Karma

I was 15 when my chastity was first sold to a man of my grand father's age, and then to another man right when I was screaming in pain and laid in a pool of blood. 

And, then, there was no looking back. It was my profession.

Today, I turn 30. I don't know if I have earned sins in the past 15 years, but probably I saved a few girls from being raped. That should balance my karma. 

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P.S. Prostitution is outright inhuman. But prostitutes are human. If it wasn't for them, the rape index had never seen any boundaries.

The Definiton- Conclusion

Read Part 1 here.

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I sieved the tea in two cups and walked towards the drawing room.

'Why don't you chant chai chai chai instead of Neha, Neha' I teased him like every other day. He chuckled. This chuckle was the what I had fell in love with 8 years ago.

'Guess who called me today? Priyanka!' Amit has this absurd habit of asking the question and answering it himself without waiting for me to reply.

'Priyanka? The chitchat aunty journalist friend of yours?' I rolled eyes at him dramatically.

'Yea. Imagine! She ran into Papa and Rewa aunty at the Art Gallery yesterday. Papa introduced Rewa aunty as his friend and she was anxious to know everything about them. She thought she was telling me that my father has a girl friend.' He was sniggering.

'What did you say then?' I was concerned.

'I told her that she needs not worry, if there is a wedding, she'll get an invite.' He was enjoying this matter.

'You're mean Amit! By the way, this thing, about Papa and Rewa aunty is becoming talk of the town. I ran into Mrs. Gaba today. You know, she always has gossips of the world. She knows every damn thing that dint even happen.' I was getting hyper.

'Speaking of which, Neha, what do you say, I like Rewa aunty, and you do too, why don't we ask he to be our Maa first thing in when she returns from her nephew's wedding? She is so nice, and she doesn't have a proper family, especially children, to ask permission from.' He shot at me the question I was dreading ever since the moment I had returned from the supermarket.

I took a deep breath, Amit knew I was trying to relax; the sign that I had a lot to say, and he should collect all his attention for the next half an hour so. He has funny way to describe every action of mine.

'Why, Amit? Why is it necessary for us to ask our elders to define their relationships? I breathed. 'They are mature and experienced and way beyond the infatuation stage. It has to be their decision if they want to stay together or not. They are adults, and we are anyway too young to ask them anything they want to do with their lives. We love them, respect them, and we should let them have the liberty to deal with things their way, like they've done all their lives. Don't you see how fondly our 4 year old son talks about his best friend who is a girl? When two 4 yr olds can be friends beyond the difference of gender, why can't two adults be friends? Why do you think they would want to get married? They probably are just friends, who like to spend time together. We do not have to ask them to define their relationship. It would not be fair.'

Amit was looking at me fondly, like he always does when he needs me to know that he understood.

'I love you Neha' He said and smiled at me.

'I love you, too, Neha Bete.' This was Papa's voice who joined in.

I smiled.