Author’s Note
This story is a blend of fiction and some personal experiences. I’ve written it with the intention of creating the kind of story I would love to read myself.
As a man, I’ve always enjoyed stories told from a female perspective. I believe this viewpoint can resonate not just with women, but with many men as well. It brings a certain emotional depth and nuance that I find compelling.
This is my first attempt at writing a story, so I’m aware that I have made mistakes along the way. I welcome your feedback. Constructive criticism, thoughts, or suggestions anything that can help me grow as a writer. You can reach out through email or direct message.
I plan to continue writing and evolving, and your input will be incredibly valuable on this journey.
Story
Priya was happy that she moved to Vancouver after marriage. When Gautham, her husband said they could move to Canada, she was expecting a lot. But she knew it would be very difficult with a child who just started going to school. But she thought she will have more freedom in Canada than she has in India. Being close to hers and Gautham’s parents are becoming irritating for her. She had the obligation to show that she was a conservative wife they wished she was. A move abroad could be the escape that might give her more freedom. Gautham left a few months earlier than she did. The time she spent with her parents during that time has only made her more desperate to get to Vancouver. Finally, when she landed she couldn’t wait to hug him in the airport. Gautham was never a person who does hug in the airport though. But this time he made an exception even though it was Infront of their 6 year old son, Surya.
Marriage life was far from great. She had rosy expectations before the marriage. Gautham was a nice guy. But when Priya was in college with her friends, she used to imagine someone who is much more romantic than Gautham is. Gautham is what we call a mama’s boy. Someone who is well behaved and well groomed. Priya found him too well behaved even in bed. But that did not stop her from loving him. She knew that she was lucky to get someone like him.
After settling for a few days, Priya started looking for work and that’s when she realised it was not very easy to live in Vancouver. The rents are expensive. The jobs can be exhausting and physically damning. When in India, she wasn’t working after she had the baby, and she had a lot of free time since then. But she realised that she may have to do working class jobs for long hours here to make ends meet.
But that did not make her disappointed. After weeks of rigorous search, she managed to find a job in a kitchen in a South Indian restaurant. Work became easier for her as time went on. She found friends back in the kitchen. But the odd hours of kitchen work made sure that taking care of the family was even more difficult. Gautham had to take care of the household works now. Since Gautham as a decently paid salary, they could manage to put Surya in a childcare while working. That started impacting their intimacy as well. They work at different times, and they both often found each other tired. They hardly have sex anymore.
And added to that Gautham had to leave for Toronto for a few months on a new project that his company got. The client’s office is situated in there and he is apparently the most important resource for his company. The job was well paid, and the current financial situation doesn’t allow them to do anything drastic. He had to go within the next two days. Gautham was hesitant that he had to leave. Priya couldn’t stop crying ever since she Gautham slowly told her the news. She was away from him for so long and they will be separated again. But Gautham promised that he will start looking for jobs in Vancouver and soon enough he will be able to find one.
Gautham left soon enough and before going, he managed to find a playschool which can look after Surya during Priya’s working hours. Time went fast. Priya could not identify weekends from weekdays now.
That’s when one day she saw a message from someone. It was her long-time friend Amir who she knew. Amir had just landed in Vancouver. He said he came as a student and found out that Priya was in Vancouver now. Priya was a bit hesitant to reply to Amir at first as she did not end things nicely with him. But she decided to reply anyway as she hardly had many friends in the city apart from her work friends.
Amir was staying in an temporary rental until he could find a place to stay. And Priya said she will help him look for places. Amir already visited a room in a two bed room apartment and asked Priya to come along with him as he found the advertisement sketchy. Priya agreed to accompany him to the place. And she planned to meet Amir at the bus stop.
Amir seems to have really changed from the times when she remembers from from her college times. He seems to have bulked up. She remembers him confessing his love to her when she was in college. But as someone from a very conservative background, Priya could not accept it at the time. Now, looking back, Priya felt silly at herself for being so uptight. She now feels that she has not enjoyed her youth like the ways she wanted to. But the clock always runs forward. Now she is a wife and a mother.
Amir was very pleasant, and she could feel his charm that made them so close in the past. The apartment was just 2 minutes’ walk from the bus stop. Amir enquired about her family and work, and Priya was happy to share and talk. She was excited to meet someone whom she knew from her place. She used to feel jealous at Gautham for having so many friends. She used to feel bad that she could not make friends like Gautham did.
Like Amir said, the apartment is on the end of a long narrow corridor. The building appears to be at least half a century old. But the apartment feels good inside. The owner lives on the den, and he wants to rent the bedroom out. The rent seems good. And for a moment Priya thought this room looks better than her room. It was cozy. it had a good window with a lot of lights and the bed and mattress were very big that can easily accommodate two people. Priya thought about the basement she is living in now. It’s dark even midday and she feels depressed thinking about it.
The owner is a white guy with long hair who seems very untidy, and He introduced himself as Jack. Priya did not like the way Jack checked out her. He was looking at her ass and for a moment it made her uncomfortable. He also seemed to think that Priya is Amir's girlfriend who may visit him time to time. She did not feel the need the correct him as she may not even see him ever again. Also, it made a bit proud as she thinks it’s a compliment that she looks as good as now as she was in her old days.
Amir decided to pay the advance and move in after couple of days. They went to a cafe to catch up. Amir has married as well. He showed Priya the picture of his wife. Priya for a moment felt a bit of jealous, which she shrugged off. She liked that Amir was speaking very nicely to her. In between, Amir said « you seem as pretty as you looked in those days » which made Priya feel so proud of herself.
After going home, she saw message from Amir on her phone. He thanked her for coming. Priya said it’s fine and he can call her anytime and she loved spending those time with him. After hitting send, she thought Maybe it’s a bit too much. But she was happy that she got a friend back.
Amir messaged her next day asking if she can help her move in. Priya asked Gautham who was in Toronto now if that’s okay to go. Gautham seems to have no problem and priya thought she can put Surya in a childcare for the day.
Amir jokingly asked her if she is going to wear the same dress as she wore when they met. Priya was taken back a bit by it. She wanted to know why. Amir said she was looking so good in that that he doesn’t want that dress to be spoiled while moving. Priya then thought about what she wore that day. It was just a pants and a top that of showed her navel. Thinking back, Priya was curious if she chose something but revealing.
Was she unconsciously craving for his attention? Was she enjoying the compliments she is getting?
She laughed it off by saying « you will see ».
« I cannot wait to see ».
Priya could feel her heartbeats raising. But it must be nothing. An excitement to see an old friend again. She thought.
She could not wait to meet Amir again. She saw her friends from work as colleagues and never felt that she could talk or interact freely with them. Amir is someone she knows from the college days, and she felt much comfortable being with him.
Gautham hadn’t come home for a month now. He was very busy with his work. Priya was missing him a lot more. She feels that she needs the touch of a man. She has forgotten how it felt. It was so difficult for her to stay away from him for 6 months when she was back in India. Even though she was so excited to come to Canada, the sex life has not picked up like old days that she had. The pressure of moving into a new land has taken a toll on them.
Amir rented a truck on the moving day. He only had a few bags as he only moved in recently. But it seems like he need a new mattress for the bed as the owner wanted his mattress to himself. Priya was careful to pick the right clothes this time. She wore a half tight pants, and a thick sweatshirt over her t-shirt. She felt that the t- shirt made her breasts feel larger. But after carrying the bags a couple of times from the room to the truck she was all sweaty. Now she dreaded that they need to pick up the mattress on the way. Amir did most of the heavy lifting for mattress. But Priya must help him move the stuff into the new place.
