It was around seven- thirty when I reached home on Saturday night. I took a bath, prepared dinner and sat in front of the television. I had no cases to write and I was grateful for the free time. Gunjan was set to arrive next week and after that, no more travelling for her.

A good few hours had passed by before my phone rang. I checked the clock to see it was five past ten. Who could call me that late at night? The call was from an unknown number and so I ignored it and kept my phone aside. A few seconds after the ringing stopped, it started again.

I decided it was important and answered it. The caller surprised to me. It was Meera, a friend of mine from school. She was married off at the age of eighteen as a pundit had found some problems with her horoscope and according to that if she wouldn't get married before nineteen, there were chances that she wouldn't get married till forty. I had attended her marriage, but lost contact with her since then.

"I can't believe I am talking to you right now." I tell her.

"Believe it or not, it is me."

She had heard about everything that happened to me in the last one year from Aditi, a friend of ours. She was the one who gave Meera my phone number.

As the conversation progresses, I felt like I've been talking a lot about myself and hadn't asked her anything about herself.

"We have been talking about my sad story a lot, truthfully, I am tired of it Meera."

"I understand your situation."

Oh, the same words again. I was glad when they had stopped, hearing them again brought back memories, bad ones.

"Tell me about your family Meera."

"I have a daughter Ashna, she is eight." At twenty-seven, she had an eight-year-old daughter, which means she gave birth at the age of nineteen. I remember running around fighting with Karthik when I was nineteen.

"And your husband?" I asked.

"When I said I understand your situation, I really meant it. I understand because I can relate. My husband left me for another woman."

I wasn't sure of what to say to that. I was grateful to god that I hadn't shouted at her or told her off when she said she could understand.

"I called you to for your advice. I need to know how to be strong after all that had happened?"

"If that is why you called me, I am sorry to say, I am the wrong person."

"What?"

"Yeah Meera, I am still not strong. I am merely holding myself together. But, there is something I can tell you, there is nothing like the support of your family. If they are there for you, then you can cross all the hurdles that come your way. I was fortunate enough to have my father, brother and his wife."

"I do have my brother, in fact he is the only one left other than my daughter."

"You have your daughter, treasure her."

"I will."

"So what are your plans?"

"I am finishing my MA degree now, after that I would start looking for a job. I don't know how I'll manage. It is not right to depend on Manish for everything right?"

"Yeah I do remember how independent you were."

"Well I need to survive until I find a good lawyer get my husband to give us the maintenance."

"Wait... you are looking for a lawyer? So you aren't divorced yet?"

"No, I am still married to him."

"You call me and tell me that you are looking for a lawyer to represent you?"

"Yeah, now that I think about it, I could use your help." She said.

"Good."

"Can you give me the contact number of the lawyer who represented for you?"

"What?"

"Yeah, your lawyer's number..."

"I heard what you said. It is just that I am a lawyer who specialises in family cases and you want someone else to represent you."

"What? You are a lawyer."

"Seriously lady, you call yourself my friend."

"In my defence we were not in contact before today."

"Yeah, that is a valid point."

"So you will take up my case? I am really grateful Kavya, I never wanted to share my story with an outsider, I am really glad it is you."

"I am happy I could be of use. Have you heard about KR associates? I work there. You can come there on Monday and we'll see what to do."

"KR Associates? That is like the biggest law firm in Mumbai, I don't have that kind of money Kavya."

"It is okay Meera, there is nothing you need to worry about. If you are not comfortable coming there, you can come to my place. I am sure Gaurav would be okay with me handling one case of my own without attaching the firm."

"I don't want you to land in any kind of trouble because of me."

"It is okay, no trouble at all."

We talked for another half an hour and soon after, I went to bed.

The next morning, I called Gaurav to ask if he was okay with me helping a friend of mine with her divorce. He asked me to use the KR name so that it would probably intimidate the opposition. He didn't have a problem with me not charging her under KR, he was in fact happy that I decided to ask him first.

Meera came by later that day with the details. Her daughter Ashna accompanied her. I had prepared lunch for them; afterwards we sat down to discuss her case while Ashna watched TV.

Meera had no proof of him cheating other than the fact that she witnessed it. We worked on building the case asking for maintenance for the mother and child. I told her it was better not to apply for divorce yet as it would be easier for her when he demands divorce first. I told her the unwritten rule that Indian courts always side with the women when it comes to divorces. Meera seemed to be convinced and signed the papers I had readied to file in court.