Falling into the Chaos

Twenty-Five: What about the wedding night?

Aditya

The soft clatter of plates and the faint aroma of spices filled the dining room, an unexpected contrast to the otherwise deafening silence between us. 

I sat across from my wife, trying to focus on the meal before me, but her presence—light and teasing as always—seemed to soak into every corner of the room.

"This," she said, pointing her fork at me like it was a weapon, "is officially our first meal together as a married couple."

I froze mid-bite, her words settling between us like a challenge. Slowly, I set down my fork and met her gaze.

 She was smirking, her eyes dancing with mischief, and I knew—knew—she was doing this on purpose.

"It's just lunch" I said, my voice as level as I could manage.

"Oh, no, no," she countered, waving her hand dramatically. "This is a moment, Adi. A milestone, if you will."

I raised a brow, leaning back in my chair as I crossed my arms. "A milestone? Pretty sure milestones are supposed to be memorable."

Her grin widened. "Oh, this is memorable, alright. You'll remember this forever—our first meal as husband and wife."

I exhaled a sharp breath, dragging my hand through my hair. "I thought this was just a deal, wifey."

Her fork hovered over her plate, her eyes narrowing slightly. "it was."

I stared at her, unable to decipher the shift in her tone. She wasn't smirking anymore, though the hint of playfulness remained in her expression. She tilted her head, waiting for an answer I wasn't sure I had.

The thought tugged at something deep inside me, something I wasn't ready to face. I pushed it aside, focusing instead on the way she was now gesturing animatedly, her latest monologue lost in the whirlwind of my thoughts.

She focused on her plate, and for a moment, I allowed myself to just watch her. The way she held her fork like it was part of some grand performance, the way her nose crinkled slightly when she tasted something she particularly liked.

It hit me then—how strange this all was. Sitting here, sharing a meal, listening to her chatter like we'd done this a hundred times before. Like we were...normal.

Married.

"You know something?" she began, her tone too casual, too innocent, to be trusted.

I glanced up from my plate, narrowing my eyes at her as she leaned against the edge of the table. She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, her lips curving into a mischievous smile.

Here we go.

"What?" I asked warily, already regretting the question.

She straightened, clasping her hands together as if she were about to deliver a lecture. "Under the Special Marriage Act, consummation is considered essential for a marriage to be valid."

My fingers paused, the words she'd just uttered hanging heavily in the air.

I didn't respond, mostly because I knew exactly what she was doing. She was testing me, pushing buttons she knew I didn't want touched.

"Is that so?" I said finally, keeping my tone as even as possible.

She nodded, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Absolutely. If a marriage isn't consummated, either party can file for annulment."

"And you're telling me this because...?"

"Oh, no reason," she replied, the mock innocence in her voice only making it worse.