Entry of Payal

"Come on yaar, hurry up! " these are the words I always heard from my best friend Payal, who is a coordinator of the legal department in the same organisation where I am working in the administration. 

I always wondered that why she remains in hurry,  whether it is our break or end of shift timings. Winter nights are terrible when you have to go home at 12 am and for which you need to wait for your cabs in the open parking lot. The waiting time could be 5 minutes to half hour or more sometimes depending upon the availability of the drivers who come early dropping the last shift associates.

Payal used to drive her own swift sometimes but have stopped for the last few weeks.

She has taken the car after she joined the company one and a half years ago. She is really a one-man army stuff, who never steps back from any problem.
Last week, I received a call from her early morning. Being alone, I am never bothered about what timings of the day are and I keep sleeping as much as I can whenever I am at home. So her call was a little source of restlessness

She told me that would not be able to go to the office for next 2-3 days and needed her week offs to be adjusted as she doesn't have leaves in her account. She asked me to inform the concerned person on the 4th floor. It was a very short call of a minute and a half,  which didn't disturb my sleep much. I also don't remember the reason for her urgency,  if she told me one. 

Yesterday she met me in the staircase but was a little occupied with the call on her mobile. As it was break time,  so I asked her to come to the cafeteria which will give us time to eat and talk together.
But she insisted to sit in the pantry where nobody peeps in at this hour normally.
I followed Payal who was busy talking to someone in a different manner and preparing tea for both of us.

She always does preparation and cooking part very well. I hardly got a chance to eat anything cooked by her,  but have heard from most of her team members that she cooks yummy. After around 10 minutes,  she hooks up the call & apologises for keeping me wait for a long time. I expressed that it's not a big deal,  on the contrary, my eyes stuck on the clock of my mobile which was yelling,  "break is half wasted".

She placed both the cups on the table and took out sandwiches from her bag. As she only had 2 pieces,  so I refused to eat but she insisted and I had to.
Payal didn't waste any moment started telling me her version as if she has prepared for some presentation or meeting. When she told me the reason of her call the other day,  I was so shocked that didn't realise my break got over an hour ago. I kept sitting as if I am frozen.

In the middle of her story,  I don't remember when I got absent mentally and she has become expressionless at the end of it, which she has started with the flow of her tears.

I couldn't understand that how can a person remain awake for 2 days and 2 nights continuously and working too & fro. How can Payal manage her child in midst of the situation which has engulfed her completely? One moment at home getting beaten by her loving husband with belts and another moment in the local police station pretending to be strong and firm to lodge a complaint against her high profile hubby.

She was sounding casual while telling the behaviour and attitude of that person which has been going for the last few years. OMG, how can anyone compromise in her life on the cost of getting abused and beaten up by another person. ....
That too with the one? Who is most close and the trustworthy so-called relationship. I have tried to imagine myself in Payal's situation,  but I couldn't succeed.

Prior to this conversation,  I used to think that why she is working in an organisation which is adding stress to any married woman's life when her partner is well to do.
But on that night,  I got the reply for every question which I have never even thought of.  How much her better half loves her? 

Why she is working in such a hectic environment with so much burden of her family?
Why Payal always pretend to be very happy & satisfied with her life?
How her husband is well to do and who is maintaining his lifestyle?
Why she remains busy on calls all the time?

That person is completely psycho who is full of frustration and insecurity,  that cannot be cured in any hospital of this world.  Anyone who cannot pay respect to the closest relationship of his life doesn't deserve any right to be called a man,  rather a human being.

Payal has sacrificed all her life for a man who is only bothered about his own eating, drinking & being a diplomatic living double standard that no one can detect from his appearance and attitude. Even if she was wrong in any sense,  who gave him the right to strangulate her to abuse her or to exploit her in any sense. ..???