A short story

THE WEEKEND IN DUBAI
Sumudhu brushed her straight shoulder length hair and put down her brush on the cheap wooden dresser with a thwack. She grabbed her mist bottle and swished a strong woody fragrance under her arm pits and slammed the bottle down. Yakoub knew it wasn’t a good sign, walking up to her he gave his wife a back hug. It always worked; he could feel her resistance slipping away as he kissed the top of her head.
“I know, I promise you this is the last working weekend, my poppet. We will take the next one off and I will make it up to you.” he entreated.
“ This family is coming from India and will be out on Monday itself, I have already said no to Ibrahim Bhai for the next weekend, it belongs to my queen I told him.”
Sumudhu thumped her heel into his shin, and freed herself; Yakoub yelped playfully. He had always wanted a free spirited girl to be his wife and in Sumudhu he had more than he had bargained for. Theirs was heady courtship and a hushed inter religious wedding. They defied their families, eloped in their early twenties and left Indonesia to work in Dubai. The couple now worked for a rich Pakistani, who owned a clutch of fancy serviced apartments at the Jumeirah Beach Walk -the touristy paradise which was bursting with rich glitterati from all over the globe.
“Now smile and give me my kissy before I go to the airport to receive the guests. I have to be with them over the weekend and drive them around. Ibrahim Bhai is giving me his new S-class, so I am sure they must be rich and the tips will be good.” Sumudhu leaned up to her tall, handsome Yakoub and planted a kiss on his lips. That’s what cars and hugs did to her. 

The tourist family from India arrived; Yakoub met them at the airport and drove them to the WALK. The woman remained glued to the wheel chair bound child and her needs, the man Arun stared stonily out of the window. Probably they were tired after the journey, thought Yakoub as an uneasy silence took over in the car all the way from the airport to the Walk. The grey water glistened and kissed the sun bleached sands over the glitzy promenade filled with swanky shops, luxury brands, some of the most elite Five star chains of hotels dotted the Walk. Aashi took in the sights through the eyes of her daughter Shaili, who looked out of the window excitedly. “That’s a lovely new area, of Dubai, Arun- I hadn’t ever been this side before”. She ventured, finally breaking the uneasy silence.
“Hmmm…”, he grunted.
They entered the serviced apartment. Sumudhu welcomed them in with a sunny smile and chattered animatedly with their daughter. “Could you take us up to our apartment?” cut in Arun.
“Yes, of course Sir, please follow me.”
She led them onto the twentieth floor and there it was. A beautiful space done up in hues of white, the huge French windows looking out to the beautiful, azure expanse of the creek. The sunlight streamed in as Shaili excitedly grabbed the remote and wound up the blinds. “Don’t, Shelley” barked Arun.
“Please help yourself to the Mini Bar, it is all yours and ring the bell should you need any assistance”, said Sumudhu, as she glided out of the room.
Arun arranged his toiletries and filled up the empty wardrobes with his carefully selected array of casual shorts and tees, expensive chinos, his fave white shirt, night boxers and a camel coloured leather jacket; he had specially packed in. That jacket was for the Face book Selfies to be clicked atop an expensive roof top Restobar with a sundowner. He had already thought of the caption too ‘chilling in the scorching Dubai heat’.
“Mamma potty coming”, shrieked Shelley urgently. Aashi hurried over to her, cradled her stiff seventy five pounds, in her thin strong arms and carried her into the washroom.
“I didn’t let it come in the plane, I didn’t want to spoil your fun, Mamma. Did you notice, I did not call out to you even once?”
Aashi glanced at her daughter and planted a kiss on her curls, “Yes I did, sweets, although you didn’t need to, you never spoil my fun”.
“Get out quickly you two, we haven’t all day.” shouted Arun.
“Yakoub is waiting down to take us to the Dubai Mall.”
“But, I wanted to be at the beach”, screamed Shelley. Aashi gave a pleading look to Arun, please don’t explode, her eyes beseeched.
“Shelley, you are turning into a demanding, spoilt brat. The more you have the more you want.”
“But, Dad I just…”,
“Oh shut up, you brat. No wonder both your Grannies refused to keep you. At least my mother had a reason, she had her implant appointment. I guess your Nani had something more pressing and urgent, like getting her hair done, or attending a high society brunch.” He shouted back vengefully.
Aashi bit her tongue. She knew where this was going. The three of them needed this weekend holiday desperately and she wasn’t going to bite the bait. She wasn’t going to take up for her Mom, who always stepped in readily to babysit Shaili. She knew it would make Arun’s diatribe even worse. Her wealthy parents and their lavish lifestyle irked Arun and he never let an occasion go past without a jibe or two. Her rejoinders only made it worse. She saw her daughter wipe a tear with her curl.
“What are you doing you dirty cow, are you wiping your snots with your hair now? Hasn’t your mother taught you basic hygiene?” Arun lashed out at her.
Aashi had, had enough. “That’s enough Arun. Don’t try to get my goat, through my child.”
“And you don’t wag your crooked finger at me you old hag, or I will break it one more time.” threatened Arun.
The door bell rang, Arun crossed over to get it. It was Sumudhu.
“House keeping Sir, hope you have everything you need? Just press the bell if you need anything, Sir. Have a pleasant stay.”
“Yes, I need these cows out, can you do that?” lashed out Arun triumphantly, he loved playing to the galleries and did so with a vile zest.
“Clean my room, clean my life, sweep these witches away.” he added for good measure.
Sumudhu tactfully looked away, her perceptive eye caught Aashi’s frightened look.
“My husband is waiting downstairs to take you out sightseeing and shopping-would you like me to help you with cleaning the little one, Madam?”
“No thank you, you please leave”, muttered Arun.
Sumudhu glanced at Aashi, “do ring the bell, madam” she said, as she gently pulled the door shut and left.
“Useless women, they should have house keeping boys everywhere, far more efficient.” he carried on.
Aashi bent down to carry her daughter back to her chair. Her sore back protested and she remembered to bend both her knees as she picked up the dead bone weight of her baby. Things weren’t as bad as they were now, before Shaili was born. Arun hated her name, and insisted on calling her Shelley, it sounded more happening he insisted. At least something about this cursed child would be nice. He had always been a hot and passionate lover, something that Aashi had loved initially. She had never been ‘loved’ like that. She was the only child of her rich, genteel, well heeled parents and love always had its limits. With Arun she learnt it could be racy and fiery, their furtive bike rides and paani puri dates were the lure of the unknown for her. When she announced her decision to marry Arun to her parents, she expected them to dissuade her; they didn’t. It was her decision; they wearily said and she became Mrs Shourie. The beatings started soon enough. A slap here, a kick there, for crimes she committed, he justified. She needed to be reined in, he reminded her. When Shaili was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, even the beatings stopped. Aashi didn’t remember the last time Arun had touched her.
“What the F…!” Help, Mummy, Oh my God Help, get that thing out!”
She was pulled out of her reverie by Arun’s screams. He was ailurophobe-cats petrified him. Arun had climbed on to the dresser and a black Persian cat was gazing disdainfully at him.
“Aashi, you bitch help! Get that creature out…please” he shrieked.
Shaili started shaking with mirth and Aashi couldn’t hide a slight smile. She rang the bell to summon Sumudhu, who came in immediately, apologizing profusely,
“ Sorry, sorry Sir, don’t worry he won’t touch you, he must have slinked in behind me, when I came in earlier. Come to Mamma Phillo, you naughty boy.”
The feline sauntered over to her and jumped into her out stretched arms purring contentedly.
“Get out of here, you moron, I will complain to the Manager. I did not pay through my nose to live with a stupid cat.”
Phillo gnashed his teeth at him from the protective embrace of his Mamma.
“Oh my God, Mummmmmy help, just get out, just leave NOW!” he screamed. Sumudhu swung out of the room.
Arun clambered down from the dresser, by then Aashi and Shaili had burst out laughing. Without a warning he lunged at Aashi, yanked her hair and punched her jaw. “This is what you get, for sniggering at me, making a fool of me in front of a servant.”
Aashi reeled in shock, the pain making her momentarily numb. “Dad please don’t, please don’t” sobbed Shaili. Aashi sat down on the floor, the tears wouldn’t come; a thin trail of blood trickled down her chin.
“The driver is waiting down, if you don’t come down in five minutes I will leave.” he said wheeling Shaili out of the room and banging the door behind him.
Aashi sat on the floor, the room swimming through her unshed tears. She reached out for a paper napkin and gingerly felt inside her mouth. A tooth wobbled dangerously hanging from a thread like gum. Something snapped inside her, she took herself to the washbasin mirror, held the tooth and pulled it out. The blood flowed easily now, Aashi stared at her gap toothed self. The clock ticked away, he wouldn’t wait for more than five minutes he had said. She rang the bell, she needed a stiff drink.
Sumudhu knocked the door, “come in”, sobbed Aashi, unable to arrest the flow of her torrential emotions.
“Madam, are you  Okay?” Sumudhu walked in through the open door of the bathroom. Aashi was in the bathtub, her pure silk blouse still on, staining the water Fuchsia. Her beige baggy pants were hanging on the side of the bathtub with the underpants tangled in them. “Make me a drink, please, anything you like, just make it strong.” 
Sumudhu nodded. She raced over to her with a tall glass Long Island Tea.
“Here, have some, Oh Phillo, again! Sorry Miss, I will just be back in a minute.”
“No, let him stay. I don’t mind”, managed Aashi, the sobs wrecking her thin body into a quivering mass. She downed the drink in one long swig, the sobs returned. “Hush, now…there…” Sumudhu knelt down to cradle the quivering flesh, her hand smoothening Aashi’s trembling back. The human touch   broke the dam inside her, the sobs were heavier now and Aashi just let it all out, on the other woman’s shoulder. Sumudhu held her wordlessly, stroked her hair, her back. The Fuschia water swam around the two women in an embrace. Sumudhu leaned back to help Aashi out of her blouse,  Aashi pulled her back
“ All right, all right, there…let me help you out with the blouse, the bath will soothe you, Miss”
She deftly unbuttoned her, her smooth fingers brushing over Aashi’s small breasts. They instantly stiffened. The two women understood the moment, Sumudhu gently lifted Aashi’s head from her shoulder: the two breasts now naked and taut pleaded wordlessly to be touched. She tried to ease the blouse out.
“ Kiss me, please”, begged Aashi, “touch me please…”.
Their eyes met- hers kind and compassionate; Aashi’s wild and dilated.
“You cheap, petty slut!” Arun burst in, “Your stupid daughter wouldn’t come with me without you and this is what I catch you doing, you pervert, making out with a servant. Thank God, Shelley threw a tantrum and I came up to bring your stupid calf to you. Otherwise I would never have known that you slept with servants, you Bitch. Thank God, I caught you red handed.”
Aashi drew herself up, and with as much dignity as she could muster.
“Arun please leave…forever.”
“You think, I want to be with a cheap slut like you, do you? Gladly…and right away, you will hear from my lawyers now. I will make sure your bloody father coughs up his big money to be free of me.  You can keep your stupid calf, who knows she will also turn into a cheapo like her mother”
Phillo announced his presence at this point with a menacing meow. Arun jumped out of his skin. “Bitches, I will be back for my things later, you will pay for this.” he screamed running out of the open door as Phillo lunged for him, gnashing his teeth.
The three women in the room looked at each other. Aashi broke into a laugh, her tears streaming into the Fuchsia tub.
“Let mummy clean herself, then we can go explore the city in my new S-class.” said Sumudhu, wiping Shaili’s tears.
“Let’s go get something tasty to eat meanwhile”,  wheeling her out of the room, glancing at Aashi.
“Miss will you be okay?”
“Absolutely, I will join you both in ten minutes.” Aashi said steadily, blowing her daughter a kiss and smiling through her tears.
She stepped out of the tub, her Fuchsia feet leaving a trail to the shower cubicle and scrubbed herself clean. Toweling herself vigorously, she flung herself onto the massive bed and fell into a deep restful sleep. She opened her bleary eyes when the cat, all seven pounds of squirming flesh, climbed onto her belly. Squinting into the sunlight streaming in from the open window, she discovered that she was now the weary possessor of a pounding headache, and at some point, had managed to lose both a tooth and a spouse.
“Hello Mommy sleepyhead!” her daughter greeted her cheerfully.
“Sumudhu aunty and I came to call you for our drive, but you were snoring!” she laughed.
“Yakoub uncle was in the back seat and Sumudhu aunty drove! I navigated! We had so much fun, we were racing down Sheikh Zayed Road and Sumudhu aunty took me to Snow World, Mom snow in the desert…” squealed her daughter in delight.
Aashi reached out for her daughter and lifted her out of her chair into a bear hug. The women snuggled into the warmth. Freedom beckoned. It was time for a new dawn and they were going to revel in it. They knew it. The weekend in Dubai was over.