Adjustments

“Friends?” she repeated, smiling, extending her hand.

“Yes, friends.” He shook it. Though her skin was soft, her grip was firm and confident, which spoke a lot about where she was right now.

Might as well be friends and start anew. Anyway, he had ruined their prior relationship in its fledgling stage. He could not guess where this one would lead to, but there was an undercurrent of excitement in it. Attempting to establish a friendship with his own wife who didn’t want to be his wife anymore. If it came out into the open, he would become the butt of jokes.

“Friendship with your wife, for what purpose? Consult a head doctor or check yourself into an asylum!”

But he was willing to give it a go. What did he have left to lose when he had lost almost everything?

“Pasta?”

“Hmm?”

“I said, care for some gourmet pasta?”

She stood in front of him holding a large bowl from which emerged a mouthwatering aroma, suddenly reminding him that he was desperately hungry.

Trying to control the urge a little longer, he said, “But I thought you disliked Italian.”

Ruhi grinned mischievously. “I meant American Italian. That pizza you got the other day was unfit for consumption, and I wanted to try something different for this new phase of my life. For a new me and perhaps a new you?”

Thrusting the steaming bowl under his nose, she said, “This is authentic Italian made in the classic Ruhi style with loads of love and less of grease. I stumbled upon the ingredients in the kitchen. Appears as though sometime in the past you had noble intentions of making it yourself, perhaps for someone special?”

Shaan recalled the day he had with great eagerness planned on treating Des to a homemade Italian dinner. He had waited and waited for her, but she had stood him up later, coming up with the excuse her husband had returned home from out of town earlier than usual. Overcome with annoyance, he had trashed all the food.

The following evening he had found out her husband was none other than his boss. The shock, anger, and disappointment had been so intense he’d gotten drunk and made a spectacle of himself. He had mocked his fellow colleagues, and Rich, who fortunately had taken no offence, or so he hoped. Finally, he had thrown up all over himself and passed out. It was an incident he dearly wished to forget.

“Hey! Where art thou, mister?”

He blinked as Ruhi waved a hand in front of his face.

“You look terribly miffed! Did I rekindle some bad old memories? I’m sorry. Here, eat this pasta, it’s sure to make you feel better.”

His mouth twisted into a dry smile. “Thanks.”

“Don’t say that. Remember we are friends now, and I have to figure out some way to pay my rent.”

“No you don’t. I am responsible for you as long as we are still married.”

“No! I am an independent woman who hates IOUs. As far as I’m concerned, I’m single now, and our marriage has become a painful memory, which I’d like to forget ASAP!”

With him being the prime cause behind all this bitterness, he lamented, “All right, I won’t talk about it again.”

“Good. Eat up. It’s getting cold.”

“Umm…delicious! Can I have some more please?”

“Of course you can!” She laughed and refilled his bowl.

“So I’m not bad at quick-fire Italian, am I?” she queried while sitting down with a bowl of her own.

“Not at all. You are a helluva cook. I’ve always believed so.”

“Hmm…at least it is one point in my favor. Great! Perhaps I can open a restaurant!” she declared with a bright smile.

“Yes, why not? Setting up a restaurant wouldn’t be hard, and your MBA will hold you in good stead too! I can do some research.”

“Naah!” she said, tapping her forehead with a dainty fist. “What am I thinking? I’m going to leave in a month. Maybe later if I decide to come back on my own. You’ll still help me then, won’t you?”

Why do you keep talking about leaving in a month’s time when I wouldn’t mind you staying at all. I might even like the company. “Yes, you can count me in.”

They finished the rest of the meal in silence. For the first time Ruhi felt light and at peace since their marriage. There was nothing to struggle for or fight over anymore. Shaan was more human and approachable.

“You have spread pasta sauce all over your face, like a little kid!” he exclaimed, laughing, dabbing at her cheek and nose with a tissue. “Uh…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” he said, withdrawing in a hurry when he saw her looking uncomfortable.

“Accepted.” She said with a slight incline of her head before collecting the empty bowls.

“Mujhe madad karne do.” (Let me help.)

For a few moments, she appeared startled, then smiled. He almost sighed with relief.

“Oh! Hindi? Khoob bhalo!” (Very good!) “Nahin hum kar lenge!” (No, I will take care of it.) “When I need help, I will ask. Thanks anyway.”

He turned on the TV. There was a football game on; Green Bay Packers were playing the Minnesota Vikings. “I should say good night now.”

Looking at her, he said, “No, stay. I mean, you are welcome to watch what you want.”

“You won’t miss your favorite game then?” Her eyebrows shot up.

“No, there’ll always be more games.”

Settling down on the sofa, she observed, “Isn’t it nice how rapidly things change when husbands and wives become friends? We become human.”

“I can’t apologize enough.”

“Don’t apologize, just realize!” She laughed. He gazed blankly at her.

“Let’s see, what’s on now? What do you recommend, dear friend?” Her huge eyes posed the question.

“Uhm… History, Discovery? They should have something interesting.”

“No, I want to watch a sitcom. I want to get familiar with popular American culture,” she declared, flipping the channels. “There we go!”

“Two and a Half Men?”

“Yes, it’s a popular show, isn’t it?”

“Yes…but…”

“But what?”

“It’s a little…risqué,” he said, looking embarrassed.

“Risqué? You mean inappropriate? Oh my god, Shaan, I’m shocked to hear it coming from you! I’m an adult and so are you. Besides, I heard it’s quite funny.”

“Who told you so?”

“Debo did. She and Sujoy watch it together all the time. It happens to be one of their favorites.”

“Do they? That’s amazing.” But of course, Sooj and Debo was a match made in heaven.

“Yes, Debo is really lucky. No offence to you, Shaan.”

“I was a bad choice for you, Ruhi. I have no excuse.”

“Forget it, Shaan. It’s all over! Finito! Chill, dude! Take it easy! Isn’t that what a friend would say?”

He laughed. “Perfect! You got it, babe!”

“Babe? Like the pig?”

“No, I meant…” Crap!

“I don’t mind either way. Hmmm…interesting.”

He studied her curiously while she looked at the screen, pretending not to be aware that his eyes were on her. She colored, but continued to watch as the actors kissed. He had to admire her tenacity.

“You don’t have to watch if you don’t want to.”

“No, I do. I want to see how casual they are about…”

“Sex on TV?”

Her gaze held his. “I meant to say physical relationships. You are very blunt.”

“Well, I like to call an egg an egg.”

“Honesty is refreshing.”

“Whatever it is, casual or not, don’t you think it’s an important part of any intimate relationship?”

“There are many things more important and should come first, such as respect and integrity.”

Go ahead scream at me Ruhi! You don’t have to bottle it all up!

She opened her mouth to speak and then hesitated. He could see she was struggling to control herself; he didn’t want her to.

She turned back to the television. “So it’d seem quite routine to have extramarital affairs here, partners change in the blink of an eye. Sometimes they aren’t even aware of their names, like Charlie.”

Briefly, she closed her eyes as the scene progressed to the inevitable.

Ruhi, you don’t have to torture yourself.

“So how long does it last, five minutes? Ten?”

“Sometimes two, as in this case. Charlie happens to be drunk most of the time.”

Breaking into a nervous laugh, she remarked, “How funny. It sounds so prosaic, not serious at all. Tell me, is this how most Americans lead their lives?” Her eyes pinned him down.

Shaan didn’t flinch. “No, you’ll be surprised that a lot of them have regular functioning families. But what I admire most about this society is its openness. Back home, people play around behind closed doors and carry on like saints, so when the river breaks its banks, the destruction is immense, irrecoverable.”

Sensing that he was expressing something close to his heart, she waited, wanting to hear more; but he didn’t elaborate any further.

Disappointed, she got up. “I think I shall sleep now. Good night.”