Guillotined

It has been 10 years now...Its the same routine! Wake up at five send the kids to school. Crash on the bed to catch a few winks before the next frenzy took over. She woke up in the morning to smell of cooking gas spreading in the house. She ran into the kitchen and almost yelled at Aali...turn off the stove... turn off the knob! Its spreading. He glares at her and slaps her hard across her face! She reels back more from shock than pain! You lazy lump... get out of here! You lazy bitch! Do you know what time is it? He roared like an animal.

His abuses got old aabu jaan running to the kitchen. Oh god! You two , please stop...don't start this early in the morning! PLEASE! Begged the old father.

Amonita was still gathering herself and found that his slap had caught her on her lip and it was bleeding profusely! It's nothing said Amonita, dabbing her lip...Fighting back tears! Aabu jaan! Please go back to your prayers! I am just fine! All her beauty had waned..He had married her for her good looks and bad-ass attitude!

He loved the rebel in her, but just a few months in to marriage, and she began to rise in the favour of their boss! Her team was performing better than his. She was promoted every quarter for her brilliant performance. Everyone in her team adored her and did not hesitate to go that extra mile for her. This made him doubt her, soon there were heated arguments both at work and home. He was burning with jealousy every time anybody spoke highly of her.

At work Aali seemed to be doing everything right till he married Amonita! Oh why! Why did he marry her?

The first time she won the best leader award, he was very happy for her, he even basked in the glory of her fame! He was proud of her.

Slowly she rose in stature and was given her own cabin to work, she became his boss! The relationship began to buckle under her work pressure. She needed to travel for work, attend conferences, endless meets with team, customers, bosses. Initially he would wait in his cubicle for her, but that wait became just longer and longer. He soon left office after he was done for the day. In between work and office came along their first child, Aaliya The little angel brought with her the 'joys' of parenthood. The relationship buckled under yet another blow!

Amonita did not even look at him anymore.When she was not caring for the baby, she was working. It was as if Aali did not exist anymore! Amonita tried to be a good boss, mother and a wife. She tried very hard to rekindle the magic! May be if along the way, Amonita decided to delegate some of her increasing load of responsibility, she could get to spend some more time with Aali and little Aalia.

Amonita booked surprise holiday for the three of them to Seychelles. The bright sun, the beach and a healthy dose of family time managed to salvage a sinking ship! Amonita was elated! Much to their joy and surprise, Avi came along much before he should have. Aalia was all of three and always wanted to be there for her baby brother. Aali's parents offered to take care of the children while Aali and Amonita were away from home for such long hours! Ammi jaan could not bear to trust her precious gems to aapas and ayaahas.

It was as if Avi brought with him a miracle, which brought all of them closer. Amonita could not have asked for more. She thanked the almighty for such a beautiful family and a blissful life! Life, should be called a devil...It has this very weird way of pulling away the carpet under your feet, just as we humans would be accepting the new ways it threw our way.

Ammi jaan was snatched away from them by cancer. By the time they realised that she was in stage four, the cancer took over her brain. In a short span of a month, she was gone. Aali was inconsolable. He blamed everyone and everything for his mothers death. It was about four years ago, when it all began to slide downhill! On that fateful day Amonita was in her cabin just winding up a long video call, when Aali barged in! He slapped her and dragged her out of her cabin in a fit of rage. There were loud screams from a few women who witnessed the horrendous scene.

Aali had been trying to reach her urgently because Avi was down with fever. Her handy was on mute because of the call with senior leadership.

Aali was immediately suspended for bodily attacking Amonita,a senior employee and his boss.

Amonita and Avi were admitted to the hospital and treated! Aali had lost his job! He tried very hard to get another job, but his savage act was publicised by the daily newspapers. So he had resigned to his fate and now the family had to rely on Amonita's income. Humans are the highest beings on this earth, and can adjust themselves to a new situation rapidly! In no time Aali prided himself in being a good stay at home dad! Abu jaan was not very happy with the set up, but said nothing...so that peace reigned. Albeit for a short while. Abu jaan's health began deteriorating.

This caused a major drain on the domestic budget...over a period of time, they had to sell the car, move to a smaller home...have a less fancy birthday celebrations for the kids. All this affected Amonita at work.

The stress levels left her exhausted mentally and physically. She wondered if she was making a mistake by being with an abusive husband? The children now ten and six respectively cowered behind her when Abu flew into his rages. Aali refused to get himself treated for his mental problems and blamed Amonita for it.

Amonita had lost confidence in herself and was therefore asked to resign from the board. She had to look for another job, but how?

Did she guillotine herself, the kids and poor old abu jaan! May be if she had listened to herself..she would have had a another future? May be not!