“Baby, you have a wardrobe full of clothes you have never worn or worn only once,” he says, and I pass him a sharp look.
“You can’t have an opinion on fashion; you wear tailored suits everywhere,” I tell him, and he raises his hands in surrender.
“Fair. All I wanted to let you know was that I have some work to do, and I will meet you there. Aarav will be coming to pick you up.”
I frown. “What work do you have at this hour?”
“Some stuff.”
That’s the vaguest thing he could have said to me. I feel my nerves racking, anxiety bubbling in my chest, and my stomach dipping.
I know he won’t do anything obnoxious after whispering sweet nothings to me, but my faith in him has wavered a lot, and I do not have much faith left in this relationship.
“So, I will be going to a wedding event without my husband, got it.”
I make sure my tone is sarcastic because nothing works better on a man than taunting him about where he is lacking. Sarcasm bruises a male ego better than any sharp words could ever.
“If it wasn’t important, I wouldn’t be going.”
“Sure.”
He hesitates to say something after that, and a minuscule part of me actually hopes that he says something. Something to convince me, but he chooses to stay quiet.
And after a few minutes of me not giving him anything to answer to from my side, he finally leaves.
Just like always, I find myself back to square one.
* * *
“Let me putkaala teekaon you,”Maasays after having clicked hundreds of photos of me from that very bad angle that is going to make my face look fatter than it is.
“Maa,do it fast. Aarav said he will be here in five minutes, and you know he cribs a lot,” I say, tired now. I need to sit. Thislehengais heavy, and I haven’t worn this in years and completely forgot that it itches.
My heels are already stubbing my toe, and I need to take them off before I wear them for an entire night of dancing, drinking, and eating.
“Who cares? He will get an earful from me if he cribs out loud,” she says before putting a huge dot behind my ear and kissing my cheek. “You look beautiful.”
I can’t even disagree. I chose to wear a baby pinklehenga, and it actually goes well with my tanned skin.
“I know,” Mom adds. “She looks like a princess. Too bad my son isn’t here to appreciate the beauty. Honestly, his loss.”
I chuckle, butMaahas different opinions.
“He must have had his reason,” she says.
I roll my eyes but don’t say anything. I don’t want to argue about something she won’t agree with me on.
“Nothing should be more important thanhisAisha for him. Especially when he is trying to win her back. But he is a man. What can we expect from him?”
Before she can say anything, Aarav’s call breaks the silence, and I take my bag in hand to leave.
“He is here,” I tell them. “Plus, he said he won’t come inside. We are already late. I will see you guys later.”
“Aisha,” Mom calls me one last time before I step out of the door. “For tonight, forget about Reyansh, the divorce, and our expectations.”
I stare at her, perplexed by her words.
“Focus on you. Bring the old Aisha back. Even if only for tonight. You deserve it.”
