Spoiled • 18+ • Arranged Marriage Story

Twelve

"Well. The issue is I don't know him and he doesn't know me either."

"That's not true on my part." Siddharth said.

Sakshi scoffed. She couldn't believe that she had agreed to getting couples therapy. She didn't know why she was feeling guilty. She thought using him would be easier but it wasn't.

"Really? What's my favorite color?"

"Red." He said without missing a beat and he was right. "What's mine?" He asked.

"Black?"

"Nope." He snickered, "There you go."

They looked at the screen. It was a old woman with white hair and she sat in her office. "So, it seems to me that during these years you both have let misunderstandings foster and there has been walls built up. So we will try to address all the things left unsaid. It might get heated but that's the only way forward. So I hope you both are ready for this."

"I am. I mean we both are. I am ready to given this marriage a chance and I'm sure we'll get through this. Won't we, darling?" He asked.

There it was again, her chest clamped. "Yep."

"So Mrs. Sandhini, you were saying something about not knowing each other. Why do you think so?"

"We never really talked. We both were so busy. There has been no moments shared between us in five years. How can you know a person if you haven't even talked to them? " Sakshi asked.

"And what do you think, Mr. Sandhini?"

"She's right. We never talked and we never got that oppurtunity to deepen things? There was zero communication indeed."

"So, let's focus on improving communication between you. There's are games that you could play." The woman scribbled on her notepad.

"I think you both could benefit from two truths and a lie. And also, you can combine it with Uninterrupted listening. Say if your partner says two truths and a lie about you. And if you feel that is not true, you can set a timer for 5 minutes and let each partner explain why they think that's the truth or the other partner can defend themselves. You both can try it and I'll see you both next time?"

***

"Okay let's start." Sakshi said.

It was late evening and Sakshi sat on the makeshift bed which was a mattress qnd a few blankets that Siddharth had dragged to the balcony. Sakshi opened a bottle of non-alcoholic wine which Siddharth had selected.

"Okay let me start then. Hmm. You like wine. Roses are your favourite. You love honey. Which is the lie?" He said taking a sip out of wine.

"Which do you think it is?" She asked.

"The honey one."

"How did you even know?" Sakshi was surprised. She didn't know that Siddharth knew so much about her.

"You always have a glass of red wine when you want to relax, and you have like an array of perfumes and body washes and lotions which smell like roses and honey one was actually a wild guess. You used to call me honey, you know?"

"Oh I...I don't hate honey. I just dislike it. That's all. Okay. My turn. You don't drink alcohol. You cook very well. You snore at night."

He roared a laugh, "I don't snore. I am a deep sleeper. I know that because for the same reason why I don't drink."

"Why don't you drink? I mean I remember you used to drink, your secret pleasure was bourbon right?"

She saw Siddarth look at the red liquid in his glass for a long time. As if he was battling whether to tell her or not.