"As the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover," Subhashish said.
"So, what about this sexual harassment issue?"
Trina explained, "Juhi, Neel's supervisor, supposedly confessed to him about eight months ago but got rejected. After a few more failed attempts, she became quiet. However, two months ago, she started harassing him by stalking his social media, sending nudes, threatening him, etc. Being a pushover, he just ignored her to the best of his ability until things escalated at their team dinner. She secretly touched him inappropriately. But when he lashed out, no one believed him. Instead, they called him a creep."
She sighed, "He only reported everything this week when Juhi claimed that he sexually harrassed her at a business meeting. The footage showed Juhi and Neel entering the washroom one after another, after the meeting ended. Everyone said they heard screams some time later and found both of them in disheveled clothes, especially Juhi, whose dress was torn in several places. Even the medical report stated that Neel's semen residue was found in her body."
"Both of them are reporting against each other. What are your thoughts on this?" Subhashish asked, supporting his head on one hand.
The other hand softly caressed Trina's short curls.
"I feel that Neel is innocent. I've caught Jihu doing this kind of thing in the past and also warned her but without proper evidence, my hands were tied. Moreover, things did not take such a drastic turn then. But in this case, each and every evidence is against him. On top of that many people, even in this day and age find it hard to believe that a man can be sexually harassed, more so by a woman. Like the heck is wrong with people? When a woman gets molested she's blamed for attracting the offender's attention while on the other hand when a man gets molested no one believes it."
"Sometimes the truth is far from what we know, believe or see. The human mind is twisted. Even a Jalebi can't compare to it. The best thing you can do is make her confess on her own. But for that, you have to be more than sure that she is guilty. A micro mistake can lead to a mega disaster." He said.
"Then, you're saying that I should take more time to confirm my doubts before taking action? But I've already asked for some time to make a decision. If I delay this further, won't there be unrest in the office? Will I be able to set an example for my employees?" Trina asked, looking up at her husband's handsome face.
Subhashish nodded with a doting smile and covered her eyes "Now sleep. You'll be able to think clearly after a good rest. Didn't you get scolded by your daughter for not giving your body enough rest?"
"Hmmm.... Wait! How did you know that she scolded me?" Trina's eyes flew open and narrowed at him.
"Ahem I was afraid you guys might fight since every time you two talk about something it ends up in a debate. So, I... kind of waited behind the door while you talked to ensure there was no fighting." He said warily.
"Ankita needs to rest you know?"
"Hmph. That's called eavesdropping. And whose side are you on, hm? She's the one who always hops around when she needs to rest. Is she not aware that her wounds take very long to heal? Still, she doesn't care about taking care of herself at all!" Trina lightly punched him on his chest.
"Like mother, like daughter," Subhashish muttered.
"What did you say?" Trina loomed over him.
"Care to repeat what you just said?" She gave him a friendly smile.
"Who? Me? I said you are absolutely right. Ankita is the naughty one. She should listen to you, but look at her, jumping around like a grasshopper." He said coaxing his angry bird of a wife.
"Sleep, sleep. Anger is bad for your health." Saying that he enveloped her in a hug, shut his eyes and started snoring while cursing his stupid mouth mentally.
Trina huffed and turned her back towards him before closing her eyes. To show how angry she was, she even moved a bit further from him. Subhashish smiled helplessly. Kissing her head, he moved closer and hugged her tightly from behind. Trina cracked open one eye and her lips curled up in a mischievous arc. She placed her hand above his which was wrapped around her waist and drifted into sleep. She was already very tired and fell into a deep slumber in no time.
Songwriting is followed by music composition. So the lyrics written by Koushik were handed over to Bikram after necessary corrections were made. He was supposed to compose the music, but a stupid musician's block left his mind blank. Feeling frustrated at home, he went out for a late-night walk in the park, hoping to get some help from Mother Nature.
Bikram ambled along the flower beds to find a clean bench to settle down. After finding a suitable spot and putting on his headset, he scrolled through his phone, searching for a music piece by his favourite composer, Raaz. From the long playlist, he chose Burrow, a Sitar and Tabla mix. As the music played, his fingers tapped along the beat.
Raaz was a music composer under Bali Entertainment, the only one in the industry who not only broke every single record previously made in the field but also created their own records. They have been on the throne for the past eight years. True to their name, Raaz never appeared in public. All people knew about them were their creations, each of which was nothing short of a masterpiece. Initially, it was thought that they would lose fame if they tried to remain hidden forever. However, pouring ice-cold water over those speculations, Raaz's popularity was ever-increasing.
When Antariksha was formed, it's members were asked to pick a role according to their choices. Bikram had been a Prakash, Raaz's fan, since his trainee days. Their music motivated him to take on the role of Antariksha's music composer. It had been a constant source of inspiration for him to create his own pieces, in addition to the support of his fans.
It had been drizzling all evening. But now, the clear sky was illuminated by the soft moonlight and shimmering stars. The silver light brushed the leaves and flower petals, causing the raindrops on them to sparkle. The glittering water of the fountain and the cool moist breeze gave the surroundings an ethereal feeling.