Work Text:
The people in town look at you strangely. You can tell its for multiple reasons-your height and much darker skin, the fact that you had asked every business here for a job, or the injury you have.
You like to think it's not too bad. Except, no one can ignore the left arm in the sling or the way you wince as you sit down because of your ribs. The black eye is being a bitch to heal. The first thing you bought was a first aid kid and Advil because you are scared you'll be attacked again like last time.
They gossip about you, though. About how tall you are for a young woman, how you live alone. How everyday you walk over to the mail office and ask for a job. The old staff grumble and shoo you away, far too busy to talk to you. No such luck at the local cafes or anywhere-they have no use for an injured person.
The nearby gurdwaras offers you something. They task you with managing the bills and what food they have in stock along with checking if anything needs maintenance. The baba's are a mix of older men and women, who stand almost military like and run the place like it. You do your best to help out and in return they let you stay there. "No drinking or smoking," said on of the baba's sternly. "This is a place of God, not just any hostel."
"I understand," you say softly. You're too scared to speak up incase your old voice creeps in. And then what would happen?
So, you keep your head down and mutter and sigh. Things are checked on as the Guru Granth Sahib is ready from dusk till dawn to the point where you memorize the verses. When you're not there, you venture into town just to walk around. Its something you used to do at home before-
"Oi! Oi!" A rough voice gains your attention. You find yourself face-to-face with one of the men from the post office. His button-up has a small stain on it that you can't look away from.
"Where have you been, stranger?" he demands more than asks. "Everyone thought you had died."
"No," you say softly, subconsciously rubbing at the sling over your arm. "I'm staying at the gurdwaras and doing seva, uncle ji."
"But, you still want a job?" The uncle rubs at his short cut hair, fiddling with it a bit. He looks like he had been into sports, but old age had softened him round the middle.
You shrug as best as you can. "Doesn't everybody? How else do you get your own car, your own insurance, and new clothes." If you had all three, you wouldn't be in this town. You would go as far as Chennai in the city where they have plenty of more jobs. Tamil can't be that hard to learn.
The uncle stares at you a bit longer before sighing in an exasperated manner. "Listen, beta," he says and oh, how long has it been since anyone called you that. "No one is hiring you because we need you to rest. You shouldn't be moving up and about hurt like this. Come, we're going to have some snacks."
It takes a second for your mind to register he's leading you to a nearby chai shop. You feel panic set in. "Uncle ji, I can't pay for it-"
"Do I look like I'm a beggar or something?" he said, forcing you over to a small table. "I make enough to pay for both of us. Just give me company."
"You sure you wouldn't want to sit with you colleagues?" You don't try to hint that a man like him shouldn't be near someone like you.
The uncle shrugs at you. "At work, I see the same people. At home, I see the same wife and kids. It's good to see a new face, yeah?"
And you sit and talk. Someone brings you two glasses of soda, and you both snack on some savory chaat. You learn his name is Ranveer Singh, and he had worked at the mail office for more than twenty years. He had to younger daughters who he wished would improve in their math skills. You also learn that every shop owner knows about you-the maniac who wants to work despite her injures. The local doctor had been trying to get a hold of you to check your injuries, but your skittish behavior made you almost a pariah.
"In fact-" Ranveer uncle takes a swig of his drink before gesturing behind you. "He's right there!"
You let out a soft curse. "Why you-This was a trap!"
The man gives you a shameless grin. "Let me have some fun, huh?"
The local doctor is a tall, skinny man with dark circles under his eyes. He doesn't look Punjabi, and his hair is like a dark cloud around his head. "Nice to meet you, stranger," he says, taking a seat at the table. "You must be the only person I know who doesn't go to the clinic with injuries like this. I've been trying to find you."
"Why?" you shoot back, suddenly feeling defensive. You don't want a male doctor to be looking after you, least he finds out about your secret. "So you can give me a prescription that costs me my organs?"
The doctor is unmoved by this. "So we can help you," he said flatly. "If you don't want me looking, my sister will. But, I know which medicine I can give you."
"Like I told him, I have no money."
"If you let me finish, fool, you'd know that first patients get it free." The doctor brings out a small notepad, wets his pencil with the tip of his tongue, and begins to scribble. He rattles off a list of complicated medication that you could never pronounce. The last instructions you are given are to come tomorrow in the morning to get a physical.
"He seems very persistent," you comment, shoving the note in your pocket.
"And he will hunt you down," warns Ranveer uncle, standing up. "Alright, I need to work again. But, you're coming over for dinner tonight. My wife insisted and if you say now, she'll thrash me. Understood?"
You send him a cheeky grin. "I want to see what happens if I say no." You laugh at his offended expression and leave ten times lighter.
It seems that the interaction with two people opened the gates up. Women on the street start to say hello and you exchange pleasantries, if a bit hesitant. Elderly people want you to sit down and listen to their problems or get them chai. Young children run around you, trying to play small pranks that actually leave you laughing. Even one of the baba's from the gurdwara seemed pleased to see you going out. It was as if they were folding you in this town and-
The feeling of being pulled down by invisible hands crept up on you. You hadn't meant to stay here. This place was meant to be a skipping stone to somewhere greater. Somewhere farther away from the place you had called home.
The physical with the doctor's sister goes find. She looks nearly identical to her brother except her ears are decorated with shining gold piercings. You stare at it as she tests your arm and shines a bright light into your eye.
"You're healing," she finally says after a moment. "But, still slow. Must be because you're trying to work when you should be resting. And you need more iron. Now, let's see your ribs." She made a gesture to lift up your shirt.
This was the moment you were dreading. You had felt your stomach do dips and flips the entire visit, and your mind was frantically searching for ways to get out of it. "My ribs are fine, actually," you say, standing up from the cot you were sitting on. "Listen, I'll take my leave-"
The doctor huffed out a frustrated breath. "What are you so nervous about? We're both women here, hm?"
The urge to scream became so, so strong. "Listen, I'm really fine," you try again. "I won't waste more of your time."
The other woman gave you a look that was far warmer than the previous ones. "We're both women here, no matter what sex you had before." At your gaping face, she actually chuckled. "I think you forgot to remove this off of your shirt?" She pointed at the pink, blue and white circular sticker that stood out on your white shirt.
You-You don't know how to feel. Shock at how quickly she found out? Terror as you stood rooted to the spot, waiting for the blow? Dread so thick it stuck to the insides of your throat and almost choked you.
The doctor was examining you closely. Less like you were a frog on a dissection table but like you were a chemical reaction she had expected. "Now, listen," she spoke suddenly. "No one tried to curse at you or anything while walking here, right? And this place is on the other side of town. No one here will give you trouble for being who you are."
And maybe it was because she was being so calm about everything, was not trying to attack you. Maybe because it was true-you walked around with the sticker in plain sight and no one batted an eye. So, its with ease that you finally speak your mind. "W-When my parents found out, I thought they were going to kill me," you choke out, feeling your chest cracking open. My mother slapped me and pulled my hair. My own father couldn't even look at me. And-And everyone else just kept on hitting and hitting. My own chahcu snapped the bone in this arm with a bat! Whats worse is that-that I miss them still! I just want to go home." The last part was whimpered out as you dug your free hand into your hair, pulling and pulling, hoping to feel something-
But, there were more gentle hands reaching out to lace fingers with yours. The doctor is smiling for the first time since you met. "Let this be your home, beta," she said. "Please."
And you begin to break and heal like never before.