Bought by Love, Trapped by Hunger

[zeus90]

# Chapter 3: A Job for Ravi, A Cage for Simran

The new suits arrived, the new routine began, and the house started changing shape around Simran.

Not the walls.

Not the rooms.

Only the rules.

At first, she did not notice.

She only felt more tired.

Morning tea. Breakfast. Cleaning the kitchen. Lunch. Washing utensils. Evening tea. Dinner. Sometimes Arvind asked for tea again after dinner. Sometimes guests came suddenly, and Simran had to serve snacks with lowered eyes while Billa moved around the back door like a shadow that enjoyed being seen.

Ravi was still at home most of the day now.

Not because he wanted to be.

Because every job he touched slipped away.

One morning he went to help at a shop. By afternoon, the owner sent him back.

Next day, someone gave him loading work. He came home with pain in his back and never went again.

Then he tried delivery work. He forgot one address, took too long at another, and argued when the supervisor scolded him.

By evening, he returned angry.

“Sabko expert chahiye,” he muttered.
*[Everyone wants an expert.]*

Simran was kneading dough in the small outside room.

She looked at him softly. “Tum seekh jaoge, Ravi.”
*[You will learn, Ravi.]*

“Seekhne ka time kaun deta hai?” he snapped.
*[Who gives time to learn?]*

She became quiet.

That was happening more often now.

Ravi spoke loudly.

Simran went silent.

Then the silence sat between them and ate whatever love was left on the plate.

---

## Ravi Slips

Billa made it worse.

Every evening, when Ravi returned empty-handed, Billa was there near the side gate or outside the lane, waiting with a cheap smile and cheaper comfort.

“Chal, thoda baithte hain.”
*[Come, let’s sit for a while.]*

Ravi refused at first.

“Nahi, ghar jaana hai.”
*[No, I have to go home.]*

“Ghar jaa ke kya karega? Biwi ke saamne phir muh latka ke baithega?”
*[What will you do at home? Sit with a sad face in front of your wife again?]*

Ravi’s jaw tightened.

Billa placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Aadmi ko dard andar nahi rakhna chahiye. Thoda peene se dimag halka hota hai.”
*[A man should not keep pain inside. Drinking a little makes the mind feel lighter.]*

A little became every few days.

Every few days became every evening.

Ravi did not become violent. Not yet. But he became loose, careless, irritated. He slept late, woke late, missed morning chances, then blamed the city.

Simran watched him from the doorway of the outside room.

Sometimes he came back smelling of alcohol and lay down without eating.

Sometimes he ate and complained.

“Sab tumhare liye kar raha hoon.”
*[I am doing everything for you.]*

Simran would lower her eyes.

“Haan, Ravi.”
*[Yes, Ravi.]*

But her voice had begun to sound tired even to herself.

---

## Desperation

One morning, Ravi was still sleeping after drinking the night before.

The sun had risen, but he had not.

Simran had already finished breakfast for Arvind. She washed the cups with slow hands. Her eyes were swollen from poor sleep.

Arvind entered the kitchen and stopped near the counter.

“Simran, sab theek hai?”
*[Simran, is everything okay?]*

She quickly wiped her hands on her dupatta.

“Ji sir, theek hai.”
*[Yes sir, everything is okay.]*

He looked at her face.

“Tum thaki hui lag rahi ho.”
*[You look tired.]*

She gave a small nervous smile.

“Nahi sir, bas neend kam hui.”
*[No sir, I just slept less.]*

Arvind did not speak for a moment.

That silence made her eyes fill before she could stop them.

She turned away quickly and picked up a cup that was already clean.

“Simran,” Arvind said softly, “koi problem hai toh bata sakti ho.”
*[Simran, if there is any problem, you can tell me.]*

The cup trembled slightly in her hand.

She placed it down.

“Sir…” Her voice was small. “Ravi ka kaam nahi tik raha.”
*[Sir… Ravi’s work is not lasting.]*

Arvind stayed quiet.

She continued, her words coming slowly, like each one had to push through shame.

“Woh koshish karta hai, par log nikal dete hain. Phir woh pareshan ho jata hai. Shaam ko… Billa ke saath baith jata hai.”
*[He tries, but people remove him. Then he gets upset. In the evening… he sits with Billa.]*

Arvind’s face remained gentle.

Simran pressed her fingers together.

“Sir, agar aap kisi se baat kar sakte ho… koi simple kaam… jahan woh seekh sake…”
*[Sir, if you can speak to someone… some simple work… where he can learn…]*

She looked down.

“Main aapse baar-baar help nahi maangna chahti. Par mujhe samajh nahi aa raha main kya karun.”
*[I don’t want to ask you for help again and again. But I don’t understand what I should do.]*

Her eyes lowered more.

“Bas ek kaam lag jaye uska. Shayad woh theek ho jayega.”
*[If he just gets one job. Maybe he will become okay.]*

For Simran, it was a desperate request.

For Arvind, it was an open door.

He walked to the window and looked outside as if thinking deeply.

“I will try,” he said.
*[I will try.]*

Simran looked up quickly.

“Sach, sir?”
*[Really, sir?]*

“Haan. Ek jagah hai. Farm side ka kaam hai. Easy nahi, lekin seekhne layak hai.”
*[Yes. There is one place. Farm-side work. It is not easy, but it can be learned.]*

She listened with hope rising too fast.

“Milk production ka kaam hai. Cows, milk collection, cans fill karna, trucks load karna. Timing raat ki hai.”
*[It is milk production work. Cows, milk collection, filling cans, loading trucks. The timing is at night.]*

Simran did not think about the night.

She only heard work.

Stable work.

A chance.

“Salary?” she asked softly.
*[Salary?]*

“Starting ₹7,000. Usko kaam nahi aata, isliye pehle learning period hoga. Agar seekh gaya toh increase ho sakti hai.”
*[Starting ₹7,000. He doesn’t know the work, so first it will be a learning period. If he learns, it can increase.]*

Simran nodded quickly.

“Sir, main usko samjha dungi. Woh kar lega.”
*[Sir, I will explain it to him. He will do it.]*

Arvind looked at her.

“Tum chaho toh main baat pakki kar doon.”
*[If you want, I can confirm it.]*

“Ji sir. Please.”
*[Yes sir. Please.]*

The word came out before pride could stop it.

“Please.”

Arvind gave a small nod.

“Okay. Tonight se nahi, kal se start karwa dete hain.”
*[Okay. Not from tonight, we will start him from tomorrow.]*

Simran’s face softened with relief.

For the first time in many days, she smiled without forcing it.

“Thank you, sir.”
*[Thank you, sir.]*

Arvind’s smile was calm.

“Tum log apne ho.”
*[You people are like my own.]*

Simran believed it because she needed to.

---

## Telling Ravi

Ravi woke near afternoon.

His hair was messy, his eyes heavy. He sat on the bed while Simran placed food in front of him.

“Khane ke baad ek baat karni hai,” she said.
*[After food, I need to talk about something.]*

Ravi tore the roti lazily.

“Ab kya hua?”
*[What happened now?]*

“Sir ne tumhare liye kaam dhoondha hai.”
*[Sir found work for you.]*

Ravi stopped chewing.

“Kaunsa kaam?”
*[What work?]*

“Farm ka. Milk production. Cow milk collection, cans fill karna, trucks mein load karna. Raat ka kaam hai.”
*[Farm work. Milk production. Cow milk collection, filling cans, loading them into trucks. It is night work.]*

Ravi’s face changed.

“Raat ka?”
*[At night?]*

“Haan.”
*[Yes.]*

“Timing?”
*[Timing?]*

“Six evening se eight morning.”
*[Six in the evening to eight in the morning.]*

Ravi put the roti down.

“Pagal ho kya? Puri raat kaam?”
*[Are you mad? Work all night?]*

Simran sat beside him carefully.

“Ravi, kaam mil raha hai. Itni mushkil se.”
*[Ravi, you are getting work. After so much difficulty.]*

“Salary?”
*[Salary?]*

“Starting ₹7,000.”
*[Starting ₹7,000.]*

Ravi laughed bitterly.

“Puri raat jag ke ₹7,000?”
*[Staying awake all night for ₹7,000?]*

Simran’s face fell, but she kept her voice soft.

“Tumhe kaam nahi aata na. Sir keh rahe the seekh jaoge toh badh sakta hai.”
*[You don’t know the work yet. Sir said if you learn, it can increase.]*

Ravi looked away.

“Main cow ka doodh bharunga? Truck load karunga? Yeh kaam hai mere liye?”
*[I will fill cow milk? Load trucks? Is this work for me?]*

Simran’s eyes became wet.

“Ravi, hamare paas choice hai kya?”
*[Ravi, do we have a choice?]*

He did not answer.

She moved closer.

“Tum roz pareshan hote ho. Log nikal dete hain. Phir tum Billa ke saath baithte ho. Mujhe darr lagta hai.”
*[You get upset every day. People fire you. Then you sit with Billa. I feel scared.]*

Ravi’s face tightened.

“Billa ne kya kiya?”
*[What has Billa done?]*

“Main bas keh rahi hoon… tum kaam pe jaoge toh tumhara mind bhi theek rahega.”
*[I am just saying… if you go to work, your mind will also stay better.]*

Ravi looked at her.

She folded her hands together in her lap.

“Please Ravi. Ek baar try kar lo. Mere liye.”
*[Please Ravi. Try once. For me.]*

That line touched him.

Not fully.

But enough.

He looked away again, softer now.

“Tum chahti ho main karun?”
*[You want me to do it?]*

Simran nodded.

“Haan. Main chahti hoon tum stable ho jao.”
*[Yes. I want you to become stable.]*

Ravi took a slow breath.

“Theek hai. Ek baar try karunga.”
*[Fine. I will try once.]*

Simran’s face relaxed.

She smiled a little.

“Thank you.”
*[Thank you.]*

Ravi picked up the roti again.

He did not see that while he thought he had agreed for her, she believed she had saved him.

Both were wrong in different ways.

---

## Billa Plants A Seed

That evening, Billa found Ravi near the side gate.

“So suna hai kaam lag gaya?”
*[So I heard you got work?]*

Ravi tried not to smile, but pride slipped out.

“Haan. Farm side. Milk production.”
*[Yes. Farm side. Milk production.]*

“Timing?”
*[Timing?]*

“Six evening to eight morning.”
*[Six evening to eight morning.]*

Billa whistled softly.

“Wah bhai. Puri raat tu bahar, aur madam ji yahan.”
*[Wow brother. You outside the whole night, and madam here.]*

Ravi looked at him.

“Kya matlab?”
*[What do you mean?]*

Billa shrugged.

“Matlab kuch nahi. Bas keh raha hoon. Bade logon ke ghar mein raat alag hoti hai.”
*[Nothing. I am just saying. Nights are different in rich people’s houses.]*

Ravi’s forehead tightened.

“Seedha bol.”
*[Speak clearly.]*

Billa laughed.

“Arre tu bhi na. Main toh mazaak kar raha hoon. Waise job kisne dilaya?”
*[Come on. I’m joking. Anyway, who got you the job?]*

“Sir ne.”
*[Sir did.]*

“Simran ne bola hoga?”
*[Simran must have asked?]*

Ravi paused.

“Haan. Usne help maangi thi.”
*[Yes. She asked for help.]*

Billa gave a slow nod.

“Achha hai. Biwi samajhdar hai. Tere liye kaam bhi dhoondh leti hai. Aur tujhe raat ko bahar bhi bhej deti hai.”
*[Good. Your wife is clever. She finds work for you. And sends you out at night too.]*

Ravi’s eyes changed slightly.

Only slightly.

“Tu galat bol raha hai,” Ravi said.
*[You are talking wrong.]*

Billa lifted both hands.

“Arre bhai, mazaak tha. Gussa kyun hota hai? Main toh khush hoon tere liye. Finally kaam mila.”
*[Brother, it was a joke. Why are you getting angry? I am happy for you. Finally you got work.]*

Ravi nodded, but the words had already entered somewhere small and dark.

Not enough to break him.

Enough to sit in the back of his mind.

Billa watched him leave and smiled.

Seeds did not need water immediately.

Some seeds waited for the next rain.

---

## The First Night

The next evening, Ravi got ready for his first shift.

He wore his old shirt and washed jeans. Simran packed two rotis, some sabzi, and an onion in a small steel box.

“Time pe khana,” she said.
*[Eat on time.]*

Ravi took the box.

“Tum bhi time pe kha lena.”
*[You also eat on time.]*

She smiled.

For a moment, they looked like husband and wife again.

Then he looked toward the main house.

“Sir se mil ke jaaun?”
*[Should I meet sir before leaving?]*

Simran nodded.

Arvind came out to the verandah.

“Ready?” he asked.
*[Ready?]*

Ravi stood straighter.

“Ji sir.”
*[Yes sir.]*

“Kaam simple hai, but laziness nahi chalegi. Cow shed mein milk collection hota hai. Cans fill honge. Subah trucks dispatch honge. Pehle kuch din seekhna. Jo bolein, karna.”
*[The work is simple, but laziness won’t work. Milk collection happens in the cow shed. Cans will be filled. Trucks will be dispatched in the morning. Learn for the first few days. Do whatever they tell you.]*

Ravi nodded quickly.

“Ji sir.”
*[Yes sir.]*

Simran stood behind him, hopeful.

Arvind looked at her briefly.

“Don’t worry. Ravi ab busy rahega. Drinking bhi kam ho jayegi.”
*[Don’t worry. Ravi will stay busy now. His drinking will also reduce.]*

Simran gave a small grateful smile.

“Ji sir. Aapne bahut help ki.”
*[Yes sir. You helped a lot.]*

At six, Ravi left.

The gate closed behind him.

For the first time, Simran stood in the house after sunset without Ravi nearby.

She did not feel afraid yet.

Only strange.

Like the evening had become too big.

---

## Day And Night

Within a week, their lives stopped meeting properly.

Ravi left at 6 PM.

Simran worked until late evening.

Ravi returned around 8:30 AM, smelling of cow shed, sweat, milk, and tiredness. His eyes were red from staying awake.

Simran served him breakfast in the outside room before going back to the kitchen.

That became their only real conversation.

A plate between them.

A tired man on the bed.

A woman standing near the door, already late for work.

One morning, she placed paratha and tea in front of him.

“Kaam kaisa chal raha hai?”
*[How is the work going?]*

Ravi rubbed his eyes.

“Theek hai. Raat bhar cans uthao, bharvao, truck mein lagao. Subah tak kamar toot jaati hai.”
*[It’s okay. All night, lift cans, get them filled, load them into trucks. By morning, my back breaks.]*

“Seekh rahe ho na?”
*[You are learning, right?]*

“Haan.”
*[Yes.]*

She smiled softly.

“Phir salary badh jayegi.”
*[Then your salary will increase.]*

Ravi looked at her.

“Tumhe salary ki hi padi rehti hai?”
*[You only care about salary?]*

Simran’s smile faded.

“Nahi Ravi. Main bas…”
*[No Ravi. I just…]*

He lay back.

“Main poori raat jag ke aaya hoon. Abhi mat shuru ho.”
*[I stayed awake the whole night. Don’t start now.]*

She became quiet.

“Chai rakh di hai,” she said softly.
*[I kept the tea here.]*

Then she left.

He slept.

She worked.

At noon, when she came back to take the empty plate, Ravi was still sleeping.

At evening, when he woke, she was in the main kitchen.

Before they could talk, it was time for him to leave again.

Their room still had one bed.

But now it felt like two separate lives were using it at different times.

---

## More Work

With Ravi gone at night, Arvind slowly stretched Simran’s duties.

Not suddenly.

Never suddenly.

One evening, after dinner, he called from the study.

“Simran, ek chai bana dogi?”
*[Simran, will you make one tea?]*

She had just finished cleaning the kitchen.

“Ji sir.”
*[Yes sir.]*

The next night, tea became normal.

Then late snacks.

Then cleaning the dining table after Arvind’s friends left.

Then washing glasses that were not part of her daily work.

When she looked tired, Arvind spoke gently.

“Ravi ka kaam lag gaya hai. Thoda time adjust karna padega.”
*[Ravi got work now. You will have to adjust a little for some time.]*

She nodded.

“Ji sir.”
*[Yes sir.]*

The word “adjust” became a small cage.

Everybody used it.

Arvind used it with softness.

Billa used it with a smile.

Ravi used it with tiredness.

And Simran kept adjusting until she forgot where her own comfort had been placed.

---

## Billa’s New Game

Billa did not stop.

He only changed method.

Now that Ravi was away at night and asleep in the day, Billa had more space to make Simran’s work harder.

He splashed mud near the back door after she cleaned it.

He left garden tools in the corridor and complained she had not arranged them.

He told Arvind the kitchen back area smelled bad.

Once, he put extra salt into the dal when Simran stepped out to take clothes from the rope.

At dinner, Arvind took one bite and stopped.

“Simran, dal mein namak zyada hai.”
*[Simran, there is too much salt in the dal.]*

Her face became pale.

“Sir, maine toh…”
*[Sir, I had…]*

She stopped.

Billa stood near the back door, looking down, hiding a smile.

Simran held the serving spoon with both hands.

“Sorry sir. Main dhyan rakhungi.”
*[Sorry sir. I will be careful.]*

Arvind did not scold.

That was worse.

“It’s okay. Mistakes happen.”
*[It’s okay. Mistakes happen.]*

His softness made her feel smaller than anger would have.

Later, Billa passed her near the washing area.

“Madam ji, bade ghar ka kaam hai. Dhyan se karna padta hai.”
*[Madam, this is work in a big house. You have to be careful.]*

Simran only nodded and moved aside.

She did not know how to fight such small cruelties.

They were too tiny to complain about.

Too many to ignore.

---

## Distance

After two weeks, Ravi’s drinking had reduced.

But Simran did not feel relieved.

The alcohol had gone down.

The distance had gone up.

Ravi now had a reason for everything.

If she wanted to talk, he was tired.

If she looked sad, he said she was overthinking.

If she complained about work, he said at least they had a roof.

If she said Billa made her uncomfortable, he said Billa had helped them.

One morning, while serving him food, she tried again.

“Ravi, mujhe raat ko ajeeb lagta hai.”
*[Ravi, I feel strange at night.]*

He was half asleep.

“Kya ajeeb?”
*[What strange?]*

“Ghar mein… sir late tak jagte hain. Billa bhi kabhi-kabhi peeche hota hai.”
*[In the house… sir stays awake late. Billa is also sometimes at the back.]*

Ravi opened his eyes with irritation.

“Toh main job chhod doon?”
*[So should I leave the job?]*

“Nahi, main bas keh rahi thi…”
*[No, I was just saying…]*

“Simran, tumne hi bola tha karne ke liye.”
*[Simran, you were the one who told me to do it.]*

She stopped.

He was right.

And that made it hurt more.

“Haan,” she said softly. “Maine hi bola tha.”
*[Yes. I was the one who said it.]*

Ravi turned to the wall.

“Light band kar dena.”
*[Turn off the light.]*

Simran stood there with the plate in her hand.

The room was small.

But the distance between them had become too wide to cross.

---

## Arvind’s Calm

That evening, Arvind found her wiping the kitchen counter long after it was already clean.

“Simran,” he said.

She turned.

“Ji sir?”
*[Yes sir?]*

“Thak gayi ho?”
*[Are you tired?]*

She gave a small smile.

“Nahi sir.”
*[No sir.]*

“Jhooth.”
*[Lie.]*

She looked down, embarrassed.

Arvind spoke softly.

“Ravi ka kaam difficult hai. Tumhara bhi. Lekin yeh phase nikal jayega.”
*[Ravi’s work is difficult. Yours too. But this phase will pass.]*

Her eyes filled again, but she blinked quickly.

“Sir, main bas chahti hoon sab theek ho jaye.”
*[Sir, I just want everything to become okay.]*

“It will,” Arvind said. “Main hoon na.”
*[It will. I am here.]*

The sentence sounded like support.

It should have comforted her.

Instead, it sat in the room like a door closing quietly.

Simran nodded.

“Ji sir.”
*[Yes sir.]*

Outside, Ravi was walking somewhere in the dark toward the milk farm.

Inside, Billa was waiting near the back gate, already planning tomorrow’s small trouble.

And Arvind stood in the kitchen, calm as ever, becoming the one person Simran had started asking for help.

That was the cleverest part of the trap.

It did not look like a trap.

It looked like help.