The Other Woman

Can't leave

🎶 Girl Crush - Harry Styles ( cover ) 🎶

The next morning I took the first flight and went to meet my mother. She wanted to pick me up from the airport but I refused to give her any trouble.

Once I was in the house she stared at me for a while. She always told me I had my father's smile which always forced me to not smile.

"You are well," she said.

"You are well too,"

"I made some lunch. You must be hungry," she said.

She was wearing a red kurta and stood before me as a married woman would. I couldn't ask her why she was still wearing red.

Once we were done with the eating I told her about my plan.

"I am leaving in a few days,"

"You are leaving me?"

"Not leaving you. Leaving this place for few years," I lied. "I will be back as soon as possible,"

I didn't have any plans to return. I couldn't say that to her. It would break her.

After two days I returned and started to prepare for my leaving. Mausam was really helpful at this time.

"I am grateful for your help," I told her.

She seemed different today. We were sitting in my room. I was thinking about whether to send my things to my mother's place or to sell them.

"Dakshu," she said.

I looked at her.

I could feel something was going on.

"You can't leave,"

"What do you mean by I...."

She pulled out something from her pocket and handed it to me. I looked at her with confusion.

"It's a notice from the office,"

"Notice?"

I took the paper and read it. It said I had been absent for almost two weeks and they would take action if I didn't return.

"What the hell is this?"

"They want you back to Alan's office,"

"And if I didn't ?"

"They will fine you with sum we can't even imagine,"

I didn't have much savings. I was planning to use the money I had while leaving.

"I can't go back,"

"You have to," she said sliding closer to me.

"But you said everyone knows about me,"

"They don't know it's you exactly. Someone must have told the staff about it but there was no name. Few of them assumed it was you. They think you were trying to use Alan,"

"Prisma," I said.

"What?"

"Prisma must have told everyone about me,"

I told her who Prisma was.

"You could manage to work for a month, Dakshu. Alan's office is in a very private area. No one would bother you,"

"But I can't ignore Prisma or Rekha," I murmured. "The more important thing is I wouldn't be able to ..." I sighed. "ignore him,"

"This might give you a chance to dismiss the rumours,"

"They wouldn't let this go, Mausam,"

"I wondered why those women were so silent all this time," she said.