Be my equal

“Don’t touch it,” He shouted. She nearly dropped her cup of coffee. She was used to the shouting but every time, she nearly lost it.

Her life was her choosing. She had not seen through his skin deep display of love and affection. He had changed colors after their life entered the post-honeymoon phase.

Each and every day, there was supposed to be a mistake on her part and then the beatings ensued. She was too afraid to complain. There was no one to run back to. No one cared for her anyway. As for school friends, well, she had been ‘The Duff’ anyway.

Looking back, she remembered how her friends had all made it seem that they were more important than her. She did not care. She was happy to be lost in imagination, daydreams, and books.

The shouting brought her back to reality. “Are you going to keep your hands away from my desk? He snarled. She bent her head low and nodded. She kept the cup meant for him on a side table and walked away. He looked at her and sighed. He had not meant to shout or beat her. He was overcome with frustration and anger at his own failures and setbacks.

What was he to do? He had tried his maximum to behave normally but each time, he saw her face which looked like that of a frightened deer, something came over him and he behaved like a demon. He had to treat his behavior problems.

She did not complain about him and this made him feel so bad that he felt like punishing himself. He had been abused as a child and now it reflected on his behavior. She was an angel. She did not deserve this punishment.

He wrote a letter to her and kept it on her desk. It read thus.

“I am sorry for my behavior. I know I should not do this to you. I was abused as a child and it keeps reflecting on my daily life. I really love you and do not want you to become hurt again. Please feel free to leave me. I need to get treated. I am sorry to have ruined your life and do not want you to waste your years on me.

I am depositing money in your account and you can use it to buy an apartment or house wherever you wish to settle. I will sign divorce papers if you decide to leave me forever. Life is not to be wasted and you have a bright future. We shall always be friends, i.e. if you still want me to be or have any feelings for me.”

She saw the letter and read it a few times. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She still loved him. She ran to see if he was still in the house. He was sitting in his office chair. He looked at her face and she ran to him and buried her face in his lap and started sobbing. He was shocked but he could see that she had been frightened at the thought that he had left her. She was really attached to him and he knew that she did not care for riches.

He stroked her face and made her get up and looked at her to get answers.

“I won’t leave you”, she said. “We can work this out together. There is no problem that cannot be solved. I love you very much and I know you do too. We are meant to be together. I too have problems and can understand your troubles. I will maintain my distance and not nag you. You can stay away when you feel like it but please come back when you think we can work it out. I will never pester you.” She said. It was the longest she had spoken to him. Somehow, she had braved herself to talk this much.

He was happy. He wanted a wife who knew how to speak her heart and not some slave. Things were beginning to look bright. She brought two cups of coffee and they drank it together. She was now his equal. Coffee time seemed meaningful at last.

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written as homework for #thealliance