She lay …… thinking about her life. The warmth of her mother’s smile enveloped her. She longed to see that smile again and lay on her mother’s lap. Her sanctuary. She made a mental note to visit her mother over the weekend. Spend time with her. Let her know how precious she is. She lay there …….and thoughts moved to her husband. The man she was in love with for what seemed eternity. Life with him was so blissful. Full of love, fun and understanding. She always thought that they were made for each other, literally. Aaahhhh…. being in his arms was heaven on earth. Her body ached to feel that bliss again. Things changed so much over the past few years. He found fault in everything and anything she did. The hands that lovingly caressed her now became a tool to “teach her a lesson” for her “wrongs”. The lips which kissed her so tenderly, now spoke only harsh and hurtful words. Seetha never failed to make excuses for his physical and verbal abuse through the years although she never knew what her “wrongs” were. She always felt that she would not be able to take another breath if he was not in her life anymore. Her daily prayer being that he become the man he used to be before; the side she fell hopelessly in love with. She lay there in…… her thoughts flashing back and forth till it settled on the moment when she gave birth to Jothy; her pride and joy. Holding Jothy in her arms for the first time after delivery and watching her grow. She was blessed to have a daughter like Jothy. Suddenly blind panic seized her. She could feel her heart beat faster. She had to protect Jothy. She always hid the beatings away from Jothy. She did not want her to see that side of the man she loved. “Just watch TV. Just watch TV. Nothing is going on. Look….Barney is so adorable. “I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family, with a great big hug…. “Jothy would sit on the bed, her eyes transfixed to the television, almost in a trance, shutting out the world around her. Shutting out her world that was being violently beaten up. Her world taking the beatings silently. No groans. No screams for help. Only silent tears and a bloodied face evidenced the mindless violence. “This has nothing to do with you. It is between your Daddy and me. Nothing to do with you. We both love you and Daddy is a good man. Just watch TV, my Jothy. Everything will be alright”. She lay there in a pool…..her eyes closed. The urgent need to protect her daughter pushed her eyes open but found that she could not move her body. She looked up and saw her husband standing at the ledge on the 12th floor of their block of apartments, holding Jothy who was screaming in fear. Seetha tried to open her mouth to scream out to him but nothing came out. Her eyes wide open screaming out. All she could hear was Jothy’s screams. She wanted to reach out and hold her in her arms tight. Suddenly, her husband let go of Jothy and her little body came crashing down…. She lay there in a pool of her own blood. Her Jothy’s body lying limp on top of her. Seetha realized that her Jothy was robbed of her life. Tears rolled down her face. That was when the physical pain set in. She dragged her hand to place it over her little angel. It was Seetha’s fault. She should have left the man she loved years ago. At least, her Jothy would have been safe. Looking up at the 12th floor, she saw the man whom she had given her life to and who had so easily taken it away by throwing her off the ledge. She took a final gasp of air watching him smile at them and she still did not know her “wrongs’.
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Marriage is not a blood relation. You can’t take things for granted. A woman is not all good too. But why has to show his power on his own family. There are 2 reasons to it. First, that they won’t hit back. Second, they know that they’ll always be given an another chance.
If men want really want to show there anger, go to indian border. You’ll meet real men there.
I understand it’s easy to say things. But for a married life to move on, sacrifices needs to be done. How can someone hit a person u love?
women always misunderstand lust as love.
i liked the way you narrate things.i didnt find anything else.
why did the guy go form a loving husband to psycho maniac?…. Im sure you will have to write the other version of the story …… nicely written though
Profound. Poignant as Shivaja Chechi says and why the story ?
men are beasts, women are witches, children are trapped querubins.
it’s amazing how the woman still couldn’t make out her wrongs even after the child’s fall- such a pathetic state.
good story!
Wow shalini…fantastic command over d language.The helplessness and false hope beautifully brought out . P rocrastination is indeed woman’s enemy.
Well narrated story with a sad ending. This is something that happens when women stick to abusive marriages ‘for the sake of children’ never realizing the same abuse will mar their life too and be the cause of their death as in this story. What stupid society is ours that has brainwashed women into accepting this situation, ‘for the sake of children’!!
The protagonist’s words (“This has nothing to do with you. It is between your Daddy and me. Nothing to do with you. We both love you and Daddy is a good man. Just watch TV, my Jothy. Everything will be alright”) males my blood boil..
Your story has worked. See how angry it has made me feel at her plight ! I’d like to strangle everyone of them who ask couples to stick together in abusive marriages ‘for the sake of children’! Children are better off with single parents rather than be witness to abuse. But ‘keeping up appearances’ is the watch word of society and results in such meaningless and sad ends.
This may be fiction, Shalini, but there are hundreds of such similar real life stories. When the love is gone, when either of the partner thinks other as burden, it is best to part ways. Crueliy in marriage must never be tolerated. I agree with Eka ji that many lives are thus wasted due to false sense of secruity and hope. And I am of the opinion that divorce must be made easy to get as, presently, in our country, it is considered easier to kill the spouse than to get legal separation.
it happens in life, this mindless cruelty, and this ruthless intolerance. sadly, it is often innocent children who become victims of such madness that is marriage where there is no love left, but the wife and husband clinging on for sheer security and societal acceptance.
Many are the Seetha’s and the Jothy’s whose souls seek to find out what they did wrong - and sadly
they will never know - I guess it is the violence that I can never understand - always that question haunts
why? why? why? Wow Shalini - this really brings out the tears in everyone - the mindless cruelty -
beautifully written
Was it a case of too much hope? too much sacrifice? Poignant! Why this story all of a sudden??
So many lives being wasted like this only due to a false sense of security that a man sometimes provides. If marriages work , its fine. I think it can be a major support .If it doesn’t , one should make no excuses or stupefy oneself to thinking it will eventually work out. Some things don’t. Too late to realise that in this case.