The first time - Part 1

2001

SLAP!

Shashank slapped her on her face and she fell on the floor.

Pragya went numb...

Was this happening to her!

Was it her loving husband who was doing this?

What had gone wrong?

She would have cried very badly if she was physically more hurt.. but she was mentally torn..

It had been just 3 months to their marriage..

Their's was a love marriage.. isn't a love marriage supposed to be the one that has all the goody features in it.

Her mother did ask her to think twice about the guy, as he looked behaved and acted very possesive about her..

Her father couldn't say anything because his only daughter was hell bent on marrying him. The only thing he told her was - "Please do take care, and always remember , we are there for you"

Pragya was a homemaker for about 1.5 months and then she realized, she could very well restart her teaching career. 
She thought of applying for a job..luck favored her and she got selected within a week.

Shashank did not like this idea, he even confessed this 

"It is a big bad world out there, you don't know what type of people are there.. trust me, my salary would be good enough for both of us"

Pragya replied "Its not about salary, I like teaching, and I shall be working in a school, probably the safest place to work, please don't get worried about me. And I was teaching when we met 3 years back in Pune, isn't it.. so why are you so worried now?"

Shashank didn't say anything but he clearly wasn't in favor of this decision of hers.

Pragya started working with the pre-school section of a very renowned school.

The principal was a sensible female in her late fifties whereas the administrator was a young dashing guy in his late 20's.

Shashank was very skeptical as to how would this new guy behave with Pragya, but she assured him all would be well.

First few weeks, Pragya managed everything well, home, cooking, managing all the other errands herself and that too very well. Then she started getting exhausted, but neither did she complain nor did she ask Shashank to help her.. 
as she was scared this could backfire !

You could consider it a bad luck that the administrator guy shifted into their campus in the other building. Shashank started behaving very differently since then.

One evening - when Pragya was taking her casual evening walk in the campus and the administrator guy also joined her.

Shashank came early from office that day. He saw them walking together, called Pragya and asked her to come and home and help him with something important..

Pragya entered the house 
and this happened!

She couldn't quite analyze what went wrong!

That she had joined the job.. despite of Shashank not agreeing to it..

or that her administrator was a good looking fellow...

or she had chosen the wrong person to get married to

or its okay if Shashank hit her..

he would apologise the next morning and things would be better..

After a lot of thinking she decided that the last option was right..

Shashank did this in spur of the moment..

it was impulsive.. He must be really tired .. 
it would never happen!

With myriad thoughts in her mind ... she slept!

[Part 2 to be continued ]