The Ideal NRI Couple mistake

13. Neil

When I woke up I rolled towards Ishani, I had a massive headache and I instantly realised that last night was bad. Bad for us as a couple, "ish?" I called out to see her side of the bed empty and the shower running. How many times did she need to bathe in the last 24 hours. "Ish?" I knocked.

"In the shower. I will be out in 5." As I got up and went out to meet her mother, I saw her cooking some delicious paranthas and the stack on the side shocked me. There were some 50 odd ones already semi cooked. "Good morning maa. Tea?" "Neil i made some it's in the kettle she pointed." I poured a cup of strong adrak wali chai, the kinds that made tension melt. "Maa what are you making?" Curiosity had got the better of me. "It's semi cooked paranthas. I will deep freeze. They will last you months. You both can have a little bit of homely feeling every day. Just fry them after defrosting." She was clearly a cooking whiz. "Where's Ishani?" I asked hoping to check if she had confided in her mother and maybe I could present my side of the things too. "She was out earlier on the phone with someone. She said she has a exercise class today." Exercise? The only exercise Ishani did was smoking up a storm with those cigarettes. I was dumbfounded. "No idea mom." Just then I saw Ishani, dressed to kill. She wore some opaque panelled black leggings, a black crop top and a jacket she was in the process of closing. Her hair were tightly tied on the back and she had lots of Kohl, she put lots of it when she wanted to hide she had cried. My love had cried all night rather than answer me. My heart knotted tightly. Why Ishani why wouldn't you rather talk? "I'm leaving maa. I shall be back by 11 to begin to cooking. Bye Neil," she said in a clipped serious tone and I did not want to confront her in front of her mother. "Bye Ish" I turned and went to shower and left soon without breakfast and with a scowl on my face.

The week was all about good food but I was miserable. Ishani did not feel the need to talk to me and when I tried I got one worded answers which shut me pretty quick. On Thursday night I was dreading the weekend which lay ahead. Her mom knew something was off but never asked me. "Children I leave on Monday night. Care to take me out over the weekend." She said in a tone that told me we better mend it up. "Maa don't go please." Ishani's voice faltered. "Ishani don't start again. And no you cannot come home with me right now." So Ishani wanted to leave, that shook me. "Let's go for a walk Ishani." I stood up as we finished dinner. They were the yummiest Dum aloo and kadhi chawal I had but I wasn't happy, asking in front of her mom made sure she came with me. "Sure let me change my clothes. She looked down at the red tee and jeans, she looked adorable in. "Come naa, no need." I knodded at mom and she understood. "Go Ishani don't make your husband wait."

As we walked around the place, I knew I had to start speaking. "Ishani I'm sure whatever is hurting you can be talked our. Surely you don't wish to leave me?" I looked at Ishani, "Neil I cannot do this. This kids thing right now I cannot and your behavior surely shocked me. I'm sorry we should have talked it out." "But Ish we have an active sex life and no protection. Surely you understand the repercussion, if you did not want kids what were you waiting for?" I was amazed at her answer. "I understand Neil. Maybe I can visit a doctor, if you agree and look for a temporary solution?" She hesitated.

"Ish let's just wait for nature to take its course, we don't know how long it could actually take. We haven't really conceived till now." I did not want a solution, I wanted her to understand that clearly. Plus looking at Sid and Reet I presumed we would be expecting soon. Maybe they were lucky. "Also one small question, why did your mom need my Visa deets?"

"Neil we are going to be a part of this NRI community thing. Mom entered us. And I promise I have nothing to do with it." Ishani smiled. Maybe she needed to make friends here to be happy. "Sure" and we went back home planning the weekend for her mother.