Roopa Left Preetam

Roopa PoV:

When I got conscious, I was on the hospital bed. Mitra and Sanjana were beside me waiting for me to open my eyes.

"Mrs Roopa Preetam, Congratulations. You are pregnant," the doctor said making me happy, but it faded soon remembering the situation of Preetam.

I got out of the bed without reacting and went to the ICU. I saw mom and dad (Preetam's parents) in tears. Mitra and Sanju followed me.

"Doctor, how is my Preetam?" I asked.


"We can't say anything, madam. We should wait for 48 hours. The bullet was removed, but still, his condition is unstable. If he didn't come into conscious within 48 hours, he might go into a coma," the doctor said.

"Noo," I said crying.

Sanju hugged me. I cried as if I lost my sanity. I didn't know how long I cried without thinking about anything else. I couldn't feel the happiness of getting conceived as my Preetam was unconscious. After many hours, I stopped crying. It might be because water was dried in my eyes. Still, my heart ached for Preetam. I wished that I could sacrifice my life to save Preetam if I had a chance. I remembered Nandu who was also hit by a bullet. I looked for Sanjana and Mitra who sat on the chairs beside me.

"How is Nandu?" I asked Sanjana.

"He is fine, but still unconscious due to anaesthesia effect," Sanjana replied.

Two days passed by so quickly. Mom and dad didn't talk to me, and I didn't know what was on their minds. Sanjana stayed with me caring for me as I was pregnant. As 48 hours were completed, we waited for the doctor to tell about Preetam's condition.

"Madam, we are sorry. We tried our best, but Preetam went into the coma," the doctor said the news, which I didn't want to listen ever.

"What?" I asked out of the shock.

"Yes, madam! He went into the coma, and we don't know how long it takes for him to come out of the coma. It may take a few days to a few years, sometimes lifelong. Be strong," the doctor said.

Tears flowed down from my eyes, and I was unable to get control over my tears. I was about to open the door of the ICU to see Preetam, but mom stopped me.

"Mom!" I said.

"Enough, Roopa! Leave Preetam at least now. Now he is in the coma because of you, and if you are still with him, I may not see my son alive. You shot him for becoming a great officer. You wanted to gain reputation. Preetam loved you, but you loved your profession than Preetam. Please Roopa, I beg you, please leave us. Whatever happened is enough," mom said joining her hands. I was shocked at mom's words.

"Mom, I didn't shoot him intentionally. It was a misfire," I tried to explain.

"Whatever it is, if you want Preetam to be alive, just leave Preetam," mom said.

"Aunty, Roopa is pre…. " Mitra tried to say about my pregnancy, but I gestured him to stop.

"Ok mom, I will leave. Take care of Preetam," I said.

"Roopa, wait, please. Stay with me," Sanju said to me.

"No Sanju, I am leaving. It is good for everyone," I said.

"But where will you go?" Sanjana asked me.

"All this happened because of me. If I have not called Preetam, this situation would never come for Preetam."

"No Roopa, you didn't do anything wrong. You saved our nation, and the entire nation is proud of you. Every girl takes you as an inspiration," Mitra said, showing me the paper where everyone praised me for saving those weapon blueprints from the traitors.

"But no one wants me to be their daughter or daughter in law. I am an utter failure. Failed as a wife," I said.

"Roopa, please," Sanju tried to convince me.

I didn't speak anything and left for my office. I wrote a resignation letter and forwarded it to my higher authority. I lost everyone in my life. But, I was not ready to lose my baby. I wanted to be at least a good mother.

I started from there to Punjab, where one of my close friends stays. A new journey towards an invisible future began from there.

Preetam PoV:

A Leap of a year:

"Roopa, Roopa!" I shouted remembering the criminal shooting her.

I opened my eyes and found myself on the bed. I looked around and understood it was a hospital. A nurse came to me and then called a doctor. The doctor checked me.

"Mr Preetam, how are you feeling now?"

"Yes, I am fine. Where is Roopa?" I asked, remembering the attack. I hoped to see Roopa immediately. My heart felt a negative vibe about Roopa. I wanted to know how is Roopa.

"Roopa?" The doctor asked.

"My wife, I want to see Roopa," I said.

That went outside and came with mom and dad. Mom cried, looking at me.

"Mom, Roopa," I tried to ask.

"Preetam, Roopa is fine. She went on a mission when you were in the coma. You were in the coma for past 12 months," dad said.

I felt happy to know that Roopa was fine.

"Dad, please call Roopa. I want to speak to her," I said.

"We are trying, Preetam. As soon as we reach her, I will give you the call," my dad said.

I nodded. For ten days, I was in the hospital and then shifted to my home. But there was no sign of Roopa.

I didn't understand where is Roopa?; Is she busy with her mission or something happened to her? ; Why mom and dad are not at all concerned about her?

When mom was busy with her work, I called Nandu.

"Hello! Am I speaking to Mr Nandu?" I asked.

"Yes! May I know who are you?" Nandu asked

"I am Preetam, Roopa's husband," I said.

"Preetam, how are you? When did you come into conscious?" Nandu asked excitedly.

"I am fine now. How is Roopa?" I asked.

"Roopa? Didn't your parents tell you the injustice they did to Roopa?" Nandu asked.

I didn't understand what he was talking.

"Nandu, what happened to Roopa? Is she fine?" I asked.

Nandu told everything to me. I was shocked knowing my parents' inhuman behaviour towards Roopa. Roopa left the house in pain while our baby was in her womb. Tears flowed down my eyes.

"Where is Roopa now?" I asked Nandu.

"I am sorry, Preetam. We don't know where Roopa is. Because of her report on the case, Mitra and Shivani were free from the case. Roopa resigned to the job and changed her mobile number."

"What? Didn't you try to find her? What was your department doing?" I yelled at him.

"We tried a lot, but of no use. We couldn't trace her," Nandu said.

I disconnected the call sadly.

Where is Roopa and how is she? Is she fine? How did she manage all alone, that too with a baby in her womb? I felt bad remembering the miseries caused by my parents.

I decided to find Roopa at any cost. I couldn't live without her. Roopa went through so much because of everyone in our family. No one understood her, and everyone pointed towards her whatever happened in the family.

Everyone blamed her saying it's "HER MISTAKE". But what's HER MISTAKE? Is CHOOSING HER DREAM CAREER became HER MISTAKE? But why? I questioned myself.

If a boy aspired to join in the defence or the police department, everyone appreciates him saying he was bold and courageous. When a girl chose the police department, she would be treated as a person who had a very high dream and overconfidence. Everyone advises her to change her goal and accept a job which is risk-free, and most importantly a position where timings were fixed from 9 am to 5 pm. If she chose a job against their advice and order, everyone tries to blame her for her every small mistake saying it's HER MISTAKE.

A girl shouldn't choose a night shift job because it was not safe for her. A girl shouldn't select police department or army, because biologically she was unfit. A girl shouldn't opt for a job with long working hours because managing family would be a problem. But a boy could choose anything. Why shouldn't a girl select night shift when she was brave enough to face anything? If men looked at her with lust, then it was THEIR MISTAKE, not HER MISTAKE. Why couldn't parents and society show people like Mary Kom as an example, who escaped from a rape attempt by punching straight in the face of a cab driver, rather than asking her to quit the night shifts showing rape cases as an example? Why couldn't society see her mental strength than physical strength? However, If a girl was frail biologically, how could she bear the pain of giving birth to a child, which was equal to the suffering of 57 dells or occurs when 20 bones fracture at the same time while any human could bear only 45 dells of pain? It clearly showed her natural strength and people who say she was weak biologically were psychologically weak. Why shouldn't a girl choose long working hours? Why couldn't her husband help her to take care of their family? It might be right that it was HER MISTAKE to BORN IN THIS PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY, SHARE LOVE TO EVERYONE AND BE PATIENT.

Tears rolled down my eyes, remembering Roopa and my past behaviour with her. I decided not to leave her alone anymore. I fixed strongly to support her to get into her job again. I wanted to bring Roopa back into my life as my wife and also as an IPS officer. I got ready to fight with this society and my family in proving it was not HER MISTAKE to CHOOSE HER DREAM CAREER.