Previous Next

“He thought of how long it had been since she looked into his eyes and smiled, or whispered his name on those rare occasions they still reached for each other’s bodies before sleeping.”

Early in the story, Shukumar laments the lack of intimacy in his relationship with Shoba, explaining that it had been dwindling for a while. After the tragic loss of the baby, there is little tenderness left between them. The playfulness in their relationship, which Shukumar describes from his memories, has been lost forever. The couple has grown apart, and the gap has been widening for six months, so they are grieving not only their baby, but also their closeness.

“They weren’t like this before. Now he had to struggle to say something that interested her, something that made her look up from her plate, or from her proofreading files. Eventually he gave up trying to amuse her.”

On the first night of the story, Shukumar clarifies a main difference in the relationship since the central tragedy. The couple used to be able to talk to one another easily and Shukumar could hold Shoba’s interest without trying very hard. In contrast, for a while now, he has found it so difficult to even speak to Shoba that he eventually gave up trying. She doesn’t show any interest in him, which makes him more depressed, and that seems to drive them further apart.

Previous section Quotes that Reveal the Setting Next section The Effects of Keeping Secrets from a Loved One

Take a Study Break