“I am done,” I say, out of breath. I let go of the rods abruptly. My arms hurt. My fingers ache, and I just want to go back to bed.
Thankfully, he maintains his hold on me, and I fall right into his arms. This close I am able to see the warmth in his eyes—one I was too familiar with in the past. One that was missing for a long time. I don’t know what has changed, what switch I flipped in him when I said I wanted a divorce.
But it does make me wonder whether he would have done the same had I not said that I wanted a divorce. Would he still have changed his ways? Would he still re-examine his behavior? I guess I will never know.
“Are you okay, Aisha?” My name rolls around his tongue easily the way he says it, and I nod.
That’s all I can manage to do.
“Yes,” I say. “You can put me down.”
His eyes that roam all over my face as if he were trying to memorize every inch of it finally meet my eyes, and I can’t help the sly smile that takes over my lips.
We stay silent for a while, trying to figure out how to ease the awkwardness that has suddenly fallen on us.
“Now you look like you have worked out,” he says, and I chuckle.
“Yes,” I say, scrunching at the amount of sweat on my body. “I am going to get ready for the office. I have a long day ahead.”
He nods before gathering our belongings in his hand and walking ahead of me.
“And Aisha?” He calls me out as I go over the past five minutes over and over again in my mind.
“Yes, Reyansh?”
“I am dropping you off at your office today.”
* * *
To rile up Reyansh, I choose to take my sweet time getting ready. Instead of my usual office attire, I chose to wear a brown saree that clings to my skin perfectly with a matching blouse. I am lucky enough that my colleagues are used to me showing up in Indian attire. Most even love it, and I have gotten a few Indian outfits for my female colleagues.
The only reason why I am taking so long to get ready is so that he will get fed up and leave. I won’t be surprised if he did. I don’t want to spend more time alone with him. I lose my sense of rational thinking when it is just me and him. I forget everything, everyone, and every single one of my promises to myself. Everyone, including my own thoughts, becomes background music.
“Aisha,” Maa calls my name loudly. “Reyansh is waiting. Aren’t you getting late?”
“Coming,” I say, gathering courage to go out and face the situation.
You can do it. He is only your husband.
When I walk out, I am well aware of the eyes on me. Not only of my husband but also of our mothers. Maa has a proud smile on her face, and I can just feel the heat in my husband’s eyes.
I am not so nonchalant, but my poker face is strong and doesn’t give away the way I am smirking inside.
Tit for tat.
“I am ready,” I say, and he finally looks back at my face. Was he just ogling me in front of our mothers? Shameless
“I can see,” he says, coughing loudly, and I smile. I can’t even help it.
If he wants to stay close to me, then he will have to pay a small price of his sanity. I won’t let him touch me. But it doesn’t hurt to tease him now, does it?
“You look beautiful, Aisha.” Mom comes to kiss me on the cheek, and I smile so hard that my cheeks hurt.
“Thank you, Mom.” I look at Maa, who looks as if she can cry anytime soon. She always says I look like a big girl in Indian attire, and it makes her emotional thinking her baby girl is now an adult.
“I might be late tonight, but I’ll let you know how late so you guys don’t wait up for me,” I said, grabbing my purse and phone.
Before I can make a move to leave, he grabs mysaree pallu,which was mopping the floor all this while, in his hand, and that makes my heart skip a beat.
