Is Love Enough ??

Chapter 40

Everyone kept talking about abuse towards women, girls but men were abused too, boys were abused too. How did one deal with something like that? Weren't men always the perpetrators? They were the stronger species. The ones who were always, if not always then often in control. Sure, there was physical abuse that sometimes they suffered, fights, beatings etc. But what Maan had revealed to her.... she had always heard about those things in news or social programs and that was not very frequent either. His words echoed in her head. And these were the thoughts she had woken up with. Disturbing thoughts. She had watched the faint rays of the sunlight play over Maan's face as he had slept. For the first time in all the time that she had known him, he hadn't woken up early. She had watched him for some time feeling a pang to her heart. The world saw him as a tough man, a force to be reckoned with, but inside.... She had been quiet as she had gone around her morning chores. As she had stepped out of her room, the house had been silent. After the excitement, last night of the engagement party everyone had either still been sleeping or had been in their rooms. She had wanted a quiet space to come to terms with her troubled thoughts. She had headed for the privacy of the terrace.

And here she sat on one of the chairs staring at nothing in particular. The shame, the hurt, the humiliation she had heard in his voice, seen on his face had haunted her dreams. Sure, she had drifted off to sleep due to sheer exhaustion both physical and emotional, her mind had refused to rest completely. The horror from Maan's revelations last night lingered in the recesses of her mind. She just couldn't grasp how he had dealt with it. Why had he been so stubborn and not spoken to his mother about it? She did understand why he had been so aggressive all those years ago when he had beaten up those boys. He knew how it felt to be a victim. Eve teasing, unwanted touching, lewd comments, forced attention were all forms of abuse. He had been a victim. She was still shocked. And the woman who had victimized him was someone who they all knew. And top to that, there had been a time when she had wanted her daughter to get married to Maan. It was a blessing Kirti didn't throw up. Her stomach churned at that thought. How could she? How dare she? After all she had done, how come she had the guts to even think of it? And Kirti was disgusted. Had there been others who had done something similar to him? Were there more such incidents? Was there no end to depravity in people she knew? How could she trust anyone? Forget her, how did one trust anyone? He had spoken of Isha too. Oh, God! Had she gone through the same? And she buried her head in her hands to try and get a semblance of reality.

"A penny for your thoughts," a voice said and Kirti started with surprise.

"You scared me," she said as she turned around and recognized the face first. The voice still registering. Slowly, her heart slowed to a normal place.

"Sorry," Nikki said with a grin and not a trace of apology on her face.

Kirti smiled.

"I am still alive, I guess you are okay," she said lightly.

"Joke," Anika said and came to sit next to her on the chair.

"How come you are up early?" Kirti asked her sister who seemed to glow despite all the hullabaloo last night and the lateness of the hour by the time they had returned.

"Well, since the rest of them are still in bed I thought might as well wake up and make the most of the peace and quiet," she said with a humorous twist to her lips, "while it lasts," she said and winked at Kirti.

Kirti smiled.

"You do not want shadows under your eyes tonight my dear," she said, "what will Gurpreet say when the pictures come out? You need to look your best," Kirti said and placed a gentle hand on her sister's arm.

"I will, you have yet to see what wonders make up can do," Anika replied grinning, "or all that make up can hide," she said and laughed softly.

Kirti didn't say anything. She just smiled and looked away. She had wanted this time to come to terms with a few things, not that she was unhappy with Anika joining her, but, once everyone woke up and the routine started, there would be too much noise and chaos. Then it would be difficult to find a corner much less peace. She sighed gently.