Chapter 4: All three holes of Sauni
The steam hung thick and wet, clinging to Sauni’s raw skin like a second, shameful layer. She stood half under the tepid shower spray, water sluicing pink-tinged rivulets down her thighs and calves, mixing with the cheap floral perfume Divya had spritzed earlier – a scent that now smelled cloying and false. Her entire body throbbed, a dull, insistent ache radiating from deep within, a physical echo of the violation that still echoed in the cramped silence. She scrubbed her stomach, her hips, the heavy curve of her 'wide backs' as her mother called them, harder than necessary, trying to erase the phantom pressure of Vishal’s hands, his mouth, his weight. Trying to scour away the memory of Divya’s guiding whispers, her practical instructions delivered with chilling detachment.
It was necessary. For the raise. The thought was a frail shield against the wave of nausea. She avoided the fogged mirror, but Vishal’s fingerprints – two distinct smudges high on the damp glass – seemed to burn through the condensation, mocking her.
On the closed toilet lid, Divya sat cross-legged like a satisfied cat, the stolen wad of rupee notes spread across her lap. The fan whined uselessly overhead, barely stirring the humid air thick with the mingled scents of sex, sweat, and that godawful perfume. Her fingers moved with quick, efficient flicks, counting.
"Forty-two thousand," Divya announced, her voice startlingly bright in the heavy quiet. She tapped the neat stack. "Not bad for twenty minutes' work, huh, Sauni? Way better than begging for scraps in his office." She didn't look up, utterly absorbed in the cash. The dim, flickering bulb cast shifting shadows across her face, hollowing her cheeks momentarily.
Sauni flinched at the word "work". She squeezed her eyes shut, letting the water pound onto her bowed head. The feel of the cold tiles beneath her feet, the gritty residue of soap she couldn’t seem to wash away – it all felt alien, disconnected. "He... he hurt," she whispered, the words thick and unfamiliar in her throat.
Divya finally glanced up, a flicker of impatience in her dark eyes. "Oh, come on. He was rough, sure. What did you expect? A picnic? He’s got decades of pent-up manager frustration." She gave a short, humorless laugh. "Consider it… enthusiastic appreciation. Look at this!" She fanned the notes slightly. "This buys security. This buys respect. You think anyone hands this kind of cash to someone they just feel sorry for?" She paused, her gaze sharpening as it landed on Sauni’s hunched shoulders, the angry red patches on her skin where she’d scoured herself. "Stop scrubbing, you idiot. You’re making it worse."
"He… inside…" Sauni choked out, unable to articulate the specific, violating depths. "He didn’t use… anything."
Divya waved a dismissive hand, a few notes fluttering. "So? You’re not exactly fertile ground, are you? Relax. Chances are microscopic." She resumed counting, her tone shifting to practical. "We split this fifty-fifty. Standard operating procedure. And tomorrow, we walk into his office, heads high, and remind him about that raise in writing. With back pay. This," she tapped the cash again, "is just the earnest money."
The bathroom door creaked open abruptly. Vishal stood silhouetted in the brighter light from the hallway, already buttoning his expensive shirt, his tie loosely knotted. The humid air rushed out past him. He looked rumpled, but utterly composed, a predator surveying its den. His eyes, sharp and assessing, swept over Divya counting the cash on the toilet, then lingered on Sauni, naked and dripping under the weak shower stream. A slow, satisfied smirk spread across his face, devoid of warmth.
"Counting your spoils already, Divya?" His voice was smooth, a low purr that scraped against Sauni’s nerves. "Efficient." He stepped fully into the cramped space, his presence instantly dominating it, making the walls feel closer. The smell of his cologne, sharp and woody, cut through the steam and perfume, another layer of his invasion.
Divya didn't flinch. She met his gaze squarely, a cool smile playing on her lips. "Just ensuring the terms were met, Vishal Sir. Looks like your wallet felt generous." She held up the stack slightly. "A down payment on our value, wouldn't you say?"
Vishal chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. He walked towards the sink, deliberately turning his back to Sauni, who froze under the spray, shrinking in on herself, wishing the chipped tiles would swallow her. He leaned close to the mirror, the one bearing his fingerprints. With deliberate slowness, he used the edge of his hand to wipe a clear arc through the fog, revealing his own reflection. He examined it, adjusted his collar, ran a hand through his hair. The casual vanity was obscene.
"Value is relative," he murmured, his eyes meeting Divya's in the mirror. Then he turned his head slightly, his gaze locking onto Sauni's reflection where she stood trembling. "Sauni surprised me. Didn't know she had it in her. Bit stiff, but... trainable." He said it like he was discussing office equipment.
Sauni felt the heat of humiliation flood her, hotter than the shower water. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, fingers digging into the soft flesh of her sides. Trainable. Like an animal.
Divya stood up, folding the cash neatly and tucking it into the small hidden pocket inside her skirt waistband. "Everyone has hidden talents, Sir. You just need the right... incentive to discover them." She stepped towards the door, radiating a confidence that felt brittle in the charged air. "We'll see you tomorrow about that raise confirmation? Nine sharp?"
Vishal turned fully, blocking her path to the door with his bulk. He looked past Divya, his gaze predatory again, fixed on Sauni. "Tomorrow, yes. The paperwork." He paused, letting the hum of the struggling fan fill the space. "But tonight... you both did well. Very." His smirk returned, wider, crueler. "So well, in fact, I want a repeat performance. This weekend. My place." He looked pointedly at Sauni. "Bring something… less like a sack next time. Maybe something red?" His eyes raked over her body, lingering. "Make an effort."
He didn't wait for an answer. He just shouldered past Divya, his expensive cuff brushing against her arm, and strode out, leaving the bathroom door gaping open. Cold air from the hallway rushed in, raising goosebumps on Sauni’s wet skin and swirling the steam into frantic, dissolving ghosts.
Sauni stared at the open door, the empty hallway beyond. The throbbing inside her intensified. This weekend. His place. Something red. The words echoed, hammering against the fragile shield of it was necessary. The stolen cash felt like ice burning in Divya’s pocket. The smudged fingerprints on the mirror seemed to pulse.
Divya let out a slow breath, her cool facade slipping for just a fraction of a second, revealing a flicker of something hard and calculating – and perhaps, buried deep, a sliver of unease. She looked at Sauni, shivering violently now under the failing shower stream.
"Well," Divya said, her voice regaining its light, sharp edge, though it lacked its earlier conviction. She gestured towards the open door, towards the world outside the cramped, violated bathroom. "Guess we’re shopping this weekend. Red it is." She didn't move. Neither did Sauni. The flickering bulb cast long, trembling shadows across the wet tiles, the dirty grout, the two women trapped in the humid aftermath, the manager's command hanging heavy and toxic in the air. The fan whined, fighting a losing battle.