Jogging was not Khusi's forte. But the adrenaline rush in her blood, that day, kept pushing her forward, as she ran and ran around the central park. Her sweat, which glided down her cheeks along with her tears was a constant reminder of what mess she had left behind at the apartment.
Her cheater of a husband and his so called lover, who was carrying his child.
When her lungs started burning, she sank down on a bench, huffing and gasping for air. Khusi needed to clear her head, and staying cooped up in the apartment was suffocating her.
Bhaskar played the ultimate trick by giving her the choice to decide. But what was she to decide? Whether to live with a cheater husband or not?
And what about that girl Sanjana? Did she even want the baby? Or was she a trickster too, like her husband, whose only motive was to bind Bhaskar.
She didn't know ... and with every passing hour the weight of the inevitable decision she was needed to take, was getting too heavy for her to bear.
Her phone rang and she quickly checked out the ID.
"Baba." Khusi's throat tightened with emotions as soon as she received the call. She was not expecting him to call. A small ray of hope started peeking inside her head. Maybe her Baba could give her the much needed advice.
"Khusi. I heard what happened." Khusi's heart fell when Dipankar called her by her name, and not Shona Ma. She remained silent, waiting for her father to speak.
"I will have a talk with Bhaskar if you want. He can not just ask for a divorce like that. You were his responsibility. He can keep the child but he can't divorce you like that. Don't worry Khusi, I am on your side. We won't let your marriage crumble. We won't let your life get destroyed."
Khusi's eyes fell shut at her Baba's words. Her stomach churned and clenched, the soles of her feet pricking with unease.
Life destroyed? Won't let the marriage crumble? Responsibility?
No one understood that her marriage had already collapsed. The moment Bhaskar didn't hesitate to bed another woman, the relationship between Khusi and him broke.
And now, everybody was expecting her to accept her husband with open arms? To blindfold her eyes and ignore the fact that his betrayal was justified, only because he was getting a child out of this?
Why was she expected to stay mute and bear whatever was getting thrown at her direction? Only because she was a woman?
What about her dignity? Bhaskar disrespected her the day he decided to have sex with another woman ... and everyone still wanted Khusi to be with him. Why? Only because the society would talk behind her?
But she was not her. Not the woman who will silently accept the atrocities of her husband, only for the sake of society. Only because the people around her would look down upon her, even though it wasn't her fault. If being a perfect wife meant turn a blind eye to your husband's wrong deeds, stay silent and accept him with open arms, she was better off being an imprudent woman.
"And that other girl, how shameless is she? Having an affair with a married man!? It must be her wicked conspiracy, to tie herself with a financially stable man with the ploy of pregnancy ... "
"I will solve the problem myself. Good bye Baba." Khusi smiled sardonically. It took two to cheat. And if Bhaskar didn't wanted it, no one could have make him sleep with another woman.
Dipankar was unaware of the fact that it would be the last time he would be hearing from his daughter.
Khusi wiped the tears off her cheeks and looked up at the sky. There was no one left to talk to.
YOU ARE READING
Not Her
Romance"I don't want to become a mother." This line is a taboo for women in some parts of the world, and so was for Khusi Mukherjee. At the age of 25, independent and single, she wanted to live her life according to her rules. But everything changed when...
