Old Photo and New Album

Old Photo and New Album

Tarak Ghosh

Rudra looked at the clock above the door. It was about 5.30 am. Sunlight was beginning to seep in through the curtains. He opened the windows fully and a cool morning breeze blew through the room. It was a pleasant morning, however something different from other mornings of his life. He looked through the window. Across the street, a neighbor was watering the plants in his garden. An old man was walking idle along with his dog.
He looked around the room and suddenly noticed a scrap of paper on the floor. He got out of bed and picked it up, Portia's note. He read, "I took a leave for the day." Again, a flow of love mesmerized him, a dream girl danced again on the floor of his chest; again, a love spread its wings in the open sky. Rudra could feel the morning welcoming him. He smiled to himself.
It was about 10 am. Mita had gone to her school a few minutes ago. After the breakfast, Rudra was sitting on the couch. He was thinking about the message of Portia. Something new was spinning in her head. Rudra thought. He was feeling a new sensation, a man and a woman alone in a closed room.
His thoughts were broken into pieces when he saw Portia entering the room. She breathed a huge, silent sigh of relief as she stepped in. "Today, we are free," she whispered.
Portia wore a pink colored top and a lime green long skirt that made her a valuable painting of an artist. Her toes and nails were painted red. Rudra was spell bound. He could not move his eyes from her moon like face. A new chapter had been added to his life and it was Portia. He thought to himself.
Portia slowly walked towards him. Rudra watched her come closer, his eyes traveling down her body then back up to her face.
"How do I look?" Portia asked staring at his eager face.
"You look marvelous, Portia...... as beautiful as the morning dew on the green grass."
A unique smile flashed on her face and her cheeks turned into pink. She took his hand and said, "Just follow me, We're going to do something that you should have been done decades ago, but you could not demand your love." Portia winked.
Portia brought him to her bedroom door. It was unlocked. She pushed the door to open wider and strode into her room. Rudra drifted in slowly. It was dark inside. Portia turned on the lights. In a moment, the semi dark room smiled in silver delight. Her bedroom smelled so sweet it was almost dizzying. He saw a nice cot at the wall side.
Portia looked around the room as if she was searching for something.
"Oh, I want to show you something," she said. She kneeled by her bed and pulled out a suitcase. Opening it she handed him a new album.
Rudra's focus wandered over to the family pictures. He saw a picture of Sam and Mita, discolored and worn, as if folded many times. More family pictures from the wedding rested on the album. He glanced over a picture where Mita and her little Portia were sitting on a couch. Rudra stared at the old photograph of Mita. His mind was racing towards the past. Where did the time go? It felt, it was just yesterday he met her. Rudra sighed. Suddenly he jerked his head and raised his eyes. He could see a new picture smiling at him, and it was Portia.
"Turn the last page." Portia touched his hand. Rudra shivered in delight. He could remember, Mita once gripped his hand and he felt a new sensation. The same sensation again hit his brain after two decades.
Moving on, Rudra glanced over a picture, it was a 24 years man, smiling at them. It was Rudra at his young age. He was surprised. He could remember, he gave it to Mita.
"It was a copy of the original." Portia placed her finger upon it and said, "I do not love him, but I love another one, it is here." She switched on the computer and Rudra's latest picture was visible on the screen. "Here is my screen saver, my savior." Rudra was still in confusion. "I am getting more than I expected." He thought to himself.
He sat at the edge of her bed and looked around the room. He noticed his latest books were kept on the table and 'Two Hearts', his first novel was kept opened on the bed. Rudra picked up the book. He could see a reddish patch on his photo. Portia came closer to him and sat next to him. A sweat smell emanated from her body mesmerized his sense.
"It is my love mark," she said smiling.
A few silent minutes went by as she kept her hand on his shoulder. Rudra turned his eyes and looked ino his dreamlike eyes. He felt his heart was pounding under his chest. Portia approached the music system and turned it on. Indian music filled the entire room.
"Portia?" Rudra whispered.
Without a single word, she just came closer to him. Ruda shuddered when her soft warm body touched her back. She hugged him tightly from behind and placed her head on his shoulder. Moments after, she whispered in his ear, "I fell in your love when I read your 'Two Hearts', pain of losing Mita still working on you." She licked up to his ear and captured his earlobe between her teeth. Rudra felt her breasts were pressing upon his back and her fingers curling around his forearms. Rudra could not control his passion. He hold her hand and pulled her against him. Portia lay down on the bed.
She was lying on her back and her eyes were closed. A cold sweat developed under her neck. Her firm breasts were rising and falling rhythmically and her cheeks blushed and hot. However, something in the rhythm of her breathing excited Rudra. He reached his hand down the front of her top and carefully undoing the little buttons to release them. Finally, he dragged it over her head.
She felt a channel of stimulation inside her as Rudra placed his hand on her bare belly. Soon he ran his fingers across her breasts. Her blood raced swiftly; a series of delicious thrills coursed through her tingling nerves. Placing his palms on her breasts, he ran his tongue between her lips to taste the love of her and once he tasted her, he demanded more from her. It was a new sensation to Portia. Rudra rubbed her breasts with his hands through the material of her top and squeezed them little. She felt the slight trembling in his hand as he placed it on her hip and snaked his other arm across her back, drawing Portia gently gritted her teeth together as he squeezed her breasts. Her bare legs were pressing together as he kissed his way down her stomach. Rudra pulled her skirt down her legs taking it off her body. She closed her eyes and began to pant, her lips parted as her light pants turned to breathy moans, both her hands clapped over her eyes to hide herself.
Waves of heat came off her face as Rudra put his lips again on her parted lips. Then he leaned his head down to wrap his lips around Portia's left nipple to suck on her left breast. She started to breath heavier. Then he ran his tongue across both of her breasts and started squeezing them quicker with his hands. Her heart started to race as her mind whirred, remembering what was going to happen. His tongue explored her mouth as his hands explored her breasts. Portia's breathing became heavier. His lower part began to pressing. She hugged Rudra tightly and inserted her tongue into his mouth. Moments after, she started to bite his lips and ran her nails across his back.
After a few minutes, Portia could feel that she was losing herself in an unknown world where pain and pleasure were grinding her violently. Her back arched violently and she released from her inner tension and sensation. She'd never felt such a pleasure before. They slowly disengaged from each other. She lay very still and quiet, keeping her eyes closed tightly.
After a few minutes, Portia opened her eyes slowly. "Thank you," Portia whispered. "I wanted to bring you back to your youth that you lost forever." She sat up in the bed.. Her eyes were bubbling with tears. Rudra could not find the cause of tearing. Perhaps, he could not pleased her properly what her young boy friend could do easily.
"Rudra, I can read your mind, what you are thinking is not true, it is my tears of victory, tears of pleasure. I gave you back now."
Portia got out of bed, stood before the mirror, and stared at the reflection. She looked like a sculpture of a great artist. Her nudity revealed the inner beauty of an eternal lover. Rudra was looking at her naked body. He was still in the land of fantacy. Portia came closer to him and hugged him tightly. It brought him back to the land of reality. She kissed him and grabbed her top and skirt lying next to the bed. She walked over to the door completely naked.
"I have to take a shower," Portia winked and stepped out.
Half an hour later, Portia came out of the bathroom drying her hair with a towel. She was feeling comfortable now.
Sitting back down on the couch Rudra tried to process what they had just done. He had already ordered the home delivery for the lunch, fish curry, vegetable curry and rice. A few minutes ago, they had delivered it. He looked through the window without seeing anything. His mind was racing like a horse. How did he explain it, a simple accident? On the other hand, a destiny?
After a few minutes, Portia stepped into the room with a tray in her hand. A large glass of milk and another of orange juice were on the tray. She had already taken a shower. She looked fresh and attractive, in Jeans and top.
She sat down next to him and handed him the glass of orange juice.
"Portia, how do you explain it? I think, I should not do it. I should have stopped it early."
"Do you think that there was no love, only a hunger, hunger of lust? Are you feeling guilty, author? Why? There is nothing to be guilty. I have started the game and you finished it. I am responsible for my action. Listen, I am not feeling me guilty." She took a little pause staring at Rudra.
Rudra looked at her with a great surprise. Her speech was relevant to the point.
Portia stared into his eyes for several seconds as if she was reading his very soul. After a minute she said, "It is shame that you are comparing my love with hunger. Listen author, love is not a hunger, rather than devotion. Two devotees can make a real love. Love means a lot more to me than you realize."
Rudra was stunned. He stared at her face. Then he smiled. "You have a strong ground and I am submitting myself to your realization." There was a silence for a minute and they sat facing to each other. Rudra could find his love again that he lost forever.
"One morning I woke up with a dark cloud over me, dad was determined to leave us." Portia continued. "I can still remember the day and I cannot ever forget it. It was about eight in the morning and I was getting ready for the university. Suddenly, I heard dad shouting in anger. I could guess, there was a crisis created between dad and mom. I thought it would be stopped soon, however I never thought it would go to the divorce. Anyway, I headed over to the hallway silently quickly glanced toward their open door, I could hear dad was shouting, I know Mita, you have an illicit relation with Rudra. Mom said in a cool voice, 'I left Rudra the same moment you told me to leave him. He was a real person and a real friend of you. He left India for ever soon after our wedding ceremony. It was known to you. However, I know you well Sam, it is your new plan to clear your own way. You may do what you like; therefore, you need not blame me. I know that our relation is going and it is quite natural, a man cannot have two hearts.'
Over the years, they had been together, now they are parted. After the divorce, Mom settled into a new routine of teaching, cooking, cleaning, working, and trying to sleep. Mom tried to hide the fact, but I could feel she was bleeding every now and then.
One afternoon, I saw mom weeping alone. She was very conservative and introvert. Therefore, she had suffered more. When I came to her, she looked into my eyes and said, 'If you love one, love him forever. I did a mistake. Do not repeat it.'
"I hate that person Rudra who had cheated both mom and you. He is a self-centered man. Mom could not be a cheating wife. However, she had to suffer because she gave you a mental pain that you are still carrying.
I searched Google and got all inputs about you. I came to know that you were now a celebrity writer and living permanently in the UK. I collected your books and started to read them. When I 'Two Hurts', I became mesmerized. I discovered another man in you. I decided to contact you and made a plan."
Portia's smile lit up her face. She raised an eyebrow. "Yes Rudra, it was me that sent you the mail and you thought it was Mita. I told my mom that Rudra uncle wanted to meet you and he was coming to India very soon. Please Rudra, I told her a lie, however, I had no alternate to meet you. I want nothing except your love. What Mita could not give you, I offered you from my heart."
Portia moved closer to him and kissed the corner of his lips. Rudra put his arms around her and embraced her tightly. He felt again the tightness of her breasts. They were inviting him again. Feeling his hardness, Portia put her index finger on his lips and said smiling; "Not now Rudra, we will meet again any day, anywhere." She raised her head to bring his lips down on hers. Moments after, she sank her teeth into his lips. Rudra felt a shock of great pleasure, which was a new and different from the previous.
"Have you used any contraceptive?"
"No," she giggled.
"Then?"
"I just love you," she whispered
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