As told by Tulasi

CHAPTER 4 - Meeting

This is it. You can do it. It's not that hard.

So, what if you are going to see him after months? It's not like he'll accept you with open arms.

Remember everything he did to you. Or may be didn't do to you, like standing up and fighting for you.

With my shaking limbs, sweating palms and thundering heart, I entered the college my husband worked; the college I am going to work.

After the official formalities, I was assigned to a desk at a corner of the staff room in the main building. This block has the administration department and class rooms & labs for 1st year students since they share common subjects. The department blocks are for students from 2nd to 4th years.

Since I was assigned to 'C lab' which is a 1st year subject and my husband worked in the ECE department, we belong to different blocks.

It was nerve-wracking, yet relieving that we are not going to see each other much.

Amidst all this tension, I attended my 1st lab session assisting the first year EEE students. After writing thousands of lines of code in JAVA as a developer, the doubts they asked in 'C language' seemed very easy to me.

A two hour practical lab session and I was back at my desk, free to worry about my life.

I still don't know what I am supposed to do but I know I have to torture him to no extent, until he finally accepts his mistake; accept me.

But, is it that simple? Can I even do it?

With million doubts clouding my mind, I called Sindhu and felt strong again, hearing her words.

I don't want my daughter to suffer every day of her life just because her mother didn't have the guts to fight for her dad.

I can't let that happen.

As I was eating my food in silence, not knowing anyone in the staff room, I found a fifty-year old woman looking at me with a smile from the opposite desk.

"Are you new?" she asked me calmly.

I nodded making her say "I am Parvathi. I teach physics for the 1st years"

"C language. And I am – um- just an assistant in lab until next year starts" I replied timidly.

"Oh. That's what I was thinking. Why would they appoint a new teacher at the yearend? So, where are you from?"

Since I understood her, I am not offended by her straight question. It's almost May and classes would be ended, by this time every year. It's due to the Cyclone in Vizag, last October, the college had been shut down for a month and so term has been extended until late May.

I am lucky they even called me which is why I agreed to assist the professors in 'C lab'. It would've been too late if I had to wait until next term started.

The woman was gazing at me, eagerly waiting for my answer. And I knew I had to tell the truth. I need to let this out so that I can concentrate on my plan. Moreover, if I am going to stay here, I need someone's support.

And so, I told her everything about my life. How I was thrown out of my in-laws house, how I found out I was pregnant, how I needed a job and how my friends helped. I didn't say that my husband works here, though. As much as I wanted to torture him, I don't want to do that publicly.

"Your husband is an idiot for doing this to you" she said fiercely, looking very angry as if she's trying to control herself "And his mom.. What a bitch!!"