The Soulful Atom

She looked back over her shoulder twice as she shuffled along soundlessly on the dry roadside mud. It was almost 7 in the evening. The sky was painted in pretty, post monsoon colors. A light breeze, the promise of winter coming soon, blew the stray strands of hair on her anxious face; she was beautiful even in her casual home clothes. Shifting the grocery bags from one hand to another she checked the time again- he would be home any time now. She didn't want to see him. After all she had gotten away with it for so long! There was no point him finding out when tomorrow was going to be the big day.
The street was bustling around her as usual- women buying groceries and swapping juiciest of gossip, people returning home tired from work short tempered looking a respite from the crazy traffic, children playing around in the mud carelessly, the shop owners calling out to each other jokingly. It was a jolly evening, like it always had been around here. She liked this place they had shifted to, it had been a few years now and it did feel like home. A small smile crossed her face and shocked her as she looked ahead towards their apartment- no sign of him. Her forehead creased with a frown she looked around her again worried he might come up from behind her to surprise her- no one she knew and hopefully no one who knew her!
The evening was pretty, she smiled slightly again. The smile on her face was almost negligible but the one inside her heart was a big broad gleeful grin like a kid in a candy shop- now was the time! She paced towards her love. Her fists sweating a bit around the grocery bags. He saw her approaching and his face broke into a smile as his hands lifted. Watching him that way she couldn't stop herself anymore. She skipped a few steps and almost ran to him almost crashing into him. Stunned at the sudden motion she looked around, deemed herself to be safely unseen by the probably prying eyes. As she took the offering in her trembling hands her eyes glazed over.. She closed them as it touched her lips and then the tongue and then she couldn't stop her smiled as the sweet sour salty water trickled down the throat as it had so countless times before. Nothing can come between her and her love now. It was done. He stood there smiling at her. The fruit tasted sweeter when its forbidden. Just as some more of it dribbled down her chin she looked up to see her husband standing right in her face, staring at her in disbelief! She almost chocked and then walked closer and with a grim faced said "Ek aur plate gol gappe lagao bhaiyya" and they both broke out laughing!! The gol gappa baiyya also wiped his forehead as he was the partner in crime. He pulled her closed there and then and kissed her forehead, pulled away and stood looking at her, smiling. Nothing could come between her and her love for gol gappas. No hardcore gym, no babies, no chores, and maybe no husband even! He loved her for what she was even this little bit of cheating. She was true to herself and thats what mattered to him.