I kiss Aniket on the cheek, and fall asleep beside him.
I don't wake up for another twelve hours, exhausted from working my three day shift.
When I wake up, Aniket is curled around me. I pry his hands off of me, and get out of the bed. I wash off the blood splattered on my body and take a long hot shower to ease the soreness.
I head downstairs after I get dressed in a simple floor length dress, and start making breakfast. After Alisha dropped me off at my house last night, I came up to my room and feel asleep beside a sleeping Aniket.
Everyone in the house woke up after me. It was six in the morning and Aniket was still sleeping. At least, that's what I think. I haven't been up to check on him. I made his coffee, but I'm still scared to face him after our little fight.
I finished making breakfast and ate in the kitchen, away from the criticizing eyes of my mother who would tell me to eat after my husband.
I didn't know what I was going to do today. I couldn't go back to work, since I had completed my hours. And I had nothing else to do.
I decided to spend my day getting to know Aniket as Alisha suggested. That is, if he doesn't go to work. I don't even know what he does. I know that he is the CEO of a company, but I don't know more than that.
As I walk into the living room, a woman is sitting on the couch, watching some drama. She had raven black hair, neatly combed and very short. I couldn't take a look at her face. The front door was locked, so she is not an intruder. And she can't be the maid with the authority she has to sit cross-legged on the couch. She must be a relative. I decide to approach her, when Aniket strides down the stairs and takes a seat beside her. He kisses her cheek and pulls her in closer; the girl snuggles into him and puts her dirty little hands around my husbands' waist.
I clear my throat, trying to get his attention. He turns to look at me, glaring at me, and goes back to watching the drama with the girl.
How dare he! I glare at them, not wanting to cause a scene without knowing who she is. As far as I know, Aniket doesn't have any sisters, or girlfriends. Not even a cousin whose a girl. All of his cousins are guys. Did he pick up this girl after I refused to let him touch me? A wave of insecurities cross my head, but I decide to discard them.
I want to know who this treacherous snake of a girl is. A friend? A mistress? Who is she?!
I can't believe Aniket knows I'm here but is fondling some girl in front of me. I wanted to yell' 'I'm right here, you idiot!'
I was ripping my hair out in frustration by the time the rest of the family showed up. My mother and father had left, apparently. So it was just Mayma and Pops. I was eyeing the two love birds, cuddling, as I served food to my in-laws.
Mayma has noticed, and smirked at my jealousy. "They're just friends, my dear."
"Friends do not sit like that."
"Their best friends. They have grown up together." She says, reading the frustration on my face.
"Hmph." I say, deciding that Aniket definitely deserves punishment for this.
He's cheating on me, in front of me and I couldn't say a word.
The girl is flirting with my Aniket by now, putting her manicured fingers on my husbands chest. Oh no you don't! I stride towards them, and sit beside Aniket. I glare at the girl, but smile for the sake of it. "Hello, I'm Kanya." Says the girl, offering her hands. I look at the extended hand and shake it firm enough to break her tiny bones.
"Sanskriti." I say venomously, clenching my teeth together in anger.
She looks about Anikets' age and has most of Anikets' features. The same chocolate brown eyes, the same lips and the same ears and sharp nose. She's a carbon copy of my husband, that she could be his relative for all I know. But she has her body all around him, and it pains me to look at the two, snuggling on the couch.
The girl retrieves her hands from my tight grasp, and shakes it to relieve the pain I've caused. I smirk knowingly; game on, little girl. Aniket turns to look at her red hands and glares at me for causing her pain.
"I'm sorry." I say chuckling. "Old habit."
"It's alright." The girl says, smiling faintly.
Aniket knows me better and drags me to our room.
"Who is she?"
He smirks. "None of your business."
"It is my business. You were fondling her in front of me, your legal wife."
"Legally. Not in my heart. You're nothing more than a surrogate."
"Surrogate?" I hiss, "Am I your pass-time project? Your child birthing machine? What happened to the faithful vows at the altar? The promises you made in the park? Have they been forgotten?"
I shove him against the closed door, and stare into his eyes, expecting an answer.
When Anikets' hands come up to remove my hands from his, I freeze. He takes advantage of the moment of weakness, and flips us around, trapping me against the door.
He look at me a long moment before turning the knob to the door and leaving me crying. I mope around the room, trying to decide what to do. Did he only marry me to be his surrogate? Am I that cheap to him? What about the story he fed me yesterday? Was that also a lie?
No, it can't be.
My in-laws and my parents confirmed the story. Then his feelings for me must be true. Could the treacherous snake outside be just his friend?
This is so confusing. If his feelings were true, why would he say that?
To hurt my feelings? It could be. I cried for another hour before I washed my face. Tired from all the crying, I fell asleep on the floor, not bothering to go down for the rest of the afternoon. When I wake up, I stare at the garden outside, deciding what to do in the situation.
Should I just pack up my bags and get out of the house with my dignity? My parents would never accept me into their house, knowing that I failed my marriage. They would convince me to come back her and make amends with my husband.
I could just ignore him and go to work, but Alisha would bring me back, saying I needed rest for another day.
I could sit here, watching the nothingness outside or I could make Aniket explain to me who that lady is.
I decide to go with the latter.
Heading downstairs, I saw my in-laws watching the evening soap opera while Aniket was sitting on the other side, finishing some work on his computer. The lady was sitting in the dining table and drinking a cup of tea I made earlier in the morning. I decided to make some snacks along with dinner. When I started, the girl came in the kitchen and helped. I wanted to start a conversation, asking her who exactly she is to my husband, but she stayed silent, so I did too. She did the dishes, while I made the roti and tea. As the tea brewing, she spoke. "I heard a lot about you from Aniket."
How dare she call my husband by his name so casually? That devil.
"You did?" I asked, surprised at the news.
"All he ever talks about, is you. Your food, your kindness, and sometimes your body."
"My what?" I yell, turning to face her, away from the tea.
"I mean, I understand now. You look absolutely gorgeous. That idiot is too lucky."
"Wait. He talks to you about my body of all things? That's disgusting! Why would he share that with you?"
"Why wouldn't he? I was teasing him about you all the time and asked him to describe you. We share things like that."
"Who are two, anyways? Friends? Relative?"
"It's not my story to share. You should ask him." She says, chuckling.
I frown at her and decide that she is a somewhat trustworthy person. She doesn't look like a husband-stealer. That doesn't mean I like her.
Aniket strifes into the kitchen a few minutes later. "Is everything all right, here?" He asks, his voice husky.
"Everything's great," replies Kanya, giggling.
I glare at her and walk towards my husband, kissing him on the cheek and stare into his eyes m. "Wanna help? I'll finish faster with you helping me."
Aniket scrunches his eyebrows, unsure of my behavior. He looks behind me at Kanya, and then at me, and smirks, amused at my antics.
"Sure, baby." He says, kissing me near my mouth. To kanya, it would have looked like a lip-lock. I am thrilled, and jump up on my toes excitedly. Beat that, you poisonous snake.
Aniket watches me and purses his lips, smiling at me as if he knows why I'm trying to be nice to him.
We do finish faster as a team of three and I place the cooked food on the table. "Dinners ready." I yell, and set the plate, already hungry at the smell of the delicious food.
"Smells good." Pops says as he sits at the table.
I smile at him, and serve them food. Everyone finishes eating except Aniket and I check to see if I have any chapathi left.
I frown when I find nothing in the container and sit down beside Aniket, sighing. "You want some?"
Aniket says, pointing to his chapathi.
"It's alright. I'm good."
"You sure? I can't sleep knowing you're hungry. Your stomach growls a lot too."
I blush, and he smirks. "Fine." I say, dragging a plate from the other side of the table. Aniket places some of his food on my plate and I look at him. Really look at him. He is kind.
"Thanks."
"Your welcome, sweetheart."
I eat the food without complaint and watch as Aniket finishes, so that I could take his plate with me.
"Do you know why wives always ate off their husbands plates?"
"No."
"It's because, a mans mother always gives her son more food leaving nothing for her daughter-in-law. The husband would want his wife to eat, so he would ask for more food and leave it behind for his wife, claiming that he was full. The wife would have their stomachs filled and the husband would sometimes be hungry. However, he would be happy knowing he provided for his wife and the love between them would grow."
"Wow, I never knew. You want me to eat off your plate?" I ask, disgusted.
"No, from now, stop making delicious food." He jokes. He really is horrible at giving compliments.
I laugh, and swat him on his arm. He kisses me on the cheek without shame and Mayma raises her eyebrows at us.
"Weren't you two fighting?"
"Don't you know?" Says Kanya. "You never get in between a husband and a wife. They always get back together, leaving us confused." She laughs at her own statement and points at us, as if we're guilty.
"Hmph." I turn around without another sound and leave to sleep in my comfortable bed.
Aniket follow me shortly, and we lock the door to our bedroom. "What was that?"
He asks, pointing to the door.
"What was what?" I ask innocently.
"Why were you acting so harshly with Kanya?"
"I was acting harshly?"
"Yes, for no reason at all."
"No reason? You mean seducing my husband isn't reason enough."
"Seducing!" Aniket laughs. "You thought she was seducing me? Really?"
"I know how she looks at you."
"Then your blind."
"I'm not blind. That girl is trying to take you from me."
"Your jealous, wifey?"
I frown. He lifts my chin, and I pull away from him. "Why do you touch me?"
"What?"
"Why do you touch me?"
"What do you mean? Am I not allowed to touch you?"
"I need some time, Aniket."
"I didn't do anything. You were the one throwing yourself at me in front of Kanya!"
"That was different. I did that to send her a message."
"And what would that be?"
"That your mine. And no matter what she does, she wouldn't be able to take you away from me."
"Better. That's what I wanted. Finally! You admit it. Your mine and I'm yours."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" He says, pulling me closer to him, his hands were on my waist.
"Aniket, will you stop touching me?!" I yell, prying his hands off of my body.
"Why are you so repulsed? Am I that bad?"
I couldn't tell him about my fears. I can't be vulnerable yet again. "Yes. Yes, you are."
I turns his head so fast, I jerk away from him. I hug him, but he shrugs me off of him, and cries.
"Aniket! That's not what I meant!"
"Then what did you mean? My wife hates it that I touch her. How would you feel if I feel repulsed when I touch you?"
"A physical relationship is not everything between a husband and wife. There needs to be a—
"I know every little thing about you. When your angry, when your sad. I know your fears, your secrets, your personality. I know your whole history. What else do you want me to know?"
"Yes, But I know nothing about you?"
"Dammit, can't you understand that I've waited for you my whole life? We have our whole life to understand each other. Right now, I need my family to be secure, to be happy. I swear, if my father dies before I could provide an heir, I will never forgive you."
"What do you want me to do? Just give myself to you because your in need?"
"Yes! That's what I would do if you were in the same position. I'm desperate for you in every sense! Can't you understand that?"
"What if you leave me after I give you your child. What then? What of my life?"
Aniket pulls in, my cheeks in his hands. "I don't know how to make you trust me. I talked with your mother. She says she only made that bet with you so that you would give her what she wanted. She was playing reverse psychology."
"What?"
"I know. We're all in need, here. Please, just help me." Aniket kneels on the ground and cries, his head in his hands.
"I don't understand."
"I love you, Krithi. But I love my family more. I need you to do this for me. Just this one. If my father wasn't in this condition, I would never ask you to do this. I would give you all the time in the world. I would wait forever if I had to."
"You love me?"
"Yes! Krithi, I've loved you since I saw you in that crib. You were born for me. You're mine."
"Will you stop claiming me like a object?"
"I'm vulnerable here, Krithi. My father started having chest pains that day after we fought, do you know that?"
"Pops? Is he alright?"
"He's okay now. But how much longer?"
"His dying wish is to see his grandchild?"
"Yes. But I'm not going to force you into anything. Just don't take too long falling for me."
"Then, I'm in. But stop touching me!"
Aniket laughs. "What the hell are you talking about? Aren't you a doctor? How can we make a baby without me touching you?"
"It's possible Aniket. I have to tell you something."
**********************************