Karan, on the other hand, carried himself with the dignity of a Director. Tall, with an abundant thatch of hair, he was good-looking in a distinguished kind of way. “My pleasure, and thank you very much,” he told Deepa, smiling. “You’re coming early to help around, aren’t you?” he asked, as they headed to the small group of people relaxing on the armchairs scattered about the lawn.
“Yes, of course I am! Here are the drinks, everybody! I’m afraid no hard drinks before the show. We don’t want our audience running away because the actors were all reeking of alcohol, do we?”
The general exaggerated groans made Deepa grin. She glanced fondly at her husband. Anup had picked up a glass and was raising it to her. The warm glint in his eyes filled her with pleasure. How handsome Anup looked amidst this theatre crowd. He seemed to rise above them. Of course he did. He appeared older than his thirty years, but that had proven to be an advantage, granting him the opportunity of playing older as well as younger roles. He was getting a lot of film offers lately. He and Jaya. Deepa turned her attention to the beautiful, graceful woman who was much younger than either of them. She was reclining in an armchair, her eyes closed to the sun. Jaya, with her flowing tresses and faultless complexion, was talented and certainly deserved the break she was getting. Besides, the onstage chemistry her husband and the actress shared was amazing. If she hadn’t known better, Deepa would’ve thought they were really in love with each other. But she knew better. No woman would ever be a threat to her. She drew the chair beside her husband.
“How are you feeling, dear?” she asked in a throaty whisper.
He turned to her, so that his face almost touched hers in a romantic caress. “Wonderful, now that you’re here.”
She laughed prettily, flinging her long ponytail behind her back.
Jaya opened her eyes and watched them.
“You do look quite fresh and geared up,” Deepa told her husband.
“I feel excited about the show,” Anup agreed, taking a sip of the juice.
“Good, I want you to continue to feel the same even after the show. Remember your promise? Our ‘project twins’?” Deepa giggled.
“What’s ‘project twins’?” Jaya couldn’t help asking.
Deepa looked a little abashed but replied with a smile. “We both desperately want twins. Don’t we, darling? It’s our very own personal project!”
Jaya’s eyes widened questioningly as she turned to Anup, who returned her look with a cruel, hard stare. “You never told me!” she said.
“Come on, Jaya. You’re a very good friend of ours, but even you can’t expect me to reveal all our couple secrets to you, can you?” Anup asked, cruelly.
Jaya blushed and lowered her eyes.
“Why can’t she? Jaya and Karan are our best friends. I think they ought to know everything that goes on in our life!” Deepa smiled at the actress.
“Absolutely right,” Karan agreed, joining them. “What’s for lunch? I’m ravenous!”
“Something delicious and light. So that all of you don’t fall asleep before the special show!” Deepa teased. “Why don’t you and Jaya go take a look at what’s cooking?” She winked at Karan.
“Good idea! Come on, sweetheart!” Karan dragged the reluctant actress by the hand and led her inside the house.
“What a sweet couple they make, don’t they?” Deepa remarked, observing their exit.
“They sure do!” Anup mumbled, desperate to hide the anger that was ripping him apart.
“Boss, there’s something you must see.” Jatin approached Sonia with a piece of paper in his hand. He had removed his jacket and much of his love euphoria seemed to have been removed with it.
“What is it?”
“This paper was pushed in through the window. I’m not sure you’re going to like it.” His tone was grave.
Sonia raised an eyebrow. It was not every day that Jatin spoke so seriously. She took the paper from him. “Get lost with your Astrology!” The printed rude words leaped off the slip of paper, taking the detective by surprise.
“What do you make of it?” Jatin observed his Boss narrowly.
“Insulting, to begin with. And written by some stupid person to satisfy cheap rivalry!” Sonia concluded, opening her drawer and dropping the note into it.
“Not to be taken seriously?”
“At least not for the moment.”
Jatin shrugged. “Does seem like some jealous type. How about lunch?”
“I’m starving. But you don’t want anything to eat, do you? I thought, when in love food and sleep go out of the window!”
“You’re really outdated, Boss. These days, love thrives on a full stomach,” Jatin laughed.
Jaya knocked on the door of Anup’s makeup room. Without awaiting a response, the actress opened the door and slipped inside. Anup was applying his makeup. As Jaya appeared in the double mirrors, he turned in surprise. The young woman looked resplendent in her sequinned red ghagara choli. Unpredictably, for the first time the sight of her beauty failed to impress him. Instead, it made his blood boil.
“The play’s about to begin! What are you doing here?” he asked sharply.
“I need to talk to you for a few minutes.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. And certainly not now. You know that I don’t like to do anything else before a show. I like to concentrate.” He returned to the mirror.
“It wasn’t like this before. You liked to meet me every single free minute of our time,” she reminded him sarcastically.
“So who’s responsible for that?” Anup stared at her reflection in the mirror.
“What do you mean, ‘who’s responsible for that?’ As if it’s only my fault!” she snapped.
“It is your fault!” Anup accused harshly. “Look, the show’s about to start. Why don’t you
