New Dawn

by: Kandula Reddy   

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Lakshmi is a beautiful engineering graduate in computers. Being the children of a reputed doctor, she and her brother never had to struggle for anything. They have got all they want before they even ask their parents for them, but Kamala their mother also made sure that the children are not getting away from discipline. Raghava always found enough time off his busy schedule as a doctor for kids. Brought up in a very lively and healthy environment, Lakshmi and her elder brother Rajesh graduated their engineering and business management. Rajesh settled down in Houston and now owns a company.

When Lakshmi graduated, Raghava wanted to let her do her Masters in US. But, Kamala was adament about getting her daughter married before sending her abroad. She heard a lot from her son about the parties and dates and was worried about their influence on her young daughter. Raghava too got could understand her reasoning. At this time one of his friends proposed Inder, a distant relative of his, for Lakshmi. Inder is a consultant in Bay area, he is handsome and well-mannered and from a very good family. Rajesh enquired about him and everything seemed to be good. There was no reason for Raghava’s family to say ‘no’ and very soon Lakshmi is married and found herself in Bayarea.

The first month after marriage was a real Dream Come True to Lakshmi. Inder has a good sense of humour and very romantic. He gave her candle light dinners and surprise gifts. But slowly things started taking turns. Inder started talking about his friends who married Americans to get their citizenship fast and how they are doing good now. He talked about one such friend who got married in India again to satisfy his parents and left thet girl for her fate in US. Lakshmi had never heard about these kind of cheatings. She always had been exposed to the positive side of human nature. Slowly Inder began to remove his covering and started being his original self, which was not so good. He started getting irritated at her for small little things and often used filthy language. He stopped taking her out. All of a sudden Lakshmi found herself all alone, in a new country, with no friends to even talk to. Her husband stopped listening to her long back. He began his drinking habit again and now his stories were more different. He talked a lot about a friend of his, who killed his wife and kept the body in a refrigirator and disposed a part each day. He sometime comes up with more innovative ideas of killing. When Lakshmi tries to avoid topic or stops listening, he tied her hands and legs, stuffed her mouth and made her sit there until he is done with his ideas for the day.

Lakshmi has never thought about this abusiveness in a person. She didn’t know whom to talk with. She wanted to ask her brother’s help, but Inder was always there whenever her brother calls and she was not allowed to make any calls. Rajesh could not guess any other reason for his sister not calling, he thought the newly weds are enjoying and used to call them by himself.

Things have gone more worse now. Inder blew a bomb that morning saying about his plans of getting married again. He fell in love with an American and wants to marry her. He told Susan, his love that Lakshmi is his sister and is in US to do her Masters. Susan doesn’t know that he is married like many of his friends. So, he wants Lakshmi to present herself as his sister to the world. At the same time he doesn’t want to divorce her. He threatened her saying that if she goes back to India leaving him, her parents can’t face the society and so her only choice to stay with him with her mouth shut. He planned his wedding the next week-end.

Coming back from her thoughts, Lakshmi got up from the sofa and picked up her album. It was a gift from her parents when she was leaving India. It has pictures of her from her childhood. And the last page has a message from her father. He wrote in there "Dear Lakshmi, no matter where you are, no matter with whom you are dealing with, never be scared to accept the hard facts of life and never stop fighting against evil. Life is not always being happy, it is being happy by fighting with unhappy circumstances… - Love Dad"

Lakshmi read that note lots of times before, but today it appeared new to her, it was as if her father was standing before her telling her what to do. She closed the album and saw the clock. Very soon Inder will be back. She got up thinking what she can do.

Next morning when Lakshmi woke up she had an idea. She remembered seeing a Indian family in their apartments long back, but she was not sure if they are still there, she was not sure they would be willing to help her. All she wants to do is make a call from her brother. She quickly walked out of her apartment once Inder left. She started walking trying to remember the building where she saw them. It was not too hard for her, soon she saw a little girl playing out with her mom and ofcourse they are the Indians whom she saw. Lakshmi hesitantly walked towards her, introducing herself. The girl’s mom, Anitha, smiled and invited her into her house.

Lakshmi didn’t had enough time to start with formal talk, Inder can be back anytime, she narrated Anitha the tough time she has been going through since her marriage and she pleaded her help. Anitha looked puzzled, a stranger talking her personal matters at the very first meeting, but she understood Lakshmi’s situation and asked how she can help her. Lakshmi said she wants to make a call to her brother and let him know the situation and she is sure he can take care of the rest. Soon Lakshmi was talking to Rajesh and she explained him the situation. She said she can’t talk for long and Anitha can explain him the rest. Handing the phone to Anitha she left hoping Inder is not back at home by then. Rajesh could not believe what was happening first, he was under the impression that his little sister is happily married.

When the bell rang that night Inder opened the door wondering who could that be. He saw Rajesh standing there with cops. He looked at Lakshmi, her relieved smile made him understood the happenings. After a few minutes Lakshmi was in a taxi going towards the air-port with her brother.

When she woke up next day, the morning Sun of Houston was bright, promising a more brighter future.