We live in a small, isolated hamlet of about 30 people in the mountain range; we rarely, if ever, had tourists. My wife and I live with my parents. Everyone knows about each other’s lives, so when the word spread out that I could be infertile, people started asking around.

This one day, when visiting my in-laws, I overheard a conversation between Sumitra, my mother-in-law, and my wife. It was about me, so I sneaked to a nearby window to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“But then what about kids? You are supposed to have kids before you get too old. You’re already 25 years old.”

“We’re trying.”

“It has been over two years since you have married him; what’s wrong?”

“It was probably him; we went to a clinic where we did tests, which showed him having very low sperm count.”

“We thought he was a great man. We shouldn’t have married you to him.”

“No, mom, he’s a great man; we love each other a lot. Don’t say that. Even he is really worried about this issue.”

There was silence for a while. Sumitra got up and shut the door.

“Suchi (my wife), you know you can do it with another man, have his kids and you two (my wife and I) can raise them as our own. I’m sure your husband will understand.”

My heart dropped.

“Mom, what are you even saying?”

“Don’t talk to me in that tone, Suchi. I want kids; that’s final. And I don’t want you to adopt someone else’s kid. At least have the courtesy to give them a birth.”

“But mom, I can’t cheat on him. He will feel hurt.”

“I do not care.”

My wife ran out of the room crying and ran straight towards our house.

My heart was pounding wildly, I was never so hurt in my life. A tear streaked down my cheeks. My MIL is telling my wife to cheat on me. Suchi is very obedient towards her parents, so it’s only a matter of time before she does it with someone, and I will have to raise another man’s kids. And there was nothing I could say to my MIL because that would count as eavesdropping on her. Would not be good for my image. That night, when we had sex, something just felt off. I had thoughts and images of my wife being fucked by another man running through my mind.

After that day, every time I was away from my wife, be it for work or for some other reason, I was wondering what Suchi must be doing. Was she with another man? Who is this guy? No, that can’t be, what else could she be doing? Is she with her female friends? What is she doing with them?

Weeks passed, we continued to have (unprotected) sex every day, but it felt off. I knew what she was hiding from me. She avoided eye contact, and I noticed she picked up on me feeling something was off.

The next afternoon, she comes to me and tells me everything my MIL told her. By the time she was done, I was heartbroken and furious, but at the same time I fully understood her reasoning. Not having a kid is considered a bad omen here. But another man? Really?

“Who is this guy your mom is talking about?” I made up the courage to ask her.

“I can’t tell you that, I don’t want you to do something bad (to him) and fall in trouble.”

“Is he from our village?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me, who’s this guy?”

“NO. I cannot.”

“Have you met him yet?”