Gluttonous Maximus - A Short Story

Chapter 5
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On the night of the heist, Nathan approached Anita’s house with a mix of excitement and nervousness. The stakes were high—if he failed, he risked humiliation in front of his colleagues. Quickly pushing away these thoughts, he reminded himself that he had never failed before, so why would tonight be any different? This time, he had come prepared with extra Tupperware containers, Ziploc bags, and additional backpacks. Ensuring their car wasn’t in the driveway, he picked the lock and slipped inside. Without wasting a moment, he headed straight for the kitchen.

To his surprise, the reality did not match the expectations he had conjured in his mind from listening to her conversations. There was no sprawling kitchen island as he had imagined, but instead a cramped kitchen with dirty and greasy countertop. More unsettling was the absence of the anticipated flavors and aromas of freshly cooked Diwali feast. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach. This heist felt different from any he had done before. His hands trembled involuntarily as he opened the fridge. He felt as if his lung had been punctured when he saw the contents of the fridge. Instead of the promised feast, he found nearly empty beer cans, a jar of fungus-covered red goop emitting a highly acidic smell, stale takeaway chips, opened soda cans, and aged carrots that had transformed into unrecognizable shapes. Nathan couldn’t bring himself to investigate further items lurked in the fridge. He shut the fridge door and gasped for air. It was only then that he noticed a foul smell in the house, which he had been too excited and preoccupied to detect earlier.

Puzzled, he looked around. There were no signs of a bustling household—no children’s toys, no items used by teenage boys, no men’s clothing, and no family photos. The only footwear in sight were Anita’s own shoes. There was absolutely no indication that anyone else lived in this house besides Anita.

(To be continued...)​

 

Chapter 6​

The next day, back in the conference room, Nathan sat at the head of the table. With a few minutes left before the meeting was set to start, the team members appeared relaxed.

Anita was at it again, “Seriously, I am not joking! Last night, I spent 5 full hours making the feast. Oh, the parathas with extra ghee and the Chicken tikka masala - my boys couldn’t get enough of them,” she said, beaming.

Nathan felt a surge of anger rising within him. He remembered the disappointment of the previous night, walking home carrying the empty Tupperware boxes. He could have attempted another house from his calendar, but he was too consumed with fury at being deceived by Anita’s embellished stories. He didn’t have the mental space to plan another heist. For the first time in years, he went to bed without dinner. And now, here was Anita, continuing her charade without a hint of remorse. He couldn’t bear it any longer.

Determined to uncover the truth, Nathan delved into Anita’s personal file. What he found confirmed his suspicions: Anita was never married. Her elaborate stories about her family, her children, and the lavish meals she claimed to prepare were all fabrications.

As Nathan processed this revelation, a wave of understanding washed over him. Was Anita yearning for a large family of her own? Did she cook and care for this imaginary family as a way to live out a fantasy? Her elaborate tales suddenly seemed less like deceit and more like a desperate attempt to fill a void in her life.

His heart softened as he considered Anita's situation. If she was indeed struggling with mental illness, then what did that make him? Nathan realized that while he yearned to receive care and love, Anita yearned to give it, albeit in a misguided way. Could she be the missing piece that would finally complete him?

Thoughts of his own mortality crept in. His heists had already become less frequent as he aged. What would happen when he could no longer carry them out at all? The prospect unsettled him.

For a moment, a vivid image formed in his mind: Anita in his home, cooking those elaborate meals with care. He imagined her serving hot and tasty parathas straight from the pan, all the while listening to him talk about his day. He liked that picture.

(To be continued...)​

 

Chapter 7​

Anita couldn’t make sense of the whirlwind of the past six months, which had compensated for forty uneventful years of her life. It was when things seem to go out of hand, she realised she needed professional help.

“It was like a dream - it all happened so quick,” she told Dr. Mathews.

“Could you elaborate on that day?” Dr. Mathews asked incredulously.

“Ok, to put it simply, he used to be my boss. One day, out of blue, he came to my desk and asked if I want to go for a walk. It is a big deal, ok, he is very strict and rarely talks to anyone outside of work. I thought I am definitely getting canned. Halfway through the walk, I noticed, he looked really nervous, and said somethings that for the life of me I couldn’t understand. He said things like, he knows what I am going through, and that, erm... he is in the same boat as I am, and that we could save eachother as we are the two pieces of puzzle that snap tight into perfection. Really Doctor, I am telling you, it was as if I am watching a foreign movie without subtitles. Then all of a sudden, he grabbed a ring out of his pocket and asked if I want to marry him.”

Dr. Mathews didn't match Anita's energy and sounded like he had heard similar stories before when he asked, "Was there no indication before that he was interested in you?"

“None at all.”

“And yet you said Yes?”

“Oh, I said a resounding, HD quality Yes! At that point, I was fantasizing about having a family, thinking it would never happen to me. This was the closest that I ever came to have a relationship - and it was Diwali time, I was even depressed having to spend this day alone in my tiny cramped home.”

“Did you have a big wedding?”

“No, it was just us the two of us.”

“Oh he insisted that?”

“No I did. You see at that point I have been telling.... Erm.... spinning stories to my coworkers, portraying a life I didn’t have, as I didnt want to look like a loser ... “

“What kind of stories”

"That I had a big family, three kids," Anita admitted, allowing the therapist a moment to absorb this new information.

Even this didn’t shake his calm demeanor, he continued, “So, Nathan assumed you were married with children, and he still proposed?"

“Yes, I said ‘Nathan, everything I have been saying - they are all lies’ and he replied with ‘I know’,” said Anita and mocked a scream and continued, “He also said that he strictly don’t need anymore explanations, and I was very happy not having to give one.”

“Hmm. Then you got married?"

“Yes within a month. I quit my job first - you know, I don’t want to face my colleagues. Besides, Nathan said my full-time job was to take care of him, and he promised to ensure my comfort for life. Wasn’t that sweet?”

“Then what happened?”

“We had a short, very short honey moon period. And one day, that’s when everything
came tumbling down”

“Oh”

“He bought 2 bags of groceries and asked me to cook some Parathas, Butter chicken Masala and samosas. I laughed and said, 'Honey, I can’t even boil water without setting of the fire alarm. How did you expect me to cook all this?' But he didn't laugh with me. He asked, ‘What about the feasts you bragged about to the staff?’. I reminded him, 'I told them those were all lies, didn’t I?' He was like, 'I thought you meant about having a family, not cooking.' I said, 'Sweetheart, my inability to cook was precisely why I never had a family.' Oh his face turned all red, like he got slapped by a ghost. I thought he was going to cry, or kill. He asked, ‘Ok, will you at least try and learn to cook all those dishes?’ I said, ‘Why would I do that? I hate the smell of onions, and the sight of Indian food.’ I was very confused. He always smelt of food, even his briefcase. So I assumed he loved cooking and I could escape the kitchen for the rest of my life.”

"Then what happened?"

“Oh you wouldn’t believe. He started crying, aloud! Like a 10 year old boy. From then on, he stopped talking to me, failed to acknowledge my presence in the house. Sometimes he sneaks out in the middle of the night and comes back just before dawn reeking of food. I dont know where he goes. I didn’t care as long as he doesn’t bother me. Then 2 weeks back, he came back with wounds all over his face. He repeatedly said, ‘I failed for the first time. I lost the knack for it’ and he blamed me for the loss of his confidence. I had no idea what he was talking about. Then he started behaving even more strangely. He would buy loads of food and transfer them into these massive Tupperware containers he got. And he eats from them. Doctor, believe me when I say this, in the last two weeks he hasn't stopped eating. I haven't seen him sleep. I'm really worried about him. You must come talk to him."

The End​

 

THank you for your comments Rihana, and pointing out the subtle things. Glad you liked the story... Hope whatever was on the stove turned out ok...