured her …her dark and pudgy face ,her oily plait coiled up untidily and her sari falling over her plump shoulders idly tucked at the waist .She was not always like this .It was only after the birth of the second one and after they shifted to this two room house .He could not compete with the neighbors .He could not stop his elder one from going over to watch TV .But what stopped her from trying to look attractive at least for him .Didn’t he get her two new saris with the festival bonus last month ?He often felt that she was somehow taking revenge on him .She also made sure that she slept with the baby ,turning her face towards the wall .He was not one to force his attention on her .
Quietly he set his plate to one side washed his hands and lifted his mattress from the corner and spread it near the door so that he could look out at the stars in the sky and dream of his lover .She was his only solace .If it wasn’t for her …..He brought to mind her picture, her trim figure, her long mane of hair, her long lashed wide eyes .What would she wear tomorrow? The new green salwar or the yellow chiffon sari sprinkled with red sequins .Everything suited her .He could hear Lakshmi moving about in the room .Her muttering was loud enough to reach his ears and it was meant to .He wanted to plug his ears with his fingers .If only he was with his lover who he could hug .They would lie embracing each other .He would whisper sweet nothings into her ears and she would look at him with her wide eyes and would smile ,her enigmatic smile .He never knew what she was thinking but never once did she protest when he slid her sari and blouse off her shoulders and undressed her and later lovingly dressed her in a bright sari .Their love was two years old now and no one knew about it .He was careful not to raise any suspicion .
Lakshmi seemed to have settled down .The room was in the dark .The baby made suckling noises .He heard Lakshmi cursing the infant .He had enough of all this day to day cribbing and cursing .This nagging from sunrise to sun set .
He dreaded the Sundays when he had to remain home the whole day .It was torturous as he had to spend the day without seeing her even once. He made up his mind. This Saturday he would not come home, he planned to stay with her, spent the night with her. And tomorrow was Saturday He would somehow remain behind...One more day then she would be his totally .A delicious smile spread on his face at the thought and slowly he slipped into a dreamless slumber .
Monday morning the shop owner lifted the shutters to find his body on the floor. He was dead .His hands held close the beautiful faced mannequin in a tight embrace.