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Fiction #358
(published November 29, 2007)
It Is an Adjustment
by Ashwini Ahuja
He stumbles into his bedroom and sinks into Dunlop mattress. Finding him upset, wife asks worriedly.

"What happened, darling?" Silence remains his companion.

"Do you feel sick, why?" She puts her soothing hand onto his forehead to check if he has fever. He smiles gloomily. Putting his hand into trouser pocket, he then derives a mutilated paper of dark sapphire colour and tosses it down before nice, caring wife.

"What's it?" Wife enquires.

"One more tension" He yells.

"Tension?" Wife shocks picking up the mutilated paper.

"Unwanted expenditure"

"For what?" She narrows her eyes as she shoots a look on the paper.

"Oh, a letter from mother" She heaves a sigh deeply and places the letter on ground.

"Yes, darling, I'm terribly confused over it" He strokes onto his forehead.

"Babuji [father] is ill. Mothers is asking us send them fifteen-twenty thousand"

"Oh my God" Wife's head falls into her cupped palms.

"Your babuji is really stupid who falls ill again and again" And she crosses her eyebrows in irritation.

"You know this month too I might not be able to buy you an Activa Honda bike" Husband grumbles strangely.

"No, no, I would thrash you if you do so" Wife threatens.

"I want Activa Honda this month, come what may" She pulls the collars of his shirt.

"Then- tell, tell, what should we do now, darling? Any idea to handle the situation" Husband grows turbulent.

"It is bad if we do not go there to see babuji. People would say that son is irresponsible towards parents, does not respect them altogether" Wife suggests husband.

"We must go, darling, to see babuji but. . . what about fifteen twenty thousand?"

"Say to them that your wife too is ill. She has recently a miscarriage and you have to spend on her hugely. Perhaps they would arrange elsewhere.

"Is it not a cheating to parents? No, I can not hoodwink them, they are my parents. They had spent very much on my education"

"Try to understand, dear. It is not a cheating. It is an adjustment. You don't know we have our own children. How might we pursue their career without money? For how long we might put up with the burden of your parents. Forget your parents. Remember your own kids." He was silent. Wife's idea was no doubt appears him marvelous.

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