Subterfuge

‘Have you spoken to her about it?’ Deepa asked me, sipping her coffee.
Deepa and I were sitting in the Barista Café, our usual haunt, situated on the ground floor of my office building. As a ritual, we would breakfast together at this place and discuss the goings-on in our lives.
Deepa was a high-ranking executive in the HSBC Bank situated in the building opposite. We went back a long way. After a brief affair during our college days, we had concluded that we were better off as best friends. And we had remained that way ever since.
‘Have I?!’ I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. ‘Deepa, on what basis can I talk to her? I’m not even sure she wants to have a relationship with me!’
Deepa raised her eyebrows and looked at me in surprise.
I nodded my head. ‘Yes, yes, I know that I am the only lucky guy in my entire office whom Archana herself asked out on a date…’
This event had come as a great surprise to me. And it had been darned flattering as well, because Archana was rated as the most beautiful employee in our company. And in the two months since she had joined the company, she had rejected the advances of every guy who had tried his luck, including those who were said to have it all; money, personality, looks etc. So I had every guy eating his heart out on hearing about it.
I continued, ‘In fact, Archana had even told me that she would have asked me out much earlier. But she had seen you and me hanging out everyday and she had thought we had something going on…’
‘And yet you feel there’s something lacking in your relationship. Hmmm…How is she…I mean, like when you go out?’ Deepa asked, munching on her sandwich.
‘Well, in the two weeks that we’ve been going around, there hasn’t actually been any serious problem…’ I replied. ‘In fact we have a great time together. She’s gorgeous, vivacious, fun-loving…but I don’t know, sometimes she acts so pre-occupied. And she is BIG on touch-me-not!’
Deepa smiled amusedly. ‘C’mon Raj, some girls like to take their time in these matters.
But is there something else?’ She had noticed the change in my expression.
I nodded sheepishly. ‘Well, I don’t know how to put it…in fact, it may not even be true. But sometimes I do get the feeling that there’s someone else in her life. Of course, I’ve asked her about it, but she always laughs it off. But somehow, I can’t shake off the feeling…’
‘Maybe you caught her on a rebound. And she’s still carrying around some emotional baggage from a previous affair,’ Deepa offered.
‘Then why can’t she confide in me?! Deepa, I’d like to think I’m sufficiently broadminded and supportive enough to manage issues like this…’ I grumbled.
Deepa nodded and rubbed my shoulder sympathetically.
I looked at Deepa intently and continued. ‘Anyways, and that is why I need your help.’
Deepa sat up in her chair and looked at me incredulously.
‘Me?!! I should be the last person you should be consulting on these matters!’
At 32, Deepa was beautiful but single. For she was the typical modern career-woman who had no time for such frivolities as nuptial relationships.
And she was proud of it.
‘Please Deepa,’ I urged. ‘You are a woman yourself…you can understand a woman’s mind better than I can. All you have to do is become her close buddy and find out what’s going on. After all, like They say…the way to a beautiful woman’s heart is through her best friend!’
‘Don’t go throwing your faltu fundas at me!’ Deepa laughed. “I don’t think I can manage all this subterfuge.’
But after some more coaxing and cajoling, she agreed to do it.

The next day, I took Deepa and Archana out for dinner. The two had met very briefly before, but they knew a lot about each other through me. I was happy to see that they hit off pretty well.
I was to leave for Delhi the next morning on a three week work assignment. I was sure that Deepa would have accomplished the job by the time I got back.
But disappointment awaited me. ‘We’re pretty close now and she is beginning to open up a bit, but I haven’t been able to find out anything as yet,’ my ally reported.

Two days later, Archana and I were out on a movie date. After dropping her home after the movie, I saw a folded piece of paper on the car seat that had apparently fallen out of Archana’s purse, unnoticed by her. I picked it up and took it home.
I could not sleep that night.
I had read erotic poetry before, but rarely had I read one evoked in myself, both admiration and distress.
Admiration, because as a poem, it was simply beautiful…the language, the expression and the feelings of the poet.
And distress because it described in vivid detail, various aspects of Archana’s anatomy from a highly personal and romantic angle.
The next morning, I forgot all about the report that I had to submit to the boss. Instead, I rushed across to the HSBC building. I burst into Deepa’s cabin and sank into an armchair in front of her. I threw the poem on her desk.
‘Read this! It fell out of her purse!’ I panted.
Deepa read it with growing concern.
‘Have you asked her about it?’ She looked worried now.
‘I dunno. Should I?’ My mind was reeling. I suddenly felt unsure about everything in my life.
Without any further comment, I snatched the poem from Deepa’s hand and ran out of her office.
‘So that’s where it went. I was looking for it everywhere…Isn’t it beautiful?’ Archana calmly took the poem from my hand and put it back in her purse.
‘What…?’ She said noticing my horrified expression. ‘Raj, don’t tell me you think someone has written this poem to me?!’
She sighed and continued in the tone of a parent trying to reason with a stubborn child, ‘Raj…do you see this poem addressed to me, or my name mentioned anywhere in the poem? I found it in a book I was reading in the library the other day and I typed out a copy for myself.’
I then remembered that Archana had in fact mentioned a couple of days earlier that she had paid a visit to the British Council Library. I fidgeted with my fingers nervously and stared at a non-existent object on her desk. I was at a loss what to do next. I mumbled something and left the room.
Her explanation was perfectly plausible…and yet…

It was on the following Saturday evening when it happened.
Archana had told me that she would be visiting some distant relatives in Ahmedabad on that weekend. She was to leave by the evening train, so I decided to catch her for a quick coffee before she left. I called her over the intercom phone and to my surprise, her secretary answered it.
She told me that Archana had come in for just a couple of hours in the morning and then hurriedly left the office. She had told her secretary that she was leaving early on some important work.
That was strange. Archana had not mentioned anything to me. I asked her secretary if she had any idea about where she’d gone. She said that she didn’t know any details, but that morning, she had overheard Archana confirming the booking of a suite room at the Marriott Hotel, in her own name for the weekend.
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach.
Why would Archana book a room at the Marriott Hotel in Mumbai in her own name, when she would be away in Ahmedabad visiting relatives!
Shit!!! I slammed down the phone, my mind racing. I sprang out of my chair and grabbed my bag. I gave my secretary some nonsense about an emergency and ran to the elevator, almost knocking down a couple of my colleagues on the way. On arriving at the ground floor, I remembered that my car was at the garage for repairs. Dashing out onto the street, I caught the first cab I could find. En route, I figured that I would need Deepa’s help in this situation. I pulled out my mobile.
‘Hello…Deepa! My worst fears are confirmed! Archana has booked a suite at the Marriott Hotel to spend the weekend with her lover. I’m headed there right now; I want to catch her red-handed. Be there are fast as you can!’
The cab pulled up in front of the hotel and I jumped out even before it had completely come to a halt. Ignoring the exclamation from the shocked taxi-driver, I threw a number of hundred Rupee notes at him and ran into the hotel lobby.
Deepa was already waiting for me at the reception desk. She walked quickly towards me. She looked tense.
‘Raj, she’s here. I asked for her at the Reception Desk. It seems she’s in the restaurant. But she seems to be alone.’
We went over to the glass door of the restaurant and peered inside. Archana was sitting at a table some distance away, looking stunningly beautiful in a silver-blue gown. But I also noticed that she was alone.
Was she waiting for someone?
As we continued to observe her, Archana lifted her head and looked around the restaurant as if she was expecting someone. Her gaze suddenly shifted towards the door and Deepa and I managed to duck away before she could see us.
Deepa looked at me nervously. ‘I think we should get away from this place. If Archana sees us here, she’ll know that we’re spying on her, which will destroy whatever chances I have of finding out the truth.’
We walked away quickly in case Archana decided to come out of the restaurant for any reason. We passed through a door that led to the garden outside. Both of us were racking our brains for our next plan of action.
Suddenly Deepa’s eyes brightened. “I have an idea. I have a friend who is a manager in this hotel. I’ll get him to accompany me to the restaurant. I’ll feign surprise at seeing Archana there and chat with her for a while. That way, I’ll be able to find out what she’s doing here. But you must leave from here. Seeing both you and me here will be too much of a coincidence for her. And don’t call either Archana or me until I get back to you. If Archana gets suspicious, we’re done for!’
I nodded. That made sense. It was all up to Deepa now.
As I turned to leave, Deepa suddenly grabbed my sleeve. Holding both my hands in hers, she looked into my eyes and said,
‘Raj, it might just turn out that Archana might be really involved with someone else. In that case, do you think you can handle it?’
I thought about it for a while. Sure, I was fond of Archana, in fact, extremely fond of her. But if she was in love with someone else, I could not expect her to remain happy with me. Nor would that make me happy as well.
Besides, I was not that kind of guy who’d keep moping around all his life over a girl. There were after all, other fish in the sea.
I smiled and replied, ‘Yes, I think I’d be cool with that, Deepa. Whatever makes her happy. But at least I should know the truth. I think she owes me that much. And I’m hoping that we remain good friends after that. After all, she is a wonderful girl…’
Deepa leaned forward and gave me tight hug. She looked at me and said, ‘Whew, I am relieved to hear that. For a moment, I had thought that you would take it really hard. But you’re the perfect gentleman, Raj. And do remember, if you need me, I’ll always be there for you.’
I told her, ‘Thanks Deepa. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you helping me out with all this. You’re the best. And like I said, don’t worry about me, whatever the case, I can handle it. Also, you’re right, in the worst case scenario, I can always fall back on you,’ I joked.
This earned me a punch and another hug from Deepa before she turned and disappeared through the door into the building.

It was on Sunday evening, when the call came through. I was on tenterhooks the whole day. I had not dared to call up either Archana or Deepa.
I looked at my cell-phone display in surprise. It was Archana. I answered it immediately.
‘Yes, Archana?’
Her voice came through after a pause. ‘Raj, Deepa and I had a long talk…I have a confession to make. You were right. I have lied to you all along. I am involved with someone else. I know I should have told you this much earlier. It’s just that I didn’t have the guts to do so. Will you ever forgive me?’
I sighed and took a moment. Then cheering up, I smiled and said, ‘Hey Archana, there is nothing to apologize about. It’s just that I needed to know the truth. I am happy for you. Seriously. And don’t worry about me, Archana. After all, I was sort of expecting it. I’m totally cool with it…’
‘Are you absolutely sure, Raj?’ Archana’s voice sounded genuinely concerned.
‘Absolutely, Archana. No hard feelings on my side.’ I assured her. I heard a deep sigh of relief.
‘Raj, I’ve always considered you a very close friend. Can we remain that way for always?’
‘Of course, Archana!’ I said. ‘I had told Deepa to tell you as much’
There was another deep sigh at the other end.
‘Yes, Raj, she told me so. Thank you so much. You have taken a big load off my mind.’
Now that the air between us had cleared up, we felt at ease and started chatting away like old buddies.
I teased her, ‘And when do I get to meet this lucky person who has stolen your heart before I could?’
Archana replied immediately, ‘Tonight, Raj! We’re taking you out for dinner at the Taj. After all the trouble we both have caused you, I think we at least owe you that much. Although…’ Archana laughed mischievously and continued, ‘If your memory serves you correctly, you both have already met before…’
‘Whazzat? Who? When?’ I was puzzled!
Archana continued, ‘I am told that you believe that the way to a beautiful woman’s heart is through her best friend…Perhaps you should know, that I too believe in that strategy. See you tonight sweetheart!’
Before the call got disconnected, I could hear Deepa giggling in the background…