Poles Apart

Chapter Forty-Nine

Arjun

The sight I wake up to, in the mornings? I believe it's something very few men are fortunate enough to see; a sleeping wife.

Arvi cuddles a pillow to her chest, the pillow that she thought I'd placed between us last night.

She had been mad at the thought, but she still holds the pillow between us, holding onto it dearly.

I push away strands of hair that land on her face, obstructing the full view of her face and gently try to remove the pillow from her hold. In the night, she's deep asleep when I take my pillow back, but now, in the morning, I'm not sure I can manage not to wake her up.

But my jealousy for the pillow is overpowering, and I tug at it, trying to pull it out of her grasp when her eyes flutter open. Arvi lets go of the pillow, letting me take it and makes a move to turn on her side, but I hold her arm, replacing myself with the pillow.

My wife makes a cute, muffled noise as she snuggles into my chest, her arm around my waist as I hold her close, within my embrace.

Her soft chest presses against mine, the fabric of my t-shirt being the only barrier between us. I kiss her hair and nearly fall asleep when Arvi wakes up with a start and looks at me, her eyes widened with perturbation.

I sit up, and hold her arm, trying to do something to calm her down. "What—"

She cuts me off, "Did we— did we use protection last night?"

Oh.

Restraining myself from showing any amusement, I put on a normal face. "No," I lie. "Why would we use protection?"

Arvi gasps, her palm flying up to close her mouth. "What do you mean why?" she shrieks, slapping my naked chest.

"It's a question, Arvi. Why would we use protection?" I ask her, frowning to appear confused.

"Because— sex— kids! I don't want!" she exclaims, fervently throwing her hands around.

"You don't want kids?" I ask, softly.

"No, I don't want kids! Not now!"

Oh.

Sighing inwardly in relief, I continue to pester her, "Why would you have sex with me if you didn't want kids?"

"We hadn't even discussed kids! Why would you think I want kids?" she yells at me, clutching her head now.

"I thought that was naturally the next thing any couple did, after getting married!" I continue, contemplating on when to stop the act.

"What is this? Eighteenth-century?" Arvi demands. "Why would I want kids right after I've married?"

"Well— what do you want to do now?" I ask her.

She shoots me a withering glare, with a ferociousness that might burn me, making me flinch. "I swear to god fucking almighty Arjun, if I get pregnant now, I'm going to kill you with my bare hands!"

"And raise our kid alone?"

"This is not the time for your stupid-shit jokes!" she screeches, moving onto her knees to get out of bed.

I hold her back with an arm around her waist and stretch the other out for the condom wrapper that is on the bedside. "We used protection," I assure her, showing her the wrapper.

Arvi stills in my arms for a moment, and then turns to look at me; her expressions in a mixture of disbelief and realisation. "We used protection," she confirms.

"Yes, we did," I reinstate.

"I—" she points to herself, swallowing the rest of her words.

"Yes, you helped." I don't intend to tease, but the smugness rolls off my tongue easily.