The OTP Odyssey

Sweety glanced at her watch, frustration etched on her face. Once again, she was running late due to the never-ending traffic in Bangalore. She settled into the passenger seat of the white Swift Desire cab, placing her laptop bag beside her. She retrieved her mobile phone and entered a series of numbers, her eyes scanning the screen.

“499,” she murmured as the driver, a man in his thirties, entered the OTP. Sweety peered over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the estimated time of arrival.

“How long will it take?” she asked impatiently.

The driver replied, “About one and a half hours, madam.”

Sweety sighed, frustrated by the delay. “One and a half hours? Oh, shucks! Once again, I’ll be late. Bangalore traffic is unbearable.”

The cab started moving, and the driver tried to comfort her, “It’s Bengaluru, madam. Please try to adjust.”

Ignoring his words, Sweety put on her headphones and dialed a number on her mobile, whispering to herself, “Where are you?”

The person on the call abruptly disconnected, leaving Sweety frustrated. “Damn! He disconnected it,” she muttered, pulling back her headphones. Feeling a mix of disappointment and curiosity, she decided to shift her focus. She reached into her bag, stowed away her phone and headphones, and retrieved a book. Opening it to the bookmarked page, she immersed herself in its captivating world.

As she settled into her book, the cab slowed down at a signal. Unexpectedly, it made a U-turn, confusing Sweety.

“Why the U-turn? We were supposed to go straight,” she asked, puzzled.

The driver replied, “There’s another passenger waiting near Kudlu Gate.”

Sweety frowned, focusing on her book once again. The stranger entered the car and placed his Wildcraft bag on the floorboard. The familiar scent of his deodorant caught Sweety’s attention, forcing her to look up. It was Abhinay, her husband. Both were surprised to see each other, but Abhinay appeared visibly scared.

“What are you doing here?” Sweety confronted him.

Abhinay, caught off guard, accidentally spewed water from his bottle in shock. It landed on the driver’s head, who reacted in disgust, “Yuk.”

“Sweety, it’s you. What a pleasant surprise?” Abhinay stammered, although his face didn’t reflect any pleasantness. He tried to compose himself. “I told you, Bhaskar got admitted to a hospital nearby.”

Abhinay composed himself, placing the bottle back on the seat and pretending to be relaxed.

Sweety’s suspicion grew. “Nearby? Where?”

The driver couldn’t help but smile, amused by Abhinay’s awkwardness. Abhinay attempted to rectify his weak deception, “I mean, he got admitted to a hospital near Kudlu Gate. He’s having a kidney stone operation.”

“Kidney stone? Weren’t you the one who said Bhaskar had an accident?” Sweety questioned, her anger building.

The driver, enjoying Abhinay’s awkwardness, turned around to see his face. Abhinay gave a hard stare in return. The driver looked back at the road.

“Speak out,” Sweety asked, this time in a loud tone.

Abhinay sighed, trying to explain, “Yes, he had an accident, and during the tests, they discovered the kidney stone. So, they decided to operate on him as well.”

“Don’t lie,” Sweety snapped.

Abhinay, frustrated, pleaded, “Can’t you trust me after four years of marriage?”

“Yes, it’s been four years, and yes, that’s why I don’t trust you. In just six months, guys lose interest. And isn’t your ex-girlfriend Neha living here, near Kudlu Gate?”

“Oh, come on! You’re bringing up the same old thing again. Yes, she used to live here, but not anymore,” Abhinay said.

“Where does she live then?” Sweety’s curiosity sparked.

Abhinay responded, “She moved to Delhi last week.”

Sweety mocked him, “Oh, so you keep tabs on her whereabouts.”

The driver let out an involuntary laugh, while Abhinay glared at him. Sweety demanded an explanation from Abhinay, who finally confessed his deception.

“This is too much, Sweety. You should learn to trust me,” Abhinay implored.

“What’s too much? You don’t even call me throughout the day, and when I call, you’re always too busy,” Sweety retorted, mimicking his excuses. “You don’t have two minutes to spare for a conversation? And at night, you come home exhausted and fall asleep like a koala bear.”

The driver interrupted, “Koala bear? What animal is that, didi?”

Sweety explained, “It’s a creature found in Australian jungles. It’s black and sleeps all day.”

Annoyed, Abhinay yelled at the driver, “Is that so important now? Just drive quietly.”

Abhinay’s phone rang, displaying an unknown number. Sweety’s suspicion soared, and she commanded, “Answer the call.”

“Yeah, I am doing it,” Abhinay said.

“Put that on loudspeaker,” Sweety said firmly.

Abhinay reluctantly complied, and a voice on the other end spoke, “Hey, everything is ready.”

Abhinay asked, puzzled, “Who is this?”

“It’s Bhaskar,” the caller replied.

Abhinay questioned, “Which number is this?”

Bhaskar explained, “It’s my Jio number — cheap and reliable.”

“All the preparations for the birthday are done. Tomorrow evening, from 5 p.m. until closing time, the banquet hall is booked under your name, for your sweetheart. The manager of Royal Restaurant is my friend. I got it arranged through him. He will give a 30% discount as well,” Bhaskar said.

Embarrassment replaced suspicion as Sweety relaxed, leaning on the seat.

The driver’s face reflected sympathy for Abhinay.

“Thank you so much, bro,” Abhinay said gratefully.

“Why are you being formal too? Remember in the morning when we were checking out different restaurants? I didn’t enjoy it either,” Bhaskar said.

Abhinay looked into Sweety’s eyes. She avoided eye contact.

“Alright, awesome. I’m all done with what I needed to do. I’ll give you a call later. Please pass on my regards to the birthday girl, okay?” Bhaskar said.

“Bye,” Abhinay replied, ending the call. The car fell into an awkward silence.

“I am not that bad,” Abhinay finally uttered.

Sweety held his palm, apologizing, “I’m sorry.”

“I love you,” Abhinay whispered, holding her hand firmly.

The driver couldn’t help but smile at the sight of their reconciliation. Sweety sat back, looking outside the window, staring at the forest area. Abhinay also stared outside, contemplating their relationship.

The driver suddenly braked at a signal, disrupting the serene moment. Sweety’s vision filled with chaotic traffic, but something ran in her mind. She turned towards Abhinay suddenly.

“Bhaskar was your friend from college, right?”

Abhinay faced her, nodding in affirmation.

“So, he knows Neha very well?” Sweety questioned.

Abhinay replied, “Yes, obviously.”

Sweety’s face brightened as she realized something.

“Neha’s birthday is tomorrow,” she said, challenging Abhinay.

He furrowed his brows, confused. “So?”

Sweety revealed, “He didn’t mention my name. He said it’s booked for ‘your sweetheart.’ Are you celebrating Neha’s birthday?”

Abhinay’s face turned pale, his eyes widening in shock. “Oh God!”

The driver, empathizing with Abhinay’s distress, accidentally bumped the car into an auto-rickshaw in his distraction