The proposal

The next morning, the sun rose over their large Mumbai house, but the inside felt cold and dead.

Arjun was in the kitchen at seven o'clock, just like every other day. He found deep comfort in his routine, especially when his world was falling apart. He was dressed in a fresh cotton saree, this one a soft peach color with a thin gold border. He had draped the six yards of fabric perfectly in the Nivi style. The saree was tucked tightly around his narrow waist, and the pallu was pinned neatly to his left shoulder.

Beneath the saree, he wore a deep low-cut blouse in a matching peach color. It was tailored very tightly to his lean frame. Inside the blouse, he wore his extremely large bust padding. The heavy padding pushed softly against the cotton fabric, creating a large, deeply feminine curve on his completely smooth, hairless chest. A thick gold mangalsutra rested right in the center of that curve, catching the morning light.

He stood at the marble counter, his two-inch block heels clicking softly as he shifted his weight. He was chopping vegetables for lunch. His oval-shaped nails were painted with a fresh coat of clear polish. On his wrists, thick stacks of peach glass bangles clinked together with a sweet, musical sound every time he moved the knife.

Even though they were facing total ruin, he had not skipped his makeup routine. He needed his feminine armor today more than ever. His totally hairless face was painted perfectly. Thick black kohl lined his large eyes, heavy mascara coated his eyelashes, and sharp winged liquid eyeliner extended outward. His lips were painted a soft coral pink. A round red bindi sat in the middle of his forehead, and bright red sindoor filled the sharp center part of his dark hair, which was tied back in a heavy, low bun. Large gold earrings hung from his earlobes, and a small diamond nose stud sparked on his left nostril.

Priya walked into the kitchen. She looked terrible. She was wearing loose sweatpants and an old t-shirt. Her hair was messy, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She hadn't slept at all. She stood by the kitchen island, watching the beautiful, devoted wife she had helped create. She watched the gentle sway of his hips as he moved, and heard the familiar chham-chham of his large silver anklets and the pinch of his silver toe rings on his bare feet.

"The house is very quiet today," Priya said. Her voice was flat and tired.

Arjun kept chopping. "I am just making a simple lunch. Potatoes and peas."

Priya pulled out a tall stool and sat down. She placed her hands flat on the marble counter. "Arjun, we need to talk about Vikram's offer."

Arjun's hand froze. The knife stopped moving. The musical clinking of his bangles died instantly. He didn't look up at her. "There is nothing to talk about, Priya. The answer is no. I will not be his plaything."

"Arjun, look at me," Priya said, her voice dropping into her natural, commanding tone.

He slowly put the knife down. He turned around to face her, his hands instinctively crossing over his large, padded chest. His heavily made-up eyes were wide with fear.

"I did the math again all night," Priya said, her voice shaking slightly but full of desperate logic. "I called three different real estate brokers this morning before you woke up. The housing market is completely dead. Even if we list this house today, it will take six months to sell. We don't have six months, Arjun. We don't even have one month. The bank will seize the house. They will take the cars. We will be thrown onto the street."

"I will find a job," Arjun whispered, tears threatening to ruin his mascara.

"Doing what?" Priya asked, standing up and taking a step toward him. "Look at yourself, Arjun. Really look at yourself. You are a beautiful woman. You have no body hair. Your face is as smooth as silk. You have long hair. Your ears and nose are pierced. To get a corporate banking job, you would have to destroy all of this. You would have to chop off your hair today. Take out your earrings. Buy a men's suit to hide your feminine body. Can you honestly do that?"

Arjun let out a small, broken sob. He reached up, his manicured fingers touching his diamond nose stud, then trailing down to his large gold mangalsutra. The thought of putting on a stiff men's collar made him feel like he was choking. "I... I can't. It will kill me."

"I know it will," Priya said softly, her eyes filling with tears. She walked over and gently held his arms, feeling the soft bangles against her skin. "I love you exactly the way you are. I love my wife. And Vikram... Vikram is a monster. I hate him for what he did to you in college. But look at what he is offering. He is offering you a giant mansion. He wants you to stay exactly like this. You get to wear your sarees, your heavy jewelry, your makeup. You get to manage his house, do the chores you love, and never step foot outside as a man again. He is offering to protect your feminine life forever."

"He wants to own me, Priya!" Arjun cried out, stepping back from her, his block heels hitting the floor hard. "He wants to lock up my body! And worse... he wants to separate us! We will live in the same house, but I can never touch you. You are my everything, my love. How can I surrender to a man I hate?"

"Because if you don't submit to him, we both starve," Priya said, her voice cracking with pure desperation. "It is a sacrifice, Arjun. A terrible, dark sacrifice. But it is the only way you survive as a woman, and the only way I get my career back. We have to say yes."

Arjun shook his head wildly, his low bun bouncing. "No. No. Give me another day. I will think of something else. Please, Priya."