CHAPTER TEN

My new life unfolded in a quiet stability. Weeks went by where my love for my new family grew, but the relationship between my husband and I remained distant.

I was out of bed that morning a little bit earlier than usual. That was the first day I’d woken up while Arnav was still asleep. The night had been exhausting. I was feeling very lonely, helpless even, most of the night. I felt claustrophobic, and sleep just refused to come. My period started that morning. Maybe that was the source of all this anxiety. Hormones. The alarm on Arnav’s phone rang. As he opened his eyes he rolled over, slapping the screen of his phone, silencing the tinkling sound. The moment he saw that the other side of the bed was vacant, he sat up and looked around the room. His face grew alarmed at once. As if he’d been considering that someone might have kidnapped me. His eyes landed on me standing at the cupboard. More than half of my body hidden by the doors of the wardrobe.

“Kriti