Mausami stormed in the room, and fixed her eyes on Anjali. She was shaking with anger; she could not believe what she had heard.

Mausami, “What the hell? Are you out of your mind?”

“I’ll explain everything, just take a moment, and calm down.” Anjali said as she pulled a chair.

Mausami tried to calm herself, sat down and closed her eyes for few moments. Then looked up, her eyes eagerly waiting for Anjali to speak up.

“Look it is not so difficult for you to understand. I have met Arjun a few times and we have decided to get married.” Anjali said casually.

Mausami mockingly, “Oh is it that simple? When did you change your mind? You never wanted to get married.”

Anjali looked away, “Yeah but people do change, their needs change with time.”

Mausami firmly, “It’s not that easy. And what about your career? What about our mission of women empowerment, we have been fighting for years?”

Anjali, “I’ll continue with it in my capacity.”

Mausami shaking her head, “Anjali, this doesn’t make any sense to me. Is this what you rebelled for? Your parents wanted the same thing from you years back. But you left home, joined modeling and acting. You are a modern girl, who loves her freedom. Your choice of clothes is the talk of the town. Your parents disowned you for that.”

Mausami shrugged her shoulders, “And now, you want to marry in an elite political family. You always had this option. Then why did you rebel against your parents in the first place. And what happened to your mantra of life, No strings attached. What happened to your mission of women empowerment?”

Anjali, “That’s not my past dear, no strings attached even now.”

Mausami was shocked, “What do you mean?”

Anjali, “You will see. Nothing will change for us.”

Arjun’s engagement to Anjali stumped everyone. Their love story was covered in every newspaper with lovely pictures of how their love had evolved, how they are made for each other. They made a perfect couple for media, young politician with a promise of change, with a stunning and smart wife. She transformed herself from a fashionable model to a lovely traditional wife.

For people, it was a choice that was in complete contrast to the freedom she had so often longed for and fought for. Not for her. She had never been so free in her life. Free from ever preying eyes of men, free from the fear of getting raped or killed every day. Price she paid for this freedom was too little for what she was aiming for.

She worked relentlessly in remote areas, day in and day out to educate and empower women, helped the poorest of the poor people. She was able to close down the brothels and rehabilitate the bar dancers. Being CM’s wife, she was enjoyed Z level security and could work anywhere, anytime without fear. Young CM was deemed as the most broad-minded and supportive husband of era, a hero of the new generation by the media.

She had power and she used it ruthlessly. She was hailed for being fearless, every girl wanted to be like her. She adopted villages and transformed them to urban standards. She used movies as a medium to bring in awareness, educate people of the problems in remote areas. She was on a mission and was changing the dynamics quickly.

5 years later, it was a quiet evening. They were sitting on two iron cots facing each other, in a small room of a village. Anjali was busy writing her speech. Mausami was looking at her with admiration. She was waiting for her to finish.

Anjali, “Ahh, done”. She closed her laptop.

Mausami, smiled and handed her a cup of tea.

Mausami, “I can’t believe what we have been able to do. But you paid a big price for this.”

Anjali, “That was quite a small price for our mission.”

Mausami, “Marriage is not a small price. You have to live with a person, you don't love. You cannot escape like this forever; he might force himself on you some day.”

Anjali, “He won’t. He is not interested in me or any other women.” She winked.

Mausami was shocked, “And you knew that? Then why did you do this?”

Anjali, “We both needed the same things. A married person has better standing in society. It helps both of us. It was a deal. Marriage, with no strings attached.” She smiled.

Mausami, “But still it’s a marriage?”

Anjali, “No it is just a makeover. Like we do for a movie. If you want your book to be sold, design the cover page as per society’s taste. Society should feel that they can connect with you, you are one of them. Then you can sell your story. At least this way your story won’t be untold.”

Mausami, “But isn’t this a short cut?”

Anjali smiled, “May be we can call it the shortest path. It may not be the best way, but life is too short. I had to make a choice between achieving a lot more this way, or too little by fighting it out.”

Mausami always admired her for her courage and clarity. This did not seem immoral to her.

Anjali sighed, “Look at those hundreds of girls who are now free from brothels and bars. Women we have saved from domestic violence. We have villages where women are running businesses, schools. They are financially independent and safe. Makeover is a very small price to pay for that.”

She stood tall on the dais in her red handloom saree, big red bindi and red sindoor. A crowd of men and women welcomed her with a thunderous applause. She joined her hands and bowed down to them politely.