The Promise

She sat waiting at the dinner table. Today, he had promised he would finish up in time and they would have dinner together. “Together” had been ages for them, may be before they had moved to parenthood. Today, she was so happy. She had dressed up in his favourite outfit, his favourite colour red and the bow at the back , which he always said was so tempting. She made his favourite dinner, put the wine in the fridge, laid the table with flowers on. The baby slept peacefully in other room. She put on a light music. The clock chimed on. She slept in fits waiting on the chair.

He completely forgot about the promise he had made to his wife. The lovely wife whom he had adored till they actually started the family thing. Why couldn’t she dress up properly? Always in her night suits. Look at her hair, humped into a bun at the top of her head. The tension free ever smiling female had transformed into a nagging mother. This is not what he had wanted. May be this was also not what she wanted. But he could escape out being the breadwinner. But she, could she escape being a mother?

She looked at the clock again. It seemed like ages, sitting on that couch. She felt a little cold. She went inside and brought a blanket to cover herself. She didn’t want to give him the impression that she had slept. She had never slept freely once he had starting working late. Body clock would force her to doze. Still she would wake up to check if he came. Earlier she would try to give him warm food when he came. She never understood the need to burn so much. She would get annoyed and she started keeping the food to remain warm in microwave.

Her absence did not bother him. He knew she would get up early, while he could sleep late. What he didn’t realise was that she was slipping away. What she didn’t think was that he could poke somewhere else too.

Today was their 8th anniversary. As usual, he didn’t even remember. She had given him a morning surprise. He had promised her, today he would come early.

At half past 12, a message came, “ Sorry babe, stuck in conference, Good night. Will sleep here only.” Didn’t even bother to ask, if she had dinner. She cried to sleep sitting on the same couch. Didn’t even bother to clear the table, or munch on the now cold dishes.

He had forgotten that he had already booked a date with his now girlfriend. She was in one of her lousy moods. So he had stayed a little longer to cheer her. The dutiful wife was forgotten for that moment. He would think later how to make up.