Shudder

He held her jaw in his hand and pressed it hard so that her mouth became an ugly pout.

Shut up, now. You know I was joking. He kissed her mouth.
She gasped, a single tear leapt down.

I’m going to slap you if you cry over it. You know I was kidding. Come here.
He made her put her hands over her shoulders and held her close to him. She continued to cry.
I’ll let go of this hug if you keep crying.
Her hands gradually fell off his shoulders. But he made sure the hands went back over the shoulders and stayed there.

I haven’t slept with anyone.
I know. As if it was in response to her saying something like she forgot the salt in the daal.

A moment ago, he had yelled at her with his mother and brother watching and called her a slut. He had said he knew what she did with her bosses and why she still had the job. He had said he had reports about who she met and where she went- everything she did.
When Puppy jumped at her feet in jest and tugged at her trousers, he said, look even she can smell the man you’ve been sleeping with. I should drive you to Bhainsepati again and throw you off the cliff. She pounced on his back with her fist and he struck her mouth. If that’s what you want, I can get nasty too. I’m not one of those men who hit their wives.

Now, he was like a different person. Trying to tame her, pressed against the cold of the flowery bathroom tiles.
Hush now. He sprayed water on her hair with the shower, and ran his fingers through it. Sexy, when your hair is wet. She cried. He pulled a board maker from his pocket and drew a black tika on her forehead. Pretty. She sobbed. He gathered hear hair on the top of her head, so it fell like a fountain over her face. Pretty. You almost look like her.
Her back hurt. He had not cared to ask her about the sprain. Why should I after your asking me if I was high last night?

Now put your hands out like a puppy and look adorable. Yes. Good. Go to the room now.