It was as if a dam had broken and everything came tumbling out. Her grief, the hollowness, the rift with her husband and the constant aching pain.

They would spend the night together in Pune. Unlike last time, she would not split the expenses. Unlike last time, this night would be all about her.

And she said, looking at me with eyes reluctant to leave me. “Lie down for a bit, then we’ll watch some movie on Netflix tonight? It will be okay."

Should love and marriage be based on mutual respect and understanding or on thoughts like obey and control? If the roles were reversed, would he have asked her for permission?

As the years passed, she became old enough to feel the pain of his rejection, but was still young enough to believe that she could perhaps change his responses to her.