Bibiji was fond of
telling everyone that Bansi came as part of her trousseau and had lasted the
longest while everything else from her trousseau had perished. She proudly
pointed out to a framed photo, sitting among the many on the mantelpiece, taken
on their Golden Jubilee celebrations 4 years ago, with she and her husband
sitting on a sofa and Bansi, in all his finery, standing awkwardly behind
them.
Bansi never failed
to remark that she and Babuji had looked so fine on their 50th Wedding
Anniversary that the guests had cast an evil eye on them, because of which
Babuji slipped and fell in the bathroom and his broken hip never fully
recovered from the fall even after 4 years of the best treatment. The doctors
said porous bones were the cause but Bansi believed otherwise. Bibiji
laughed off Bansi’s assumptions and reminded him that as long as he was in
charge of taking care of her husband she had no worries.
And this trust is
what pricked at Bansi’s conscience whenever he flicked a note here and there
from Babuji’s ever present bundle of currency tucked away beneath his pillow.
Babuji didn’t believe in banks, he thought they were bloody thieves who wanted
his money, and the only person he trusted after his wife was his
daughter-in-law Renu.
Renu was married to
Babuji’s elder son Arun and their match was that of a hippo and butterfly,
notwithstanding which Renu had managed to make her relationship a good one and
she and Arun were often touted as examples for a successful marriage. Arun’s younger
brother, Bittu, was a good looking Casanova and all mothers of young and single
daughters had their eye on him.
Everybody loved
Renu Bhabhi. Renu had changed everything in the house after she became part of
it post marriage. Uniforms and health insurances for the staff, a lick of
paint, repairs and new furniture for the house and a healthy and delicious menu
for all. Renu also readmitted Bansi’s daughter to school and insisted she
complete her education.
This memory too pinched Bansi as
his hand reached out for yet another note as Babuji snored. But he had picked
up a habit of gambling, and a steadily increasing debt along with it, and had
no idea how to repay it. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but the
temptation and his helplessness was too much. He dreaded the day he would be
caught. But right now his only concern was that something would have to change
soon, as he needed to repay a big chunk of the amount he owed if he
needed to avoid seeing his debtors at Babuji’s door, which they had threatened
him with.
Bansi pocketed yet
another note and walked out, shutting the door of Babuji's room softly behind
him. Walking along the passage towards the kitchen he heard a rustle coming
from the direction of the store room. He shrugged and continued walking, when
he heard it again, louder this time. The sound made him stop, turn and softly
pad towards the store room. The door was shut, but the sounds from within
continued.
Bansi circled the
room, and walked towards the storeroom's only window facing the backyard.
The window was shut but as he turned to leave, Bansi realised it was open a
tiny crack. He pried it open a little more and peeped in. His eyes took a
moment or two to adjust to the feeble light before they widened in shock to see
a disrobed and debauched Renu Bhabhi and her brother-in-law Bittu Bhaiyya
wrapped up around each other in the theores of passion. Everybody loved Renu
Bhabhi, but Bittu Bhaiyya seemed to love her the most it seemed, chuckled Bansi
as he whipped out his mobile phone and began filming.
Writing as part of Team Purple Rain for the prompt, 'Caught red-handed'