Dark Desire - Part 1 of 4

‘Kate, darling I am home! Where are you?’ Tony opened the door with his door key and hollered. Kate was his pretty but bossy wife of five years. It was a love marriage and though they fought regularly, they were very much in love. They stayed in an apartment in Islington, London.
‘In the kitchen – where else?’ Kate retorted.
Kate was a very bad cook and though she tried very hard to prepare elaborate dishes for Tony, her dishes always turned out to be disasters. Tony being a very loving husband, always manfully tried to eat the dishes that she cooked. Kate was simply not interested in cooking, being more interested in painting. She would start cooking while still painting and often forget about the cooking, so that the food would end up being badly burnt or overcooked.
Kate was also a very hot tempered lady. Once she had asked “Should I cook roast potato or mashed potato?” He had jokingly responded that ‘We will name the dish after you finish cooking!’ This had led to a big fight and she had not spoken to him for two days. Since then he had stopped joking about this ultra-sensitive topic. Today when he asked what was for dinner, Kate responded by asking, ‘Why are you so late?’ Tony had been working hard the whole day and was very hungry. Shuffling his foot impatiently and rubbing his hand in irritation he said, ‘I will tell you later. First give me some food!’
‘You eat too much! You will have to wait at least half an hour for dinner.’ Kate said. Tony made a noise like a ton of gravel falling. Kate asked in surprise, ‘What was that noise?’ Aware of his wife’s hot temper, Tony hurriedly said, ‘Nothing! Darling please give me some food soon. I will die of hunger!’ At that moment there was a burning smell and giving a little scream, Kate rushed back to the kitchen.
She said, ‘Now the chicken is burnt! It is entirely your fault. Why do you disturb me when I am cooking?’ Tony muttered under his breath, ‘A bad carpenter blames his tools!’ Kate asked, ‘What did you say?’
‘Nothing!’ Tony hurriedly said. He wanted to keep peace in the house at any cost. ‘Is there bread butter?’ Kate said, ‘Sorry Tony, I will try to be a better cook. Yes there is bread and butter in the house.’
Tony kissed Kate tenderly and said, ‘No problem, we will have bread and butter for dinner tonight. Just let me change my dress.’ Tony was working as an officer in a private sector bank. Kate had been working in an advertisement agency. She had come to open an account in the bank where Tony was working. It had been love at first sight for both of them and after a whirlwind courtship they were now happily married. Kate had given up her work after marriage and was a housewife now. But she was socially very active and was very popular among her friends. She went out for lunch parties and was a bit extravagant. Tony had to constantly caution her not to overspend as they were planning to buy their own apartment by taking a mortgage and hence had to conserve their money.
Next day Tony was in the middle of work, when Kate called his cell. ‘Tony have you taken my front door key?’
‘What why the hell should I take your key?’ – Tony said loudly. But the damage was done. All his colleagues understood that his wife was calling him. They all knew his wife and always found the conversation between husband and wife to be very entertaining. So pretending to bend over their desks they waited eagerly for the next instalment of the conversation.
Kate said in a loud voice, ‘Tony, mind your language! I know for sure you have taken my keys.’
Tony snapped in a lower voice, ‘Why do you always blame me? You must be making some mistake! Please check again.’
While he was talking he checked his pocket and he found that he had taken Kate’s keyring. He said hurriedly in a softer voice, ‘Darling why do you need the keys? I will buy all the groceries on my way back.’
On hearing his softened tone, Kate said, ‘Tony now I know for sure that you have taken my keys! It is in your pocket!’
Tony again denied having the keys and after soothing his wife down by promising to buy groceries without fail, he got down to work. His colleague and friend of many years, Richard asked, ‘You have her keys in your pocket. How will you convince her that you did not take the keys?’
Tony boasted, ‘Oh I am not at all afraid of her! I will manage – you just see!’
Richard looked at the rest of the officers and they were all smiling. Nobody believed Tony, and they were all aware of Kate’s temper.
Just then a very sexy girl around 23 years, in a skin tight jeans and T-shirt entered the bank. All the male bank employees pointed like a gundog, but she went straight to Tony’s desk. All his colleagues sighed enviously at his good luck and sadly went back to their work keeping one ear open to their conversation.