“We are married. There’s no issue in us having a good sexual life. Stop asking me such questions.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” she says. “If you guys got intimate even after you asked for a divorce, then maybe that’s what your marriage has reduced down to. There’s no harm in it, if you want it, of course.”
Bile rises in my throat. I am disgusted.
“Chhavi, you have a very shallow mindset,” I say, and her face instantly changes into one of shock. “If you weren’t a guest of my mother, I wouldn’t take a second to show you what talking shit about my husband and my marriage gets you.”
“I was just concerned,” she says as I get up from my seat. I put the amount of money it will cost for today’s lunch on the table.
“There’s a difference in being concerned and being crass about your sister’s relationship. If I didn’t know any better, I would assume you want me to get a divorce. Clearly, coming to London doesn’t change your stupid mindset.”
I pick up my car keys from the table.
“Pay the bill with this money and take a cab back home. I am not letting you sit in myhusband’scar.”
She looks at me, furious, but I am way more furious than her.
I don’t care ifMaagets mad at me for leaving her here, but I am not letting her sit in his car. It is only a shame that I will beletting her live under our roof for the rest of the remaining hours of the day.
* * *
“Where’s Chhavi?”Maaasks as soon as I come home.
“She wanted to explore,” I say as an excuse. I don’t want to tell her that her dearest daughter of her brother talked so much shit about her son-in-law.
“And you left her alone?”
“She wanted to do it on her own. Besides, she is an adult. I gave her enough money to make her way back home. She knows how to book a cab.”
“Did she say something?” she asks, and Mom looks at me intently, probably able to tell that I am hiding something.
“Just some stuff about my and Reyansh’s relationship she shouldn’t have said. But that’s who she is. She has a habit of talking shit.”
“Just a few more hours till she is here, hm,”Maasays, and I nod.
Just a few more hours.
“Did Reyansh leave?” I ask.
“Yes,” she says. “He had a meeting with someone.”
I nod. Good thing he isn’t here because then I would just accidentally let my anger out on him, which isn’t a good thing at all.
I silently go to my own room and lie down on the bed.
While I know what she said wasn’t true at all, I can’t help but overthink all over again.
She just triggered my fears once again, and now I am annoyed.
I just hope what she said doesn’t turn out to be true.
I wouldn’t survive if Reyansh decided to leave me one day.
I would go mad if he did. I have only ever loved him, after all. In a way that doesn’t come often, in a way that isn’t easy at all.
But if it was him, it was worth it.
I just hope it remains that way.
