After spending almost two years in University hostels and 7 months in working women’s hostel, I decided to taste the freedom by taking up my own little place where I could follow my own rules, live the way I wanted and none other than me would decide what is right and what is wrong for me. All friends applauded my courage and the search began to see a place which was not expensive, was safe and had an independent entrance. Unfortunately the city where I was working did not have a flat culture, either one had to rent the whole house which was too expensive, or live in a small portion of a bunglow that often used to be too dingy and small, with dirty bathrooms and joint entrance. Secondly the acceptability to rent a single working person was very low. 

At last I could find a decent one room kitchen apartment on a terrace of a bunglow with a separate entrance, in a good locality. The family of the owner who lived there consisted of a middle aged couple with two children. The man, let us call him Mahesh, was qualified engineer and worked with the Government on a senior position. His wife, Sunita (names changed to protect their privacy) was also well educated and had chosen to be a house wife.  Sunita was very caring, sensitive and affectionate and soon, despite age difference, we became good friends.  I did not notice much about Mahesh except that he appeared to me unnecessarily inquisitive. Both the children- boy 14 years of age and girl- 12 years old also became close. The family did adjust with my erratic working hours and my returning back home late.  I was happy to having found such a house and family.

Just after about a week or so, it was Holi. In the afternoon while I was washing the stairs to wipe the colour stains off, I fell from the stairs and hurt myself very badly. Hearing the sound, Mahesh came out and lifted me. The way he lifted me and touched my body , even amidst the severe pain, I could realize that the man was a jerk of first order. My sixth sense ( we all females have one)  warned me to keep away from him. Later when the pain became unbearable, I called up local relatives and was taken to hospital. The Doc informed me that it was a fracture in the back close to L4 and he advised me for complete bed rest for about three months….I was not in a condition to travel so my mother came next day to stay with me. After about three months I began to go to office again. Through out all this, Sunita and both the children were very helping and supportive.

My observation about Mahesh during the fall was not wrong, no sooner my mom left, this man began to make advances at me. His comments, looking for opportunities to be alone with me and to touch my body made me worried. How would it be possible to live in the same premise with such a man. It was so disgusting. Changing the house at that juncture was not possible and my outburst and anger could have worsened the situation.  The third option of telling Sunita was also ran into thin air and was ruled out. She was such a good soul and seeing her dependency and love for her husband, the mere thought of telling her about the deeds of her husband scared me to death. How could I break her faith.

I observed him for a few days and found out that although he was womanizer to the core, at the same time was also scared to be exposed before his family. After giving a thought to it I worked out a strategy thinking that if it wouldn’t work, I will move back to the hostel.  

I decided to (1) avoid any opportunity to be with him alone (2) keep him at arms length and threat him to expose before his family if he tries to exploit me, (3) tease him with sugar coated remarks before his wife if ever he makes any obscene comment so that he gets the message that such things would not be tolerated, at the same time not hurting his wife. Phew! This strategy worked well. Except for few incidences here and there for which I took him to the task, things remained smooth. However, I always had to put my energy to avoid this man, using different methods to keep away from him and be firm when there was a need. Meanwhile, my bond with Sunita increased day by day. We literally became soul mates. We could understand each other so well that many a times there was no need to even use the words. Intentionally I never mentioned any thing about her husband during our conversations. Both the children also became sweet hearts. As soon as I would get back home, the girl Nunu would straight away rush to my room to share all her experiences in the school. She was growing and had so many questions about her physical and emotional changes, to which I could respond well. The son Ankit found in me a badminton companion during weekends.

One day a friend visited me from my home town. She would stay alone at home while I was in the office for long working hours.  Despite all my warnings to her to keep away from Mahesh, this stupid girl began to chat with him without my knowledge. She was an innocent girl from a small town and had come to a big city for the first time. This guy used her weakness. She even shared all her contact numbers and office address with him, about which I did not know. She went back in week’s time. After a month or so, I got a call from her. She was crying over phone and narrated this whole incident to me. What happened was that Mahesh made an office tour to my home town to meet my friend. He straight away went to her office and coaxed her to accompany him to a coffee shop. On the way, suddenly he held her hand and tried to be physically close to her. She got scared, somehow freed herself and ran away from him and made a call to me. I was angry with her stupidity at the same time got infuriated with this man. It was a limit. How dare he could even thought of approaching my innocent friend and trying to sexually exploit her. After I came back, I called  him in my room and slapped him hard on his face. I literally blasted him. Sunita did hear something so she came upstairs. It was also injustice to her to hide such an incident from her. Any way, I did not tell her the whole story,  just told her part of it. Suddenly she burst into crying and opened all her flood gates. I could do nothing except hold her to console. I was so sorry for the lady for what she was going through.  She was so beautiful, had left her job, and sacrificed everything for this rogue and his family, and what she was getting in return! Infidelity, deceit!!

Suddenly she raised her teary face.. and told me (I would never forget these words till I will remain alive ) “Angela, this has not happened to me for the first time.  I knew my husband well, I also knew that right from the beginning he was making advances at you, I never had faith on him, but since it was you Angela, I was never worried. I always had full faith on you and was 100 percent sure about you.. and I knew that you would never allow Mahesh to deviate…. That trust always kept me assured of you. I also knew that you remained quite because otherwise I would be hurt”

On hearing this, I was taken aback….I did not know what to say. This lady was such a great human being. She had known every thing, she could have easily asked me to leave or could have at least turned her back to me or feel insecure but she had chosen to be friend with me. She was always so caring to me and was always there when I needed someone…. ….I was touched… … later on Mahesh, apologized although Sunita’s did not talk to him for a month or so..

After about a couple of months of that incident, I got promoted and my salary got increased. I then moved to another house… I still share the same bonding, connection, and affection with her.