Benign Flame: Saga of Love by BS Murthy (inspirational books for students TXT) 📕

fore, Roopa was tied her to bed all morning, rationalizing her affair with her husband. Scared though she was at the prospect of facing her friend with her lover around, however in the end, as her love for the former got the better of her guilt, she sprang up from her bed.

However, on her way to Sandhya’s place, she recalled her state of mind when Sathyam returned after Raja Rao had left,

‘How is it that I didn’t feel guilty then, but felt it odd to think in terms of loving him, though I gave my word to Raja? But with Sandhya it’s all so different, isn’t it? It’s her love that sustained my interest in life until her man turned me on. Won’t seducing her man amount to betrayal? Well, if I develop qualms on that count, won’t I end up in the doghouse of guilt? After all, I’m not for robbing her joy by grabbing him all for me, isn’t it? What’s wrong then, if I share his affection with her? Isn’t it fine, given our lesbian connection, won’t extraordinary situations call for extraordinary solutions? Why not we three engage our love in a round robin of ardour?’

Helped by that euphoric feeling, Roopa felt relieved by the time she reached the District Collector’s bungalow.

“What’s your secret Roopa that you look prettier than ever?” said Damayanthi in welcome.

“Surely you radiate! Sandhya is impatient for you; what a friendship yours is! Touch wood, may God keep it that way,” said Kamalakar.

As she began to climb up the staircase, Roopa saw it all in a new light.

“Sandhya might misread the cause of my joy, what if she suspects that I’m carrying on with Prasad? What a pity that I can’t clarify,” she thought.

When Roopa reached the threshold, she found Raja Rao cuddling his kid, even as Sandhya was hugging him from behind. As Roopa coughed to announce her arrival, Sandhya jumped for joy.

“Oh, Roopa,” Sandhya reached out to her with her outstretched arms.

“How’s our little darling?” said Roopa, fondly looking at the baby over her mate’s shoulders, in their smug embrace.

“Here she is,” said Raja Rao coming near.

Still enlacing Sandhya, Roopa pinched the baby, and said,

“So cute, she’s like her mother.”

“Seems she too welcomes you,” said Raja Rao, alluding to the cries of his baby.

‘Isn’t it my coercion that led to the outcome?” Roopa said to him in all smiles.

“Oh, how ravishing you look! You’ve never been better,” said Sandhya.

“I don’t know, but that’s what everyone says,” said Roopa, and taking a hard look at Sandhya, she said in undertone, “Why, you too look fuller in your fulfillment. Won’t those extra pounds come in handy to him and to me as well?”

“Won’t I love that,” Sandhya cooed back.

“What’s the secret Roopa?” said Raja Rao with the intent of making Sandhya get used to his closeness with her friend.

“I’ll tell you,” said Roopa winking at him, and then turning to Sandhya, she apologized, “I’m sorry for being so late.”

“Who’s she after?” Raja Rao sought Roopa’s opinion about the newborn.

“She has her father’s features and her mother’s charms,” said Roopa, looking fondly at the baby.

“Hope she picks up your diplomacy, as she grows up,” said Raja Rao in jest.

“So, our dream is coming true, how did it feel when he broke the news to you?” said Sandhya taking Roopa’s hand.

“Can’t you guess? I nearly swooned,” said Roopa reenacting the act.

“Thank God, she didn’t collapse then,” said Raja Rao.

“Well, to spare you the trouble,’ Roopa told Raja Rao, and turning to Sandhya, she said dreamily. “It’s dream-like lovey.”

“Lovey sounds nice, can I borrow that,” he said.

“Ask Sandhya for she has its patent,” said Roopa mirthfully. 

“Have you made it easy or difficult for me?” he said smilingly.

“Know from her,” said Roopa.

“I thought of joining you by the month end but mummy won’t have it; she feels I won’t be able to manage the baby so early,” said Sandhya in all disappointment.

“Am I not on hand to lend my helping hand?” said Roopa.

‘Who’s for wasting your talents at baby-sitting, can’t we together contribute at his office?” said Sandhya,

“I love that but you know how touchy Sathyam is about my working,” said Roopa in vexation.

“Leave that to me,” said Sandhya.

“Let’s see,” said Roopa.

“He wants to make us both his business partners,” said Sandhya.

As Roopa started sobbing, for want of a better response, Sandhya couldn’t hold her tears of joy either. The euphoria of their love insensibly impelled in Raja Rao the urge to merge with his women.

“It’s fortune to partner your beautiful souls,” he said as they clung on to him as one, as he held them both in his arms.

“How concerned you both are, now, I can live in joy and die fulfilled,” said Roopa bogged down by tears of joy,

“Roopa, don’t get emotional,” said Raja Rao patting her head, fearing she might bare her soul, overcome by remorse.

“What would be my share of the investment?” said Roopa, recovering herself at length.

“Don’t bother about that; it won’t take much to get started,” he said.

“But still I would like to contribute. I can sell some of my jewels,” said Roopa.

“Do you need to go to that length?” said Sandhya.

“I don’t want Sathyam’s favour and don’t like to be a drag on you,” said Roopa.

“We better respect her feelings,” said Raja Rao to Sandhya.

‘So, as I hold your jewels in trust, we use mine as our common wear. Is that okay?” said Sandhya.

“Sandhya you’re a wonder,” said Raja Rao.

“She’s the fortune, of yours and mine as well,” said Roopa to Raja Rao, enlacing Sandhya.

“Being your beloved, is no less a fortune,” said Sandhya, taking Raja Rao’s hand.

“What a fortunate circle it is,” said Raja Rao holding Roopa’s hand.

“I want to keep her for us,” said Sandhya holding their hands together.

“I’ll be your love slave,” said Roopa, coy in the circle of affection.

“Haven’t you enslaved us yourself,” said Sandhya affectionately to Roopa.

“What about the little darling’s name?” said Roopa.

“Let him apply his mind,” said Sandhya.

“I welcome your suggestion,” he said to Roopa.

“I’ll second her stand,” said Roopa, leaning on Sandhya, as though in solidarity.

“As you’ve passed the buck to me, you both are equally accountable, and as the ball is in my court, I can’t avoid taking a shot at it. Thus the name derives by itself - Sa - Ro -(Ra) Ja, - Ra being silent, Saroja,” he said mirthfully.

“Lovely!” Sandhya exclaimed.

“Creative!” Roopa admired.

“Inspired by love,” he said, taking both their hands.

“I’ve to leave now,” said Roopa reluctantly, and withdrawing herself from them, she went up to kiss Saroja.

“Come for lunch tomorrow,” said Sandhya kissing Roopa in turn.

“We’ll come to pick you up uninvited,” said Raja Rao in jest.

“Are you the one to wait for an invitation, so don’t keep me waiting,” Roopa smiled.

Seeing Roopa so joyous, Sandhya couldn’t contain her joy, and thanked Raja Rao for enlivening her friend’s mood with his charm and wit.

On her way home though, Roopa wondered as to how to bring about a homely union with her lover. However, as she reached home there was a godsend for her in the form of a wedding invitation to the Ramaiahs.

 

Chapter 31

Living the Dream

 

The next morning as Raja Rao and Sandhya went to see Roopa, it was Janaki who received them as Roopa was having her bath then.

“Your in-laws speak well of you, and that goes in favor of any man. Not to speak of your wife, my daughter Roopa too sings praises of you, and that speaks for itself. Now that you’re moving over to Hyderabad, we can relax about our Roopa,” said Janaki to Raja Rao in welcome.

‘I’m glad they would be together again; my wife has led only half a life in Delhi,” he said smiling.

“Roopa says that you’re going to stay nearby,” said Janaki.

“I wonder why Roopa didn’t look for a house of two portions,” said Sandhya.

“They grew up glued together from their schooldays; may God bless them,” said Janaki to him.

“Surely your blessings would stand them in good stead,” said Raja Rao to Janaki.

“As the saying goes, you would live for hundred years,” sighting Roopa coming out of her bath, exclaimed Sandhya.

“That interests me if you too live along with me,” said Roopa, slyly looking at Raja Rao, as she proceeded into her room.

 ‘Sandhya, let’s show him the place,” said Roopa, as she joining them soon.

“Why do you need me for that?” said Sandhya, engaged as she was with Janaki.

“Grace me in my parental home,” said Roopa, leading him inside.

Once they entered her bedroom, she embraced him ardently, and he kissed her passionately.

“Luckily, tomorrow, morning, my parents would be attending some wedding for me to entertain their newest son-in-law, so come by ten,” she whispered to him, as he released her lips.

“I’ll come with loads of that,” he crooned into her ear.

“Let’s get going,” said Sandhya, as the lovers reappeared in the main hall.

Soon the three of them got into the waiting Ambassador to make it to the Collector’s bungalow. After a sumptuous lunch, that followed a lot of merriment, Sandhya closeted herself with Roopa, leaving Saroja to Raja Rao’s care.

“You never looked sexier,” said Roopa, having ardently kissed Sandhya.

“I’m glad both of you feel the same way about me, “said Sandhya.

‘Your generosity makes me more indebted than ever,” said Roopa hugging Sandhya.

“I’ve an axe to grind and you know that,” said Sandhya taking Roopa’s hand.

“Oh, my lovey,” Roopa kissed Sandhya affectionately.

“How I wish we get fused into one,” said Sandhya lovingly.

“How are we to see each other and gloat about us then?” said Roopa in jest.

“By making him a witness to our closeness, can’t we gauge how it feels from his eyes,” said Sandhya coyly to Roopa

“I’m afraid our joy is too good to last, just one misunderstanding would be the end of me,” said Roopa thoughtfully.

“Given our bondage where’s the scope for that?” said Sandhya making light of it all.

“Don’t foreget that you’re married now,” said Roopa.

“I don’t see Raja as a bother,” said Sandhya assuredly

“But I’m no rakhi sister of him,” Roopa said tentatively.

“But you’re his friendly half,” said Sandhya, cajoling Roopa in her arms.

“And that’s my worry,” said Sandhya cuddling Sandhya.

“Why, it should be a cause of hope,” said Sandhya caressing Roopa.

‘If I remember correctly, Napoleon said that man woman friendship leads to love,” said Roopa tentatively.

“I’ve not only thought all about that but also noticed how you gloat over each other,” said Sandhya, kissing Roopa. “I know women tend to be touchy when it comes to the other woman. But as ours is a lesbian case, the prospective other woman happens to be my own woman.”

“Oh, lovey,’ Roopa began crying.

“Why cry at the threshold of happiness?” said Sandhya, wiping Roopa’s tears, “If you’re unhappy, how can I be happy? It’s for both of you to decide whether you would like to sail on a platonic boat or swim in the erotic current. Who knows, our constant jesting about sharing a man could have been the prompting of the premonition.”

Roopa’s eyes glistened, even as her lips reached for their counterparts that uttered those loving words.

“Wonder how you both bracket my life,” said Sandhya kissing Roopa affectionately.

“Oh, lovey, you’re angelic really!” said Roopa, sinking to Sandhya’s feet.

“Aren’t you my Venus,” said Sandhya lifting Roopa into her embrace.

“What about our Raja?” said Roopa, carried away by that euphoric moment.

“Our Knight of Vigour, if you like,” said Sandhya in all love for her man and mate.

“Oh how I’ve suffered craving for one, cried Roopa.

“You find out if he’s the one,” crooned Sandhya into Roopa’s ear.

“Oh honey!” said Roopa, joining their lips.

“What happened with Prasad?” asked Sandhya at length.

“It’s all over now, I’ve just escaped by the skin of my teeth,” said Roopa, experiencing the sense of relief all again.

“I was worried to death as the idea of your affair with him scared me,” said Sandhya reminiscently.

“I realized it’s really my fault, so I can’t blame him for signing it off calling me a frigid flirt,” said Roopa reflectively.

“Well, my lovey is not for everyone’s having,” said Sandhya winking at