Streak of Grey Pt. 04

I planned to move in with Roma when Arpi treated me harshly. It was the time when I heard her and Ali fighting. Even when Ali treated her shabbily (which I never did in our years of marriage) Arpi was all for Ali. She defended him even though I knew Ali was abusive to her. That showed how deeply she was in love with Ali and that was good enough for me to leave her.

I went to Roma, who happily asked me to live with her. Roma and I had a long chat when I told Roma that Arpi had finally made up her mind and I was no longer in my wife's scheme of things. Roma was sad to hear that Arpi no longer wanted me. She was pleased however, because Roma would have me as her live in partner. She kissed me and said she welcomed me in her life. She said, we would think about my divorce from Arpi at leisure.

I returned to my house the next day to leave it finally, and to collect my things. When I met her, Arpi told me that Ali had left for his home country and that Arpi wanted me to come back to her. That really infuriated me. I thought she was treating me like a standby lover. Arpi and I had a bit of argument. Arpi cried repenting for what she did to me. I was not impressed, after having experienced the treatment she and Ali meted out to me.

However, just as I was leaving she told me something that stunned me. She said, she had seen several passports of Ali in different names on the bed one day. Ali caught her looking at those passports and threatened her not to tell anybody or he would kill her.

I could not clearly understand the impact of Arpi's sentences at that time. Of course what she said was grossly extra ordinary and a matter of great concern. However, I was not able to think clearly. I was so deeply hurt by her treatment that her tears or the statement about Ali's passport did not make me change my mind. I just wanted to get away from her.

I told her, "As you desired, I will not see you again. I have made up my mind to leave you; as that was what you and Ali wanted. I bequeath this house to you for the sake of our wonderful association for some years; irrespective of your actions lately. I think you are old enough to know that you are responsible for your actions." Saying this, without stopping further I hurriedly lifted my bag and left, leaving Arpi looking behind me with tears in her eyes.

I was afraid that if I stayed longer there, I would not be able to leave her and would get more and more involved in their dirty affairs. Besides, I had made certain plans for me and Roma and I did not want to go back to Arpi and create problems for all of us. I was quite sure that Ali would come back to Arpi. I knew that having fucked Arpi so much it would be impossible for Ali to remain away from Arpi.

I could say that from my experience. Arpi was unbelievably good fuck in bed and a wonderful and caring lover outside. She had sexy body and insatiable hunger for good sex. When she was fucked, she enjoyed the fuck and she made her man enjoy it even more. She let out craving moans and made her man feel immensely desirable. These qualities are very rare in any woman.

I decided to concentrate on Roma rather than on Arpi as I drove to Roma's house.

It was a little before midnight, when I reached. Roma was waiting for me to return and hugged me as soon as I entered. When she saw me with my suitcase, I could detect her heaving a sigh of relief. She was afraid perhaps that I might have a change of heart after my meeting with my wife Arpi.

While eating dinner, she asked me how my meeting with Arpi was. I told her of the arguments Arpi and I had. When I told her about Ali's multiple passports, Roma was expectedly stunned too. She heard exchange of question answers between Arpi and me, and looked grossly uncomfortable.

Roam was stuck on the passport thing. She asked me what I made out of the fact that Ali had many passports and that we were all involved with Ali.

I pulled her in my arms and said, "Honey, I have decided to forget about Arpi. She chose to throw me off her life. Now when Ali has left, her calling me back is not going to work. She is old enough to know what is best for her life. I have decided to forget her and focus on what lies in front of us."

I was not sure if Roma was listening to me with full attention. She seemed in deep thought about something. I decided not to pursue the discussion at that time and nor did she.

When finally we retired to bed, I took Roma in my arms. I inserted my hand in her gown and started fondling her boobs. I picked her nipple in my fingers and rolled to and squeezed it. I said, "Honey, let us enjoy our life now. Past is gone. We can't do much about it." I started to finger her pussy. I knew Roma could not resist her craving for sex, once her pussy was fingered. She started to respond. She caught my cock and shagged it for a while to make me erect. We fucked hard that night and fell off to sleep soon after.

However, late in the night, I found Roma shaking me up vigorously. She was asking me to wake up. I asked her what happened.

Roma said, "Honey, I have been thinking about your talk with Arpi and that multi passport thing. I think Arpi is in grave danger. She needs our help. Just leaving her alone is not fair to her. I think she has been trapped and it could be a huge problem not only for Arpi but for all of us. We all could get into serious trouble unless we do something about it immediately."

I could barely comprehend what she was saying. It was still late night rather than early morning. I rubbed my eyes trying to shake off drowsiness and asked Roma, "But what is so serious that cannot wait until the morning? Besides, what can we do?"

Roma said, "Get ready. We must go to your house just now and alert Arpi about the possible dangers she is facing. Let me first talk to Arpi. We shall then decide what to do. And we better not lose time. It might already be late. We must not delay."

I was not sure what Roma had in mind. All the same, what she said made a lot of sense. Roma and I quickly dressed up and left in Roma's car to my house. As we were approaching the house, Roma cut off the engine, switched off all the lights, rolled the car for some distance and parked the car some distance away such that we could see the house clearly. She placed her finger on her lips asking me to sit quietly in the car.

My house was completely dark. There was no one around. No movement of any kind. We must have sat in the car for close to half an hour. I was getting fidgety sitting idly what we were doing at that ungodly hour some distance away in front of my house. Then Roma asked me to call Arpi on her cell phone. The phone rang for quite a while after which Arpi picked it up. She must have seen my number. She asked half asleep, "Honey what is it? Are you still cross with me?"

Roma quickly snatched the phone from my hand and spoke in the phone, "Arpi, this is Roma. Please don't disconnect the phone. Prateek told me about the conversation you had with him, regarding Ali's multiple passports. We think you are in big trouble. Prateek and I want to help you. Please delete this talk history, after you disconnect the phone. Get up and hiding from behind your window curtains, check for about fifteen minutes for any suspicious car or person or any activity in or around your house. Prateek and I are in my car some distance away and are watching your house. If everything is ok, quickly dress up and walk straight opposite your house. You will find my white Toyota Camry. We shall have a brief talk in my car and then decide what to do." Roma disconnected my phone and returned it to me.

I looked at Roma astonishingly. She looked affectionately at me and said with great sobriety in her voice, "Prateek, Arpi loves you even now as much as she did earlier. If my hunch is correct, and I hope I am wrong, she is being black mailed. I think she is in deep, deep trouble."

I could not but have tremendous respect and love for this woman Roma, who was telling me about Arpi's love for me, knowing well that it could harm her prospects with me. I looked at her. Roma slid back into thoughts. Her face looked grave.

After waiting in the car for about twenty minutes, I saw Arpi quietly emerging from our house, opening the door gently. She looked around and then quickly locked the door, rushed to our car, opened the backdoor and sat in it. As soon as Arpi sat in the car, without any hi, hello, Roma started the car and drove off. Arpi looked puzzled and asked me, "What is the matter? Where are we going?" I looked at Roma, indicating to Arpi that Roma was the boss.

Roma said, "We are going to my house and have a chat there. You are going to tell me all honey. We must stop playing games now. This is a deadly serious matter and we must be careful of what we do from now on. Understand Arpita that having more than one passport of different countries by one man unofficially, shows that the person is indulging in grossly illegal activities; which could land him and people in contact with him in serious trouble. Such people are not small petty offenders. They could be drug peddlers, terrorists, international mafia or spies. We not only need to stay away from such people but inform police and other Government agencies and seek their protection from such illegitimate individuals for they could cause harm to us.

The way Arpi's face changed colours, showed that she did not suspect anything of that magnitude. She turned pale. She asked, "Roma what you say makes a lot of sense. What beats me is how can Ali be in such a racket? He seemed so innocent and normal?"

Roma replied, "Most of these guys pretend to behave normal. They are smart actors. They are very good in disguising their real personality. However, they have big agenda behind each of their acts. The reason why Ali chose you must have been in line with their strategy. I would like you not to get involved any further in this. We must go to the police and tell them all that we know before the Police catches up with us. Of course, you and even Prateek and I might face some danger from those elements, against whom you will testify. However the state will protect us under witness protection program. These people cannot match the state in manpower, skill and resources. So I suggest let us go to the police and tell them all and from there they will handle all. Are you ready for that?"

Arpi was so bewildered with the seriousness of the situation that for a moment I thought she would faint." I caught her, took her in my arms and said, "Hey! Take it easy. It's ok. We can still rectify our action. Let us do what Roma says. We are with you. Let us clear ourselves or else, we will be in serious trouble."

Arpi meekly nodded her head. Roma promptly said, "Let us straight drive down to the Police now. I am afraid, you will have to narrate in great detail each and every minute detail, including every detail of your most intimate sexual sequences to the police. I am convinced that Ali has taken advantage of your innocence. Prateek is also responsible for what has happened. You rest assured I am for you even though, after your open affair with Ali, Prateek and I are having sexual relationship. However, I guarantee you that I shall not come in your way, if you wish to be with Prateek."

Arpi carries forward the story from here on.

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Roma drove us straight to some Government office, which had a name board bearing "Home Security Department" or something of that kind. It was too early in the morning. There were a few officers including some lady officers on duty.

Roma made us sit on a bench and went in and talked something to the officer at the reception for quite some time. The officer spoke on phone and another officer emerged with a lady officer from inside another room. Roma returned with the two police officers to us on the bench in the receiving hall. They ushered us into what looked like a meeting room with a long table surrounded by a number of chairs.

The lady officer introduced herself and her partner, made me sign a form about my identification and willingness to testify. She put a microphone near me and told me that our conversation was being recorded and could be used as evidence, if required. She said that it was imperative that I spoke the truth. Making a false statement to the police was a crime. She told me that Roma had earlier briefly narrated to her about Ali's multiple passports and my flirting affairs with Ali. She asked me to narrate each and every minute detail about my association with Ali, his friends and associates. She told me not to hide even my intimate activities though they might appear to me to be irrelevant to the case.

She made it clear that prima facie, it appeared that I was entangled into some illegal operations unknowingly. Making factual statements will help the police to clear me and catch the criminals. She asked me if I wanted to be alone with her or needed any or all of us to be present.

I was too overwhelmed with the developments and wanted someone to be by my side. However, if I were to tell the police all my intimate details, it would be too awkward for me to do that in the presence of my husband. I had hidden too many things from him. I asked my husband Prateek, if it would be ok, if I spoke without males' presence. Prateek nodded and he and the male officer left the room. There were the lady officer, me and Roma left in the room.

I asked the lady officer that Ai and I had illicit sexual relationship and whether I had to describe to her of all those things including our body parts. The lady officer replied that it would be necessary; because anything that Ali or anyone said or did during those intimate moments or anything that I saw on Ali's body, might reveal his personality or identification or lead to something which could help the case. She told me that whatever I said shall be treated in strict confidence and would be used only for the purpose of criminal investigation and shall not be revealed to any unauthorised persons. All the investigating officers were sworn to secrecy she added.

She asked me to start from the day, I first met Ali.

I told the officer how I was travelling daily by the same bus in which Ali was the driver. I told her, that Ali and I talked to each other regularly and then one day Ali asked me to have a lunch out. I agreed to meet him during lunch break. We had a bit of closer introduction. Ali said he was from a town near Islamabad in Pakistan and came to Australia through some friends.

Ali did not tell me the name of his town, nor did I ask. Ali and I became friends. At first Ali seemed sincere and did not make any passes at me. I was attracted by his charming personality. He was fairly elder to me and had a similar streak of grey on his hair, like my father had. Ali asked me to join him again for lunch during my lunch break. During this second meeting, Ali gently touched my hand casually and briefly. He looked awkwardly at me wondering if I would withdraw my hand. I liked his gentle touch and did not withdraw my hand so as not to offend him. I liked the way he talked and appreciated my beauty, my figure and my dress sense in a completely friendly way.

After that day Ali travelled several times with me to talk to me in the same bus even when he was off duty. He asked about me, my husband and all. One day Ali asked me if I would join him for half an hour in the evening. He suggested that after the office, he would pick me up, we shall go to a café for half an hour, have coffee and then he would drop me off at my apartment. By that time, I was fairly comfortable with him and I had no reason not to accept his invitation.

I told my husband all about my talk with Ali. My husband Prateek did not discourage me from meeting Ali alone. In fact, Prateek kept asking me how Ali was and if Ali was making any sexual overtures to me. I told my husband, it was preposterous for him to think that. I told my husband Prateek that Ali and I were just friends. He liked my company and I found him polite, well mannered decent guy, who cared for me and was sensitive to my feelings.

That evening as we were having coffee, Ali caressed my hand briefly and said that I had smoothest hands he had seen. He asked me if he could feel the smoothness of my hands. I let him caress my hands. During the talk that evening Ali asked me about my married life. I told him about the conversation I had with my husband Prateek. I told Ali that I religiously told my husband about Ali and my meetings with him. My husband had said that he had no objections of my meeting Ali alone.

Ali and I met several times after that during evenings or during lunch time. He and I had developed good chemistry and I liked his casual touching of hands, holding hands, kissing on cheeks etc. Slowly, these body contacts started becoming subtly sexual. I must admit that I found Ali to be sexually attractive and stimulating. One evening Ali asked me if he could kiss me on my lips. Until then, he only kissed my cheeks. By that time, I was very much sexually attracted to him and I did not say yes, but I did not say no either. That was the first time Ali and I lip kissed each other. It was hugely erotic kiss and Ali took the liberty of fondling my breasts for the first time over my blouse that evening. I admit that I hid this from my husband Prateek.

We met several evenings thereafter and lip kissing each other and Ali's fondling my breasts had become routine by that time. Occasionally Ali inserted his hands into my bra to fondle my boobs.

It was on the occasion of Ali's birthday that he invited me to a sea beach resort for joining in the celebration. He said he would pick me up from my office. He asked me if he could introduce me as his girl friend to his friends, because according to their tradition, unless a boy and a girl are married or are to be married, they cannot move about freely with each other. He repeatedly requested me to agree as a special case. He said it was a question of his prestige. He had boasted to his friends that he had a beautiful girl friend. His friends did not believe him. They asked him to prove it by bringing me to Ali's birthday party. Ali said that if I did not agree to go to his birthday party as his girl friend or fiancée, his friends would call him a liar and a cheat.

Ali was desperate. Finally I agreed reluctantly. I did not tell my husband that I was going to the party as Ali's fiancée. I was too embarrassed to tell him. I thought since it was a one off incident, it would not matter.

That evening, Ali and his friends got together in a beach side resort. They had come with their wives. I went and met Ali's friends, who called me bhabhi (brother's wife). I told them that I was not Ali's wife yet. However, they said fiancée almost means wife. Was it not true that I would be Ali's wife soon? They asked me. I could not tell them that I was married. I kept quiet and they took it as yes.

At the time of cake cutting ceremony, Ali hugged me and kissed me on my lips in their presence. Since I had agreed to be Ali's girl friend, I had to let Ali kiss me on my lips with all being there. Ali's friends took the pictures of Ali and me kissing on lips. That was the first time that Ali kissed me on my lips in anybody else's presence. After the celebration, Ali, I and the other couples went to the beach behind the resort. They all decided to go for a swim.

The lady officer interrupted me at that stage and asked me if I remembered the names of Ali's friends. Would I remember their faces, if I met them, she inquired.

I told her, "Yes I remember two friend's names and their wives names too. One was Saeed. He was tall about 35 years of age and sported a typical beard. His wife's name was Khatun. Khatun was comparatively shorter and average looking. She wore heavy golden ornaments. I was not sure if they were genuine gold. The other friend was Irfan. I remember his name because they joked between them that his name was that of a cricketer and also there was an Indian film star of the same name. He was younger and of the same height as Saeed but a bit bulky and plain shaven. His wife's name was bulbul. She was dark, fairly tall and had slightly hoarse voice. Yes, I would recognise them if I see them. I don't remember the third person's name because he was quiet throughout the evening and his wife and he did not seem to get along well. Besides they left soon after he cake cutting and did not join the rest of the evening."