Goodbye Yesterday

Disheartened

From that day, Sameer's behavior towards Adhika drastically changed. He was always not around and every time she initiated she talk to him about it, he gives a flimsy excuse or snaps at her.

Adhika could not help but wonder what went wrong. Just when she thought she had finally gained her husband's love, they grew farther apart.

Adhika did not realize she had tears running down her cheeks, until Sameer questioned her.

"Are you alright?"

She wiped her tears before raising her head to look at him.

Just like every morning, he was already donned in his work attire. He stopped fixing his tie and fixated his gaze in mine. "Are you alright?" He repeated his question.

Wordlessly, she nodded.

"I'm off to work then." With that said, he picked up his briefcase and walked through the door.

Fresh tears welled up in Adhika's eyes. Sameer's coldness towards her was killing her slowly. The fact that he saw her crying but didn't bother to try to find out if she was really alright like she claimed, shattered her heart. It was all too much for her to take.

•

In the evening, although Adhika knew he wouldn't touch the food she made, she still went ahead and set the table.

She was seated in the living room when he walked in.

"Hi." He mumbled and was about to walk away.

"I made dinner for you," she rushed out the words. "Welcome home." The last part emerged almost as a whisper.

"I am not hungry," he responded.

Typically, Adhika would have allowed him have his way, but she was starting to get really fed up with his display of bipolar disorder. She wanted to know where she went wrong and apologize for it. It was disheartening living like strangerd with her husband in her matrimonial home. "What is wrong with you?" She questioned, standing daringly in front of him.

"What?"

"I want to know what is wrong with you," she repeated. "Since last week, you've been treating me worst than a stranger. I tried not to question you about it because I felt you would come around but your attitude towards me keeps getting worse by the day." Tears glistened in her eyes. "I thought we've passed this stage. I thought everything would finally fall into place when you apologized to me and promised not to hurt me anymore."

Sameer remained silent for a while; his gaze not wavering from nagging woman in front of him.

"If there's anything I have done, I apologize for it. I don't like it when you treat me this way."

"What do you mean by your last statement?" He furrowed his brows. "Do I treat you in a bad way?"

"Yes!" She yelled, although she didn't mean to. At that point, she was exasperated. "You do." She continued in a subdued voice.

"Because I don't want to eat the food you prepared?" He chuckled humorlessly. "Is that it? Do you expect me to eat even when I'm not hungry?"

"Every day," she furiously wiped her tears and blinked severally, fighting back tears. "I ensure to cook dinner for you, I clean for you, I tolerate your mood swings and you don't see me complaining about you barely spending any time with me. I don't complain because I try myself to understand the nature of your job. The least you can do is not give me an attitude every time!"

"Where is all these coming from?" He dropped his suitcase on the couch. "So suddenly?"

"I have been quiet doesn't mean I'm stupid. I'm not. The last time we planned a date, you stood me up and worse, you didn't even deem it fit to give me any explanation and I let it slide. I did that not because I'm a stupid lady who doesn't know what she's doing, but because I made myself believe you wouldn't do that to me intentionally. I convinced myself that something must have come up and that was enough for me."