Lavender In The Air

By Subham Acharya

She's just too beautiful, that's what the comments on her Instagram account are flooded with, 

While I have less than a quarter of the likes 

that she gets, 

She's just too smart, is the comment that people pass on, 

To irk my shortcomings, I suppose? A small time guy who tries to act cool with my awkward English, 

When she wears Sarees and traditional in 

front of the elderly, is it to mock me for not being sensitive enough? 

When she wears Denim Pants and T Shirts, is it to woo them shameless guys in sharing her heart and her bed? 

Insecurity! That's the feeling that clouds on 

me, 

And now that fact sinks in with the reckless person I've become, 

And as I, shirtless, lie on bed restless, even with you sleeping peacefully by my side, a 

scent clouds the bedroom, 

Lavender! That's the scent that clouds all over, 

And, falling for her, is it a blunder that I did commit? 

Was it because of my looks? 

I know there are men who are much better to 

look at, 

Was it because of my money? 

Then I guess she could one day be the 

mistress of my boss, 

Was it because I used to be romantic with her 

when I was hitting on her? 

Some guy with more skills can still steal my woman, I fear, 

Was it because I give her my time? 

It's been sometime that we have been 

married, she can move away anytime she gets frustrated with the fights, 

Infatuation! That's the feeling that had clouded on me then, 

And now that fact sinks in with the jealous 

person I became, 

And as I sit on my sofa, with our marriage album folded with the dim light falling on it, a scent clouds the drawing room, 

Lavender! That's the scent that clouds all over, And, loving her, I guess it's a blunder I did commit. 

Vishal! 

That's the name who tries to snatch away my masculinity from me, everytime she mentions him in front of Me, 

"My childhood friend, although living abroad and a bit away for quite sometime, he's been close like a bro in all these years" is with what she introduced him to me, 

She put a hand on his shoulder. Friendly? I guess. She'd have been in his arms sometime back, I guess? 

And his handshake was firm, his grip strong, did he mean he'll grab away my wife from me one day? 

'Blue tick, no reply to my text messages' "sorry Babe I was tired!" She did say, It probably took you less than a moment to reply to him, on the sly, ain't I right? 

Those coming home late at nights, I'm sure she was with that wily guy, 

She talks with him post dinner sometimes, "he's a good friend Babe", but I'm sure she's not her Rakhi Bhai, 

"That high end hotel at Lonavla, that's where Swagatika is, Abhijit Bhai!" Was what my friend Padma texted me, 

"With a hulking man accompanying her into a lounge." Was what she mocked me with, Rage! That's the feeling that clouds on me, And now the betrayal sinks within me, the blinded monster I have become, 

As I take out the butchers knife from the shelf near the dining table, with a familiar scent 

following me, as I walk out, 

Lavender! That's the scent that clouds all over, Now, by trusting her, I realize it was a blunder 

that I did commit. 

And I remember racing my car in speeds frenzy to that location, 

And I remember rushing through that hotel's entrance like a man crazy to where they were, And I barged into the lounge where they were, where my surprised wife saw me, 

And I thrust that knife in the back of his neck 

while his back faces me, much to the shock of my wife, 

As he fell down, down on his knees, I got to see the lounge all around, filled with our photos and flowers, 

As my heart sank, and a chill running down my spine, I got to feel the ground beneath my feet sink as I remembered what date it was, "Happy Anniversary Abhijit and Swagatika!", "We three have been planning it since a 

couple of months, the first one is supposed to be special! "Was what my wife blurted, while his wife came back from the washroom 

By Subham Acharya