Lalitha was born in a regular farming family in Gudavalli a village near Vijayawada. Her life was nothing exorbitant but with a loving father and her caring mother she enjoyed everyday of her life. Lalitha's childhood was filled with fond memories of her attending school, coming back to her home playing with her father and other kids nearby.
If there was one person she could not lose out on it was her father. But when she was in her tenth standard just a couple of weeks before board exams her father passed away. And with him fell all her dreams. Her dad was the one who supported her in education.
She had high dreams of attending a proper college get a degree and join a good job to provide a better life for her family. But after her father left the world her relatives instilled a notion of girls not being fit for studies in her mother's thoughts. She had to stop her education after the board exams and join her mother in farming.
The first year went normally but on the second year there were heavy floods after which they were forced to sell couple of acres to pay their dues and meet daily needs. It all turned downhill from there, the same relatives who instilled those unwanted thoughts in her mother slowly bought out their remaining six acres in the next few years.
Four years after her father's passing they were left with no land and Lalitha was forced to look for other jobs. She joined as an assistant for a local poultry farm owner Madhusudhan Rao who was very good to her and treated almost as his second daughter. Her life finally was back on track, with his favor she grew from a normal assistant to farm manager in just a couple of years. She had even saved enough money to buy a couple acres of farming land and rented it out.
Everything was going perfectly until the owner's son took his reigns. He had his eyes set on her from the first day at his office and started abusing his power to harass her. One day it went too far and she resigned from her job. What came as a shock to her was he was still not willing to let go and left a bad review on her employee records.
With no other job she returned to do farming just like before, one day when she returned to her home from her farm she could notice Madhusudhan Rao in her home. She assumed he must have come to meet her and went ahead to greet him.
Later Lalitha came to learn about his purpose of visit which was to marry her to his son. Her mom was immensely happy and agreed to it immediately as she admired Madhusudhan from her daughter's praises. Meanwhile Lalitha felt like she was struck between a rock and a hard place.
As her wedding day approached she started to get nervous. She did not believe that someone who harassed his employees at work would be faithful nor treat her with respect. Gathering her courage she decided to make her escape.
Next three years were the biggest nightmare in her life. She could not get a proper job and had to join a construction worker gig. Life was a real struggle, she barely made enough to sustain herself, She had to skip a meal daily just to have save hundred rupees every month. Lalitha applied at every agency in the nearby towns for a job but never received a reply.
That was until yesterday, When she received the call informing her to come to the agency next day for her interview. Noticing it would be a Sunday and there won't be any construction job she was gratified. At least she wouldn't lose a day's pay if the interview failed.
Even if she felt there might be a chance it might be her previous farm owner's son she did not have a choice and had to go there to confirm. She prayed to god to give her a new chance in life and left to Vijayawada on the first bus in the morning.
Although the interview was scheduled at ten in the morning she left in seven O'clock to be there early. When she reached the agency by eight and surprised when the agency was not even open, she was confused where to go and just sat on the roadside clasping her hands and praying to god to let this be a success.
Arjun along with Bhargav came to the agency a bit early today than they had agreed on at nine in the morning. Noticing the agency still yet to open they turned back to return at the appointed time but as they were about to walk away Arjun noticed a woman in her early to mid twenties wrapped in a red saree squatting on the side walk her hands palmed pressed together mumbling something.
Lalitha was in middle of her prayer when she heard someone approach her asking her about her purpose sitting there. She was afraid about the guards kicking her out but realizing it was a kids voice she took a turn to see a handsome boy with hands in his pockets seemingly trying to be imposing but was way too cute to be imposing in any manner.
She stroked the kids hair and pinched his cheeks unable to contain herself but soon realizing what she had done she hurriedly apologized. Noticing a guy of her age stand beside the kid and ask the same question she mentioned she was here for an interview.
Arjun was sure by now that they had come here to meet her, But instead of explaining this to her he invited her for a coffee saying it probably wouldn't hurt to wait across the street than sitting here.
She wanted to refuse the offer but noticing the guy beside him saying nothing and even shaking his head as an agreement to her Lalitha followed along.
After they got settled down Arjun started the conversation, he could see vicissitudes of life in her eyes and wanted to know more about her story. When he enquired Lalitha was hesitant at first but seeing his pleading expression she had no choice but to explain her story. It took her over thirty minutes just to narrate the story and when she looked up she found both Arjun and Bhargav with tears in their eyes.
Arjun who heard such a moving story did not have much to say but he could feel her tenacity, Even though life kept throwing stones at her she kept moving forward. Curios he enquired "Akka do you hate those people and want to take revenge on them?"
"Who are they?" Lalitha asked back with not much change in her expression take a sip of the coffee.
"Your relatives they were the reason you lost your land no?"
"Yes, but after i ran away they are the ones taking care of my mother."
"What about your owner Madhusudhan Rao, he treated you as his daughter only to try to marry you to that scum bag"
Lalitha gave a bitter smile
"Yes but i do not think he is aware of his son's mentality or he would have never done so"
"Why did you not tell him then Akka?"
"Won't that break his heart? when he treats me as his daughter i too should treat him as a dad no?"
Arjun did not know what to say but continued pressing
"What about his son Akka, will you take revenge on him if you had the power to do so?"
"Me? nah i don't think i can dream of such things in my life"
"If you did?"
"If i did?" She took a while to sort out her thoughts
"If i really did have such power, i want to make him realize his mistakes so that no other women suffer similar fate as mine."
Arjun was still okay while Bhargav cupped his hands to head and started weeping. Lalitha was very confused by this, was her story this depressing? So much that an adult couldn't stop his tears? but the kid seemed fine, in fact he had eyes of someone who discovered a gem which further confused her.
"Good luck with the interview Akka, but i hope you can answer this last question of mine. What would you do if you failed at this interview?" Arjun enquired.
"Honestly i haven't thought of failing the interview, i need to be able to give my whole after all."
"But if i did fail it's not a big issue. In these past four years i have saved around four thousand rupees. The mechanical shop uncle who lives next to me promised to make me a glass handcart for three thousand rupees, if i have another two thousand i can start my own sweet shop after which life would get much simpler. I am only short of thousand rupees which i am confident i can make them in next ten months."
Lalitha spoke with a confidant voice with a hint of defiance in her eyes. This was the purest smile Arjun had ever seen, He never imagined such a women can exist and were only stuff of dreams and movie stories. But here was one sitting in front of him, calmly sipping her coffee checking the time every ten minutes to make sure she was not late.