Being married to Sevika was pure bliss. You lived on a farm, far away from town. Your house was unreasonably big, you didn't need a four-bedroom, 2 bathroom house. But, she built it herself and said they were needed. It didn't matter as long as you were together.

Your dad’s old colleague-turned-business-partner, now his neighbor and best friend. She’d been around since you were fifteen, and now, in your late twenties, she was still a constant. Your father had always worked construction, but had made it a point to put his family first. Your mother had grown tired of living sparsely and left him—and with no choice, he’d picked up more hours. That’s also when he met Sevika, and she’d proven to be of greater use than he could’ve imagined.

She quickly picked up on how important family was to him, and without a word of complaint, took on the heavier workload—never once demanding a shameless raise in pay that would’ve bled him dry. Since you refused to forgive your mother for leaving your father, you had lived with him full-time. Sevika stepped up for your dad in ways you hadn’t even realized back then, and soon enough, their business success hinged on her.

So, naturally, when the trashed-out house next door went up for sale, Sevika bought it outright. No haggling, just cash in hand and a nod to your father before he even finished suggesting it. And because your dad wasn’t about to let her live in a dump, he insisted on renovating the whole damn thing free of charge. She helped, of course.

You were in your early twenties when she moved in, and she was in her mid-thirties. That summer, you spent your whole free time with the two of them, cooking for them, making sure they ate, caring for them like they were your two overgrown children. In a way, you were part of her family. Sort of.

She was a woman of few words, sharp when she needed to be, and sharper when it came to you.

Sevika. Blunt, crass, with a little bit of sass. Somehow even hotter at forty-two than she’d been in her thirties, effortlessly filling out that tank top and worn-out work pants like she was carved by the gods themselves.

When you got married she had to make accommodations throughout the whole house since you were an ambulatory wheelchair user. You had spasticity so you had to have your wheelchair around at all times just in case.

Currently, you're cooking dinner in your dad's house which is right next to you and Sevika’s. You're making lasagna from scratch while they play poker in the other room.

"Oh– damnit! You hag!" Your dad yelled as she won again. She just laughed and reshuffled the deck. You left the pot to simmer and went to sit in your wheelchair that is parked next to the chair Sevika is sitting in.