Sophia's Freedom

Chapter 71 : Journal : Private Room

I decided to continue reading the rest of the entries to figure out what happened next. Going through these entries, it made me realize that what I was made to see, and what was happened behind the closed doors were 2 different things. I wonder why Abhinu never told me the truth about it. 

                                                                    14th July 1994

I woke up late today since I had nothing to do as usual. It was about 8:00 AM and suddenly I saw a car approaching our house. I looked out of the window and found that the family had returned. Uncle has not come today.

Aunty came to me and gave me a packed sandwich and an apple and asked me to have it as she feels that I might be hungry. I decided not to tell her anything about the incident with Shabnam Mausi and the mysterious man and had the sandwich she bought for me. 

Aamaya di told me that I am looking stunning in the dress I am wearing. I didn't change the dress, I was wearing last night. She also told me that there is a surprise for me and asked me to wait until tomorrow for it.

Aunty wanted me to transfer some of my parent's belongings into my room as they are planning to turn over my parent's room into something else. I asked them what their plan and they replied that I will know about it in due time. I didn't question much as I knew very well that I won't get an answer no matter how much I asked. Later aunty asked me to take all my parent's memorabilia into my room as they were going to turn the room into something else. Around 1 P.M. a yellow-colored tempo entered our compound. 2 men stepped out and began unloading something. It was 3 large wooden cabinets. By the looks of it, they were the same almirah Aarohi had in Kolkata which was later given to me.

Aunty instructed them to keep them in my room. Once they were done, she asked me if there were anything else from my parent's room which I might want to transfer into my room. I asked her if I can get my mom's wardrobe and dad's trunk to my room, which she agreed. I specifically asked for dad's trunk because it has his uniform and his medals which were precious to me than anyone else. It would always remind me how brave my dad was, and being his child, I should remember that I must be brave to survive this hell.

Once that was done, she asked those men to transfer the remaining things into the spare-room. It used to be my playroom when I was a baby. I had a lot of sweet memories with my mom in that room. There was nothing there except the things that were shifted from my parent's room. Aunty allowed me to arrange things the way I wanted. She gave me the keys to the room and said that it would be my personal space and that no one would be allowed into the room that would also include her and uncle too. Darika tried to convince aunty about not letting me waste my time in doing that, but Aunty told her to mind her own business and not to interfere in matters related to my personal stuffs.

Aamaya di wanted to help me with setting up the room, and then as we were getting the room ready, she told me that she will not be able to help me anymore. She  pulled up her palazzo up and showed me some scars all over her legs and said that uncle had tortured her for the past 3 days just to be convinced that I had nothing to do with Abhishek's disappearance. She also said that she is afraid of uncle and there is a limit to the tortures that she can bear. She also said that now since there is no way to contact her brother, there is nothing she can do for me anymore.

She asked forgiveness from me and said that even if she will occasionally hurt me, she is not doing it on purpose. I felt bad for di and so I replied that I her safety meant more to me that my own life. Uncle might hurt me but not enough to take my life. I finally told her that dad is alive and if anything were to happen to me, then she should contact dad and then I told her the way to operate the projector and contact dad.

*** Why do they have to shift the belongings into the spare-room. This is not right. Abhinu never told me anything about this. As a matter of fact, I never knew such a secret room even existed in the house. I guess he has some secrets of his own and he might want to keep it that way. I continued reading, eager to know the reason why the room was cleared. ***

                                                               15th July 1994

There was nothing much to do today. Except my sisters wanted me to clean up their rooms after they woke up. It took me about an hour and later on after breakfast, I had nothing to do and so I was idling in my room and kept talking to dad. Well the truth it whenever I want to talk to dad, I had to inform Aunty so that my sisters wouldn't enter my room.  I informed day that Aunty was telling me yesterday about a surprise and it was freaking me out. 

He asked me not to be afraid of any surprises as they are only temporary and the moment he escapes from the captivity, he is going to wreck havoc. He made me promise that no matter how difficult life gets, I should never attempt to end my life, because he wanted me to witness his vengeance on uncle for turning me into Sophia. I wish dad can escape from his captivity soon.

The thought of surprise was giving me butterflies in my tummy. I was in a dilemma whether the surprise was good or bad. Considering my current state, every surprise has been bad for me.

I eagerly waited for the surprise and around 11:00 A.M. I came to know what the surprise was. Uncle came from Kolkata and asked all of us into the living room. He had some documents with him. He gave me a piece of paper that said, "PROOF OF BIRTH". It is my birth certificate. It said that my name was Sophia Banerjee, and my s*x is female. I was born on 9th June 1988 to a Mr. Somjit Banerjee. He then gave me another document which had mine and Abhishek Dada passport photograph. It said Sophia Banerjee wife of Abhishek Banerjee. Uncle said that from today I am officially their child since they consider me as their Daughter-in-law.

These documents would be required to get me admission and registered to the courses. He also said that since no school was willing to let me join a course from the 3rd Standard. So, I had to study all over again from the first grade. It would be difficult for me to get back to school with other kids who are much younger to me, I was ok with that but when I asked him why my name is different and it says my gender is female. He finally told me the reason I live like a girl with them and why my gender is female. After knowing the reason, I am scared, and I don't know what to do. I cannot tell Monika anything about it and I know of sure that I cannot run away too because if I do, they will hurt my dad which I cannot allow it.

He also told me that the doctor says that he was happy with my progress and so uncle is also happy about it. I know its kind of irritating to hear this every time but he said it again that he is happy to see my devotion towards his son and so he and his family has accepted me as his daughter in law even without getting married to his son. Amidst all of this, he and his family is excited that I have finally accepted that I am a girl and have stopped resisting and succumbing to my fate.

He also told me that I don’t need any more surgeries until the age of 13. He further added that I should start preparing myself to be exuberant because after the age of 13, if everything goes well, I am going to be famous and I should start preparing myself for it.

I would even get to do all those things Aarohi did when she was alive however if he starts to have the faintest idea that I am even wishing about being Abhinu, he will give me a life worse than hell. I agreed to what he said and went back to my room, feeling helpless that my existence as Abhinu Banerjee, son of late Col. Banerjee has also been erased from existence and instead I had become Mrs. Sophia Banerjee, daughter of Somjit Banerjee. I hate everyone.

***Oh My God, what the hell. What was the secret he is talking about? This is wrong. Uncle wants him to be extrovert, exuberant but how does he expect him to be that, when he never let him meet anyone, assault him, molest him, turn him into something else. ***

Wait a minute. July 1994 Abhinu was 8 years old. Today is 1999, the day the incident occurred 29th August that means Abhinu would have turned 13. He should be ready for the surgery. Does that mean, whatever is happening now is a plan set into motion either by Aunty by giving up her life to delay Abhinu's surgery? If that is the case, then I hope that uncle should never be able to find Abhinu. With this huge dilemma, I decided to read on the remaining entry.

                                                                        16th July 1994

I decided to forget about yesterday and felt like starting over fresh. As usual, I woke up at my own sweet time. I had my bath, put on the saree that uncle got for me and got ready to help aunty in the kitchen.

As I was walking towards the kitchen, uncle called me. He was sitting on the couch. Aamaya di and my sisters were already there with him. He asked me why I woke up late. I apologized to him, but he was adamant and said that even though things are getting better for me and I am his son's wife, I have to make sure that I wake up early and ensure aunt could get a lot of rest. He reminded me that a daughter-in-law's primary task is to make sure that she loves her new parents and help them with with their day to day activities. 

I apologized to him and went to help aunty in the kitchen. At around 1 O' clock, another tempo entered our front yard. Uncle went out to talk with the people and then they brought something inside and uncle instructed them to take it to my parent's room. It was a table-tennis court. They set it up in my parent's room and left. Uncle told me that Garima has been selected to represent the school in Table tennis and so he has got one set-up at home so that she can practice. 

I asked him if I could play table tennis sometimes so that I can stay fit and he said that daughter-in-laws should only consider the household work as a means to stay fit. He ordered me that I should never touch any of the equipment's under any circumstances.

He further warned me that they are out of bounds for me. Uncle also suggested that since he cares for me, he will get me some dolls and stuffed toys to play as he doesn't want me to feel left out. My sisters stepped into the room to play and all I could do was to keep watching Garima and pretend to admire her moves by clapping excitedly.

Her moves were out of sync and her feeble attempts at returning the serves reminded me of the initial struggling phase of a novice player trying their hand at the game. If she is really representing the school, then only by sheer luck she can win a match.

                                                                TO BE CONTINUED...

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