THIS kind of exclusive event always gave Sarah a sense of pride, for she had elevated her life beyond her expectations. From the dust of poverty, she could today brush shoulders with the rich, successful, and influential people in society.

The changing patterns of life!

Tonight she looked effortlessly chic in a short black, sequined off-shoulder dress that accentuated her slim, toned figure. Her simple beauty and warm personality were great attributes that made her the woman she was today. She mingled with guests, listening to light conversations about investments, travels, and charitable giving. It helped her to learn more about life and people.

She was, among a few others in conversation with the Minister of Education when the Malhotras walked in. She didn’t notice them until a good while later when a photographer requested a few pictures of her and her batchmate friends. As fate had it, Mrs. Malhotra looked her way at the same time and nodded her head a little with a slight smile. Sarah smiled just a little and turned her attention to the photographer as the woman said something to her husband.

Sarah knew they would be in attendance and she had prepped her mind to stay calm and act casual. But seeing them had ignited the flames of fear she had managed to smoulder in her mind over the years. The embers though were still there beneath the ashes and she said to herself, “I have come a long way from being a scared girl, and this fear I have to extinguish.”

After the pictures, a message came over her phone and she was reading it when a deep, dreaded voice said, “You’ve grown into a very beautiful woman.”

Sarah looked up and felt goosebumps on her skin as she looked at her abuser, but she managed to stay calm and responded, “Oh, thanks, but I’m not sure I know you.”
He looked at her for a short time-stopping moment then smiled wryly, “Sorry, you have a strong resemblance to a girl I know.”

“A girl you abused for two years,” Sarah said in her mind and she smiled pleasantly, “That’s okay, it happens sometimes.”

“You look quite exquisite,” Mrs. Malhotra complimented her as she joined them.

“Thanks,” Sarah smiled, though it was in such contrast to the hateful insults she had had to hear from her.

She noted the husband was not his usual dapper self, with a drastic loss of weight and thinning hair, lacking his look of power and confidence. Whilst the wife, though still glamorous, had shades of worry etched on her face.

“I wonder,” Sarah mused silently, “Something seems to be wrong.”

It was an opportune moment to get some answers and she asked in a casual tone, “The girl you said I resemble so much, is she a family member?”

“No, not family,” Mrs. Malhotra answered, just someone we know well whom we haven’t seen in a long time.”

“Oh. She must’ve been very close to you.”

The husband and wife exchanged a quick look.

“Yes, we shared a kind of bond with her.”

“Because you have her son,” Sarah said to herself.

“Well,” she said with a positive tone, “It’s a small world so maybe you’ll see her one day. Nice talking to you.”

She exhaled as she moved on, “God, that was so intense.”

Her heart was thumping and her knees felt a little weak but her plan was progressing. The fact that she closely resembled Reshma had unsettled their minds to a worrying point because they wouldn’t want the truth to be revealed to Aryan.

“And yet fate has brought Reshma to her son,” Sarah expressed to herself, motherly emotions rising within her, “I never got a chance to feel this way, I was too young to understand what was happening to me.

Sarah didn’t go to sleep until early morning for there were so many things on her mind. She didn’t have to return to the military base that day for her one-week leave had been approved. This was now a new phase in her life to develop a close relationship with her son while keeping her identity a secret until the time was right for him to know the truth. He had already felt drawn to her from her one-on-one discussion with him on his career, and his book of poems had opened a door for them to talk.
“So many years lost,” she rued, “And all I had was one little dream for a beautiful life.”

Late that afternoon she left the hotel for the missionary hostel to spend the week.

“One week to reconnect to a place that was once home.”

It was sad though, that she couldn’t visit her family because her mother had recognised her, and that home hadn’t been quite a happy place for her.

She messaged Aryan the next day, asking how he was doing with his studies and letting him know where she was staying for the week. From his responses, he sounded elated that he could see her again and had lots to talk about his science project.

She was sitting on the patio, reading a book when he stopped by after lessons with his driver.

“It’s so nice to see you again,” he said with a happy smile.

Her heart felt warmth on seeing him and she smiled, “I haven’t had a vacation in a long time, so I decided to take a short break.”

They spoke about the project and he gave her a booklet of more poems to read, but she noticed glints of worry in his eyes and asked, “Is something worrying you?”

He didn’t answer for a while then said, “My father is getting very sick and my mother is deeply worried.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said in a comforting tone, “I’m sure he’ll be fine again soon.”

Aryan swallowed deeply and when he looked at her, there were tears in his eyes, “He has cancer, he’s dying.”

That statement stunned her for a moment but now she connected the dots of their worry and the reason. Though she felt no sympathy for the dying man, she felt sorry for the son, for her abuser was his father.

She wanted to hug Aryan, to comfort him but she couldn’t for she was still a stranger to him.

That night alone with her thoughts, she inhaled slowly, feeling the freshness of satisfaction as it pulsed slowly through her being. She had gotten the justice she wanted, for the wicked were paying for their sins.

Now she can feel freer to live her life, without the dark memories of the past.

A life that could now include her son, and a truth he would soon know when Reshma returns.