Tunes of Dusk

By Acid Zansey

Niral Vasavada, an old fashioned woman of today decides that she finally met her match in her boss, Gio. And as she happily glides through her perfect life, things get confusing when her boss friend seems more interesting than her boss. Which feeling was lust and which one was true love? Is it possible for an Indian woman to take decisions solely to satisfy her sexual urges? She needs to question many things and more importantly she needs to find some answers.

This story is about how a common Indian woman sees the world of today. We shall see her, as she sees herself. Her story, as she tells it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Aug 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543700978

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Acid Zansey.

ISBN:                      Softcover                978-1-5437-0098-5

                               eBook                     978-1-5437-0097-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

PREFACE

N iral Vasavada, an old fashioned woman of today decides that she finally met her match in her boss, Gio. And as she happily glides through her perfect life, things get confusing when her boss’ friend seems more interesting than her boss. Which feeling was lust and which one was true love? Is it possible for an Indian woman to take decisions solely to satisfy her sexual urges? She needs to question many things and more importantly she needs to find some answers.

This story is about how a common Indian woman sees the world of today. We shall see her, as she sees herself. Her story, as she tells it.

CHAPTER 1

I t was the fifth of November, and Niral sat curled-up, in a basket chair, at her terrace garden, watching the blazing lights in the streets of Manhattan, below her. She was making her mind up for a cup of coffee. ‘Coffee is too fattening!’ she thought to herself. Normally, coffee, is never fattening but hers, well…. The cup is an unhealthy mixture of fats, lipids and cholesterol! The three fourth of it is filled with chocolate-cream, and the rest is mild French coffee.

She crossed her dark hall with tired steps, towards the kitchen, switching the lights on as she moved. As she reached it, she looked around her. The shelves were overflowing with jars of cookies, instant cake-mixes, chips and all the other sorts of munchies. ‘Hell!’ she almost said aloud. All this was too alluring, to ignore. But, she dared not put even a single ounce on. The refrigerator too hardly helped. Finally, she set in for oranges, but these too weren’t just one or two of them, there were, usually ten of them. Sitting on her dining table, that was at one corner of the kitchen, she stole a glance at the jar of pulses. But, the pulses weren’t the ones she wanted to look at. She always had a box of cup cakes, under those jars.

Though there was no actual reason to hide them. She had migrated to New York, just a few months back from Hindustan, where she belonged. Since then, she had lived alone, in an apartment of Manhattan, midtown west. Her lucky stars had been mighty lucky for her. More efficient than most of the staff, she was in no time one of the members in the board of directors of the famous Zug on soft wares. To the world Niral Vasavada was the hard core business woman of today. But, the reality of her character which was revealed to very few, was that she had hardly outgrown her sweet sixteen. Though, being a woman of twenty five, Niral was a food loving, sweet-toothed child, who dreamed of finding true love, like that in fairy tales. As if, one day her true love would be wrapped up as a present, lying under her Christmas tree. The intelligent eyes of a business woman held the folly of a child, who believed in the magic of true love.

But presently, her thoughts were neither of magic nor of true love. They were filled with annoyance and anger. Though the ten oranges had been enough nourishment for her, it certainly couldn’tmake up for what she had to lose today. Her pre-planned dinner date of which she had been dreaming, was cancelled. Today, was her chance to feel special for the first time, her chance to be Cinderella! But, alas…

There had been talks lately, that things were going on between her and the tall, dark and handsome Italian boss, Giovanni Tribbiani. Though all that was hardly true, Niral had always had a crush on him. He was the perfect hunk, holding enough fires to turn any woman on. He was nearly six feet, with athletic figure and bronze skin. A powerful muscular body, with flashing blue eyes and coppery brown hair. Being the owner of a flourishing software company, Giovanni Tribbiani, was the perfect reward!

Niral had felt that almighty’s blessings had been poured down on her when, Giovanni had started showing interest in her. Before that he hardly noticed her more than he noticed an unimportant file. But now, he was pleasant and even caring at times. And yet, she feared if he was the same with all. But today, when he had asked her out, on dinner, things appeared quite positive. Thinking of all this, Niral walked to her bed-room, and sat in front of a huge mirror. Her golden tipped brown eye-lashes shone like pure gold, under the yellow make-up light. Scrutinizing her face, she remembered all the troubles, she had taken for this one evening. Booking an appointment at the best beautician’s, using all her contacts, buying a new red dress, from madam Loriette’s that was way beyond her budget and wearing her best Tiffany’s diamond jewellery, which was the only one she had. All this in vain!

The mirror dared not lie on this evening, for it reflected back a beautiful young woman of ruddy oriental complexion, with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Lips of a perfect shape and a natural pink shade, a slim, but slightly plump figure, with a bit of a muffin top on her belly, which actually, made her look more gorgeous and womanly. Anger again began flaring up in her mind. She remembered that when she was all dressed up, and ready to leave, a call from Gio’s secretary had shattered everything. The incident began whirling about her brain. ‘Hello?’ she had said, little expecting what would come through.

‘Miss Vasavada?’ the uninterested voice of Mrs. Saunders, Gio’s middle aged secretary, who had lost all interests of life, had spoken through.

‘Yes?’

‘Mr. Tribbiani would like to inform you, that he will not be able to make it for the dinner appointment today. His baby sister has just arrived from London. He wants you to know that he is very sorry, for all this and wants to offer you his million apologies and send you his umm…. Love.’

‘Oh…. Okay.’ Niral hardly knew what to reply.

Mrs. Saunders had unemotionally pattered every word. Obviously, the language was Gio’s, but he didn’t even care to make a call himself. Sending me his love! Indeed! She thought with anger. To control her anger, Niral tried and concentrated on all the good times, she had spent with him. Events passed in front of her eyes. It was hardly three week’s time since, the relationship had begun. The office hours had ended, and Niral, had shut her last tedious file. Her shoulders and arms ached with all those target files that she had to sign. She had grabbed her hand-bag and left her cabin. As she was walking down the corridor, towards the lift, she heard footsteps following her. Startled, she turned back, to find Giovanni Tribbiani standing right behind her. She had seen him at such close quarters for the first time, and that too alone!

‘Hello, did I startle you?’ he asked smiling.

‘Umm no… I was just umm…’ Niral was spellbound and tongue-tied at his beauty.

‘Working late huh?’ he asked in an unexpectedly friendly tone.

‘Yeah…I had a few…’ she didn’t know what to reply. Doesn’t he know what I was doing, she thought. He walked past her to the lift, his shoulder brushing against hers as he did so, and his strong manly perfume filled her nostrils.

‘Coming?’ he asked.

‘Yeah…. Yeah’ I look so stupid, she thought.

His well manicured hand switched the button to the parking. He had taken it for granted that she too wanted to go there. Niral kept silent all through the way down. But, when she began walking out of the parking, he finally noticed her.

‘Hey? What’s with your car, ragazza? Some thing wrong?’ he asked.

‘No, I’ll take a taxi. I don’t have a car.’ Niral replied meekly.

‘Oh! You should have said so. Let me have the honour of driving you home, yes?’

‘I don’t really….’ What more could she have wanted than sitting beside him in his BMW coup`e!

‘Oh, please, please, be kind enough and allow me to drive you home.’ He said with flirtatious pleading.

‘Okay, thanks.’ Niral said with a shy smile.

Throughout the drive, she kept stealing glances at him. His brows were drawn together while he was driving, and his blue eyes shone like sapphires, when the light of some vehicle fell in to them. He walked her to the door of her apartment. But, when she invited him in, for coffee, he shook his head slightly in refusal, at which she felt utterly relaxed. Because though he was a dream for her, she felt slightly tensed in his presence. She constantly had to remain decent and gracefully silent or think of something intelligent to say, which was completely unlike her self. The nocturnal visits he paid to her apartment, in order to drop her home were now more frequent and finally one night he had agreed to come in for coffee.

Her thoughts about the good times were now giving her a sickening head-ache. It is no use, she thought. Remembering that some one had once told her that a lot of physical exercise relieves stress, Niral got up from her dressing table, looking at her, tear stained yet pretty face for the last time in the mirror before going out. She quickly moved out of her apartment, locking the door behind her. Almost running down the stairs, which she always preferred to the lift. Niral walked with angry strides on the road. Without taking any notice of the lights flashing about her Niralwas walking mechanically. Her eyes were blind with thoughts. She had nearly crossed the Times Square and was past forty seventh street now. Wandering aimlessly, Niral didn’t realize when she had begun walking along a dark alley.

‘You will fall in love when you will least expect it.’ The words of her old grandmother drummed against her tympanic membrane. But, her present relationship with Gio, was a rather deliberate one on her part, she thought. She had always done things in order to please him, her looks, dress, talks were always planned before she met him. It wasn’t that she had tempted him like a sirenthrough exposing because that was something way below her character standards. But she had left no stone unturned in trying to look and act her best in order to make sure that he took notice. And he did! A triumphant smile curved her lips inspite of herself. Expected or unexpected, she’d got what she wanted, she thought. She was now quite at peace with the world. Everything she thought was in it’s right place and yet, there was something that wasn’t right. She felt an emptiness growing within her. But, why? A space in her heart, she felt was still unoccupied. Was it because Gio was over caring for his baby sister? But, it was only natural, he had talked about Pillar, his baby sister, many times. From which Niral had gathered that due to their father’s death, Gio had to take up that position himself. He was an angel, because, surely these were the signs of a thoroughly good hearted person and yet she felt that he was too perfect. But, never mind, she will be the only one in his life after marriage, she thought hopefully, and only half noticing where she was walking.

In those few moments of lapse of complete attention, suddenly Niral’s stiletto stepped on something uneven, and she stumbled. Controlling her fall, and balancing her self, she avoided a terrible injury. Gasping wildly, she glanced behind her, she was trembling due to this little accident. ‘Thank god, that dog didn’t