The Official Trip

The window of the moving car showed a view of the trees, people, buildings, and streetlights passing by. The sky constantly stood up high watching the world move around.



Varen was tired. He was sitting in a cab, heading towards his home. He was returning home after a week of trips with friends. It was a complete week of enjoyment, no worries of work or family responsibilities, each day just focussing upon what delightful thing to do next.



Varen took out his phone to go through some of the photographs and videos that he had taken during the trip. Just then a message notification popped up. A message had come in the ‘Longtime Friends’ group on a messaging platform.



Sudhir had written- ‘We have to keep making these plans. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.’

Mukul responded with a ‘thumbs up’ emoticon



Varen typed- ‘Yes, it was a much-needed break. We will plan something again. Do share all the photos and videos both of you have taken.’



Varen kept the phone back in his pocket. Out of the window was the very familiar view of the neighbourhood Varen lived in.



The cab entered the apartment gates as the security guard greeted Varen and Varen greeted back.



Varen paid the driver through the application of the cab company and got out of the car. The driver took out Varen’s bag and was off on his way to his next passenger.



Varen hung the bag on his shoulder using the shoulder strap and headed for the elevator of the building. He noticed the elevator coming down. It came down, stopped, the doors opened and out stepped Mr Chambial.



Mr Chambial smiled at Varen as he walked out of the elevator.



“Hello young man, how are you?” asked Mr Chambial



Varen smiled while noticing the elevator doors closing, “I am a fine uncle. How are you doing?”



“The back ache is a menace, but it is not going to keep me stuck in my flat like my wife always wants me to,” replied Mr Chambial



Varen glanced at the screen which showed the floor that the elevator was on. The elevator was still on the same floor.



“I heard you were out for a few days,” said Mr Chambial



“Yes, I was out for a week. I just got back today,” said Varen



Mr Chambial noticed Varen’s bag, “Oh! So, you are on your way home now. I am so sorry for making you stand here. Please continue on.”



Mr Chambial walked away smiling and waving and Varen smiled back. Varen reached for the elevator button and noticed the elevator going up. Varen waited for it to come down, this time he hurried inside the elevator before exchanging greetings with its temporary occupant.



Varen reached his floor and walked over to the door of his flat and pressed the doorbell. His wife Soma opened the door. Varen knew she was busy with work, but he was a little disappointed by the degree of the happiness on her face not being up to his expectations.



Varen hugged Soma and walked inside. He made himself comfortable on the sofa.



“Would you like a cup of tea?” asked Soma



“A glass of water would be fine,” replied Varen



Varen’s mother Mrs Rawal came out of her room and sat beside Viren.



“You look tired. Have you been eating properly?” asked Mrs Rawal



“Yes, I ate properly every day,” answered Varen



“There must have been a lot of work,” said Soma as she handed over the glass of water to Varen.



“Yes, there was a lot of work. You know how official work tours are,” Varen replied



Varen had not told his family that he had gone on a trip with his friends and had instead told them that it was an office tour.



“I have no choice but to lie,” Varen had told his friend Sudhir before planning the trip, “Soma always asks me about the next family trip and I keep saying that there is a lot of work at the office. If I tell her that I want to go on a trip with my friends, then I don’t think the words that would come next from her mouth would be of my liking.”



“I don’t know why your office has started these trips, I hope they don’t make it a regular thing,” Mrs Rawal said



“Well, what can be done? Its work,” Viren said as he picked up the glass to drink the water



“I forgot to tell you that I had a talk with Sudhir’s wife before you went on your office trip, and found out that coincidentally Sudhir had also gone on an office trip to the same place. Did you guys meet there?” asked Soma



Varen coughed from gulping a large sip of water.



“Drink slowly, why are you hurrying?” Mrs Rawal said putting a hand on Viren’s shoulder



“Are you all right?” asked Soma



“Yes, I am fine,” Varen said wiping his mouth with a handkerchief then he responded to what Soma said earlier, “Sudhir also went there? He didn’t tell me. I will ask him about it.”



“I thought you, Sudhir and Mukul told each other everything,” Soma said



“Could he have lied to his wife about the office trip and that is why he didn’t tell the others?” said a suspecting Mrs Rawal



“Maybe, I mean Varen didn’t know about it which means Sudhir hasn’t shared any photos of that place and wait a minute,” Soma took out her phone and tapped her fingers on its screen and her expression changed to a grave suspicious one, “he hasn’t even posted a single photo in his social media profile as well and he posts a lot of photos.”



Varen thought he should say something before things got out of hand, “He might have his reason. We have known him for a long time, he is not that type of guy.”



“You never know,” said Mrs Rawal, “I hope it is not an affair.”



“Mom you are misunderstanding him,” Varen said looking at his mother, “we all might be misunderstanding him. I will talk to him later about it.”



“You will not believe this,” said Soma as Varen and Mrs Rawal looked at her with curiosity, “I sent a text to Mukul’s wife, she does not know about Sudhir, but she suspects her husband lied to her about his official trip.”



“Where did he go?” asked Mrs Rawal



“The same place,” replied Soma



“So, both of them lied to their wives and planned a trip together, what else could it be?” said Mrs Rawal



Varen sat frozen in his place as both Soma and Mrs Rawal looked at him expecting an answer to a question he already knew.

Written by Anuran Chatterji

Hey, Connect with Us:)

• WordPress
• Instagram
• LinkedIn