THE ENCOUNTER

The Encounter
Short Story

“Hai told me you want an encounter with me, your welcome,” I sent a SMS to Khanh-challenged.

Hai was my International friend. She was a Vietnamese, Me water, an Indian. Khanh was a her boyfriend.Hai met me online and we became friends very soon. In some days, she fell in love with me. Me too; Later. When I dialed her; and listened her voice and mesmerised. She has very very musical voice box.
One day I confused to her behavior. She was sitting in her office late time. I questioned to her ‘why she is sitting in office this time?’ Normally she left office at five when Indian watches show 3:30 PM. I was aware to difference of one and half hour in our standard countries time.
Yes! Sometimes we talked with each other as a couple. Gratitude’s and formalities were part of our relations, but not evey time. That day she spoke lie three times. She made three different statements within a breath. First, “I am waiting for a customer to collect the payment,’ after a while she said, ‘I wanted to join a birthday party of friend’, and finally, ‘I‘m not feeling good today’ and she signed out without exchanging kisses.
I puzzled and rang her up after an hour. She did not pick my phone up at earlier. I redialed again and again. She talked but didn’t in sweet manner. She answered my every question, ‘I don’t know.’
At night I sent to her a SMS, ‘do you have reached at home,’ I received an abusive SMS in reply, ‘shut up, pig filthy’ I frustrated. I sent her some sms to know her situation, and every time I received vulgar SMS in reply.
That night I did not sleep, a strong feeling overcome to me as she was facing any problem but there was no way to know her situation. The only one way to wait the morning.
At morning I astonished to read a SMS. ‘Last night I did not send you any SMS. I am sorry I hide to you a truth of my life. I am writing a letter to you.
I received a mail after some time. She wrote: Let me remember, I met him 9 years ago. He was a poor car driver for my old company. He is clever, humor but didn’t get high education. He looked like me, always joked with me and he told me funny stories so I did not fell sad. But he married and not handsome man, so I didn’t very care him too. Unfortunately, one day his car hit a bicycle rider and she died. He requested me for assistance. I helped him small of money to pay for trial. From that time he pays his attention more and more to me. He knew my marriage life was unhappy.
He followed me everywhere even I went with my husband. He passed around to my house in the weekend, if I was at home. He made me to think that I was very important with him. He said: he has separated to his wife. So I continued with him. One day in 2005, because he lived nearby my husband’s house, I discovered, he is father of two kids and living with his wife. Then I finished with him. But he still followed me. I changed my number, he found out and called all the time, said ‘love me, can not live without me and forgive him because his wife cheating him. His wife has many husbands. My phone was full of his SMS, my husband found out and all of his family sacked me out to their house.
I want to tell you about my marriage life. I married in 1995; he was a rude and home seeker person. He was not rich but always wants to be a boss. He works sometime and takes a row with boss then stop work. He lives at home, unemployed I take care the entire entire house, because he was elder in home so my responsibilities were too heavy. We lived with parents, unmarried brother. I felt stuffy. I was feeling tired and boring. But I still encouraged him to learn B/S because he was only graduated. But you know when he felt annoy he angered with me and always jealous with every man I knew. He cried and wants to sack me out to house many many times. Sometimes his parents helped me to cry him due to his mental crisis. But when they knew my relationship with my boyfriend through SMS, they immediately sack me out of house and kept everything. I left his house with my motorbike only. In autumn 2005, and I submitted papers for divorce.
Meanwhile, this man started to come my room share my lonesome and helped me in process of resettling. I knew he still love with me because I am wonderful for him. I teached him English. I encouraged him for confident, and found another good job for him. Now his salary is better, not difficulty in his life. I helped his sister and brother to find out a good job. His parents respect me.
Now he thinks nobody dare to love me trusty. He is a selfish and cupid. I understood only leaving him very far would best for me. Six months earlier his wife called me and told me that he promised her he will never get divorce and never get marriage with me. Then I decided to finish relation with him. I come online to share my lonesome, but suddenly fell in love with you. I have no dare to tell you truth. This is one dark chapter of my life. I was afraid when you knew you would curse me only. I don’t want to loose you. My mistakes are not clear cut with him. I am hopeless.
Yesterday, from morning, He was mending behind me. Often he met me three four times in a month. But now I am loving with you so I didn’t meet with him in last month. He suspected on me. On phone I every time said I don’t want relations with you, and don’t disturb me. But yesterday, he was waiting me out of my office. When I didn’t go out he started threaten me He will come in my office and catch me out forcibly. So I was sitting in my office late time to save my skin. I know, here nobody knows I am a divorcee and can not call for help to anyone. Therefore he came in my office, shutdown my computer, caught my hand and pulled me out to a restaurant. When you called me, he asked me, ‘who are you’. I said, ‘my new love’.
After listen me he became crazy, not control on him, forgotten to eat and carry me to my room. He locked me in the room and started beating. I became rabbit to save my life. He raped with me too. When he rode over me I cried aloud, now he had finished relation with me. Now my face is swallowing and I cannot stand on my feet. So I did not go office. Pls. don’t wait me online. I am sorry, I concealed to you a truth of my life but not it mean I want to cheat you. I know no body can help me. You also. You will continue or stop, I don’t know. I have no right to claim you. Waiting your reply.
I also received a SMS from Khanh, “I am husbant of Hai, you are a gentle man; pls. don’t touch my family.”
I replied Hai’s mail, “Ok, I will try my best to help you” and ignored Khanh’s SMS.
At night he started again send me vulgar SMS. I ignored at first, but after two three hours I replied one of, “You do not know with whom you are chatting, If I want to put you in jail, I have dare to do from here.” Then he stopped.
At morning Hai sent me a charming SMS, “you are a man, who taught him, he frustrated and started weeping after reading yours SMS.He becomes rabbit, chicken hearted, trembled only. He was beating his head and crying whole night I had lost my love. What a funny man!”
After two three days, Hai was able to push him back to his home. She called her mother and wife requested them, let her live in alone and peace, and declared she don’t want marry with him, no need to bother her. She wanted finish this relations forever.
Khanh snubbed me, “do you want I kill her or put on a bed,” I forwarded to Hai Khanh’s SMS.
With comments, “Be alert please.”
Hai assured me she was totally ignoring him. He was thinking I’m his enemy and frightened to her he would kill us both. I laughed on his mentality. One side he was scolded to Hai and other side he his begging for her love, to their friends and family members. And sending me Vulgar SMS. Like as, fuck your family. You are a hog, you are a pig. India is my enemy, Indian are so stupid. And we were only ignoring him, chatting and loving, mailing everyday.
Within fifteen days, our love story spread in Hai’s family and friends circle, then her relatives and friends tried to convince her. Be a practical. He his you dream not reality and this person is your reality. Live in reality. One of a Hai’s best friend said to her, His love is true and he promised to me he is ready to get divorce and marry with you. ‘Please forgive him and let him start again love with you.’ Hai’s a best friend recommended.
After a month I received a letter. Hai wrote me: He had signed on documents of divorce and even not claimed on his kids. He came last evening to my room and carry me to my parents. He begged for my love and said I am his assets, and regretted for his past behavior. He promised to my parents he will care me and live honestly whole life. I know I don’t love him, because he is not deserved with me. He is not a handsome. My family doesn’t like him. But there is no way to live in reality. So I am thinking went with him back. I am sorry. Please care to your self, your health, your business. I have great respect for you in my heart. I don’t want separate to you. If you permit me I would like to write you time to time about my life. If not, I never bother you. My all dreams had smashed now. I must pay for my mistakes.”
Along with Hai’s mail, Khanh sent me fifty absurd SMS that day, “you had lost your love. Now you will be mad and die only.”
I forwarded one SMS to Hai and started thinking how I can overcome this sad feeling. She replied by SMS, “Sorry, I pushed you in a new trouble. Please forgive me.”
“Please forgive me!” After reading Hai’s SMS, a sad laugh came on my lips, some tears fell down to my eyes, a warm breath came out to my lungs. And a question rushed in my mind.
What I had lost?
Some money which I paid for my telephone bills or something else?