I discarded my Chennai SIM card, reached Nadhiya’s house, grabbed my luggage, changed my clothes, washed my face, altered my hair-do and made a dash for the airport.
I called her with my Hyderabad number.
“Hey. It was amazing. How did you set up the whole thing?”
“Set up?!! Do you think the police would come if you didn’t show them adequate proofs? The police aren’t that foolish yet. I remember telling you that I run a private detective agency. They are facts, not stories. Good luck dear. Keep me posted till you reach the lodge safely”.
I couldn’t believe it. I thought she had faked it all!! This fellow was truly a womanizer, he had truly cheated on a woman, and if not for Nadhiya, I would have been one of his preys. Someone’s father had committed suicide because his daughter’s wedding was stopped. Sowjanya, the beautiful lass was pregnant!!
I reached the airport, paid the cab driver, and waited in peace. I had just half an hour more, It was 11:00.
Check-in was done quickly in less than 15 mins. I boarded the flight and was all set with my seat belt by 11:30.
As the flight took off, I put my mobile in aeroplane mode. Chennai was quickly fading away. The cramped up city was now going to be my past. Thoughts of Hyderabad gushed in. I was going to live without my parents, without my sister, my niece and my nephew, even without Subhashree – may be for a while.
I looked into the cloudy sky, but my heart was clear. I slipped into dreamland.
I was going to help underprivileged women and children live respectable lives, I was going to become a writer. I was going to be a free bird. I will write and raise my voice to liberate women. If not me, who else?
I dreamt again, like a child without a care in the world, like a fearless tornado that saw no obstacles…
Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.
THE END