Hymn For The Weekend

I바카라�m about to turn tail and run, when Sabah - my home girl/wingwoman/self-appointed stylist cum shrink - bellows, 바카라�Hey, Mythili! Over here, at the bar!바카라� She looks red hot in a crimson one-shoulder dress and sky high stilettos, perched on a high stool, one long limb crossed over the other. 

I wave back and start making my way towards her, sucking in my tummy, which is giving the proverbial finger to the body-shaper and happily protruding.  

바카라�Jameson, double, on ice for the lady, please,바카라� Sabah tells the bartender, before turning to greet me. Bingo! How well she knows me. 

바카라�For a second there, I thought you didn바카라�t hear me,바카라� she says as I make an unsuccessful (and rather humiliating) attempt at hauling myself up the stool. 

바카라�Sabby, everyone in the five mile radius could hear you,바카라� I mutter, focusing on the task at hand. But I바카라�ve already lost her. Her attention바카라�s back on her cell phone. 

As I rest my back against the stool and try to hoist myself up again, several parts of my body 바카라� boobs, butt, tummy, arms, double chins - jiggle in an ungainly fashion. 

I look up and my eyes collide with a get-into-his-pants gorgeous guy leaning against a table right across from us. He바카라�s watching me with a faintly amused look on his face. 

I blush to the roots of my blow dried hair. 

He winks and raises his glass to me. 

Drat!

Not the first impression you want to create on a hot stranger in a bar. Or anywhere else, for that matter.  

I groan, making Sabah look up from the dating app she바카라�s hooked on to. She extends a hand, I clutch it with the desperation of someone hanging from a cliff, and haul my ass up the stool. I바카라�m convinced that the only reason they make them so tall is to make good, decent folk feel like total hobbits. 

바카라�So glad you바카라�re doing this, Myth,바카라� Sabah says as I swivel around to face the bar counter. She gives me a critical once over. 바카라�Love the bag and shoes. But what the fuck are you wearing?바카라�

바카라�It바카라�s an LBD. A Little Black Dress.

바카라�It바카라�s black all right, I바카라�ll grant you that. But it바카라�s not little and it바카라�s not a dress,바카라� she says witheringly. 바카라�Jon Snow called, he wants his cloak back.바카라�

I decide to come clean. 바카라�It바카라�s the only thing in the wardrobe that still fits me.바카라� 

She hmpfs, and goes back swiping left on her cell.

The bartender places my drink in front of me. I scoop it up, do a bottoms-up and slap it down on the counter, while his fingers are still on the glass.

바카라�Easy there, tiger,바카라� Sabah cautions. 바카라�You바카라�ve got the whole evening ahead of you.바카라� 

바카라�Nope,바카라� I say, feeling a sense of urgency. 바카라�A couple of hours, tops.바카라�

바카라�So, how do you feel?바카라�

바카라�Super guilty,바카라� I confess. 바카라�As though I바카라�m committing a crime-바카라�

바카라�You are, Myth. By wearing that dress.바카라� 

바카라�Which reminds me,바카라� I squeal, bringing my cell phone out of my sparkly clutch. 바카라�I better check on-

Sabah snatches the offending gadget and stuffs it right back. 바카라�You바카라�re on a well deserved break, remember?바카라� She drains her glass, flails her arms to catch the bartender바카라�s attention and mouths 바카라�Repeat바카라�. 바카라�Please don바카라�t tell me you바카라�re wearing that hideous eyesore, that front open thing you call a bra. It바카라�s a disgrace to lingerie everywhere.바카라� 

I flash her an unrepentant grin. 바카라�Okay, I won바카라�t.바카라�

바카라�It바카라�s official, you바카라�re hopeless.바카라� She glares at me. 바카라�This, when you바카라�re hoping to get some action-바카라� 

At that, my stool swivels of its own accord and my eyes fly to the smoking hot guy. He flashes me a smile that positively makes my spine, toes, and everything in between, tingle. 

Frankly, that바카라�s the closest I have come to action in a long, long time. I hurriedly look away, swivelling back to face the bar. 

I force myself to listen to Sabah, who바카라�s listing every fashion faux pas I바카라�ve ever made. 

바카라�Woohoo!바카라� she exclaims suddenly. 바카라�We have a match,바카라� she woots, swiping right. 

The bartender places another drink in front of me. 바카라�Compliments of that gentleman over there.바카라� He gestures at the table behind us.

바카라�Ooh, that바카라�s a slick move,바카라� Sabah smiles lasciviously, swivelling around to mouth 바카라�Cheers바카라� at him.  

바카라�Go on, give him a come-hither look...바카라� she wheedles, on to Uber now.

I do, praying it doesn바카라�t come off looking creepy. 

바카라�Or maybe not,바카라� Sabah says. I바카라�m guessing it does come off looking creepy.

I feel a fizz of anticipation. 

바카라�Gosh, feel them,바카라� I murmur, clasping my cold hands and thrusting them at Sabah. 바카라�Just feel them.바카라�

She recoils, raising her hands up as if I바카라�ve pointed a locked and loaded gun at her. 바카라�I don바카라�t think so.바카라�

I roll my eyes. 바카라�They are just hands, Sabby.바카라�

바카라�Yes, your hands. And I know exactly where they have been. When was the last time you sanitised them?바카라�

바카라�Right before leaving home,바카라� I tell her. I바카라�m about to go into TMI mode, when a deep masculine voice whispers 바카라�Hello바카라� in my ear. Gooseflesh alert! I don바카라�t need to turn around to know it바카라�s the hottie. 

바카라�Hi,바카라� I say breathlessly, squinting up at him. 

바카라�Jas,바카라� he says, offering his hand.

Mythili, I almost blurt out, before remembering something in the nick of time. 바카라�Meghana.바카라� I grab his hand with both my hands and give it a good pumping. Gosh, what바카라�s wrong with me? Embarrassed, I drop his hand like a hot potato. With that, Proper Handshake Etiquette meets a swift end.

바카라�I wanted to apologise...바카라�

바카라�I wanted to say thank you...바카라�

We say at the same time.

바카라�Sorry-바카라�

바카라�Sorry-바카라�

바카라�Ladies first,바카라� he says chivalrously. 

바카라�Let me know if he follows that principle in the bedroom as well,바카라� Sabby drawls in my ear, before sliding off the stool with the grace of a fireman. 

바카라�Hey, you바카라�re leaving already?바카라� I protest half-heartedly. 

She holds her cell up. 바카라�My Uber바카라�s here.바카라�

She downs the contents of her glass, leans forward on the pretext of hugging me and whispers, 바카라�And your ride is here as well.바카라� 

I blush furiously. Gosh, what바카라�s wrong with me? Why am I acting like a cross between a coy Hindi film heroine and a Victorian vestal virgin?

Sabah wiggles her fingers at us and sashays away.

He swings himself up the bar stool with the ease of a gymnast. I use the time to discreetly check him out. He바카라�s even more gorg up close. Close cropped hair, wide set eyes, angular jaw, sensual lips. He바카라�s wearing a formal blue shirt and dark trousers that suggest he바카라�s hit the bar straight from work. The flatness of his belly suggesting that he hits the gym, too. 

It바카라�s not fair, I think crossly. We are almost the same age 바카라� give or take a few years 바카라� but he looks fit and fab, comfy in his skin, like a man in his prime. Why do I look like a senior citizen and feel way older?  

바카라�What did she say, your friend?바카라� Jas asks, halting my thoughts in their tracks. 

바카라�N-n-nothing that would be of interest to you,바카라� I stammer.

바카라�No?바카라� He teases. But tactfully, very tactfully, decides not to pursue it. 

바카라�Thanks for this,바카라� I say, raising my glass. 

바카라�I hope it wasn바카라�t too forward of me.바카라�

바카라�It was totally forward.바카라� I soften the statement with a cheeky grin. 바카라�But hey, life바카라�s short. And youth,바카라� I exhale, 바카라�is fleeting. It melts away like a slab of chocolate in a pre-heated oven.바카라� 

My stomach growls at the mere mention of chocolate. Did he hear it? I steal a quick look at him. His face doesn바카라�t give anything away. 

바카라�Let바카라�s drink to that,바카라� I say. 

바카라�Let바카라�s eat to that,바카라� he says at the same time. 

So he did hear it. I cringe. For once, I바카라�m glad about the poor lighting in bars. 

He orders short eats. I toss back another drink. I feel it making its way down, scalding my throat and my chest. Boy, it feels good. Nope, I am not an alcoholic. No such luck. Just that I바카라�ve been off drinks for a while now, so I am just making up for lost time.  

바카라�So, tell me, Meghana, what do you do? When you aren바카라�t charming the socks of strangers?바카라� The way he says it, he may as well have said 바카라�pants바카라� instead of 바카라�socks바카라�. 

바카라�Points for flattery.바카라�

바카라�It바카라�s the honest to god truth.바카라� His gaze is like a long stemmed thorny rose on my skin. It titillates and torments as it roams boldly all over me. 바카라�So?바카라�

바카라�So?바카라�

바카라�Are you going to tell me what you do for a living? Or is it a state secret?바카라�

바카라�I-바카라� I lick my lips. What do I do again? It바카라�s like my brain is functioning only at half its capacity. 바카라�I바카라�m a teacher,바카라� I invent. 바카라�So you better be at your best behaviour.바카라� I waggle a finger at him, doing my best stern-teacher imitation. 

바카라�Or what? You바카라�re going to spank me?바카라� he asks, dropping his voice a notch. 

바카라�Hee hee hee.바카라� I let out a high-pitched giggle. Why blame the giggle? It바카라�s just me. I바카라�m high. 

바카라�That makes you a local.바카라�

바카라�That바카라�s right, Captain Obvious,바카라� I simper. 바카라�Are you from around here?바카라�

바카라�I wish.바카라� He gaze drops to my mouth, making my toes curl. 바카라�In town for work.바카라�

Even better, I think to myself. No one will ever know. 

바카라�Aren바카라�t you going to ask me what I do?바카라�

바카라�You mean, apart from picking up mysterious young women at bars?바카라� 

He flashes a lopsided grin. 바카라�That바카라�s not my day job.바카라�

바카라�Whew! Glad to hear it.바카라� Gosh, I바카라�d forgotten how awesome it feels. The attention, the flirting, the banter. 바카라�You look like the creative type.바카라� 

He looks impressed. 바카라�How did you guess? I바카라�m a writer.바카라�

바카라�Anything I might have read?바카라�

바카라�Depends. Do you read erotica?바카라�

My face betrays my surprise. I wouldn바카라�t have guessed that. 

He leans forward and gives me a look that melts my insides. 바카라�Admit it.바카라�

바카라�Admit what?바카라� I parry. 

바카라�You바카라�re totally judging me right now.바카라�

바카라�Actually,바카라� I drawl, faking nonchalance, 바카라�I was just wondering if you바카라�re using me as a guinea pig for your next book?바카라�

바카라�What do you think?바카라� He answers my question with one of his own.

That바카라�s the problem. I can바카라�t think. Of course, I don바카라�t tell him that. 

바카라�All that hot stuff you write comes from imagination?바카라�

He gives an easy laugh. 바카라�Wouldn바카라�t you like to know?바카라�

I would. I so would. 

I don바카라�t realise I바카라�ve spoken aloud. 

He slips a hand into his pocket and brings out...I blink...a credit card? A room key! 

He places it on the counter. 바카라�You did say life바카라�s short.바카라� 

And suddenly, there are two things that have sprung up between us. Instant attraction, pregnant 바카라� not that word, not that word, any word but that word 바카라� suggestive pause. Three, if he바카라�s really that turned on, if you know what I mean. 

바카라�Am flying out tomorrow morning.바카라� He raises the stakes. 바카라�We바카라�ll probably never see each other again.바카라�

Not like this, I agree silently. 

바카라�If you want to see where this leads...바카라� He asks a leading question.

바카라�I know where it leads,바카라� I say softly. 바카라�To Room...바카라�

The corners of his eyes crinkle, making him look even more devastatingly handsome. 바카라�603.바카라� 

Next thing I know, we are tucking notes under our coasters, leaping to our feet, and making a mad dash to the exit, to the elevator, to Room 603. 

Our mouths fuse before we are fully inside the room. In one fluid motion, I toss my clutch, my heels, my sanity (whatever바카라�s left of it, anyway) away. Our hands are all over each other. And then, it happens. What I have been dreading all evening. My cell phone rings. Breaking the kiss, the moment, the spell. 

바카라�Ignore it,바카라� he lifts his head and orders, pinning me to the wall. 

I can바카라�t. I shouldn바카라�t. I mustn바카라�t. But he바카라�s such a phenomenal kisser that I do.  

He slips his hand under my knees, literally sweeps me off my feet, and carries me to the bed. 

And wonder of wonders, I don바카라�t feel self conscious at all, I don바카라�t worry that he바카라�ll hurt his back, or worse, drop me on my head. 

He deposits me on the bed and starts kissing my neck. 바카라�Do you know how long I바카라�ve waited to do this?바카라�

바카라�I have a fair idea,바카라� I rasp. 바카라�Ever since I walked into the bar?바카라�

바카라�Think again.바카라�

My cell phone rings again. 

My hands, which are somewhere in his chest region, still.

He lifts his head. 바카라�Do you want to switch that thing off?바카라�

I draw in a shaky breath. I know what I have to do. I flatten my hands against his chest and push lightly. He gets the hint (or more than that) and stops weaving magic on my body. 

바카라�I-I바카라�m sorry,바카라� I say wretchedly. 바카라�I have to get that.바카라�

He looks how I feel. Fully frustoo. 바카라�Can바카라�t it wait?바카라� He bites out. 

I slide down the covers with undignified haste and go looking for my clutch. 바카라�Where did it go? Where did it go?바카라� I panic, looking around wildly. 

And then I remember. I바카라�d tossed it away. 

I drop down on all fours and start sniffing around for it like a sniffer dog. 

바카라�What are you doing?바카라� he asks from the bed. He sounds super annoyed. Can바카라�t say I blame him. I don바카라�t need to look at him to know that it바카라�s gone. The mood, that is. And maybe the other thing too. Answering the cell phone in the middle of a heavy duty make out sesh is a buzz kill, no two ways about it.

바카라�Hallelujah!바카라� I exclaim, as my eyes fall on the cell, peeking from under the bed cover.  

I snatch it up, sending a silent prayer skywards. Let it not be home. And goggle at the screen. Sunny Stores is flashing on the dial. My friendly neighbourhood departmental store is ringing me at this time of the night. My mind races as I try to recall the last order I had placed. Just before leaving home바카라� 

바카라�Are you quite done?바카라� he asks. 

I snap out of it, reject the call, and dive back on the bed.

바카라�Sorry,바카라� I say in my most earnest voice, dropping the cell phone on the side table. 바카라�Where were we?바카라� I shoot him what I hope is a sultry look. 

It works. His expression changes instantly. So maybe the mood (and the other thing) is not a goner yet. 

We pick up where we had left off.   

My head is hitting the headboard when it goes off. The cell phone. 

I cast a cautious glance down at him. He looks, ahem, quite busy at work. I decide to go for it. I stretch my arm out, languidly, casually. My fingers close around the cell. I바카라�m about to sneak a peek, when he mutters in an incredulous voice, 바카라�I don바카라�t believe this. You바카라�re checking your phone?바카라�

That, unfortunately, brings our tryst to an end. Not a second interval, a decisive, brutal end. 

He swings himself off me, off the bed, and starts picking up his clothes.  

I check my phone. It바카라�s Sunny Stores again. Damn damn damn. 

바카라�I바카라�m so sorry.바카라�

바카라�Forget it,바카라� he says, pulling on his trousers. 바카라�We바카라�re not going to get this chance again.바카라�

I look miserably at him for a few seconds, willing him to change his mind. He doesn바카라�t. I give up and start getting dressed. 

바카라�I had a lovely time,바카라� I say quietly, turning to go. 

바카라�Wait, I바카라�m coming with you.바카라�

바카라�But, Jas-바카라�

바카라�The name바카라�s Jagjit,바카라� he snaps. 바카라�No more games. I바카라�m done.바카라�

My face falls. 

We walk in silence to the elevator, to the lobby, to the portico. We wait till the valet brings the car around.  

Not a single word is exchanged on the way back. Primarily because I promptly pass out. I do that when I바카라�m exhausted. Which is every single day for the last one year or so.   

I wake up with a start the second the car draws up outside the house. I turn the key in the lock and am letting myself in, when the door swings open.

My Mom is standing there, rocking my thirteen month old in her arms. 바카라�Look, Sonu, mommy and daddy are home.바카라� She looks at us quizzically. 바카라�Mythili- Jagjit, why are you back home so early? It바카라�s Friday night. I had everything under control...바카라� 

Vibha Batra is an author, poet, adperson, graphic novelist, lyricist, translator, playwright, scriptwriter, travel writer, columnist, speaker and mentor. She has published twenty-seven books바카라�many of which have won prestigious awards, bestseller tags and readers바카라� hearts