Silver Linings

Suspicions

Anjali Manohar Jha née Singh Raizada had resigned herself, at a very early age, to be a loner. She never had any real friends in life, at school people tried to befriend her because of who her father was, and now people throw themselves at her feet because of who her brother is. After her first marriage was called off, she developed a deep mistrust in men, while she did have many men profess their undying love for her, she could always see that their main goal was her money.

So when Shyam Manohar Jha had entered her life, she had been wary at first, because she didn't think his intentions were pure. He had, like every other man, persisted in his wooing of her, showing up in many places that she went to, sending her flowers and cards, but she didn't really give him much thought. One day, at the temple, he had saved her from falling down the stairs and as a show of gratitude, she had agreed to meet him for coffee. She had been intrigued with his story from the very first. An orphan who worked hard to make his way in the world, had gotten a lawyers degree by studying in night school, while toiling away at two jobs in the day time to barely make ends meet.

She didn't know when he had managed to break through her walls and make a place for himself. Within a year after the temple incident, they had been married. Naani and Chote had been really gracious in accepting Shyam, without having any issues with him being an orphan, or that he didn't have a permanent job at the time.. because they had seen how happy Anjali had been ever since Shyam entered her life. After the marriage, They had invited Shyam to live in their house, which he didn't agree to at first, saying it would give fodder for the gossip mongers. But Chote had insisted, and when he had made up his mind, no one else stood a chance.

For three years, their married life had been a bliss. There were times when Shyamji had to leave the city for work purposes, sometimes weeks together, but she never had any reason to suspect him of any foul play. He always made sure he was present when ever she needed him, he never missed any of the important days for the family, he knew how much poojas meant to her, so he would make sure he was there for every major ones, even if it meant coming home before his work was completed.

But this last year, things had changed, it started with Teej, when he had come after the pooja was over, and since then for almost every celebration or pooja held at home. He had some excuse or the other to, either not make it on time - or cut out early, and She believed him every single time, though her brain told her not to. Her brain and heart have been in constant disagreement regarding him for quite sometime now. Akash's wedding had come as a welcome distraction for her, and surprisingly, Shyamji never had to leave town for any work since the day of the engagement. 

Anjali had remarked about this to him a few times, always masking her comment as a joke, so that he didn't get annoyed at her. Which was another major change in him - his temper. He had never gotten angry or even slightly upset with her from the time she knew him, but recently, he had started to snap at her for the most trivial of things, he immediately apologised every time, and she would give in, letting her heart take over her brain every time.

But last night.. last night her mind won against her heart. After stalking off from the hall in the middle of a family discussion, without even hearing her words, he had not come for dinner, even after she had gone to the room multiple times to remind him. In the end, she had sent him a plate of food through HariPrakash, while she had dinner with the rest of the family. After dinner, when she had gone to the room, he had been pacing around, deep in thoughts, the plate of food remained untouched. This worried her, so she had asked him what the matter was, out of concern for him, and he had snapped back at her. He not only raised his voice while he saying that she wouldn't understand the pressures a lawyer had to take, but he had also stomped out of the room immediately, without even giving her a chance to speak.