The Workaholic Wife ✅

Firing Complaints

The officer twists his mustache once again, glaring at me in Aarav's arms. There was no wheelchair access here; honestly, do they think that the disabled won't come here to give a complaint?

Aarav was struggling with my weight, adjusting his hands over my waist as he stood.

"What the hell do you eat?" He asks, scrunching his face in pain.

His comment reminded me of the time Aniket carried me up the stairs, and complained about my weight. These days, everything reminds me of him.

"What the hell do you eat?" I mock back, looking at his scrawny figure. Not even scrawny, the guy could be compared to the skinniest skeleton.

I could feel his bones poking at my waist and it didn't help that my ankle was hanging in mid air.

I was completely defenseless. My left arm still hadn't woken up, and the whole right side of my body was refusing to handle the pain, reminding me of it every few seconds with a sharp sting.

"Put me down!" He lets go of my waist for a second, laughing at my increased heartbeat as I feel the falling sensation, before adjusting me in his arms.

He walks over to the desk near the policeman's desk and gently places me the wooden chair, adjusting my tight red dress for me. The slots in the bottom showed my toned legs, and I don't think I want the prisoner's attention.

I smile at him, thankful for his consideration. He scratches his neck, slipping down on the chair beside me.

"What seems to be the problem?" The policeman asks, tapping his pen on the blank notebook in front of him. I could see he was impatient, what with his constant distractions. He looks at the both of us, and faces me, folding his hands in front of him. "Do you want me to marry you two?"

My eyes widen, and Aarav and I consecutively yell out a "no!"

"That's not what we are here for. I would like to give a complaint." I say, placing my uninjured hand on the table covered with a lime green cloth.

"Well, tell me, and I'll write the complaint." He says, ripping the page he had scribbled with his pen, and turning to another blank page.

"My husband was kidnapped four days ago, while we were at a gala. There was some shady men dressed in black that attacked us, in front of all the guests. Their motive seemed to harm Aniket, my husband, and kidnap him. I got injured while fighting."

"Fighting?" The man asks, raising his bushy eyebrows. It looked comical since his eyebrows covered most of his eyes.

"I fought them. Injured a few, even. But they shot me twice, and escaped with Aniket."

"You're telling me, that you, a woman, fought off strong men, and that, on your own?" He pauses, smirking, and throughly analyzing me.

"Yes, officer. I did, if you refuse to believe me, you can ask any of the elites in the gala. And in fact there were no cameras, which is why I have to seek your help. I know people in high places, mr..." I look at his name tag. "...Krishnan. And I could get you suspended in five minutes. If your looking for bribes, I have nothing to offer a scum like you." I say, smirking back at him.

His smirk has faltered, replaced by a deep frown.

"I challenge that you woman, you can't do anything!" He says, raising from his desk, and slapping the dust covered books in anger.

"You have underestimated me, sir. You are supposed to be protecting the public. Yet you are accusing them of fending for themselves. I just started a riot near st. Anne's hospital and came here. Stop underestimating me." I growl, leaning back into the chair and hiding the pain from my voice.

I turn to Aarav.

"Aarav?" He jumps at sudden mention of him, and picks me up, as if reading my thoughts. "I need your phone."  I tell him, picking it up from his shirt pocket. I memorize all my numbers, so remembering the commissioner's personal number is easy. You have to know people in order to run a hospital.

And plus, I might have gotten a award or two from him; he was usually a chief guest at events.

The phone rings, and unable to control my shaking hand as I hold it, I put it on speaker and place it back in Aarav's pocket. He's out of the police station now, getting into his disgusting excuse for a car.

He was really messy. I wondered if anything died from the stench. He had dirty clothes and empty parcels of food containers littering the back of his car.

Suddenly, I'm wondering if he lives here.

"Hello?" The commissioner's secretary says in his deep voice.

"Hello, this is Sanskriti, owner of St.Anne's hospital. I would like to speak with the commissioner urgently, for a brief complaint on a police officer."

"Sure, ma'am. Give me a second."

He puts me on hold, and meanwhile, Aarav is strapping me in the seat with a seatbelt, looking unnaturally happy.

"What's your cause of joy?" I ask him, the bitterness resounding through the car.

"Nothing." He says, deflecting the question by walking to the other side of the car. He closes the door shut, as the phone starts to ring again.

"Hello, Ms. Menon. I'm glad to speak to you. My secretary told me you wanted to file a official complaint?" He asks; I could almost picture his perfected smile with his trimmed mustache and clean, unruffled khaki uniform.

"Yes, sir. Mr. Krishnan, in the south side of the city, at my local police station, did not want to believe me when I said I single handily fought off the men who kidnapped my husband. I could tell he had wanted a bribe, and challenged me that a woman could never do such thing. A police officer who does not believe in law- which clearly states that government officials should treat women equally in their work, is appalling, sir. I hope you could see where I'm going with this, sir."

"I understand." Says the commissioner from the other side of the line. "By chance, was it you caused that riot near your hospital, Miss?"

"Of course,sir. If you want to arrest me, please take two of my complaints before doing so."

The man laughs. "It is quite alright, Krithi. I enjoyed your little speech."

"How did you—

"It's all over the news, my dear. I appreciate your honesty and integrity, however. So, you want me to fire the policeman and find your husband, is that it?"

"Yes, sir. That would be all." I reply curtly.

"We already received a complaint about your husband, my dear. My secretary is saying that we know the address of where is held and cannot search for him there without a warrant. It's a private location an hour's drive away from the city."

"Tell me address, officer. Please. Every second he is held there—

"Sure, my dear. Note it down. Be careful, in your condition, you shouldn't be taking risks like this. I will send some police protection?"

"Yes, sir. As soon as possible. We will try to stall them."

"We?"

"Yes, sir. A collègue and myself."

"At least you have someone to protect you." I could hear his laugh. "No that you cannot protect yourself. We will meet soon, my dear."

"Thank you, sir. You've been great help.  But can I ask you, who gave the complaint?"

"It's my duty, Krithi. Apparently, it's a man named Chinna. I have to go. Goodbye."

Chinna! I forgot about him.

"Bye, sir." I say, gulping before signaling Aarav to cut the call.

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