Divorce PART I (Somebody started the fire)

It’s like any other usual morning until the phone rings at 9 o’clock in the morning in a dwelling in Nagpur.
The husband picks up, pauses a jiffy as if hearing something, and says, “Don’t worry, I’ll be there on time,” and replaces the phone.

He then shouts to his wife, who is in the kitchen: “I’m going out for some toil. I’ll be back approximately one thirty or two for dine.”
“Where are you disappearing? You’ve taken leave today. Let’s go shopping; and then for lunch and a movie.” wife brings the list
“Please. Not today. I’ve taken leave just for this vital thing.” husband says trying to avoid.
“Vital thing? Where are you going?” the wife persists.

The husband knows now that he has no alternative but to tell her. He knows his wife’s nature so well – she’s not going to relax till she find out. She’ll plague him to death until he tells her.“I’m going to the Family Court,” he says.
“Family Court? Why?” Her eyes become larger than earth.
“A divorce case.” Husband replies
“Divorce? You’re trying to divorce me behind my back?” Wife says clutching her hair
“Please be silent. It’s not us. Pooja has asked me to come for the hearing.” Hubby replies
“Pooja?”
“You’ve met her." Wife smelling something fishy.
"She’s my collaborator at work.”
“Oh. That Pooja! I knew you for eternity you had a soft corner for her.” Wife says putting on sarcastic smile on her face
“It’s her concluding divorce hearing today and she’s called me.” husband defends his act

“Divorce? Called you? How are you involved? I hope she divorces not because of you? I knew you’d do something stupid. You are so susceptible you know – got trapped by her and now you are in dilemma being summoned by courts. Respectable persons never see the entrails of a court in their entire lives.” Wife says tryin to stop him in getting involved to all these.

“Please keep quiet! You just go on and on! Pooja’s called me just to give her emotional support.”
“Emotional support! I’m coming with you. Can’t you see what she’s up to?” .Wife says trying to scare his honey with her big eyes.
“Please. Pooja’s just a colleague going through a rough patch. As a friend, I have to help her out, show her a bit of compassion and kindness.” .Poor husband replies
“Compassion? It may soon turn into passion!” the wife says sarcastically,
“Drying a divorcee’s tears is one of the most dangerous pastimes for a man, especially a married man.” . Wife says, smelling some more fishy stuff
“Pastime? I’m not going there for amusement, but to help out a collaborator.”
“Anattractive colleague in distress, isn’t it? And our Knight in shining armor is rushing to her aid!”
“Okay. Why don’t you come along and see for yourself,” the husband says.

The moment he utters those words he instantly regrets it but it is too late, his wife has already picked up her purse and is heading towards the door.

“Why are they divorcing?” the wife asks, as they are driving in their car from their house towards the Family Court.
“Its divorce by mutual consent.” Husband defends his colleague.
“Mutual consent! What nonsense! There must be some other reason.” Wife says further inetrrograting like CBI officer
“No. They have just agreed to detach.”“If they can agree to separate why can’t they agree to stay together?”. Wife says at last some thing logical.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask her that!”
the husband says irritated.‘Of course I will. And I’ll give a piece of my mind to her husband too. Tell him to stop harassing his wife.”

“Please. For heaven’s sake don’t say anything there. They are parting amicably, as friends.”

“There is no such thing as amicable divorce. If a marital relationship is amicable, why divorce in the first place? If they can divorce and remain friends, why can’t they remain married and be friends?”

"Will you please keep quiet! I’m driving.” . Husband say as he gets irritated
“What’s her husband’s name?”
“Abhishek.”
“See! Pooja and Abhishek! Even their names are compatible,” the wife says.
“There must be some adultery involved. This Abhishek must be having an affair. Or it must be Pooja. I’m sure she is having an affair.”
“Don’t be stupid. She’s not like that.” Husband Says
“How do you know?” Wife enquires again
“I know her for so many years now. She’s quite close to me. " Husband says."She’s told me everything.”
“Close to you? My God! I hope it’s not you?”
“Will you please shut up! I told you its mutual incompatibility.”

“Incompatibility, my foot! Let me tell you there is no one more incompatible than both of us. But are we divorcing?”. Lady says
“Why don’t we? At least I’ll have some peace and respite from your constant nagging.” Hubby says
“Ah! So you can marry her is it? You’ve got a hope in heaven! I’ll cling on to you till my dying day. And follow you even after that.” Wife says fuming with anger

They drive in silence for a while and then the wife asks,
“Has she got any kids?”
“Yes. Two. A boy and a girl. In school.”
“Poor children. What will happen to them?”
“They’ll go off to a boarding school for a while till Pooja settles down.”
“It’s funny. They’ve got children and are divorcing. We haven’t any but we are carrying on together!”
‘Yes,” the husband says, “I really wonder! We constantly fight but stay together; and they have such a cordial relationship but want to separate.”
“Marital relationships are not supposed to be cordial and cold,” the wife says snuggling up to her husband.
“I’ve realized one thing,” says the husband.
“What?”
“The opposite of love is not hate; it is indifference.”

TO BE CONTINUED....