Inheritence of Love

Rakesh parked his car in the garage and went in to his house through the side door. He had had a rough day at work. The house was absolutely quite. As usual, he thought. His wife, Maria, must be in bed. He was at his wits end about the problem in hand. His relationship with Maria was going nowhere. They hardly talked to each other any more. She was always too preoccupied and they were growing distant by the day. There was no connection any more, emotional or physical. They had not had sex for almost six months or was it more? He decided he had to do something about it. Communication was the only way they could sort it out.He walked into the study contemplating how to begin. He hated talking about it. He had tried it earlier on a few occasions and Maria had failed to understand his point of view. Rather, she didn’t want to. He threw his briefcase on the floor in anger.Maria, on hearing the sound, walked out the bedroom door just as he was coming out of the study. She had just got up from her sleep.“Oh! You are back. The dinner is in the oven.” Maria said and turned around to go back to the bedroom.“Maria,” Rakesh called out, “Listen we have to talk.”Maria turned back again and asked sleepily, “What is it?”“It’s about us. I think we need to work on our relationship. I am feeling so lonely that it is getting to me and I am frustrated too, if you know what I mean.” Rakesh was finding it difficult to put it in words.“Not again, Rakesh. Talking has not got us any results. We will only end up offending each other.” She walked to the three-seater sofa and sat down.“But we have to. What has happened to our relationship? We used to be so happy together.” Rakesh went and sat next to her.“If you are feeling unhappy at this moment, I really can’t help it.”Rakesh continued, unmindful of what she had said, “It all changed eight months back when Rohit came into your life.”“Please don’t get him into this. It’s not his fault.”“But he’s the reason. You are paying too much attention to him and none to me. Your eyes, face everything lights up when you are with him. And I only get this sleepy fagged out look. You can at least pretend to show some interest in me.”“Rakesh, with your shallow thinking you can not even begin to comprehend my relationship with him.”“And what exactly do you mean by that?”“I mean that he is everything to me and I to him. You can say whatever you want but this is one thing I am not going to compromise on. If you are feeling jealous so be it. Rakesh, I am begging you to not drag this any further. I am already stressed out. Please, please don’t add on to it.”“I still want to know what it is that you didn’t or don’t get from me so as to ignore me so consistently and completely.”“Rakesh, my relationship with you was different. It was good, it still is, but with Rohit it’s on a different plane.”“And how’s that?”“I have known true love only after he came into my life. He generates emotions in me, which I have never felt before. He makes me complete as a woman and makes me feel like one. His tender touch is so fulfilling. His smile and the way he looks at me, it’s all so wonderful. I don’t need any thing else in my life.”“You said the same thing to me when we got married.”“Like I said, this is different. I feel right now he is so dependent on me for everything. I have got no choice but to support him. He is my responsibility.”“Where do I figure in your scheme of things?”“What do you want from me?”“I want companionship, a smile, some intimacy and love. I am missing all those things. I want everything to be the same like it was earlier.”“Rakesh it’s never going to be the same again. Get used to the idea. And anyways you ought to be supporting me on this. ”“I can support you all you want if am comfortable, which I am not,” Rakesh said.“You must understand it is equally frustrating for me, not having any time to myself. I am constantly fatigued, my routine has changed completely, my hormones are acting up on me and I am also going crazy,” Maria was almost in tears, “but I don’t have an option, I have to go through all this.”Rakesh had never thought of all this and for the first time realized how difficult it was for her. He told her, “I understand, actually I have been selfish. I should have been supporting you through this. We have had enough good times together and there will be time for more. I will not bring this up again and you will not find me lacking in supporting you. Just one thing, tell me, do you still love me?”“You are my husband and I still love you. Please have some patience. Everything will be all right. Come here,” saying this she pulled him towards herself and kissed him lightly on the lips.When they separated she asked him, “Tell me don’t you ever get such strong feelings of love and affection towards Rohit.”“Of course, I do. He is my son after all.”