At Beyond the Box, we are constantly thinking of ideas to give something unique, refreshing as well as challenging to our community of writers. Two to Tango was one such endeavour to encourage the participants to work along with another writer as a team and bring about a creative synergy. 66 teams participated in this one-of-its-kind contest and the winners were chosen by an eclectic jury panel comprising of prolific authors Ramendra Kumar, Shilpa Suraj and Apeksha Rao. Below prompt was given to the writers and they were asked to narrate the same story from two different points of view.
Prompt – Write a fictional story in which a character’s life undergoes some kind of major change due to a lost mobile. Feel free to creatively interpret this concept in any genre of your choice.
The Special Mentions in the adults’ category were Avni Katakkar and Sheena Gupta (Team 59). Enjoy their story!
Story Title: THE AFFAIR
Point of View #1
By Avni Katakkar
‘All men are cheaters’ – I am pissed off with this defiant statement quoted by my wife at least ten times a day.
Oh! By the way, I am Milind Sharma, a software developer working for a listed organization. I am happily married to my better half, Sujata. We make a perfect pair except for the bitter fact that she’s extremely skeptical.
She has this routine of checking on my phone and laptop, to assure herself that her husband isn’t having any extra-marital affair.
A month ago, I had been to Lonavla on an official trip. Sujata had already taken a promise from me that I would ring her thrice a day.
Upon reaching Lonavla, our team decided to wind up with the meetings first. Later in the evening, our boss had arranged for a party. We boozed, danced and enjoyed. As soon as we got back to our table, all of us realized that we had lost our phones. We were shocked and complained about it to the hotel manager. He assured us that he will look into the matter. Till then, we decided to rest in our rooms, as we had boozed a lot and were drowsy too. All this while, I missed calling and informing Sujata about my lost phone.
When I reached home the next night, Sujata was rebellious and was abusing me. I first perceived she’s angry because I forgot to tell her about the lost phone, but I was shattered when she showed me the messages she received from my phone that read – ‘Hey wife, I am having a blast here, sex with new girls, booze with friends. You are too boring and we need to think of divorce.’
She had received many such filthy messages from my lost mobile and wasn’t ready to listen to me at any cost. At that point, the divorce lawyer suggested that we seek counseling, but our marriage seemed on the verge of splintering only because of that stupid lost mobile and those vicious messages.
The matter became so grave that even a month of counselling hasn’t been fruitful. I am terribly lost. She left me forever.
Point of View #2
By Sheena Gupta
Nerves leapt like hungry gold fish in my stomach. I kept twisting my fingers into knots, bracing myself. I hoped against hope that my fears would fall flat on their face.
Believer… – That was my ring tone. I jumped to fetch my phone.
“Ma’am, he is with his girlfriend. No meeting.”
****
I am Sujata. I got married to Milind and came to the city of dreams with a million dreams in my eyes – a loving husband, romantic getaways, date nights and a perfect life.
I gave up everything for my family. My job, my dreams. In lieu, all I wanted was Milind’s love.
One day, I was casually checking the features of his phone. The way he pounced and snatched it from me left me wondering if it had something I shouldn’t know.
I employed a detective, Sujit.
“Sujata, I am going to Lonavala. Official trip.” Milind told me that day.
I told Sujit to follow.
*******
Sujit’s words were like hot molten lava in my ears. My world had come to a grinding halt.
If that was not enough, I received some messages from Milind. He wanted a divorce. He wrote such filth that I can never forgive him. Not even in my dreams, I had thought, Milind could stoop so low.
“Ma’am you mustn’t live with him anymore. Once a cheater, always a cheater.” Sujit guided me.
Milind hired a marriage counselor. But I couldn’t live with him anymore.
” I love you.” Sujit told me, in one of my weaker moments. I slipped. We made passionate love that night. And soon it became a routine.
I moved into his apartment. My life had given me another chance to fulfill my dreams. He loved me a lot.
One day while cleaning the almirah, I found a few mobile sets. One of those belonged to Milind.
And pictures. Sujit and his ex-girlfriends.
Also many files.
All his girlfriends had bequeathed their property to Sujit before a sudden cardiac arrest.
All men are cheaters.