HER MAN (II)

“Anita? Is everything ok?” Peter was Anita’s good friend from University and was currently a practicing lawyer. After her man’s escapade in Vietnam and the nightmare decision she had made with David, Peter had bumped into her while she was waiting for the train in the morning. Peter could not believe how phased out she looked when approached her. He touched her arm to get her attention. On seeing an old friend, she just broke down sobbing uncontrollably, oblivious to the station-full of people staring at her.

Peter put his arm around her shoulder, picked up her briefcase and guided her out of the station.

At a quiet corner in a café, she finally pulled herself together and poured out all her pain, anguish and mental torment that she had endured the past five years. Peter listened intently, holding her hand gently, yet firmly. Peter could not believe what he was hearing. Different emotions set upon him as he listened. Anger, disgust, frustration, sympathy and…..love.

Anita could not look at his face for humiliation. He quietly sieved through his emotions before he spoke knowing that his next few words would either make or break this beautiful fragile soul sitting before him.

They spoke at length and he tried to make her see that she was far too beautiful a woman to let her man do this to her. Not Anita, not the one who excelled in everything she did. Not the one whom others envied thinking she had it all. Anita needed to value herself just like others valued her. She had to love herself like others loved her. Then, he mentioned the D-word…Divorce. She shot a glare at him. “Never!! He will change. He will be the man he was and we will live happily forgetting this nightmare.”

Peter gave her his number and told her that she could call him anytime for anything, even if it was just a shoulder to cry on. Anita could not bring herself to make it to work that day and went home. She just lay in bed mulling over her life, replaying moment by moment till she felt sick in the pit. Then, for the first time, she swelled in anger and disgust over her man. Her man. She was nauseous. Peter’s words of comfort rang through her mind and it finally clicked that what her man felt for her was not love. She could not continue this way. She was worth more. She still loved her man but she deserved more. A lot more.

She called in sick the next day as well and stayed at home trying to put things in perspective. To prioritise her life, for once. Her life. Not her man’s. As it had always been. It finally dawned on her that she could not go on with this life anymore. Just at that moment her man called her asking for the $600.00. She felt numb yet a new sense of being overwhelmed her. Her man, yes. His woman? No. There was a flicker of strength in her. Literally pushing her forward to break free. Something within her that she had  no control. That was when she made the call to Peter.

“Yes, Peter. Everything is ok. Can you prepare the divorce papers, please?”