77. The Test!

Arjun’s PoV

I called up Anandhi aunty to let her know that a car is coming to pick them up as they are going to meet us in our home tomorrow. She, though asked so many times, I just said that Anika wanted to see them. I have made arrangements for bringing her dad as well. As soon as I went home, I saw Preethi watching TV. It was way past dinner time and I assumed that she already ate dinner. I went to the room to clean myself up before I ate my dinner. After finishing my business in the restroom, I opened the door only to be taken aback with Preethi standing right in front of the door.

“God, Preeth, you scared me.” I told her, getting the towel from her hand. “You know you don't have to do all this, right? Did you eat?”

“It’s ok, Ajju. I am glad to help you. I didn't eat yet, I was waiting for you. What took you so long? You should come home sooner, Ajju. You should always remember that I will be waiting for you.”

“You know, Anika is pregnant. She wants to be with me all the time. And besides, I came back only to give you this! I have to go back, Preethi. It is not right for us to stay here. It will tarnish your dignity.” I told her, giving the questionnaire though I was intrigued that never once she congratulated me for our pregnancy.

“I don't care, Ajju. I want you to be with me. I have no one else in this world except you. I don't really care for my dignity or reputation at this point.” Said she without even attempting to look at the papers I gave her.

“Hmph, you are agitated, Preethi. Now you can't think straight. I am your friend and I cannot do things that will spoil your image in public. Besides, I have a family too. None in my family will approve of me staying in a home alone with you. I am accountable to my wife.” I tried to talk some sense into her.

“So I am not important to you? I thought you are a man true to your words. You said I am the most important person in your life. But now your importance has changed, huh? You want to leave me alone here in this state? For who? For Anika? For a girl who doesn't even love you?” She spoke while crying.

“No, Preethi. She loves me and I love her. You are and will be an important person in my life. Shhh, relax and stop crying. You know I don't like cry babies, right?” I tried to soothe her.

“You love her because of the baby? We can get the baby from her, Ajju. We can raise the baby together with Avni. She is not true to you, Ajju. She has an extra marital affair.” She kept talking like she knew something.

“You talk like this because of the phone call that you recorded?” I asked her as my patience was thinning by the minute.

“Um… yes.” She was a little calmer than before, just as if she sensed my anger building inside.

“I told you it is not something you should be worried about. Let it go! Now come let’s have some food, I am tired.” I told her and she just smiled brightly at me. It was like she never cried a little before.

“Sorry, Ajju. I cooked dinner today. I was waiting for you to come so that we can eat together. Kathir should be reheating everything. Come.” She walked ahead of me. I collected the questionnaire that she dropped on the floor and walked out of the room.

“Here, Preethi. This is a game. This paper has a bunch of questions. Let’s answer them true to our heart. And then we compare our answers.” I told her after we were done with our dinner.

“Oh, like a compatibility test?” She was excited.

“Hmmm, more like knowing each other better test. You answer how you truly feel and I will do the same. We shall get to know more about ourselves on a personal level.” I told her.

“Huh, I know you more than you know you. Maybe this game will make you understand me much better. Let’s do it this way. I will guess your answers and if it were all right, you should listen to what I say. Deal?” She asked me. I want her to answer the questions and I want her to do it right now, and so I agreed to her deal.

The doctor gave me two copies just to make it less suspicious for her and it worked. We answered the questions on the paper. Some were multiple choice questions and some were not. I finished it before her and looked like she was really putting all of her in writing the right answers. It took more than 40 minutes to finish her test.

“This is a psychiatric evaluation for me, right? You think that I need help, don't you?” She asked me, closing the pen and placing it on the table, her voice more serene that weirdly instilled a fear in me.

“I don't think you need help, Preethi. I just know. You need to go in for some counseling to make yourself feel better. It is just a pre-evaluation. With your answers, the doctor might know where the problem is and will treat you accordingly.”

“So you are in on this with my family. You don't believe in me too?”

“I believe you and I care for you. But I can't see you suffer in depression. You are not alone in it, Preethi. I will be with you every step of the way. Just trust me and walk with me.”

“This is why I cannot let you go, Ajju. You deserve much better in your life. Anika is nowhere near you. I know what you want, Ajju.”

“Shhh, this is not about Anika and me. It is about you and your life. Now take this tablet. It will help you sleep. You need good sleep and a calm mind. I have enrolled you in a yoga class. It is online and you can do it from anywhere. Small steps, Preeth, one at a time.” I gave her the medicine the doctor gave me.

She took it without any resistance. I waited for her to fall asleep but she never even blinked her eyes. She never said a word but she never closed her eyes either. She held my hand tightly and laid on the couch with her eyes wide open.

“Try to sleep, Preethi.” I told her.

“Close your eyes, let your body rest and relax. Don't fight it, Preethi.” I kept telling her but nothing was happening. Looks like she is immune to the tablet. It was way past usual hours to call the doctor so I just sat beside her and fell asleep. When I woke up, I saw her sleeping still holding my hand. I slowly withdrew my hand from her and got ready to go to pick up Anika.

“Kathir, take care of her. Don't talk to her unless she asks something. Give her food and stay out. You too, Nurse. Don't involve her in any talks. Keep granny in the room for the day until I come back. Take care.” I told them both and left the house with the questionnaire.

I drove straight to the clinic and gave the papers to the receptionist and called the doctor to let her know. I stopped on the way in a bouquet and bought a beautiful red rose bouquet and also got a tray of ferrero rocher. I remember that email where I told her that I would come to meet her with flowers and chocolate on her special day. I decided to give her clues to find me as the stalker.

“Praveen, do you still have that address you found on Arun? Remember the phone number I gave you?” I called Praveen on the way.

“Yes, da. It should be in the whatsapp history. Why?”

“I want you to find where he is working. Don’t disturb him. Just give me his whereabouts. He is here in Chennai, if you wonder where to start. I need him before the end of the day.”

“Ok, Boss! Will try to do it. How is Preethi?”

“I have submitted the evaluation test to the doctor. I am waiting for her to analyse it and call me for further action. Preethi definitely needs help. She resisted her sleep in the night even after taking a sleeping pill. I have notified the doctor about it too. Let’s wait.”

“Sharanya thinks that Preethi is doing things wantedly. She is refusing to open up to me about what she is thinking. I mean, she is afraid now. My mom and dad blamed her for Preethi’s outburst. She thinks that I don't trust her, well, I don't think that Preethi is acting like she is depressed. She definitely needs help. I feel like her loneliness is making her do things that she doesn't intend to do. She feels jealous when she sees people together. But Sharanya thinks otherwise.”

“I think the same, Praveen. She even talked ill about Anika. That should be it. We must have concentrated more on her and should have made her feel like she is not alone. I think we should share this blame. I thought about finding her a good partner but my plate was already full at the time that I missed to see beyond me.” I told him.

I got off the phone when I reached Anika’s hostel. I looked at myself in the rearview mirror and made sure I looked appealing and got down carefully placing the bouquet and chocolate in the back seat. As I went in, I saw her in a beautiful saree with peacock prints all over. I could not even blink my eyes. She was absolutely gorgeous and I tried hard to maintain my cool. I didn't want her to feel threatened. She asked for a chocolate for the matching outfit and I couldn't stop myself from touching her. She closed her eyes and froze on her spot as I brushed her hair out of her face. It reminded me of the day I placed my finger on her chin to look at her cheek when her mom slapped her. How can she freeze like this with just a touch?

‘You were messing with her mind and body.’ I recalled what her friend told me. It gave me a weird feeling of satisfaction to know that my wife is responsive only to my touches. When Nithya told me that Anika loved, loves and will love only me, it gave me pride and also cleared the dent that was made on my ego.

I started giving her clues for her to find me once we got in the car and even after we reached our house. She stood on her tippy toes to kiss me on my cheek to thank me for bringing her parents to share the happy news with. I hugged her like she was a baby and lifted her up to the mirror. I made her stand in front of it, her nearness was messing with my mind and I dipped in to kiss her neck. She shuddered at the contact as I slowly removed her saree and placed my palm on her bare stomach and waist. She leaned back, throwing her head on my chest, giving me more access to her neck. I pushed her flowing hair aside and kissed on her back while gripping her waist to make her stay in place. As soon as I touched her, my manhood hardened and I didnt want to escalate this situation any further. I gave her the last piece of clue and ran out of the room.