Shee Bah, after scrolling her mobile phone to satisfaction, going through her social handles and direct messages respectively, no doubt, she confirmed her horizons were expanding in the music industry.
With a huge smile on her face, she jumped up from the bed and threw her hands in the air.
On the stairs, while slopping down, She did little happy dances. And around the living room when she reached down, she began to sing her favorite victory song loudly, as she went further to reward herself with a bottle of sparkling wine. Shee Bah grabbed it, popped the cork, and took a celebratory sip, feeling proud and exhilarated all alone in the house.
After playing so hard for some good time, a moment reached when she was depleted of energy. On the coach, she dropped off on her back side, a wide-eye stare at the high ceilings, sighed with relief and instantly slept, forgetting all the world's chaos.
Having been in a deep sleep for hours, later on, her husband Madrat appeared and stood right next to her. He was back from his usual superstar remunerative opportunities when he saw an empty sparkling wine bottle down on the floor.
He murmured quietly:
"Drinking hard!"
Aside, still down on the floor when he turned the gentle eyes, was Shee Bah's mobile phone.
He said impatiently:
"And you've not been answering for all the times I've called!"
Curiosity killed a rat, Madrat was intrigued. And in only two simple steps, he reached Shee Bah's phone and picked it up. Just as a pastor knows his word, that is exactly how he knew the pass code to his wife's phone. So, at his fingertips, he got access to its system. Free and gentle, when he scrolled through, to his surprise he murmured again:
"I knew all along you were seeing my calls but refused to answer deliberately."
He wore a calm smile and grunted in only two words.
"Stubborn wife."
At her, on a coach where she tiredly slept, he lowered his gaze, sighing speechlessly, then went ahead to pick up the empty bottle from the floor. And amidst seeing his way to leave, Shee Bah suddenlysensed his presence and uttered out of sleep:
"Hey!"
As soon as Madrat heard his wife's voice, he turned an eager gaze at her. Subconsciously, he was very aware and guilty of his flaws in their love life lately. Hence carefully sat down next to her, humbled with all ears, perhaps to understand clearly from her, the disturbance he created.
After all, peace was stolen away to an extent of his wife ignoring his calls.
Calmly, after some seconds of silence, Shee Bah asked:
"Does she know about me?"
Madrat's disguised looks immediately after the direct question signaled that maybe, he was not well conversant with what his wife was meaning.
Shee Bah was ten toes down to hit the nail on the head, just to get to the root of it all, face to face with her husband. Thus the reason why she didn't answer her phone when he called. These new chapters _ brightly colourful, that the sepals of life were unfolding for her in a surprising way, hands down required a more distinct approach.
So, to make it more simplified and clear to him:
"Angie. Does she know me?"
Straight in his eyes, authoritatively, Shee Bah demanded for an answer.
As he cleared his throat to speak, she could not resist the urge to express her emotional feelings that burned impatiently.
After all, his answer was already delaying on his tongue.
Shee Bah cut him short and added with a voice full of emotions:
"A perfect model embodying a combination of features that I too admire; her tall and slender stature with a well proportioned body that looks good in every style of clothes. Her symmetrical facial features with a clear skin, high cheekbones and expressive eyes. Am hurt every moment I think of her confidence and poise, and how elegant she always carry herself in photoshoots and runway shows."
She beamed like describing her rival was fun. But Shee Bah was not ready to allow Angie to dominate her husband's life at any cost.
After all, just like Angie, she too was rapidly attaining a class in the limelight, where she could confidently show up and crowds feel her presence without saying a word, still, just like Angie was doing it.
When Madrat lifted an undeniable guilty gaze in his wife's eyes, he understood the furious growth of enmity rage and jealous because of another woman. He felt an urge to speak. But before taking a chance to open up his mouth, Shee Bah's jealousy smile disappeared instantly when she added:
"At first I was afraid. Afraid that the public was going to choose her for you over weak me. But now I'm not afraid anymore! I'm sure both of you did not miss today's newspapers _ and perhaps have involved me in your talk of the day _ if I'm not mistaken!"
The look on his face confirmed that it wasn't an accusation, truthfully him and Angie had gothered in a discussion involving Shee Bah.
"You don't know how to lie. Look how you're exposed by your own gestures!"
Madrat couldn't stay quiet under pressure.
"Before you squeeze my balls so hard for my flaws, I think you need to let me say something!"
As a wife who was remarkably respectful to her husband, his straight request made her wake up to a realization that her emotions had taken over _ devaluing the descent talk. Shee Bah stopped talking instantly.
Madrat said:
"You're my wife. I wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't beautiful. Stop putting Angie on a pedestal, the newspapers said it all. "Yes, she is my wife" _ were the only words left for me to say. Hope that answers your question."
*****
Madrat was in dilemma. Between Shee Bah and Angie, he still questioned his heart on what to do next. One foot going to the left and another one taking the right hand direction, he was in total confusion.
Him being a married man to pregnant Shee Bah at home, a soft landing, the best cook, a peace maker _ and a young lady he loved so much that he didn't even want her to be in the limelight _ insecure about the public eye, so scared and worried that their love might end up being diluted by the words from celebrity couple critics and they loose each other.
To Madrat, Shee Bah was a lively young love bird, so charming, deserving all his care and unwavering protection.
And Angie, a lady Madrat can easily run to, to fix his wounds when hurt while committing a crime and never judges him, and vice-versa, that was Angie. A lover with whom they had a very strong bond and a history together since their school days, a sweetheart he had lost once and didn't want to loose again. She was like a matching screw fastening pieces of his heart, making him feel more than alive.
Angie and Madrat were safe heavens to one another.
*****