Husband and wife have never reached this level of misunderstanding in the two years of their marriage.
Shee Bah, having been withheld by Madrat from riding a motorbike on the night road in her state of anger, and her chances to access a special hire or a taxi were close to none in such a noble neighborhood, the only option she was left with was to accept and sit in her husband's SUV with him on their way back to their matrimonial home.
She stood with hands crossed tightly against her chest, hesitant to take a step towards his car while he continued to ask her, to come with him. Through her clenched teeth, quietly, Shee Bah angrily spoke.
"You so annoying!"
Madrat casted his eyes direct at her, not avoiding her fiery gaze that burned with frustration. But then, Shee Bah snapped, her voice sharp enough to turn every head around with direct eyes of a suprised shock at her.
"Do you even care about us, Madrat?"
He answered calmly with a frustrated gaze:
"Of course I do!"
"It's like nothing I say matters!"
On an instant he replied:
"That's not true! You're my wife with whom I am receiving a new family member soon!"
Madrat, as he fixedly looked in his wife's eyes amidst answering at her doubts, the fiery gaze that burned with frustration was still too deep _ obviously displayed all over his wife's face. He sighed, ran a hand through his hair in exasperation and added to make sure that the ruined situation gets fixed:
"I didn't mean to upset you, Shee Bah. You're overreacting."
His tone was dismissive, which only fueled her anger further more.
She echoed incredulously:
"Overreacting!"
Then tossed her hair backwards in disbelief and added:
"You think this is about being reasonable? This is about you not caring! You think I want to fight? All I want is you to listen for once!"
Filled with frustration that had been building for some time, Shee Bah's movements were sharp and agitated. She struggled to find the words to convey the hurt that lingered in her chest.
"Maybe I just...."
And then walked towards the executive black SUV _ her husband's car, leaving him behind, stranded, staring with exasperation.
While Shee Bah was coming toward the SUV, Gekko _ her husband's bodyguard, and the driver kept wary eyes on her. Like a snake ready to bite, her angry eyes were so scary. The driver took fast steps immediately and pulled the rear door handle, opened for her to get in the car.
However, when Shee Bah approached the car, angrily she decided to dodge the driver's rendered obligated duty, pulled open the passenger's door for herself, and took the front seat instead, with obvious distress. The ageing driver; in his gentleman suit had one option left _ to accept his fate in this moment and fit well in an embarrassment suit.
After all, his salary was to come on time at the end of the month, regardless.
Having been left alone in exasperation, Madrat started coming too, finding his way to the SUV. Through an open rear door that his wife had just rejected, he entered and sat quietly with discomfort, looking so bothered.
His massive bodyguard, Gekko asked:
"How about the motorbike, boss?"
With calmness in his deep voice:
"Don't worry, Angie's security guards will take care of it. Sit so we can get out of here."
Immediately Gekko jumped in, joined Madrat in the rear.
Now, it was Madrat and Shee Bah's silence against the mute hum of the car engine as the car began to glide out of the place. Angie was up on the first floor in her house window, hands wrapped against her chest, with one holding a wine opener. Through this medium size window her gaze was fixed, watching all that was happening down her front yard.
Not until the car went off her sight, Angie never left the window spot.
Back inside the SUV, Madrat desires to say something, to bridge the chasm that had suddenly opened between him and his wife after the misunderstanding that had spiraled out of control. And, in the passenger seat with her gaze fixed outside the window watching the world, Shee Bah could feel her husband stealing frustration glances at her.
He couldn't contain the frustration and finally murmured, his voice tentative as he reached out a little bit closer.
"Shee Bah..."
But hurt in her expression stopped him cold. She then replied softly, her voice lacking the sharpness she wielded during an argument.
"What?"
She kept her gaze to the window, forcing a tear to retreat as it was about to spill down her cheek.
When he heard her "What?", Madrat started:
"Look, sweetheart, whatever you're thinking is invalid. You know that I can do anything to make you smile."
In a desperate explanation he added:
"Honey! Have you seen how your album has gone viral, attracting millions of views and leading to a sudden surge in popularity? This is such a shocking suprise! Infact, it's what we've been talking about with Angie by the time you showed up!"
Shee Bah remained silent; trying to balance between the instant excitement she felt deep inside for her album excellence, intrigued with a desperate desire to hear more from her husband about what he had in mind on her sudden breakthrough to fame, and the hurting that still lingered in her chest about her husband failing to respect their dinner programme and spent the evening at Angie's house instead.
Undecided, her mouth opening slightly as it closes, wanting to utter a word but hesitant, Shee Bah, commands out of the blue:
"Stop the car!"
From the driver to the bouncer Gekko, every one in the car glanced in wary. As for Madrat, he starred with a piercing gaze, wondering why his wife was asking for a pull over all of a sudden.
Obediently, the driver carefully found a safe stop on the highway and pulled the executive black diamond SUV to the road side. All their wary gaze were on SheeBah. Immediately, she stepped out and walked around the car upto the other side of the rear and pulled the door from outside, open.
Her serious gaze at Gekko was enough for him to read clearly the instruction written behind it when she fixed it intently into his eyes. Without saying a word, Gekko did not hesitate... one foot after the other, he stepped out. In silence, Shee Bah occupied the seat, pulled the tinted window door to close.
She then glanced at her husband who was watching her moves so quietly. She quirked corners of her mouth as though she was shy, which was a message to her husband that perhaps they can talk about her sudden fame and forget the frustration.
What else was Gekko left to do outside where he was left stricken with disturbance, except to take the passenger seat, infront with the driver.
Shee Bah said:
"Make sure Angie's name doesn't show up anywhere in this conversation."