Story

Never So Perfect …

-by Rati J.


'Oh come on. You have to come with me. We are invited as a happy couple. We are supposed to give inspiration to the audience there.' Mr. Rakesh Bhandari said to his wife who was standing with a diary in her hand.
'Don't you understand that I have already committed my dates for a photo shoot?' She said, thrusting her diary in his hand. 'You should've taken my consent earlier.'
'Really? Now I—one of the greatest producers—have to ask for an actress's permission... Who are you? I made you successful! You are living sophisticated life here only because of me... You owe me… don't you?' He said stroking a flick of her hair.
'Take your filthy hands off me. I don't owe you anything, so stop treating me like your servant. I am still one of the ‘A list actors’ despite my age... and the scripts that are piled up in my room are only the result of my talent and hard work. It has nothing to do with your favors and recommendations. In fact, you should be grateful to me… I married you… Do you think, a young, talented and beautiful actress like me would have married an old, divorcee jerk like you? I definitely deserved someone handsome… and young… not a second hand….' She snapped, pulling the diary from his grip.
'Is that so? Ha…ha… Stop making me laugh Kiah. Do you also think that a rich and talented producer like me would have married a slum girl? …Yess… a slum girl…
'ENOUGH! Shut your mouth, bastard! You didn't marry me when I was a slum girl. You married me when I was a well-known actress. Just take a look at my journey from slums to this position... it’s all due to the guts I've got. You just revealed them. Now I’m placed much higher than you… Now tell me Mister, who are you? A worthless oaf … Living at the mercy of his ancestral property …'
'SHUT UP, YOU BITCH-'
'YOU SHUT UP!' Kiah took a nearby vase and crashed it on the floor. 'You've got the invitation because of me. People want to see ME and know MY feelings, NOT YOURS...it's my credit...you better understand!'
'Oh... And the films I gave you...isn't that my credit?'
'I would've got them anyhow. There was no need of any favor dear...it's my biggest blunder to be with you...' Keeping the diary in the drawer, Kiah looked into the mirror to check her makeup. … That's not how Kiah M. looks ... she sensed, though tense … and she darkened her lips which were looking sick due to the intense exercise.
'Stop!' Mr. Rakesh yelled, as Kiah walked towards the door.’ I'll burn your things...clothes, accessories, diaries, scripts, everything, if you step further.' He warned her with a cruel look on his face.
'You wish... I can burn your reputation, by the way. The bruises you gave me last night are still fresh and I won't hide them with makeup... Five minutes at the police station...that's all it takes.' She smiled wickedly and banged the door behind her...
Kiah's photo shoot turned out very impressive. She was definitely going to bag the cover page of the magazine, as usual. While returning, she stopped by her favorite place in Film City. It was a lake and an arched bridge. She truly loved the place since childhood. She used to stand on that bridge for hours, dreaming to be an actress... And today, she was standing there, dreaming to be naive. The place was empty. No one was shooting there. Birds were fleeting gracefully and the lake was reflecting a beautiful sunset. A soft breeze caressed her flawless skin and she took deep breath thinking about her messed up life. Her struggle from the age of fifteen to forty had made her strong and invincible …But invincible doesn't mean happy… Fate had been cruel to her. Some decisions were inevitable for her. Kiah's husband was an old man in 60s and somehow she was responsible for his divorce with his first wife. Ten years back, she faced financial crisis and the bankers sealed her house to recover the loans. At the auction, Mr. Rakesh was the one to bid the highest amount and Kiah's loans were paid off. He proposed her for marriage and even told her that he was going to divorce his wife. Kiah thought that her life would be settled and she could live happily but it didn't turn out like that... Mr. Rakesh had proposed her to be his puppet. But Kiah was strong enough to deal with him. And at the same time, she was so tired of being strong...tired of being tough for everyone who tried to crush her... The whole life she had to be conscious so that no one could use her. But still she was used by her husband and was the object of blame as “the home-breaker.” Ah! … After all…life is never perfect…
Kiah looked down into the water, at her reflection. Lipstick, eye shadow, hairstyle, everything was perfect but still she found something missing...something very subtle which she could not figure out…
‘Excuse me, ma’am.’ Kiah jumped at the voice and looked sideways to see a teenage boy standing with a diary and a pen. ‘Can I have your autograph, please? I’m your fan. I know you’re enjoying your space. Your bodyguards did not let me in but I managed to come from the other side.’ … Kiah smiled... At least he spoke better than her husband. She took the diary and asked him his name.
‘Rishi,’ he said, grinning widely, unable to suppress his excitement. She signed and returned the diary. ‘One more, please!’
‘One more autograph?’
‘For my girlfriend…she’s a fan of yours too. Actually, you are the reason, we fell in love. It all started in a coaching class. Our topic of discussion would be you, every time we met…and then…’ He blushed and Kiah couldn’t help admiring his innocence and she signed once more.
‘Oh, thank you so much. She’ll be very happy! I just want to see her expressions.’ He almost shouted and Kiah laughed. The smile on his face had brightened up Kiah’s mood and for a second, she could feel his pure and innocent love towards his girlfriend. She rummaged through her memories and wondered … if she ever had an experience of something like that ...
‘You have a girlfriend!’
‘Yeah,’ he said, stroking his hair.
Rishi was carefree, stress free, handsome and there was a tinge of innocence and satisfaction mingled with happiness. Kiah realized … what was missing in her reflection ...
‘What’s your age, boy?’ She asked, out of curiosity.
‘Fifteen.’
Kiah’s heart stirred at his answer. What was she doing, when she was fifteen? Struggling and striving hard to sail in the film industry. She worked hard…so much that she dropped a precious gift which contained something very pure, bright and innocent… After all, life is never so perfect…
‘Thank you very much, Kiah ma’am.’ He said shaking hands with her and walked towards the compound wall, where he had come from. Kiah looked into the water. Her desires to experience something very subtle rose up. Her heart beat fast and eyes were slightly wet.
‘Listen, Rishi,’ she called him.
Rishi was about to climb the compound wall but quickly turning back he looked at her with fumbled expressions…
‘Can I hug you?’ She asked, with craving eyes and quivering voice…
And… and … the very moment… The reflection in the lake too quivered and flickered … stirred and blurred … and riding on the ripples … kept whirling from the center to margin and back… and back… and back till it dissolved…finally… not so perfectly, though …