For an evening breeze...

Every Friday made her depressed at heart.? From the time she wakes up from her bed, she dreads the moving seconds that slowly drag the day to night.? Just thinking about going to bed on those particular nights brought within her mild tremors that increased her heartbeat and she perspired more.

In the middle of the night when everyone was deep asleep, her inner mind could hear the stealthy footsteps that reached her side. Too tired to wake up from sleep, she shut her eyes tightly. Desperately, she did not want to be disturbed and woke up from the bed. The usual household chores, long eight hours at work, and the stressful travel on the bus along with the crowd made her physically, and mentally tired.?

She did not even want a caressing touch. Sheila always felt it would be better if she was allowed to sleep alone without any disturbance. But he never cared about it. He just wanted to relieve his sexual lust and then snore deeply.? He never cared about her physical inconvenience or else find out if she is ready to be with him.

“Don’t you spare five minutes?” His remark sounded as if it was like the routine job of signing in the attendance register in the morning and evening.?

“Why don’t you cooperate with me? You lie down like a log without any emotions or feelings. How can you be like that to me?” His questions scorched her ears. Sheila did not reply but waited for the moments to go away.?

Though it is her moral responsibility to go along with her husband’s requirements, unfortunately, she has started to feel tired at heart.? Sharing intimate moments were no longer exciting and every week it proved to be a routine, heart-breaking exercise that suck more of her energy and made her feel low.

When he caressed her ears passionately with his lips, her nostrils could smell the unbearable stink of liquor and beedis.? The heat of his body told her that he had taken his bath two days ago and she felt dirty and untidy.?

Suddenly, his entire behavior changed which showed traits of a romantic lover within him. Every time he started it with some elaborate procedures. Placing her tired legs on his lap, he would massage slowly starting from the toe fingers. One by one he took her toe fingers and stretched them to relieve the stress.

Sheila has to shamelessly admit his hands had the magical power that massaged her toe fingers, ankles, forelegs, and thighs.? With the unbeatable performance of a romantic lover, he slowly fine-tuned her body to listen to him.? Though at heart she did not want to cooperate with him, her body shamelessly accepted his interference and enjoyed every touch as a heavenly bliss.

He made her nerves feel the pleasures of the flesh and wish for some more. After minutes of reluctance, she slowly gave in to him and satisfied him.? Her unwillingness to cooperate dissolved into the dark, cold night air.? After he moved away from her, she could not sleep immediately.? The unbearable pain in her heart made her cry silently and damp the pillow with her salty tears.

In the morning, he carried on as if nothing happened. But Sheila could not get over the physical and mental tiredness.? Morning hours got her busy cleaning the cooking vessels, cooking breakfast and lunch, and helping her daughter get ready for school. But once she boarded her bus to work, she lacked the energy to be cheerful and struggled hard to get away with the laziness that slowly enveloped her tired eyes and brain.

Sheila walked from the office to the bus stop like a zombie.? Her legs knew the way and she followed the crowd that crossed the road at the pedestrian cross.

The bus came crowded. Before Sheila could decide to board the bus, someone pushed her ahead and she was forced to get into the bus.? The crowd pressed her to the middle of the bus and she luckily got a place to stand comfortably.???? ??????

After twenty minutes, Sheila found a place to sit near the window.? The evening breeze caressed her face with chill and she breathed in the fresh air hungrily.? The fresh air filled her lungs and improved her heartbeats.? She felt energized and happy.? The evening breeze from the seashore carried to her the energy and happiness that she lost years ago.