Unexpectedly, the door of the room got shut and locked. The girl in the room got terrified and she asked me,

“What’s going on?”

I tried to open the door through the door knob but it seemed to be locked from the outside. I knocked the door and asked,

“Is anyone out there?”

I banged the door and shouted again,

“Hello?”

That girl of my age said to me,

“Oh, my God! Are we locked inside?”

“It seems so,” I answered without looking at her.

I was quite angry and so I kept the spectacles back where they were. She asked me,

“You came here for these?”

“Yes, there was an old man outside. He told me that his glasses were left here. He asked me to come here and bring them.”

“What? Really?” she asked with astonishment.

“Yes, why?”

“Surprisingly, that’s the same reason why I am here.”

I was shocked for a second but then I realised and said,

“Maybe, he had forgotten that he had already sent you. So, that’s why he also sent me in here.”

“Come on, it has hardly been five minutes.”

“Five minutes? Well, two or three minutes for me.”

“Or maybe he wanted more people to find it. So that it could be found.”

“Yeah, that’s possible,” I replied.

“I guess so.”

There was a silence for a few seconds until she said,

“So, what do we do now?”

“I think we should call somebody. We’re trapped inside.”

“You’re right; I should make a phone call.”

“Okay.”

For the next few minutes, she kept on dialing through her cell phone but she couldn’t as there were hardly any signals at that place. I asked her,

“What is it?”

“I can’t get signals. I’m trying.”

She kept on trying but nothing happened. After a few minutes, she asked me,

“Are you strong enough?”

“Excuse me?”

“No please, don’t get me wrong. I’m just asking that can you break this door.”

I chuckled and replied,

“Oh, well, I don’t know if I can or not. I think we can knock here. Somebody will come.”

She did not respond.

I knocked at the door loudly and yelled out,

“Is anyone out there? We’re trapped inside. Please open the door.”

She however, sat on the floor and waited.

As I got hopeless, I walked around in the room. She asked me,

“So, you’re a student here?”

“I was. I’ve graduated.”

“Oh. Well, I’m in my last semester.”

“Good.”

We remained silent again for a while and she asked this time,

“What’s your name?”

“Bradley Cruise.”

“Okay… Well, I’m Martha.”

I smiled casually.

However, after walking in the room for a while I also sat on the other side right in front of her. Since she was getting bored, she asked me,

“So, you came here today? Any reason for that?”

“Well, there wasn’t anything special. But I do pay occasional visits here.”

“I see.”

We had a little more conversation until we seemed to have become friends.

One hour later, while the two of us were still talking, the door finally opened. We both were so lost that for a moment we didn’t even notice it. Anyways, as we both got into our senses and looked at the person standing outside.

“Oh, dear!” I uttered.

I stood up and said to the unknown person who unlocked the door getting confused and embarrassed,

“Thank you. Thank you for letting us out.”

Martha came after me immediately and whispered in my ear,

“Can we meet again sometime?”

I was confused yet delighted and so, I said in a low voice,

“Day after tomorrow, I’ll meet you outside the institute’s gate.”

She nodded her head as if she understood and agreed.

I rushed away in so mixed up state of mind that I forgot that I had to return the spectacles to an old man standing outside.

**************

Next two days of my life were really different than before. I couldn’t stop thinking about that girl, not even for a single second.

I had to meet her as I asked her to but I couldn’t. I was so puzzled about my emotions. I was forgetting the fact that I was looking for a job these days and I had to find one by the end of the week.

Anyways, during the evening, I went to the institute. I was hoping that I wouldn’t find her and then we could lead our separate lives but she was probably so desperate.

I reached the university’s main gate and there she was, waiting for me. She looked at me and stood up.

Oh, my God! I said in my thoughts.

I started walking towards her. She also walked towards me.

Please save me. I said in my heart.

As we got face to face, she asked,

“How are you?”

“I’m fine. I’m good. How are you?”

“I’m also good.”

“So…” she asked politely, “what took you so long?”

The conversation we had further is simply indescribable. I had one of the most amazing and memorable times ever.

I was in love. Yes, I had found my first and my true love. She was my soul mate. I had no other option but to marry her. Only our marriage could make me satisfied. Friendship or a committed relationship was not enough.

Days later, I went to my Uncle Raymond’s house. As he opened the door I said to him,

“I am very uncomfortable these days. I need to talk to someone.”

“Okay. Is everything okay?”

“I don’t know. Can I come in?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He left some space, so I could move inside. As I walked inside, I said to him.

“I have never felt this way before.”

“Oh, my God! Is everything alright? I am here. Talk to me.”

“Thank you. But I want to talk to my father.”

“I wish you could but you can’t,” he replied.

“Why not?”

“Tell me what it is.”

“I want to know that why I can’t talk to my father.”

“You can. I’m not saying that you can’t talk to him forever, I’m just saying not today.”

“Is he busy?”

“Extra busy,” he answered. “Tell me, I am like your father.”

“I’m…I’m…”

“You can’t even speak.”

I nodded my head. He then said,

“Why don’t you sit down? I’ll bring you a glass of water.”

“Thank you.”

I walked towards the corner and sat on the large sofa. He came after a while and handed me a glass of water.

“Have a sip,” he said. “And tell me everything when you feel like.”

I took a large sip and then a large breath.

“Alright, here it is,” I said, “I am in love. I am deeply in love with this girl.”

“Oh, I see…I think I do understand now.”

“Understand what?”

“That why you wanted to discuss this with your father. Anyway, tell me who is she. Where did you meet her?”

“She’s a student in my university. She’s about to graduate.”

“When did you two meet?”

“Several days back. Look, I’m kind of uneasy. I can’t sleep. I can hardly eat food.”

“I understand Bard. But I want you to calm down and relax first. Sort out the issue with a stable mind.”

“Sort out the issue?”

“Yes, sort out whether you want to get married to her, or you want to end this real soon.”

“Well, I want marriage. Honestly.”

“That’s good. How do you want me to support you?”

“I don’t know. Give me an advice,” I said.

“Advice?”

“I mean tell me what I should do. How I must approach her for marriage? Should I talk to her mother?”

“You know her mother?”

“No, I just know that she lives with her mother. Her mother is divorced. She meets her father once a month or something like that.”

“I see.”

“I’m very anxious. I’m very desperate.”

“Tell me something though. Does she even love you the way you do?” He asked.

“Yes, she has expressed her feelings several times.”

“Oh, well, that’s good to know then.”

“So, what must I do now? What would you advice?”

“I would advise you to go and talk to her mother. Be strong and convince her. Convince her that you are worthy of her.”

“Okay, I like this idea.”

“And if she asks for a job, tell her that you are looking for one. I’m just saying, be honest. Don’t give them any false hopes.”

“That’s what my father would have said too.”

“Right. So, just be confident and handle all the obstacles smartly.”

I nodded and then stood up. I said after taking a breath,

“Well, I’m glad that we had this good talk.”

“No problem.”

“I’ll come again next week.”

“Any time!”

I left his house and went to Carl’s place.

**************

Three Days Later

I was returning from Martha’s house. I met Carl on the way who was waiting for me on

the bike.

“How was it?” he asked me as I sat on his bike, behind him.

“Well, it wasn’t really so good. It was difficult.”

“How come?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.”

A minute later, while the two of us were riding on that bike, he asked,

“So, tell me what happened?”

“Her mother’s name is Rita. She is a police officer. She was very strict. It wasn’t easy talking to her.”

“Rita?”

“Yes.”

“She’s a police officer.”

“Yes.”

“I think I’ve heard of her. She is probably known for her strictness and cruelty, if I’m not wrong.”

“No, it sounds about right.”

“So, what did she say?”

“She kept on inquiring about different stuff. I wasn’t really meeting her demands. I don’t have a good job. I’m living in a house of rent.”

“Well, don’t worry about that. I’m sure Martha will persuade her.”

“Yes, she is my only hope.”

After a little silence, he said,

“How about you do that junior accountant’s job?”

“It was assistant accountant.”

“Yes, that one.”

“I’ll have to. I have no other option. I will join that firm by tomorrow.”

“Good.”

**************

Few days later, I finally was a job person and I could ask Martha’s mother for marriage. Rita however, agreed but she really didn’t like me. She was not at all satisfied with this marriage, but Martha was and she wanted us to get married as quick as possible, because she thought that her mother’s mind could change afterwards.

I told my uncle about this and he was happy for me. I wrote a letter to my father and told him everything. This was probably my first ever letter to my father in Mexico. I am sure he must be very delighted. But I have hardly read any letter of his’. A strange communication barrier has occurred between me and my father. And I only wish that I can change it by going back in the past.

One afternoon, while I was with Carl, he asked me,

“So, you’re finally getting married?”

“Yes, yes I am.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you’re sure that you won’t regret this decision of yours.”

“Yes, I’m positive.”

“Well, there’s something I want you to know about your mother in law.”

I paid attention to what he was about to say.

“Two days back…” he continued, “I visited the police station where she works.”

“Oh…”

“And Brad, I am sorry to say but you cannot imagine…You cannot imagine how cruel and cold hearted

she is.”

“I know she is…”

“I’m just saying that you won’t simply be attached to Martha. You’ll be attached to the entire family.”

“No, I don’t think I would be.”

“Come on, be realistic,” he said to me, “you can’t ignore your mother in law forever. You need to know that she is not just verbally cruel, she is also…”

“…I know I’ve been told,” I interrupted him, “Martha told me. She told me this long time back that her mother beats criminals physically. And she has no remorse on her actions.”

“Well, if you’re fine with it then I can’t say anything further.”

“By the way, next week we both are getting married.”

“Really?”

It was like climbing a mountain, getting married to Martha. But I did it. I conquered this and felt as if there was a happy ending forever. But I was very wrong. A really bad, in fact, the worst phase of my life was just about to begin. It was so dark that I had to pick up a hand gun.

to be continued...