ALL THE LITTLE THINGS

Past 8 in the evening, Tanuja walked through the doors of United Enterprises with a packet in her hand. The place was semi-dark and deserted. The automated ceiling lights flickered on as she took the corridor to Nikhil’s cabin.    The lights in his cabin were on. She could see that through its glass-centered door. She pushed through the door, almost walked through, when what she saw playing before her eyes, froze her to the ground.      Her world crumbled... fell apart from whatever was left of it.     Her husband Nikhil and his business partner Alya in very close proximity, in a compromising position.      Their bodies welded together.      His lips planted on hers.     Her arms around his neck.     His hand on her hip.      He slowly withdrew and gazed into Alya's eyes, searching them...       Tanuja watched the scene, speechlessly, her knees growing weaker with each passing second, buckling under pressure. She stumbled back a step or two and the packet plopped onto the floor from her limp hand.      At the sound, Nikhil turned to the door and went numb.      Tanuja's face was ghostly pale. When his eyes met hers, she quickly looked away, heart thumping, her breath labored. When she finally returned his gaze, a weak smile played on her lips, a smile that crushed him instantly, a smile blended with confusion, pain, contempt, sarcasm, or maybe... all of it.