My wife and I sleep in different bedrooms because I want to be alive the next day

The Rajans are known for three characteristics: we are hardworking, hilarious, and honest. That’s why 25 years back, when Rekha (then my girlfriend and now my wife) asked, “I love you. Will you marry me?”

My immediate response was, “I am allergic to dust.”

Sceptics will argue that I tried to change the topic or evade the commitment. But I was just living up to the traditions the males in the Rajan’s family have always upheld – be truthful to the woman in your life.

Maybe because I was good-looking, or maybe because she believed I would be rich someday, Rekha didn’t walk away because of my dust allergy. She replied, “I was born with a broomstick in my hand…don’t worry…I will keep our house clean.”

Back then, I remember thinking that she was just the kind of woman I wanted to live with.

But with time, I have realized that maybe Rekha always wanted to marry a man with a weakness – in my case, a man with a weak pair of lungs. Just in case push comes to shove, and she had to topple him off.

And here is my evidence:

In the last few months, she has started sleeping with the AC on at 18 degrees Celsius all night. Despite a comforter, I freeze all through the night. I have fallen sick twice, and have a blocked nose every alternate day. And since the room is so cold, I have to get up to pee at least twice at night. With no proper sleep, I am breaking down both mentally and physically. Every day, I am more tired than the day before.

But then we Rajans don’t give up so easily. When it comes to issues within relationships, we are fighters, warriors, soldiers – all rolled into one.

So, I walked up to Rekha and said, “Our bedroom is very cold. So, going forward, I am going to sleep in the kids’ bedroom.”

“You sure?” She asked me. Not once did she mention that she would switch off the AC.

And before I could reply, she followed up: “By evening, I will set up your bed in the kids’ bedroom.”

I have been sleeping in the other bedroom for two weeks now. Not sure if my wife wanted to kill me, and I escaped…or she didn’t want me in the same bedroom, and succeeded.