But it looked like time Sameer borrowed some notes from Sudhakar. The scrawny bean stalk was now a very successful chartered accountant with a roaring practice and earning in six figures. He had married his childhood sweetheart; yes, the beanstalk had a girl fall for him while still in school, and was now a proud father too. Sameer felt Sudhakar’s eyes on him and looked up to meet a close scrutiny,

“Hmmm! So you ARE worried? How come? You have been married just six months and you never had any probs or fights till now, na?”

Sameer shook his head.

“So what do you plan to do now?”

“I dunno yaar! You know that I never get into fights anywhere. I don’t know why she reacted so and Ma also….”

“Well, didn’t you call any of them after today morning?”

Sameer felt sheepish. He remembered how he had cut all the calls and switched off his cell the whole day. He shook his head again.

“You mean you didn’t call them at all?” Sudhakar sounded astonished, “and they also didn’t call you?”

Sameer now felt really bad but decided to come clear since he had confided in Sudhakar on an impulse,

“I didn’t take any of the calls, I switched the cell off.”

Sudhakar made an involuntary sound and then stopped himself. He looked down for a few moments and then spoke, in a lower voice than before,

“Sammy, don’t take it too hard if I speak frankly, but you need someone to tell you this…”

Sameer swallowed wondering what was coming, and Sudhakar’s words hit him like a truck.

“You are a coward, a big one! What is the use of all that calm temperament and straight behavior if you can’t take care of you women, huh? Man, they need you, both of them! Why are they otherwise in your life for?”

Sameer didn’t know what to say. He suddenly felt small and wondered what Ma was doing now and where Kavitha was. Heavens! It was nine thirty and past the time he usually collected her from the railway station. Sameer felt a panic come over him, had she called him? Was the train on time and how had she gone home? He felt Sudhakar watching him and heard him ask again.

“What happened? Are you upset at what I said? Why have you gone pale? Where is your wife now by the way? At home?”

Sameer stood up suddenly and said,

“I need to go to the railway station; I collect her after work usually. She comes in by the local train.”

“What?” Sudhakar exploded, “by the local? My god, that comes in at nine and its nine-thirty already. Don’t you know how dangerous it is for women to travel alone in that part of the town? Sameer, you selfish idiot! You are a piece of shit, I must say! You have a slight disagreement with your wife and you decide to forget about her till it’s convenient for you? Dammit!”

Sudhakar’s voice was hard with anger and Sameer felt his heart sink.

What would have happened to Kavitha? He jumped up and almost ran to the parking lot, feeling in his pocket for the car keys, and then remembered it was with the valet. The valet came up and smartly maneuvered the car to the gate and clicked his heels handing over the keys. Sameer started the car and heard Sudhakar calling after him but didn’t stop. His mind raced to the news he had read in the headlines in the papers that morning,

“GIRL HURT IN RAPE ATTEMPT”