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Child Brides of India
By C. Stanton Leman
Chapter 15: Devil Warfare (mg, rom, no sex)
Friday morning Priya and I awoke and arose quietly,
saying
only what was needed. I was worried and afraid for what
Singh might put her through today, and I think she was
gearing herself up for mental warfare.
We showered, dressed, prayed and went downstairs.
Breakfast
was more of the same, all of us quietly somber without
really saying too much. After breakfast, I asked Priya what
she wanted to do, and she said, "Shopping. I need to buy
something."
Puzzled, I said, "OK, shopping it is." We got
ready and
left. Entering the car, I asked her what she wanted to buy.
Brushing me aside, she gave the limo driver the address. He
nodded and off we went. She sat quietly, holding my hand
and praying all the way to the store.
Once inside, I realized it was a women's clothing store
specializing in Muslim garb. Priya spoke to the saleslady
in Tamil, telling her what she wanted. After trying on
several sizes, Priya set her purchases on the counter. She
had bought one of those simple black dressing gowns that
fell to the ankles that is the custom for fundamental
Muslim women to wear, and a black hijab.
Once back in the car, I asked her if she wanted to go
anywhere else, and she said, "No, let's go home and get
ready to meet the devil."
Priya was in a 'zone,' and I knew better than to try and
inject myself. We arrived home, and Priya went upstairs to
change. I sat with Mom drinking coffee and she said, "Is
she alright? I've never seen her like this before."
I replied, "Neither have I. She's in some kind of
meditative state, praying without end. She bought
traditional garb this morning, and when we left the store
she said she wanted to go home to 'get ready to meet the
devil.'"
Shaking her head, Mom said, "I hope she doesn't go
overboard and appear like a young fanatic."
"I'll mention that to her," I replied.
Just then, Priya entered the room dressed as a
traditional
Muslim woman with only her hands and face uncovered. Priya
sat and Mom asked her if she wanted something to drink. She
requested only a glass of water. Giving her the water, Mom
asked her, "Are you alright Priya?"
Priya smiled, and after taking a sip of water, said,
"Don't
worry Mom, I know what I'm doing and I won't portray myself
as an extremist."
"I'm sorry I said that," Mom replied,
"I'm just worried."
"No offense taken," Priya smiled and said,
"Have faith in
your daughter."
With tears in her eyes, Mom smiled and said, "I
believe in
you."
Priya turned to me and said, "Are you ready? It's
twelve
o'clock, we'd better leave."
She and Mom hugged and kissed each other goodbye and we
left for the embassy.
We had been sitting outside Paul's office for about
fifteen
minutes when a secretary directed us to a conference room
where Paul and Singh were waiting. When we entered the
room, Paul introduced himself and Dr. Singh and asked Priya
to be seated. He directed me to sit in a chair against the
wall, directly behind Priya to observe the proceedings.
Priya asked for and was given a glass of water, which
she
placed in front of her. Paul started out by saying, "Mrs.
Michaels, I'm sure you know why you're here. This hearing
will determine several things: first, if your maturity
level, despite your age, is such that your marriage is
valid. If valid, you have no fear of your father or your
husband being prosecuted. Second, having shown that you are
competent and have a genuinely loving marriage, you will be
granted all the privileges due you as a spouse of an
American citizen. Do you understand what I've said so far?"
"Yes sir, I understand."
"Good. Let's proceed. This interview will be
conducted by
Dr. Singh and will be tape recorded for the record. Do you
agree to having this interview taped?"
"Yes sir, I do."
"Will you agree to swear your testimony here today
will be
the truth?"
"I cannot swear an oath to Allah. I will speak the
truth
and Allah will be my judge."
"Fine. Let's begin. If I have a question, I'll just
jump
in, but for the most part, it will be entirely Dr. Singh's
interview. Are you ready to begin?"
"Yes sir, I'm ready."
With Priya's reply, Singh began his questioning:
"Hello Priya."
"If you please sir, it's Mrs. Michaels."
"Alright, hello Mrs. Michaels."
"Hello sir."
"Let's begin by entering some information into the
record.
You're an eleven year old girl of Muslim faith?"
"No sir, I'm an eleven year old, married Muslim
woman."
"Whether you are a woman or not will be determined
today."
"May I speak, sir?"
"You may."
"I am legally married both under strict Muslim
precepts and
have a valid marriage certificate according to the laws of
India. That gives me certain legal rights. Until you can
prove that I or my husband have broken any laws, I have the
right to be given the respect due any other married woman
in India, as I respect your position."
"Alright Mrs. Michaels, as you wish. In your own
words,
tell us the circumstances and events of your first meeting
with your husband."
Priya went on to tell the same story I had relayed four
days ago, nearly word for word. Singh then asked her, "So
it was love at first sight?"
"Yes sir."
"What is your definition of the feeling of
love?"
"Love isn't a feeling sir, it's an action. If we
profess
love for someone, it means nothing unless we validate that
profession with a positive action. The 'feeling' of being
IN love that you speak of is our mental selves letting down
our mental and emotional barriers in order to let someone
see our child within."
Paul interjected and asked, "Mrs. Michaels, Where
did you
get this definition from?"
"From life. It is from my observations of my
parents and
family showing their love for me. None of them has ever
broken a promise they've made to me in love. As for the
latter, after everything is said and done, all I have to
give is myself, my child within. If Sean couldn't accept
me, then that's all I have."
Singh began again with, "What did you do to
validate this
feeling of love you felt for your espoused?"
"I bared my soul and exposed my secrets, weaknesses
and
feelings to him, leaving me completely vulnerable to be
hurt."
"Why did you put yourself in such a position?"
"I believed, with the same conviction then as I do
now,
that Sean loves me and would never hurt me. Love is a
reciprocal thing. I gave of myself, and he gave of
himself."
"So you had sex before marriage."
"No sir. We were chaperoned and not left alone. I
was
speaking of matters of the heart."
'What's your favorite color?"
"Pink, sir."
"How long was your courtship?"
"About eight weeks, sir."
'Who is Emma?"
"My husband's second cousin. She's seven,
sir."
"What's the name of the Michael's maid?"
"Here in India, her name is Pita; their maid in the
US is
named Abigail, but they call her Abby."
"What's Sean's favorite food?"
"Prime rib beef, sir."
"How much is your husband worth?"
"I don't know sir, he hasn't told me and I haven't
asked."
"Why not?"
"It's not an issue for me. My husband provides for
all my
needs; I am fed, clothed and loved, not only by him but
also by his family. What more do I need to be happy?"
"How do you feel about his wealth?"
"Money is a concern to all that live, in that it is
a
necessary tool. My husband's station in life will afford
our children the advantages of an excellent education even
if something were to happen to him. I will also have the
privilege of teaching our children charity towards those
less fortunate in our county"
"You aren't hurt by it either, are you Mrs.
Michaels?"
"You offend me sir! Neither I, nor my husband has
ever
mentioned money in any of our conversations, either before
or since our marriage, nor do I need wealth to be happy as
you suggest. If my husband made an average wage, and I had
to scrub the floors of my house, I'd do it with joy and out
of love for my husband-not his paycheck!"
"How long did you or your father negotiate your
dower?"
"We both heard Sean's offer at the same time when
he asked
my father for my hand; he offered and I accepted. I later
told him that such a large gift wasn't necessary, but he
said that if I didn't accept what he offered from his
heart, the marriage was off, SIR."
"Surely you don't expect us to believe that there
was no
negotiation for the dower; these negotiations are well
known throughout India!"
"With all due respect, sir, you again offend my
honor.
Without proof, you accuse me of being a thief and a harlot,
selling my innocence for money. I don't need my husband's
money. I have an IQ of 152 and although only eleven, sir, I
will graduate high school at the end of the upcoming school
year. I plan to complete my BE, masters and doctorate
degrees before I'm 18. With these credentials, as you well
know, I will not even have to look for a job, I will have
offers to refuse from around the world, especially America.
Given time, I'm quite sure I could attain a certain degree
of wealth on my own. Sir."
"I See… How did you know that what you felt for
your
husband was true love?"
"Allah blessed me and put it there. I knew I loved
him as
surely as I know my mother's touch, one just knows. There
are things of the heart and soul that are unexplainable in
words. Anyone who is in love with someone, may grasp to
find a reason, but in the end, they just know."
"Were you frightened on your wedding day?"
"No, I was nervous, but not afraid. I was
happy."
"After the ceremony, did you have any fear or
regret that
maybe you might have made a mistake?"
"I had no fear or regret, I had a feeling of
loss."
"If you feel you made the right decision, why would
you
feel a loss?"
"Whenever we let go of something in our lives, a loved
one
who's died or something that is good and pure, we feel a
loss before letting go and moving on with our lives. I
remember telling Sean that I'd never sleep in my bed again,
or say goodnight to my Momma, Papa or my sister Sarah, and
that to move on, I had to close the door on a childhood
where I was loved and protected in order for me to become a
woman and a wife."
Paul interrupted with, "That's a very astute
observation,
Mrs. Michaels."
"Thank you, sir."
Singh began again with "What about the duties of a
wife.
Did you think about sex before you were married?"
Taking a sip from her glass, Priya responded, "Yes,
I
thought about it."
"Tell us what was on your mind concerning this
issue?"
"Apprehension."
"About what?"
"My mother told me that all brides are uncertain on
their
wedding nights, and not to worry. If my husband's love was
true, he would treat me with kindness and love and take
away my fears."
"When the time came, were you afraid?"
"No sir, I felt shy."
"Did he show concern for you before he took you,
and if so,
how did you respond?"
"When he took me to our bedchamber, Sean was very
gentle
and loving. He asked me if I was ready to consummate our
love. I told him I was a woman in name, and asked him to
make me a woman in life."
"What happened next?"
"Sean performed the Muslim custom of washing my
feet."
"And Then?"
"We consummated our love, sir"
"Did you suffer pain?"
"Not as much as by your questions. No, there was no
pain,
only a sting like getting an injection. Sir"
"Did you climax?"
I saw Priya's knuckles turn white as she gripped the
arms
of the chair and her hands were shaking. She was silent for
a moment, composed herself and took a drink of water, and
slowly began her response:
"With all due respect, sir, I do not believe that
the
United States government wants to know my sexual responses
in bed to approve me for a visa. At the beginning of this
interview, I told you I was a woman, and since you seem
determined to judge my maturity on whether or not I can
achieve an orgasm, I will answer your question with one of
my own.
"Does the tiger in the jungle have stripes?"
He looked at her and said, "Why yes."
"The correct answer is: yes, too many to count. SIR."
Paul jumped in with a hand covering his mouth saying,
"I
think we've heard enough to make a decision."
Priya looked at him and said, "Sir, may I
speak?"
Paul responded by saying, "Yes you may."
Priya leaned forward and looked Singh right in the eye
and
said, "Dr. Singh, you have sought to use this interview as
a means to offend, degrade and humiliate me instead of
treating me as an honest person and considering the facts
on their merit.
The rights of children in our country are shamefully
ignored, and you have validated that fact by treating me as
a child and ignoring mine.
I believe that I am owed an answer as to whether you
have
disproved the undeniable fact that I am a mature woman
capable of executing and maintaining the covenant I have
made before God and my husband; and I will not leave this
room until I receive your apology."
I could see Paul saying to his self "The shit has
hit the
fan now." He turned and said to Singh, "Do you wish to
respond?"
Looking down for a moment and then back up to Priya he
said, "You are a very remarkable young woman Mrs. Michaels,
and I apologize if I've offended you."
Priya bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement and
said,
"Thank you Dr. Singh."
I soared in my heart with Priya in her triumph. The
taste
of victory is surely sweet!
Paul got on the phone and asked his secretary to come
and
escort us to his office. I rose from my chair and walked to
Priya and she looked at me and smiled. I don't know how she
did it, her eyes were filled with tears but not one had
fallen to her cheeks. Paul's secretary arrived and he asked
us to wait in his office. We said goodbye to the 'devil'
and left the room.
As soon as we left the room, Priya was shaking from the
adrenaline and started to cry. Once seated in Paul's
office, his secretary brought her a bottle of water and she
drank half of it before coming up for breath. We waited
about five minutes, and Priya had regained her composure
when Paul stepped into the office and sat down behind his
desk with our folder.
He looked at both of us for a long silent moment, and
then
clasped his hands together and leaned forward saying, "Mrs.
Michaels, You truly are a very remarkable woman! There are
grown women who've been married for years come here for a
visa and are unable to defend themselves as you have today.
With the report and transcript of this meeting today, and
my recommendations, I think you can expect to return here
with your passport to receive your visa very soon. I
shouldn't say this, but Dr. Singh may suffer repercussions
from his handling of your case. You handled yourself with a
great deal of dignity and grace under difficult
circumstances and are to be commended."
Paul went on to explain that once the paperwork was
processed and sent back here to the embassy, she'd receive
a packet with instructions to be completed and returned.
With that we rose and said goodbye to Paul, then left for
home.
The entire way home, Priya cried and I could do nothing
more than hold her. She'd proved her 'salt' (as Dad would
say) today, and had done what she set out to do. There was
no doubting now that she might have the pubescent body of a
young girl, but she was all woman!
When we got in the house, Mom, seeing Priya's red eyes,
rushed to, her holding her in her arms. Looking over
Priya's head at me, her eyes asked me what happened. I just
smiled and Mom hugged Priya, rocking back and forth.
We walked into the study, and Dad looked a wreck. He
looked
up inquiringly, and I said, "She kicked ass and took
names!"
Dad just slumped in his chair and covered his face,
sobbing. Priya went to him and held him to her breast.
Holding him close, as if rocking a babe, she comforted him
by saying, "Now, now Father, how could you doubt me, I'm a
chip of the ole' block, right? Am I not my father's
daughter?"
Dad didn't know whether to keep crying or laugh. He
looked
up at her and said, "God certainly broke the mold when He
made you, child!"
Mom was hugging my arm so tightly she was cutting off
the
circulation!
Everyone was pretty well stressed out, so Dad insisted
we
go out for a light evening meal. His suggestion made all of
us realize that we were hungry and we agreed. Everyone
freshened up and we left for dinner.
We had a nice, quiet and relaxing dinner after the taut
tension of the day's events. We laughed and joked, and as I
saw my father interact with my wife, I felt he loved and
admired her as much, if not more than me, and I was happy.
We returned home with full stomachs, and the only thing
left to do was retire, so we all said goodnight and made
our way upstairs.
We gave much thanks to Allah that night at evening
prayers,
climbed into bed, and feel asleep in each other's arms.
Continued in Chapter 16…
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