Parinayanantaram

Mistake

I woke totally unrefreshed, the next day. The disappointment of the previous day immediately took control of my thoughts.

For a moment, I wanted to just leave her there and go back home. {What is the point of taking her with me if she feels uncomfortable with me?} But her face flashed in my mind, melting my anger. {I want her with me. Though she herself makes me angry, she also seems to have a calming effect on me. I cannot stay away from her.}

I took a good shower and came out of the bathroom with a towel around my waist.
There was a gasp and I turned towards the source of sound to find my wife rush out of the room. My clothes were on the bed. I got ready.

As I entered the main hall, aroma of coffee delighted me. I made myself comfortable on the couch and Siri appeared before me with a cup of coffee. But as usual, her head was bent low.

“Excuse me ...” her voice was so low, I thought she was whispering to herself.

I looked up at her. She was still not looking at me. {Oh god! When will she look at me properly? I am longing to find her beautiful fish-like eyes swim in my deep ocean-like eyes.}

She pushed the coffee mug ahead. I simply stared at it.

“Take it. Or the coffee will become cold.”

“Are you talking to me? I thought you were talking to the cup.”

“Am I insane to do that?”

“But you were looking at the cup …”

She finally looked at my face. I smirked. {My plan worked.} But she instantly lowered her gaze and put the cup on the table and left. I sighed and took it. As I sipped my coffee, Uncle entered the room.

“So, all set to leave?”

“I don’t know uncle. I am ready to leave. But I guess your daughter is not.”

He looked terrified. Aunty almost ran into the hall, from the kitchen. Both asked in chorus.
“What happened?”

“Nothing serious. She just didn’t tell that she was ready.”

They sighed in unison. “Oh. Wait I will immediately confirm it.” Aunty went to her room and came back with a rather sad looking Siri.
“She will miss us. That is her only problem. But she is ready to come with you. Isn’t it true Siri?”

Siri nodded. But no glow in her eyes. I sighed and grabbed the baggage from her hands and moved out.

“Wait son! Have breakfast with us. At least for the sake of Siri, we don’t know when she will be back.”

“I will be back in a moment. Just wanted to place the baggage in the car.” I answered and moved out.

After stuffing a lot of bags into the car, I went back and had a silent breakfast. I bid goodbye to Uncle and Aunty and patiently waited for Siri to follow me.

It was a silent ride for about half an hour, and I was getting bored of driving.

Normally I would prefer to listen to music while driving. But now that she was sitting beside me, I wanted to hear her sweet voice. However, there seemed no sign of her opening her mouth voluntarily. {I guess I should take the initiative of getting those jewels called words out of her mouth.} I sighed and spoke.

“Why are you silent?”

“What is there to speak?”

“Anything …”

“Ok … A B C D E ….”

“Wait … wait, what are you saying …”

“You wanted me to say something … nothing else came to my mind.”

“Really …?” {This girl is unbelievable!}

“Wait … no … something else also came to my mind … 1 2 3 4 5 …”

“Are you crazy???”

“May be …”

“Why are you so rude to me? What have I done to you?”

“You married me.”

Her cold behaviour was making me angry. {Enough is enough. How much should I bear and for how long? I have been waiting for her to adjust to me and understand me. I have given her a lot of time. More than the time any husband would give to his wife but she never noticed it. I did it because I respected her freedom and wanted her to feel comfortable with me, to feel free with me and accept me more as a friend. I wanted the bond between us to strengthen in that way. But she is accusing marriage! She does not have faith on that one bondage that holds us together!} I wanted to yell, out of pain she was giving me. But I composed myself. Me yelling will only increase the distance between us.

“Exactly! I married you. I did not do anything wrong. If you had any problem regarding the marriage, then you should have denied the marriage. Why have you agreed then?”

“As I already informed you, Genius; I had no other choice.”

She was still looking out of the window. I felt extremely irritated. {She seriously knew how to make a person feel worthless. I wanted to hang myself, for the way she was ignoring me … like I never existed. Someone please tell her how much it hurts. I am dying here for one look of her.}

“Look at me Dumb head!”

{Was that me? I never usually lose my calm. I have never shouted at anyone till now, throughout my life! But this girl was the first to bring out this hidden demon in me.}

Her head snapped towards me.

“Sorry for shouting at you. But from now on, if I am speaking to you, you should LOOK AT ME. Do you get it? If you ignore me, or look elsewhere … well you would not want to know what I can do …”

She swallowed and nodded her head. I knew that she was shocked.