The Love Trap

 

Kanak is the Chief executive officer of a company. His wife Shanthi is 35 years old, she is tall, slim and whitish, with gleaming eyes and a face beaming with energy. They have two school-going children.

Shanthi is a pious, orthodox woman who cares for her husband, children, and home. She gets up early in the morning, does pooja, meditates, prepares breakfast, and packs lunches for her husband and children. Afterwards, she immerses in devotional reading, takes an afternoon nap, and prepares snacks for the evening.

Kanak leaves for the office at 9 a.m. and returns by 7 p.m. He is 40 years old. He has been working as CEO for the last five years.

It is a practice that Kanak, Shanthi, and their two children meet at the dining table for dinner every day. They discuss routines, school problems, and attending functions.

Malini is 25 years old, active, and unmarried. SHE is Kanak’s secretary. She joined the office six months ago. She takes dictations, types the draft, shows it to Kanak, informs him of his meeting schedule, and arranges lunch for Kanak.

Malini is medium-built, with a long face, projected nose, and wide, bright eyes. She dresses in salwar-kameez.  People cannot divert their eyes when she walks with her long braided hair dancing on her back.

Malini has been helping Kanak with a water glass for drinking, feeding him with cut apple and papaya pieces, mixing curry in rice, spoon-feeding him during lunch when he talks on his mobile, and touching his body with hers. Initially, Kanak was hesitant about Malini’s behaviour, but later, he started enjoying the young Malini’s closeness.

One day, Kanak asked her about her close movements with him. Twisting her dupatta, Malini said in a shy and low voice, “I love you and want you.”

Kanak replied, “You are a beautiful girl, and I do not want to miss you.”

Soon they started meeting at his farmhouse after office hours in the late evenings.

 

The Farmhouse

Ranga is a lean older man, 65 years of age. His work is to clean the farmhouse every day and water the trees and plants.   

Kanak and Malini started coming to the farmhouse on alternate days, they would enjoy their time, have biryani, and leave. Kanak used to come by driving his car, and Malini would come in her scooter after about fifteen minutes so that no one doubts. Malini would then send the watchman to get biryani from a hotel five km away. She would then lock the gate from inside.

Ranga goes by his old bicycle, and after an hour he would return with biryani. 

Kanak and Malini then would feed each other the biryani, spend some time together, and leave.

Kanak used to keep a reasonable amount of money in a secret locker in the farmhouse about which Malini came to know.

 

Shanthi gets Suspicious

Kanak had been skipping dinner table meetings on alternate days for the last few months.

One day, the children asked Shanthi, “Mom, why isn’t Dad coming for dinner?”

Shanthi replied, “Dad is busy at the office.”

Her answer was not convincing her.

One day, Shanthi asked Kanak about being late from the office. “Dear, these days you are busy at the office and coming home late. Why don’t you come home early?”

Kanak told Shanthi, “One has to grow with emerging technologies. New companies are entering daily, and  we must change with the times and face the competition.”

This was the standard answer to Shanthi’s question every time.

Shanthi was disturbed by the answer.

Kanak said, “Shanthi, Let me sleep.”

Shanthi said, “Let us have dinner.”

“No, I am tired and sleepy; you have dinner.”

She removed the plates from the dining table and tried to sleep. She was suspicious of Kanak’s behaviour.

The next evening, Shanthi called an office attendee to find out about Kanak’s whereabouts. He informed Shanthi that Kanak had left the office.

Shanthi calls farmhouse watchman Ranga and asks, “Is sir coming to the farmhouse?”

Ranga, “Yes, Madam, he visits every alternate day.”

Shanthi doubts Kanak’s movements and thinks of visiting the farmhouse.

One day after confirming from the office that Kanak has left the office, Shanthi calls Ranga, the watchman, and says, “I will come to the farmhouse today and be there for some time. Do not tell your Sir that I am coming.”

Ranga, “Yes, Madam.”

The driver dropped Shanthi at the farmhouse and took the car away.

Shanthi went into the farmhouse garden and hid behind the trees.

 

Raju and Malini’s Plan

Malini and Raju were classmates up to the tenth standard. Raju learned driving, and Malini learned shorthand. They continued their friendship. Raju used to visit her at night. Malini was unhappy with her asbestos sheet roof single room on the city’s outskirts and meek salary. Raju was helping his older age parents.

When they were together in bed, Malini told Raju they could trap Kanak and get money, solving all their problems.

Raju kissed her and said, “Okay, Dear, don’t worry. You have already trapped him in your love, and I will complete it with money.”

 Malini and Raju discussed and made a plan to trap Kanak for money.

“Wonderful, that is a good idea. Today, you made me happy with your words and hugged Raju. They enjoyed that night “.

Malini informed Raju of when she and Kanak were going to the farmhouse.

With a bag in his hand, Raju went to the farmhouse and told the watchman that Kanak had sent him to repair the toilet. Watchman Ranga permitted Raju inside the farmhouse. Raju hid under the cot.

 

At the Farmhouse

Like always Kanak came self-driving his car, and Malini came on her second-hand scooter, one after another, with a ten-minute gap. They sent watchman Ranga to get the biryani. Malini then locked the main gate from inside and joined Kanak on the bed.

After about twenty minutes, Shanthi entered the bedroom. The bedroom doors are closed but unlocked, and Shanthi finds Malini and Kanak locked in each other’s arms in a compromising position. 

Malini and Kanak are shocked to see Shanthi. Malini got down from the bed and stood with her head down.

In her rage, Shanthi slaps Malini: “You cheat; how dare you trap my husband.”

Malini, still in shock, with tears in her eyes, puts on her dress.

Shanthi angrily looks at Kanak, “You must be ashamed of doing such things, having two children and a responsible position in society.”

Kanak feels ashamed.

Raju was astonished to see Shanthi in the farmhouse’s bedroom and was dumbfounded momentarily, not knowing what to do. However, he became angry over Shanthi for spoiling his plan to blackmail Kanak. He could not tolerate that Shanthi slapped Malini. He came out from under the bed to take revenge on Shanthi.

Now, Kanak and Shanthi were shocked to see furious Raju with a knife in his hand.

Raju swiftly proceeded towards Shanthi and tried to stab her in the abdomen. Shanthi quickly turned sideways in a split second but received a stab on the side below the ribs. She fell to the floor, bleeding. Kanak, in a confused state, unable to understand the turn of events, moved towards Shanthi.

Raju then turned towards Kanak and asked him to open the secret locker.

Coming to his senses, Kanak picks up his loaded pistol under his bed. In a hurry, Malini tries to stop Kanak and comes in between Kanak and Raju. Kanak understood the trap of Malini and her lover Raju.

Unable to bear his wife’s sorry state and Malini’s deceptive plan with Raju, Kanak shoots at Malini, and Malini falls on the floor, bleeding.

Raju, in a spate of anger for the loss of his lover Malini, tries to stab Kanak but Kanak skips Raju’s attack and shoots at Raju, Raju falls to the floor in a pool of blood. After a few minutes, Kanak comes to his senses and finds his wife alive and breathing, and Malini and Raju dead. Kanak informs the police and shifts Shanthi to a nearby hospital in his car.

 

Shanthi pardons Kanak

As the knife injury was not severe to life, Shanthi was cured in a week and sent home. All these days, Kanak was at Shanthi’s bedside in the hospital, taking care of her.

The court acquitted Kanak, considering the shootings made in self-defence.    

At home, Kanak asked Shanthi, “Please forgive me. It is a mistake on my part. I will never do it again.”

He took her two hands and tried to slap them on his cheeks but Shanthi pulled her hands back, hugged Kanak, and rested her head on his shoulder.

This Tsunami in Shanthi and Kanak’s lives shattered Shanthi’s beliefs and their home.

Shanthi said to Kanak in an advisory tone, “Other than love and affection, trust in each other, care for each other,  understanding each other and ethical behaviour  form the four pillars of marriage.”

“If you break any of the four pillars of the marriage and fall into a love trap, your married life will collapse and  affect your children’s future.”

Kanak understood the importance of the primary forms of married life and controlling desires for a charming family life.

Forgetting the Tsunami, Shanthi and Kanak started a new life and cared for their children’s development.

 

PRABHAKAR MUSIPATLA