The morning light filtered through the curtains as Kirti stirred awake. Her body felt heavy, weighed down by the emotional exhaustion of the previous day. She glanced at the couch where Divit had slept. It was empty, the sheets neatly folded—a reminder that he had already left, likely without a word.
Kirti sighed. A marriage, and yet it feels like we’re strangers.
Downstairs, the hum of activity echoed through the house. Divit’s family moved like a well-oiled machine, each person knowing their place, their role. But for Kirti, everything felt foreign. She missed the quiet mornings at home with her parents, where she could linger over coffee, chat casually, and plan her day with freedom. Here, there was a set routine, strict expectations, and a sense of formality that unsettled her.
“Kirti, come join us,” Divit’s mother, Nandini, called from the kitchen.
Kirti took a deep breath and plastered a polite smile on her face. Time to fit in, no matter how hard it is, she thought as she walked into the kitchen.
“Good morning,” Kirti greeted, trying to sound cheerful.
Nandini smiled thinly. “Morning. You’ll have to help me today. We have guests coming, and there’s a lot to do. Start with the tea for everyone. The pots are over there.”
Kirti hesitated, glancing at the large stainless steel pots. She had never made tea for a dozen people before, let alone in such large quantities. But she nodded. “Of course. I’ll get started.”
As she fumbled with the pots and struggled to remember the exact ratios, Nandini’s watchful eyes lingered on her every movement.
“Not like that, Kirti. The tea needs to be stronger. And don’t forget to add the ginger and cardamom,” Nandini said sharply, reaching over to adjust the flame.
Kirti’s cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize...” She quickly followed the instructions, feeling the weight of Nandini’s judgment.
“This isn’t how my mother taught me to make tea,” she muttered to herself.
“What was that?” Nandini’s ears were sharp, and Kirti regretted the slip instantly.
“Nothing, just talking to myself,” Kirti said, forcing a smile, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. She missed her mornings when tea was a casual affair, not a test of her capability as a daughter-in-law.
As the tea brewed, Kirti overheard Divit’s younger sister, Priya, talking in the living room.
“Kirti doesn’t seem to know much about how we do things here. I wonder how she’ll manage,” Priya whispered, not-so-subtly.
Kirti bit her lip, her hands gripping the edge of the counter. It’s only been a few days, she reminded herself. They’ll understand that I’m trying.
But as the day progressed, it became clear that trying wasn’t enough. The rules of the house were suffocating. Meals had to be served in a particular order, each family member expected certain dishes to be made a certain way, and there were unspoken expectations that Kirti struggled to grasp.
Divit remained distant through it all. At dinner, he barely glanced at her as he sat next to his father, engaging in a conversation about business deals and family matters. Kirti sat quietly beside him, feeling the widening gap between them. She tried to make conversation, but Divit’s responses were curt as if he was merely tolerating her presence.
After dinner, as they returned to their room, Kirti decided she couldn’t stay silent anymore.
“Divit, we need to talk,” she said, closing the door behind her.
He paused, his hand resting on the cuff of his sleeve as he unbuttoned it. “About what?”
Kirti stepped forward, feeling the weight of the past few days pressing on her chest. “About us. About this... this distance between us.”
Divit sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. “Kirti, I told you, it’ll take time. We just got married.”
“I know, but we’re not even trying. You barely speak to me. I feel like a stranger in this house, and you... you act like I don’t exist,” Kirti’s voice cracked despite her best efforts to remain composed.
Divit’s eyes darkened slightly, but his expression remained unreadable. “It’s complicated, Kirti. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” she challenged, stepping closer. “I want to understand. But how can I, when you won’t let me in? We’re married, Divit. We’re supposed to be a team.”
Divit ran a hand through his hair, frustration flickering in his eyes. “It’s not that simple. My family... there’s a lot of responsibility. There are things you don’t know.”
Kirti crossed her arms, her patience wearing thin. “Then tell me. I’m your wife now, Divit. I deserve to know what’s going on in your life.”
He looked at her, his gaze softening for a brief moment before hardening again. “I’m doing what I have to for this family. You’ll understand in time. For now, just... focus on fitting in.”
“Fitting in?” Kirti’s voice rose. “I’m trying, but it’s impossible when I’m treated like an outsider! Your family has all these rules, all these expectations, and no one’s telling me how I’m supposed to live up to them. And you—” she pointed at him, her frustration boiling over, “—you’re just standing on the sidelines, watching me struggle, not lifting a finger to help.”
Divit stood up, his face unreadable. “This is how it is, Kirti. You wanted this marriage too. You wanted to be a part of this family.”
“I didn’t know being part of this family meant being ignored by my own husband,” Kirti shot back.
Silence fell between them, heavy and suffocating. Divit clenched his jaw, his eyes locking with hers for a long, tense moment. “You don’t know what you’re asking, Kirti,” he said quietly.
Kirti’s heart ached at his words, at the wall he kept building between them. She wanted to reach out, to break through, but every time she tried, he pushed her further away.
“I don’t want to fight, Divit,” she whispered, her voice softening. “I just want to understand you. I want this marriage to work.”
He looked away as if her vulnerability was too much for him to bear. “Just give it time.”
Kirti swallowed the lump in her throat, nodding even though she knew time wasn’t the answer. But what else could she do? For now, she had no choice but to accept his distance and hope that, one day, he’d finally let her in.
As Divit turned away, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the room, Kirti felt a deep sense of loneliness creep in. How long can I wait? she wondered.
