THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE

chapter 2

MILES POV

I hated Washington. London was much better. But I had to be here even if I didn't want to. And waiting for my wife was even more irritating. My Wife. Ha. What a joke our marriage was. There was no meaning. In fact it went against the very constitution of marriage. We both knew it was a sham. Yet we both stayed. I had to stay because it was necessary for the family bonds, societal status and the damned deal. Why she stayed was still a mystery to me. I hated her. I know she hated me though she was never as blatant about it as I was. Where the hell was she? I didn't like being made to wait. My time was precious. I had other work too other than waiting for my wife. I was about to ring for Theresa when she just came in.

" Sir, ma'm said she will be here soon. She has just come home after an outing. She said she wanted to change. So she has requested to wait a tad bit more."

" Why is she dressing up to meet me. I am just her husband. Not the damned President."

" The dress she is wearing is a bit improper. That's why she wanted to change it."

Improper. Where the hell had she been?

" Just tell her to make make it snappy."

" Sure sir. Excuse me."

I was about to doze off when there was a knock on the door. I was facing the other side. So I turned around. My wife had finally come. I took her in. She had changed a lot since the last I saw her. You would have said she had become more beautiful. But for me only Anne was beautiful. No other woman matched my Anne's beauty. Laine's hair on the other hand was a bit in disarray as if she had hurriedly tied it. Her deep black eyes still with thick lashes. Her cheekbones seemed even more prominent than the last time. I could almost see the veins pulsating at the base of her pale throat and skin. And she had a big bruise on her cheek. What the hell was with that? She had also become very thin. Almost a wisp of a woman. What the fuck. I damn well made sure that I provided enough food in this house.

" What's with the bruise on the cheek?"

She raised her hand to touch it. As if she had forgotten all about it.

" Oh that's...nothing. Just ignore it. So you wanted to see me?"

Fine. She didn't want to talk about it. Not my problem.

" Yes actually. I had some work for you. Some of my college friends are coming over to meet me. So I wanted a nice casual evening planned for them. It's kind of a ..... get together if you will. So just see that there is nice food and just plan something nice."

" Your friends? I never met any of your friends. Who are these friends?

" Like I said they are my college friends." She still seemed confused. These friends of mine they were my best friends. They knew everything about me. If they knew my sham marriage and that I hated my wife I knew they would give her hell.

"We are meeting after many years. So I just wanted everything to be perfect."

"But how come they didn't know...." As if realisation dawned on her she said

" They don't know you hate me, do they?"

" Bingo! Anyway this year all us friends we are in the same place at the same time for the first time in years. So I called them over. Here's a list of their names and everything you need to know to carry on a converstion with them." I passed on the list to her.

She glanced over it and kept it on the table.

" So is that all? Or anything else ?"

" That's all." She rose to get up and when she turned that bruise on her cheek once again came to my notice. I just couldn't ignore it. I mean her skin was already pale and to top it the bruise was an angry reddish black and glaring at me. So before I could think I blurted out,

" So are you in an abusive relationship or something? I mean that bruise looks like someone punched you."

I thought that would make her angry but she remained unruffled and said in that monotonous voice of hers,

" Miles, please I am married. And I am a socialite. Whoring around outside of a marriage is not exactly a good thing for me. Nor do I want to whore around. Much less be in an abusive relationship."

" Hey marriage never stopped me from whoring around. And I think you know that."

" You and I are two different people. While you are out in London having flings I am the one who has to take care of things here."

" No one said you had to take care of things."

" Well maybe. But unlike you there are people who expect things from me and I am tired of disappointing everyone. So I try to do the 'right' thing."

What? Who was expecting what from her?

" Who the hell are you talking about Laine? I mean I know its not me coz I don't give a fuck about what you do."

" It doesn't matter. Anyway I have to go now. I am tired. And dinner is ready. Theresa will serve you."

Fine whatever. I was hungry anyway. She went to the door and then I realised she had left the list on the table itself.

" Hey take the list with you."

" No its ok I remember everything."

Oh yes ! I had almost forgotten. One thing that my wife and I had in common was a photographic memory. Both of us remembered everything.

Later I sat down for dinner. Just then Laine came down. Before I could say anything Theresa came in from the kitchen and asked her, " Ma'm are you not going to have dinner?"

" No Theresa just get me a glass of juice. I am not hungry."

" Hey you know I am one of the richest man in the USA. And I do earn a lot of money and bloody make sure I keep food in these house. So maybe you should eat something and not let it go to waste."

" Like I said, I am not hungry. And why are you so concerned whether I eat or not? I am big girl, I will eat if I have to. And don't worry your food never goes waste. I make sure of that. So do you still have anything left to criticize or can I go?"

Hearing the words you'd think she was angry. But she wasn't. She spoke to me in that soft voice of hers not at all affected by what I said. And it was pissing me off. Before I could reply she had already left.

There was something happening with my wife. I felt it in my guts. And my instincts were always right. There was something off about her. Something I couldn't put my finger on. My wife had always been tightly reined in. She never showed what she felt. But after marrying her for five years I had learnt to recognize the subtle signs in her when she felt bad or angry. I was still eating and I stopped my spoon mid air. It suddenly dawned on me. Her eyes. The whole time we talked they had been dead.