Sex with the Ex

Scandalised with even the mere trinkling of such a thought, Malavika scooped with a deeper intensity into her brownie fudge. It was great, their chemistry -- Malavika and Manav. Legally, they even lasted a good three years, after being together for six long ones. But as in marriages, like the veil or the curtain, all is revealed only as time passes. And not everybody can come to terms with compromise, or allowing a dislike, a disgust, to persist. Now successful as a contributing columnist with the leading national newspapers, Malavika, while she sat at The Taj with her coffee and brownie, waiting for a tete-e-tete with Mrs Tagore, happened to read about Manav in one of the pages of The Financial Times. She was only looking through the trending advertisements, but the sight of him, in a well-tailored shirt, with contrasting buttons and a Louis Vuitton belt that attracted most of her attention, sent her shooting, swooping downwards in extreme fantasy.

In a matter of bad-timing, Mrs Tagore arrived in her fancy, designer anarkali and her olive Hermes. It was enough to feed a village. Having exchanged the customary cheek air-kisses, they sat down and exchanged the 'how are you' and 'what are you up to', and of course the more interesting, 'what's going on with...' New orders were taken for a greek salad and two cocktails, as the conversation went business-wards. Mrs Tagore started voluntarily exhaling tales of her family that seemed to be locked in a rusting iron trunk, and kept safe under a high-bed. Malavika was making mental notes and processing them into sentences for her upcoming weekend column. She wasn't yet in the need of a recorder or a notebook and pen. She memorised all that needed to be told. Having finished their session, they departed different ways.

She looked into her watch. A Longines that Manav had bought her for their first anniversary. The mother of pearl dial still shone timelessly. It was around 2 in the afternoon. She was hungry. Her appetite wasn't yet satisfied and she realized it was not restricted simply to her digestion. It extended to desire. Impulsively, she sent a text to Manav, "Free for dinner tonight? My house." 

Around 3 30, the much awaited reply came in, "See you." As if returning to when she was sixteen, she jumped off her bed and started making preparations. Recalling all of his favourites, she arranged a cozy dinner menu and a sparkling wine, known for its high alcohol content. She couldn't wait to see him. The helps had left around 7. Around 9, the bell rang.

There he was, as stunning as in the photograph, Manav in a brown cord blazer and blue shirt. The same LV belt held his beige linen pants. He smiled at her, she looked irresistable in her cropped denim sleeveless top and a skirt with a slight slit at the side. They kissed, on the cheeks, as Manav gave her a bottle of Beefeater. He too recalled it was her favourite gin. 

"What happened, Malavika? Suddenly this?" as Manav made himself comfortable on the sofa.

"Well, I dunno. Felt like you" she said confidently, looking straight into his light brown eyes. "You look sharp."

"You look very attractive yourself."

"Wine?"

"Sure. Hope it's red."

Malavika smiled and returned from the kitchen with two glasses of deep red wine and a platter of cheese and salad. "No fries, Manav, sorry." 

"That's ok, good for my shape" and touched his really toned tummy. Taking his first sip, he said, "Oh, brilliant wine! What's for dinner?"

"Simple. Fried rice, with lots of mushroom, like you like, and chilli chicken."

"Ooh. Classic. I am drooling already. Dessert?"

Malavika decided the time had come.

"Hot chocolate sauce on..." me.

Manav was taking a bite of the cheese with the carrot, and got the hint, "On?"

"Vanilla ice-cream, of course! What else?"

"Do you miss me, Malavika?"

This was unexpected. "No." He returned to his glass. "Not until today" she slowly continued. 

He smiled. "Thanks. I feel like I exist. Vedika is nowhere near to you."

Malavika replied sharply, "I never looked for a substitute" and finished her drink. "Another now, or after dinner?"

"Did you plan for a long night, Malavika? Or did you just have the dinner on mind?" Manav reflected the same confidence, and looked into her jet black eyes.

"Manav..." By now he was holding her by her waist and kissing her with the same depth of the wine. Shaken by the sensation, they were taken aback by their vigour. The dinner remained in the fridge and wasn't heated untill about 2 30 am, well after midnight. They were hungry with exhaustion. Spent with the lust that had enveloped their desires, lying latent for so long, they had the best dinner of their entire lives and slept all the sleep they had lost over each other.

The morning woke them with the truth of their lives, their separation. But for the rest of their lives, they both knew, they would keep the last night with them, forever. 

Even if not together.   

Malavika and Manav reigned their realms of expertise, but the void created by chemistry remained, adamant. Separately.