We didn't spend much time in further discussions and hit the bed immediately. Arun and Vinit had plans to leave the next day morning but Rahul was working at San Francisco office on Tuesday so he planned to leave on Tuesday evening. Rahul and Rohini were staying at our place next day.

As we hit the bed, I wondered if Rohini and Rahul really planned to conduct secret ballot tomorrow morning. Were they interested in involving other couples? After all, it was clear that Mansi was interested in bedding Rahul as well. And Mansi was the main driver behind this episode.

Not surprisingly, Rahul brought up the topic at the breakfast table next morning. Arun, Vinit, Nisha, and Dolly were all dressed up to leave immediately after the breakfast. It was already 10:00am and even Rahul had plans to visit a friend of his for most of the day returning only for dinner. All of us agreed for an anonymous vote on the topic. It was more of a survey. The survey was very trivial, it had three questions:

•Did you enjoy yesterday's evening with your partner? •Would you be interested in taking this to the next step? •If not, would you be interested in a repeat of such event (a soft form of partner swap, it clarified)?

Not surprisingly the answer to the first question was a resounding yes from each one of us. The answer to the next one was a "NO" from 6 participants. And the answer to third again was a "NO" from 6 participants.

I came to know a little later that only Rahul and I had voted "YES" for the last two questions. Even Mansi and Rohini had answered "NO." I was quite puzzled by the reaction, since Rohini had assured that the plan would be a success. Immediately after the breakfast we saw Arun, Vinit, Nisha, and Dolly off. Rahul said he had some office work and that he had to meet a colleague that day to discuss a system that was supposed to go live the following weekend.

Rahul left almost immediately after the other folks left and Mansi got busy tiding up the house. Rohini took me downstairs to have a word with me. We entered our gym and occupied the vacant sofas. Despite being a Saturday morning it was almost deserted.


"Mansi is suffering from guilty conscience," she started, "She didn't vote for it."

"So, who was the other one," I asked.

"Rahul!"

"What about you?" I asked, "Why didn't you?"

"What's the point?"

"Besides, I have a better plan," she said.

"What?"

"Well, we don't need to involve other couples in it."

"Anyway, they don't seem to be interested."

"That way, we could have more time for each other," she added.

I could only nod my approval.

"It would require some persuasion before Mansi accepts her rightful role!"

"Becoming his mistress," she clarified.

"But if she is not interested then I guess we don't have to fret over it," I managed to say, implying that it would be in our interests, anyway. It started since both of us didn't want our marriages to be ruined due to sexual passions of our spouses. Although, I said this, I was a little bit disappointed underneath.

"That is the point."

"She eventually would succumb to him!"

"But we need to guard against her having a guilty conscience."

"As that would mean that she would be torn apart between her lust for Rahul and her love for you."

"She should feel that it is okay to have such a dual existence," Rohini clarified. She understood the situation pretty well. Considering the turn of events in the theatre, it was clear that Mansi would have voted for it, if not only for her devotion to the sanctity of our marriage. She must have realized that her uncontrolled lust towards him could have seriously jeopardized our marriage.

"This is where you come in," she explained, "to help Rahul."

"You need to subtly convey that you are okay with this," she continued.

"Mansi and Rahul need to know that you desire them to mate on every possible opportunity." Her choice of words conveyed very clearly that the relationship was to be founded on sex. I was getting excited by the conversation.

"In fact, it should be clear to them, through your subtle actions that you are making way for their mating sessions," she elaborated further.

"How?" I asked.

"Consistently surrender your weekend privileges with Mansi, to ensure that they get more time together."

"Sooner or later Mansi would get the message."

"Besides you always have me to satisfy yourself," she clarified.

"It is hard to do something like that," I complained, "without being obvious."

"A trick is never a trick when you practice it everyday!"

"Make it a habit to go to bed early always; even if it means going to bed without her."

"Make love to her after she comes to the bed."

"Or the next day morning," she added.

"Let her decide when to hit your bed."

"That is if at all she wants to sleep with you for the night," she added teasing me.

"All this would take time," I complained.

"Yes, it took us a year to reach this stage."

"I am certain that by the year end she would be Rahul's mistress."

"I don't know her state of mind," I complained, "without that I can't really approach this topic."

"My instinct tells me that she would never agree to such an open swap of wives," Rohini explained.

"Even when only four of us are involved."

"She would be too embarrassed to do such a thing." "I am planning to talk to her in the afternoon."

"You can eavesdrop on our conversation," she added.

We went back upstairs after this. Mansi and I didn't really spend much time talking with each other, particularly we didn't discuss about last night events. After lunch, I retired to our study room saying that I needed a nap. I had let Rohini know that she should talk with Mansi in our master bedroom on our bed, so that through the wall I can hear what they are talking about. The walls were pretty thin and if you glued your ear to the wall, you could clearly hear what went in the other bedroom. Our single bed was on the other side of the wall, where I was pretending to be asleep.

Half an hour after I hit the bed, I heard both Mansi and Rohini move into the master bedroom. They locked the door behind them; the door to my room was locked as well.

"Now tell me," I heard Rohini say, "How did it go yesterday?"

"Oh it was good," Mansi responded coldly.

"Just good?" Rohini probed her.

"I am feeling a bit guilty now," Mansi responded, "things went out of hand."

"So, you capitalized on the opportunity after all," Rohini said.

"Yes, I did."

"Good for you!"

"I don't think the swapping idea is good," said Mansi as Rohini had predicted.

"I guessed."

"You must have voted against it."

"You didn't enjoy it?" Rohini asked more to understand the reason behind it.

"I enjoyed it."

"But it just doesn't seem proper."

"I feel as if I am cheating on Ajoy."

"Why do you think so?" asked Rohini, "I can assure you that he had his own share of fun." Looking back at the events, I realized that it was Rohini who had all the pleasure; I was left hard and dry. She compensated me by letting me use the time to watch Mansi and Rahul in action, though.

"What?"

"Did he?"

"He made a move on you?" Mansi asked excitedly.

"Your husband is so shy," she said, "I had to provide him lot of encouragement before he could enjoy himself."

"Yes, Ajoy is a sweet guy."

"He can't take advantage of anyone," said Mansi knowing me very well for more than 7 years now.

"You would notice that even I hadn't answered yes," said Rohini.

"With such a large group, it is too risky," she added.

"Oh," said Mansi surprised with her admission.

"It would be cozy if it were just the four of us," said Rohini.

"I could be more comfortable with that," replied Mansi, "but I can't muster courage to openly indulge in it."

"I know," said Rohini agreeing with her, "it is hard for us, considering our strict, moral upbringing."

"Are you tempted to, though?" asked Rohini.

"Of course," said Mansi.

"Did you find out if Rahul would be good enough for you?" Rohini asked directing the conversation to sexual aspects of last evening.

"I know what you are talking about," Mansi said sheepishly.

"So is he good enough?"

"I can't imagine how you can take such a big thing," she said in response.

"How big was it?" Rohini joked. Mansi realized that only slapped her thigh, I guessed.

"I find it hard and it is very painful too," Rohini responded seriously.

"What about you?" asked Rohini, "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Of course," Mansi said very confidently.

"But I don't want to jeopardize my marriage," added Mansi thoughtfully.

"What if you were confident that this would not jeopardize your marriage?" asked Rohini probing her further.

"In that case it should be fine, I guess," Mansi responded calmly.

"It would be just fine?" Rohini implored.

"I would have to admit," Mansi started opening up, "that it would be very pleasurable for me."

"I am pretty confident that it would be pleasurable for Rahul, as well," Rohini said.

"But how pleasure would it be?" Rohini continued the thread.

"Very much," was Mansi's short response. Rohini didn't say anything and I guessed she was looking into her eyes to get a detailed report. Mansi embarrassed with her look asked, "What?'

"Well would it be more pleasurable than your sex with Ajoy?" Rohini spelled it out for her. Mansi didn't respond for a moment but the mustering some courage she said, "You know the answer."

"It is not as if you don't know it."

"Well, I know it. But I needed to hear it from you," Rohini explained.

"I guess so," Mansi replied reluctantly.

"Guess what?" Rohini said as her patience was getting tested.

"That sex with Rahul would be far more pleasurable than sex with Ajoy," Mansi finally admitted.

"Would you opt for sex with Rahul, if you had a choice?" Rohini asked trying to get detailed information about Mansi's mental state.