Things after marriage weren't going as Eka had expected. She knew since the beginning that her husband grew up without a mother. His life till then had been void of female influence. But she didn't expect to realise that a mother's absence had made him almost robotic.

It's been a month since their marriage. And every day has began to appear almost the same, as if the Goenka villa followed a very strict schedule that couldn't be altered even for a minute.

That morning, as usual, was very boring for Eka. She wore a maroon saree with a backless blouse, in a hope to get her husband's attention. However, she got none. Just like every boring morning in the Goenka villa, he was busy devouring his salad.

Yeeks, how could someone eat that tasteless food every day. As a kid, Eka had learnt that humans are omnivorous. However, in her husband's case, she'll conclude that he is herbivorous and could survive on plants like deers do. What if her husband is actually a deer hiding in a human's skin?

But no, she could understand why her husband is the way he is. And the reason was sitting on the head chair of the dining table. Her father-in-law. Who was as robotic as his son.

So it won't be wrong if Eka declares that the entire Goenka clan acquires robotic genes. And that also means her future kids will also be robots with a human body.

She took a sip of her tomato soup while running all these scenarios in her head.

“Oh God, why I agreed to marry in the family of robots?” She cried inwardly.

Eka quickly finished her breakfast to escape the silence tormenting her sanity. Houses are not supposed to be silent all the time. There needs to be some noise. Noise of breaking glass. Noise of crazy news debates. Noise of idiotic tv serials. Noise of arguments between family members. But Goenka villa was an exception, maybe.

She stood up to leave the dining table when the long pallu of her saree thought of troubling her. Her saree laden arm did a swift movement to pull her hair strand behind her ear. However, in the process, her heavy pallu bumped into the fragile glass of pomegranate juice which led to streams of red liquid flowing down her husband's neatly ironed pants.

“Oh, my god! I'm so sorry, Ayush.” Eka apologized in a shrill, shocked tone.

Her husband, Ayushman Goenka, passed her one sweet, deadly glare before marching to their bedroom upstairs.

✿ ✿ ✿

Eka, after a long moment of contemplation, entered their bedroom to witness her husband's gorgeous, naked legs. He had removed the stained pants and was now moving around the length of the room with un-ironed pants in his hand.

“Let me iron it for you.” She moved forward and took the pants from his hand.

Ayushman kept looking at her in confusion. His confusion didn't surprise her at all. Since past month she was getting such confused expressions from him. Her simple acts of trying to help him were confusing him. Maybe that's what mother's absence do. You don't rely on someone else.

Eka went to the iron table placed at the corner of their enormous bedroom. She put the plug of iron into the sockets and switched it on. And began waiting for the iron to heat up.

While Ayush sat on the bed. His eyes moving to her exposed back from time to time. Even this physical attraction was confusing him.

When Eka was done ironing his pants, she gave it to him. Ayush grabbed the pants and wore them immediately.

“Thanks.”

That was the first word he uttered since the morning.

Eka smiled with a nod. He was about to leave when, all of a sudden, she held his wrist halting him in his tracks. She moved to stand in front of him. Standing on her toes, Eka wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his soft cheeks.

Ayush was astonished to say the least. But it felt nice. To be hugged so warmly. And to be kissed so softly.

As she retreated, he avoided making any eye contact with her.

“Bye.” And he was gone. So was his heart.

“Oh, so my robotic husband is a shy person.” She smiled cheekily.

✿ ✿ ✿

The following evening Eka put some efforts in cooking and prepared a delicious meal of Mughlai Chicken Curry only for herself. Because her husband was a strict vegetarian and could not stand the smell of anything non vegetarian. So for the vegetarian father-son duo she cooked lasagna.

“I can't compromise with my tastebuds for sake of my robotic husband.” She mumbled to herself while setting the lasagna on the dining table.

Eka was not sure if she should eat her meal sitting with them or eat it separately. Because she was kind of nervous to eat nonveg in front of vegetarians. What if the smell of chicken made them feel nausea? Wait, is that even possible?

“I'll eat it later.” She decided.

Moments later, when clock struck on eight, both father-son duo descended the stairs and reached the dining table, welcomed by the mouth-watering aroma of lasagna.

Both of them sat on their chairs and began with their dinner. While Eka walked away to the kitchen. Ayush noticed her leaving and was wondering why she didn't eat her meal with them.

“I am going to grab some white sauce. Do you want some?” Ayush asked his father.

His father shook his head, clearly understanding why he wants white sauce out of blue.

Ayush nodded and quickly went to the kitchen.

✿ ✿ ✿

As he entered the kitchen, he saw his wife sitting on kitchen slab and eating a meaty dish. So that's why she chose not to join the dinner. She had cooked non veg for herself.

“Why are having your dinner here?” He asked, shocking her with his presence.

Eka quickly got down from the slab, dropping a glass of water in the process. She got panicked and accidentally put her feet on the broken pieces of glass.

“Ahh!”

Ayush held her in his arms and made her sit on the kitchen slab. Eka winced as he removed the piece of glass from her feet.

“What enmity you have with the glasses?” He mumbled sarcastically.

“These glasses are clumsy, that's it.” She put all the blame on the poor, non-living glasses.

“I believe you.” He gave her an amused look before pulling out first aid box from a drawer.

Ayush began aiding her wound carefully. Eka's winces made him extra cautious. When he was done dressing her wound, he looked at the broken pieces of glass on the floor and her cooling down meal on the slab.

“You eat your dinner. I'll clean the mess till then.”

Eka quickly nodded before attacking her chicken curry. While Ayush carefully collected the broken pieces and three them in the bin. Later, he moped the wet tiles. Eka's tummy was full till the brink by then.

“I am done.” She told him.

Ayush put the dishes in the sink. Coming back to her he picked her in his arms and took her to their bedroom upstairs.

“What about your dinner? Did you finish it?” Eka asked.

“I'll eat my dinner after tucking you in bed.” He replied while entering their bedroom.

He tucked her in bed as if she was a five-year-old. Eka was shocked. She was wearing a saree, man. You can't expect her to sleep in that. But she refrained from pointing it out.

“I'll remove it myself once he leaves.” She thought.

“I'll be back in ten minutes.” He informed before leaving.

Eka hummed in response.

As he left, she quickly got out of the bed.

“See, I can easily jump like a kangaroo on my one foot. There was no need to pick me in his arms as if I was a baby. But nonetheless, it felt really romantic.” She smiled dreamily and opened the cupboard.

Eka pulled out her night suit and quickly changed into it. After changing she threw her saree on a couch and laid back on the bed. And she began waiting for her husband.