SHADOW

For all the Shadows of this world..

Her head was throbbing . Each time she closed her eyes, she could see flashes of light and felt someone hammering inside her head. She closed her eyes tightly and dug her face into the pillow, but the pounding went on. She looked to her left side, he was lying there snoring softly, floating in his dreams.

" Should I wake him up? " , she pondered. Suddenly he stirred in his sleep and she dug her face further into the pillow till she could no longer breathe.

The alarm went off and she jolted awake. But he still continued to be in his own wonderland. It was already six and she had not closed her eyes even for a second at night. She sighed thinking of the long day ahead of her.

Each step she took, the pain kept swallowing her inch by inch till her entire body sank in it. After swallowing a pill, she started off with her daily chores - cooking, washing, cleaning. Everyday was the same. By the time he woke up, she was already preparing lunch for him.

" Coffee", he shouted sniffling a yawn.

Leaving the half rolled out roti dough aside, she made him a coffee. He hardly noticed her when she went and placed the coffee in front of him, he was busy staring at the skimpy girls dancing to funky songs on TV.

He left to his office by nine and she sank into the sofa, battered from sheer exhaustion. The pill was working and she slowly fell into a deep sleep.

" Nina, congratulations on getting promoted! You make me so proud," her dad was beaming at her, " now we will find you the best husband".

"No, dad. Not now..please", she looked at him beseechingly.

" You have been working for two years now. Look at your age. Your friends are all married and have kids. We want to see you in good hands before we close our eyes", her mom added , choking with emotions.

" Enough, mom. Do whatever you want and find whoever you want. I will get married". Every holiday at home was the same. Nina was ambitious and wanted to grow in her career but the society's ambition was to get her married.

Eventually her parents found her the perfect gentleman who was a manager in a MNC. He was the perfect Indian groom with modern upbringing who insisted on letting Nina work after marriage. Well, that was what everyone wanted.

He was always busy. The courting period was short and nothing sweet. They hardly met or talked, and before she knew , she got married to a stranger.

Work life-balance went for a toss when the newest groom in town insisted on his bride cooking his lunch, ironing his clothes , getting up early in the morning..the list was endless. She was late to office everyday, most often she ended up sleeping through meetings. Exasperated, she talked to her husband about hiring a maid.

That was it. " You are my wife and you are obliged to listen to me. If you cant focus on personal life, resign ! " .

That was the day her dreams died. That was the day she became a shadow in the house. He never asked her how she was feeling, he never asked her whether she was keeping well,he never asked her what she wants but he always talked.. about himself, about his hard sacrificial life, about his struggle to earn money to keep her happy, about his expectations from a wife.

The sound of the doorbell awakened her. It was 12 in the afternoon. She had not yet put her husband's clothes for wash. She had not yet cleaned the house. She had not yet had her breakfast.

Wide awake but extremely tired, she got back to her job of being a Shadow!!