Waiting for Tarun
Rina was so
excited when Sameer told her that she could join him in shop. She wanted to
work there. Rina was planning to marry to Tarun when her family arranged her
marriage. She was not in love with him. But still she was expecting him to show
some love towards her afterwards. She was having hopes but from first day Tarun
talked sweetly. But he didn’t have that love towards her. She kept trying hard.
Her parents were keep hoping everything would be fine. She didn’t even want to
think negative. Tarun kept coming in their house as her father’s friend’s son.
He was her playmate from childhood. Once she assumed their relationship was
just like brother & sister but as she grew up everyone began to talk in
different way. She was suggested that she needed to change concepts of her
mind. She began to talk
with affection whenever Tarun came. They used to sit in garden of society for
hours. People used to watch them & smile. All were certain that Tarun was
in love with her. But when she was hoping for marriage proposal he declared he
needed to go abroad for studies. She nodded. She accepted his idea. She was in
her house waiting for him. Her mom was teaching her cooking. At beginning it
was great but slowly her father began to abuse her. Her father screamed “This
girl sat with him for hours. Every one in this area saw them laughing &
smiling. Her reputation is damaged. Now what will we do if he doesn’t send
marriage proposal?” She didn’t say anything. She felt so hurt. Her father knew
everything. In fact, many times her father indirectly suggested her to go out
with him. But whenever she used to return her father used to ask when they were
planning to marry. Her answer was always same. She didn’t know. He never talked
about it. She sometimes even asked her father that she might needed to stop
meeting Tarun but her father said “He is rich boy & have good education
too. You can’t get boy like that. You can’t take risk of ignoring him.” They
kept waiting. Then Tarun decided to go abroad. Her mom insisted that she would
ask about marriage to Tarun’s mom. She was so scared. Tarun talked personally
on phone & told that he was not planning to marry anyone on this point of
career. So, he didn’t say no to her but then he added that he never saw her
that way. But Tarun’s mom said he needed time. She decided to wait. After all
Tarun was not planning to marry anyone else. So, she was in her home waiting
for Tarun. As time started to move ahead, she sensed that wait was meaningless.
Her father kept targeting her & she tried her best to avoid argument with
him. Finally, one day her friend Sameer called her. He needed help in his shop.
She agreed. It was small change in her life & she was happy about it.
Rina entered
in shop. It was small shop. She felt so odd in it. She began to get scared too.
She was not expecting this small room. She remembered very well last time shop
was big. She sensed that they had reduced size of shop & managed to give remaining
on rent. She began to understand all. Sameer called her since their shop was
not earning much. Sameer was not ready to share profit with her but now that
they were suffering losses he called her for help since he didn’t have anything
to share. She just needed to help as friend. She couldn’t expect anything out
of this. She thought this then she felt that she was getting too negative so
she decided to forget it. She began to think about increasing sell of that
shop. After all she was also not someone great. She would be little useful to
Sameer & it would be good thing for all. She didn’t need to expect
something every time. She began to think that she was getting too greedy. She couldn’t
expect everyone to give her money at beginning. First, she needed to get
training. She was supposed to work for them. On that point Sameer came in shop.
Sameer gave angry look immediately. Sameer “You are just watching around! You
are not customer. You are working in this store as sales girl. Arrange
something. Make it attractive.” She felt so shocked. She was not getting
anything in return so she was not expecting Sameer to act like Boss. Sameer “I
need help. You are here to help me.” Then he gave some items & pointed
them. “Arrange them properly. You need to do your job in right way or no one
would purchase anything. My shop will suffer losses.” He was giving her angry
look. She felt so nervous. She didn’t want to stand there. She began to feel so
uneasy in her stomach. She began to hate idea of working. She supposed to work
as practice but it was not going on like that. She said slowly “I will try.”
Sameer gave her angry look. Then he left. She began to look around for restroom
soon she found it. She came back & began to arrange all. One customer came.
Customer started to look around. Customer began to touch thing. She was so
tense. She could not tell customer to not touch but she was feeling so uneasy.
She had one fear in her heart that customer would be careless. She came ahead
& asked “Madam what do you like to see?” Customer looked towards her with
anger & said “Nothing.” Then Customer left shop. Immediately Sameer came
inside. Sameer “Uncle was so right. You are such useless girl. You are burden
on Uncle. You don’t understand how to sell anything in shop. I need to keep you
just to please Uncle. I can’t believe I am doing this.” She felt so sad. She
was feeling uneasy. Her head was getting light. She wanted to steady her steps
but she couldn’t. Her steps were getting confused. She took deep breath to
steady herself. Her idea of working in shop was proving worst one. She was not
getting any experience by this. She just understood that she was totally
useless. She felt so sad. She began to rearrange stuff. She looked towards
price. They were too high. She suddenly got one idea. “Why don’t we keep
discount or sale?” “Really? & who will pay for discount amount? You are not
so rich that you can pay for it.” Sameer
began to laugh on her. She felt so sad. She was not rich. She knew that very
well. But now she began to feel she was only one who was not rich. She felt so
sad. Her father kept telling her that she was poor. Tarun was not coming back.
He knew that she needed to adjust. She said “I am sorry. It was wrong idea.”
Sameer laughed in strange way & went out of shop.
Rina was
alone in shop after some customer went away. She was feeling so scared. She didn’t
understand how she was supposed to show all to customers. Sameer was expected
to teach her but he did nothing. He just gave her responsibility &
vanished. She began to feel so suffocated in that shop. She was sitting for
such long time in that small chair. Her legs began to get numb. She needed to
walk around. She decided that she would walk little bit in store. She slowly
stood up. But her legs were too numb. It was impossible for her to stand up
properly. She looked towards door. She didn’t want customer to come in on that
point. She took breath of relief when she saw road was empty. She wanted to
feel normal. She started to stand. It took her long time to start walking
properly. On that point Sameer came. He screamed “What are you doing exactly?
This is store not park to take walk!” “My leg was…” “Just shut up. You are not
increasing my customers reducing them. Uncle is right. You are such useless
girl. Even that Tarun ran away after seeing your useless attitude.” She worked
hard to control her tears. She wanted to escape from her situation but she couldn’t.
It was going to move ahead same way. She needed to accept her failure. She went
home. She didn’t complain. She ate dinner peacefully but she noticed her father
was watching her with meaningful smile as if he was enjoying this. She was so
stressed. She went in bedroom. She decided to call Tarun. He didn’t take her
call at beginning. Then finally he took it. She began to talk about her experience
of work but he said “I am sort of busy. I hope you don’t mind.” She said “Okay.”
That was end of conversation & her hope. She slowly began to sense that he
was truly not interested. So, she needed to keep working in that shop. She began
to work from next day without complaint. She was getting nothing but still she
was doing it since she wanted her dad to keep her in home. She knew that she
was not getting any other source of income or she couldn’t find another place
to live. But as time began to move ahead, she began to feel anxiety. She
started to stay awake in nights. Finally, her mom complained “Why does you go
in that shop if Sameer doesn’t pay?” “Since Dad want me to!” “You are not slave
don’t go.” Finally, mom stopped her going in that shop but after that dad began
to target her daily. Her depression began to increase more & more. She
began to wait for her death. She started to look totally exhausted. Every one
began to ask about her health. Finally, her mom decided to take her to doctor.
That Doctor suggested counselling. At beginning she felt scared but then slowly
she decided to go for it. She went to counselling sections & slowly her
nightmares were reduced. She began to sleep properly. Her father was still
cause of irritation but she started to get over it. One day she finally wrote
Tarun about her mental issue. He immediately wrote her that he was not
interested in marrying with him. She felt sad. She cried for some time. She
went to psychiatrist more frequently but finally she got over it. Her wait was
over & she began to move ahead in her life. She wanted to work in other
shop but her father didn’t permit it. Then she tried to handle all in her
house. She understood one thing that it was not her mistake. She began to live
her life happily in her way. Her father was still creating issues but still she
learnt to plan her future & smile. Finally, one day her father died. Many
people expressed sorrows. She didn’t say anything on face but she was happy.
She knew that she was finally free. She even sensed her mom was not so sad. Finally,
they got freedom. Sameer was only one who was crying hard. Sameer was hoping
her father would send her back to work in shop again. He lost his chance to get
free labour. She felt so odd. World was odd they didn’t pay still wanted people
to work & then they blamed same people for not working since they didn’t make
money. She wanted to laugh. She went in restroom. She laughed loudly on that
day. She knew one thing that after this she wouldn't need to visit psychiatrist
again. Her issue was finally over.
The End
