It started with a frivolous inquiry, ‘Are you my friend?, my six year old demanding an answer from the newly setup, bun shaped, Google Home Mini assistant.

The device blinked its four tiny LED’s on its top, as if wondering what to respond. ‘Yes, I’am!’, it said. My kid listened with rapture and declared, ‘I’am your friend!’. The assistant was quick this time. ‘Thanks, good to hear that. Now, I can share my secrets with you!’, it ejaculated.

My kid was impressed, but, I was not.

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Two days earlier, I had transferred a considerable amount of money to my friend’s bank account, to meet his personal expenses. ‘After all, that is what friends are for!’ was the instant thought, and which lasted until I rang the doorbell of my apartment.

I’am a sort of a straight forward guy, who do not hide anything from my wife. But, on this occasion, I decided to keep it a secret. My wife hates it, when my money goes into rotation. Yes, it is a fact that some of them had never returned the money, and my wife had always warned about such people, not to fall in their traps.

I knew my friend was not a deadbeat, and that he would return the sum, sooner or later. It is only that he needed the money badly that I could not refuse.

Moreover, I had promised jewellery on our wedding anniversary, which was just three weeks away.

I had sworn to myself that I would let my wife know all about the mega secret that I was holding on to, when my friend clears the loaned amount. I must say, I might have been mighty pleased at my thought at that moment. But, little did I assume that keeping a secret means meandering around that secret, non-stop, which I learnt was exhausting.

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The word ‘secret’ from the Google Home Mini device had struck hard on my head, and unknowingly to me, it pulled an anxious chord that seems to affect my usually calm disposition.

I tried to change the subject by watching the Television, hoping to entertain my brain. I looked coltish though, to my wife, who had just returned from the library with a Stephen King novel, ‘Secret Window, Secret Garden’. I turned pale. The king of horror stories was, by now, guiding me through the path to trepidation.

My wife gave one good look at me. ‘Abhishek, is everything okay? Is there something that is bothering you?’ she questioned. ‘No, I’am good Bhavana… Good’, I lied.

To avoid her, I went to the bedroom and slumped face-down on the bed. Weird thoughts kept taunting me. I began to think of sharing my thoughts to someone or something.
I began to think of an old grandma story, where a hungry king had to eat chaff, after which, he requested his minister not to share it with anybody. The minister, who could not hold on to the secret, eventually shared it, loudly, to a tree’s hollow. The tree when cut, echoed the king’s secret to the outside world. I laughed at that thought.

By then, my brain was beginning to nag. It was, as if I had a dual personality. One trying to pacify me and the other, trying to drain me. I knew I would not lie to my wife, then, why am I concealing this truth from her.

I have had enough experience from the past. Her temper varied in accordance with the amount rotated with my friends. The temper never really glorified her, and she would return back sooner than expected, surprising me. That is why I liked her. ‘Only that temper…’ I thought.

While I was lost in the shuffle, I did not hear my wife enquire about the jewellery that I had promised. ‘Ah!.. that remains.. as promised’ I lied again, mildly.

‘Also, my brother Bhavesh is visiting us soon’, she explained. ‘Great! it’s been sometime I met that young man’ I said joyfully. For the first time, my mind diverted. ‘He is planning to buy a car and needs a loan. Would you be kind enough to spare him some amount?’ she questioned. The apprehension returned. ‘Yeah. Yeah.. sure.. I shall try’ I said. But how?

I was angry, but, I wasn’t sure on whom I should be angry with; wife, brother-in-law or friend? I just wanted to show my wrath on someone and then, self-satisfy. My mind was favoring me to believe that my friend was the cause, and I was beginning to take pleasure of that thought.

So, what next? Do I take a loan myself? From a friend or bank? That only meant another secret kept.

I was lost in angst, when I noticed my mobile phone ringing. It was him. What does he want now? More money? I seem to lose my composure and was beginning to feel the icy grip of anger and dread.

‘Hello Abhishek’, the mobile vibrated. I did not respond, mostly due to hate. But, the voice continued, ‘Thanks dear, for lending me the money when I needed the most. You are, the one, whom I could trust with my life’. I was not pleased and decided to remain still. ‘I want you to do me another favor’ it requested. I had enough; and before I thought he could lament, I said in a rather forcefully polite tone ‘Look here Vivek. I had shared whatever I could. There is none.’ There was a momentary pause. ‘Hahahaha…’ the voice on the other end bellowed. ‘No dear, I just wanted to say a thanks, as your money saved me from the blushes. Fortunately, my loan is cleared now and I have transferred the amount in its entirety to your bank account’. I felt thumped and looked silly. ‘Thanks again. And I was asking to do me a favor to meet me for a drink tomorrow. Hahaha..’ it ended. I could not contain myself. I did not know whether I had to laugh. I became numb. ‘Okay, it is still a secret. How do I reveal it to my dear wife’, I pondered.

The phone had gone dead, and I might have held it to my ear for nearly a minute, motionless, when my wife entered the bedroom.

I was drained and feared depression. Hence, I decided to reveal the secret to my wife.

With a weak smile, I hugged my wife and told her everything, in all candour that I could gather and in one breath. All the while I held her tight in my arms, fearing that a slight loosening of the grip would bring her fearful self.

To my surprise, yet again, she placed her palms on my cheek and said. ‘I’am aware of it. I had read the message sent by the bank to your mobile phone. I was absolutely sure that you would never lie to me, whatever had been the reason behind you lending the money’, she explained calmly.

Tears of joy rolled out of my eyes, and I smiled with all my heart, for the first time, in more than two days.

All the while, and unaware of the happenings, the kid had strolled outside the living room to play with its friends. I was relieved and a new man now. I saw the Google Home Mini lying in the corner and decided to request a song, ‘Okay Google, play me a song’.

It played ‘Secrets’ by ‘One Republic’. But, I was not a miserable clod anymore.