Punishment

The door bell rang and Rama ran to open the door. Seeing him in front of her, she called out to her daughter, Shiny -"Someone has come to meet you."

"I have come to meet you."- Suresh said hesitatingly.

Rama stood there with her hands folded across her chest, "What do you need now?"

"I need your support ,love and care."- He said softly.

" Where were you when I needed it the most?"- Rama questioned. Suresh didn't answer.

"Meet Shiny and then you can go." Rama said sternly and left to her room. She locked the door and sat on the bed. She kept staring at the empty wall. 

Rama was brilliant in her studies. After completing her graduation, like it happens in every girl's life she was married to Suresh, a software engineer. Rama's life changed after marriage. Suresh was like a puppet in the hands of his parents. His parents manipulated him and he started torturing Rama. She was made to work like a servant. Suresh's sisters never left a chance to humiliate her. She suffered everything and hoped that one day everything would be fine. But that day never came. Rama was tired of pleasing Suresh and his parents, who never got pleased with her. Her efforts were vain and she started deterioting mentally and physically. She had a hope maybe they would change after knowing that she was expecting. But they started torturing her more. 

"If you are going to give birth to a girl child, I'll leave you and marry someone else."- Suresh told her oneday. That day Rama's patience came to an end. She gathered all her courage and slapped Suresh across his face.

"I curse the day you came into my life and the day you were born. Men like you shouldn't be given right to live. Don't you remember you are standing in front of me because a woman gave birth to you. I pity your mother who have raised you this way. I pity that father who never taught you to respect a girl. You people are the most unlucky on this earth. But remember karma will do it's work. I will raise my child in such a way that you and this world will see. You will see what a girl is capable of doing. You are free from this relationship. Goodbye." Rama packed her bags and left. 

When Rama's parents came to know about her situation they didn't support her. They instead blamed her. She had no other way than to leave them and go somewhere else. She came across an NGO and was sheltered there. She gave birth to a baby girl and named it 'Shiny'. She then worked as a teacher and completed her further studies. Now she runs the NGO and Shiny is studying medical science.

Few years back,Suresh found Rama through the NGO. He was guilty. But some wounds never heal. That's what exactly happened with Rama. She couldn't forgive Suresh. But,she didn't want to separate Shiny from her father. She wanted to see that guilt and regret in Suresh's eyes whenever he saw Shiny. Shiny loved her father and Rama never told her the truth. Suresh would come to meet Shiny often and Rama made sure she wasn't involved in it. Shiny had started to question Rama but she remained quiet.

After Rama and Suresh were separated legally, Suresh's family met with an accident which left his parents bedridden and Suresh was injured in such a way that he could never be a father. Rama's words kept ringing in his ears always -"Karma will do its work." He wanted to reconcile with Rama. But Rama had wiped out Suresh from her life.

"Mamma, please open the door."- Rama's thoughts broke with Shiny calling for her.

"I am coming dear."- Rama wiped away her tears and opened the door with a smile.

"He wants to live with us like a family."- Shiny pointed her fingers towards Suresh.

Rama was puzzled.

"He has told me everything.From now on don't open the door for him."- Shiny said angrily in front of Suresh. Suresh's face became pale and Rama was astonished ,"He is your father..."

"A father who didn't need me? Now when he is alone, he has come to meet us. Where was he all these years, when you were struggling alone? Don't call him a father. He is a disgrace. I never want to see your face ever. How can a person be so selfish?"- Shiny asked her father.

Rama didn't answer. She saw Suresh's face and this was the greatest punishment for his sins. His daughter shunned him away. Putting his head down in shame he left the place.