A: Authoritative Partner

Seema opened the door and looked around her. Nothing had changed a bit. It was yet another night when Prashant was in office and she knew, he would not return. With a sigh, she went over to her refrigerator to see if something was available to cook. Not finding anything, she taught, she would order her dinner. 

She took her phone and dialed the number to her nearest Pizzeria.

“Hello Pizzeria. How may I help you?”

“Hi, this is Seema here.”

“O, Seema ma’am, how are you?”

“I am good. How are you?”

“I am great. Would you like the usual ma'am?”

“Yeah. The usual one. Thank You.”

“Noted. Your Double Cheese Mushroom Special Pizza will be delivered within half an hour. Thanks for calling in.”

“Yepp. Thank you,” She said rather uninterested and hung up the phone.

She waited for her order while watching T.V. She was so used to her loneliness that she thought she was re-living her bachelorette life, “what is the use of living like this when your husband cannot afford to meet you?”

She switched off the T.V and sat in her balcony gazing the clear sky and stars. The light and cool breeze swayed her to a world different from the current one. She closed her eyes and she could see the huge white walls and pillars. Amidst that, she saw herself, five years back in college. She was wearing a lovely yellow floral skirt and blue tank top. She was rushing to her classes when Prashant called her – “Hey Seema… Wait… yaar…”

“No I cannot. I am already late for my classes”, she walked pass him completely ignoring his request.

“Listen…,” he almost stopped her way“, let us go for coffee”, he panted heavily.

“Are you mad Prashant?” She lightly hit him with her book and said, “Off you go!”

“No Seema. Let us bunk na! See what lovely atmosphere it is…,” he grabbed her hands and took her towards parking even before she could make her point.

They were sipping coffee and chatting. He noticed her to be oddly quiet and asked, “What is wrong? Why are you not talking?”

“I did not like it yaar. You took me here when I wanted to attend classes. You could have at least listened to me, na.”

“It is okay. I just wanted to spend some time with you…” he hold her hand and said lovingly, “and you are a topper, so you need not to worry. You can at least bunk one or two classes for me, right?”

She did not respond. Prashant played on her hand until she smiled and said, “That's like a good girl.”

-----------------------------------------------

Seema opened her eyes, a tiny tear rolled down her cheeks. She was so wrong in taking her decision to marry him. Everyone warned her. Her friends and family that Prashant is a nice but authoritative guy. She paid no heed to them and now, she was left all alone in the array of loneliness surrounding her.

The doorbell rang and it was the Pizza delivery person. He gave her parcel and left. As she started eating it, the bell rang again.

She opened it, surprised to see Prashant standing there. "You are back...?"

“Why, were you expecting someone else?” he glared at her as he moved past her in the house. “So no dinner again? Why can’t you cook something at home instead of ordering out?”

“I thought you will return late and I did not have anything in house so….”

“So you thought that you will order from outside. O God Seema! At least you could have asked me whether I will be home for dinner or not.”

“What is the use? You hardly respond to my calls or messages. Even if you do, you always show how busy you are. So sorry Mr. Businessman, I cannot afford to bear the insults daily." She shouted it out aloud.

“What are you talking about? If I am busy, I will say I am busy. There is no two way about it. And for love of god, do not talk to me like that.”

“Ya. Now do I have an option? Do not do this, do not do that… My life is surrounded to your preferences.”

“Is it so?” He gave her a cold look.

“What else?” she pushed him and went into her room, slamming the door hard.

For a second, Prashant could not understand what just happened. He felt rage inside him. He could not tolerate such kind of behavior. He started to walk in the hall and noticed an open balcony. Just to calm himself, he went there and the cold breeze blew on his face.

All his anger started settling and he felt calm. The conversation re-winded in his mind and he sat in deep thinking; 'Was he turning into an authoritative husband? Or had he been like this, always?"

Connecting it to A to Z Challenge