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Child Brides of India
By C. Stanton Leman
Chapter 36: Starting Life Together Mgg, rom, no sex)
The rest of the week was somber as Mom and Dad packed
and
got ready to leave. Mom did manage to spend a lot of time
with Monaavi and the girls, and set aside some special time
each day for just Aleeya.
On Sunday, the day before Mom and Dad were scheduled to
leave, she and Priya went out for a couple of hours alone
and talked. They were not only mother and daughter-in-law;
they had become very deep, close personal friends. Although
Priya was more an adult and less of a child, despite her
age, I guess Mom wanted to play mother to her and reassure
her before she left.
Dad and I talked quietly in the study about last minute
business details, while Aleeya and Attiya were playing
video games in the living room.
Dinner that night was quiet, with everyone wanting to
say
so much, and yet nothing left needed to be said. We all
decided to retire early, so that we could all get up early
to go to the airport.
After morning prayers, we went downstairs for what would
be
our last breakfast together for several months. Priya and I
decided that after the school year ended, we three would
fly to the states for the summer to be with my parents
again.
It was really difficult for anyone to eat, with all of
us
leaving a good portion untouched. Dad and I helped the
driver load their bags into the limo and soon we were ready
to leave.
At the airport, once we'd gotten my parent's bags
checked,
we got passes to go to their gate of departure, went
through security and sat in the waiting area for their
boarding.
The goodbyes were heart wrenchingly painful. I hugged
Dad,
shook his hand and embraced my mom. I kissed her softly on
the lips, and said to her as I cried, "Always and forever
Mom, I will love you. I can't tell you enough what you mean
to me!"
Hugging me with her head alongside mine, she kissed my
ear
and said, "I know, Son, I know. I love you with all my
heart. Take good care of my girls or I'll have to kick your
ass, understand?"
Tearfully laughing, I replied, "Understood."
Priya could hold it no longer and broke down, rushing
into
my mother's arms crying, "Oh Momma! I love you so much!
You've taught me how to be a woman, and there will be a
place of sadness in my heart until we meet again."
Mom comforted her saying, "There, there now. You
are such a
remarkable young woman! I need you to take care of my son
and your sister, can you do that?"
Priya nodded.
Mom continued, "You have enriched my life beyond
measure,
and you are my dearest friend. There won't be a day that
passes that I won't think of you. Be strong. Be strong for
Sean and Aleeya and my heart will feel safe. I love you
daughter, I love you more than words could ever express.
Now, chin up high, dry your tears, and be strong for your
family. OK?"
Priya nodded and said, "I love you Momma, I'll be
strong,
I'll show you I can."
Mom pulled back and smiled at her, then said, "I
know you
will. You vowed it, and it shall come to pass, right?"
Priya nodded and said confidently, "Right! I have
vowed
it!"
Priya turned to Dad and without uttering a word they
embraced. He rocked her in his arms and said to her,
"You're a chip off the 'ole block, aren't cha?"
She nodded and said, "Yep, a chip off the 'ole
block!"
He kissed her on the lips and said to her, "I love
you
daughter of mine, you are the sweetness in my old age. Take
care of your husband and Aleeya won't you?"
"It's done Father," she replied.
He nodded and said, "That's my girl!"
Poor Aleeya was distraught. It took my mother about five
minutes to calm her down enough to pry her little arms away
from her neck to talk to her.
Mom took her off to the side for a few minutes, hugged
and
kissed her numerous times and they returned with Aleeya,
still crying but now under control. Aleeya leapt into my
father's arms and cried on his shoulder as he held her. He
whispered in her ear as he spoke, and she'd respond with
nods as she cried. He kissed her forehead and handed her to
me.
We all watched tearfully as they boarded, and stayed to
see
the plane pull away from the gate. We watched it taxi onto
the runway, lift, bank to the right and up into the clouds
out of sight.
It must have been a terrible sight as we left, but I
didn't
care. All the way out of the airport, I was cradling a
distraught five year-old in my arms as my twelve year-old
wife clung to my arm sobbing. They cried all the way home
from the airport and were pretty much cried out by the time
we arrived.
Once home, Priya took Aleeya upstairs and they fell on
my
parents bed. I closed the door and went back downstairs,
letting them grieve together.
I sat in my father's chair behind his desk and
reminisced
about the events that had taken place in this house over
the past six months… I put my head in my hands on my Dad's
desk and wept like a child.
Priya came downstairs about five, and said that Aleeya
was
emotionally exhausted and still asleep. I told her, "Well
Darling, it's just us now, and we have to now begin to live
our own lives as a family."
She sat on my lap with her head on my shoulder and said
jokingly, "Well, as long as you do what I tell you, we'll
be all right."
Chuckling, I replied, "Damn, I thought my father
took off
for the states, but it seems he hasn't left at all!"
"Silly boy," she remarked, "That was your
mother speaking.
Haven't you learned yet that she wears the pants in the
family?"
I looked at her in mock shock and asked, "So what
now, I
have to start wearing a sari?"
Priya wrinkled her nose and quipped, "I think you'd
look
good in one, you've got a cute butt."
Laughing, I replied, "Yeah, I bet you say that to
all the
blonde haired boys you meet, don't you?"
She didn't miss a beat and replied, "Only the rich
ones
that'll suck my toes, and… whatever else that needs
sucking."
"Damn," I said, "If only your IQ was a
little lower than
mine, then perhaps I could keep up with you!"
Devilishly smiling, she replied, "I think you're
keeping it
up just fine."
Wanting to end this repartee, I said, "Not tonight,
I've
got a headache."
"Spoilsport."
"Harlot."
"Letch."
She lifted from my lap and opened her robe to show her
pubes. She looked down and running her hand over her mons
said, "I think I'll let these new hairs just grow out.
Whatcha think?"
"Oh please! Not hairy pubes!"
"Oh all right. You gonna be a good boy?"
"You know I will. I don't want a female rebellion
on my
hands."
"That's right, you'd better or we'll cut your water
off at
the tap."
We both knew that this could go on forever, so Priya
changed the subject by saying, "You know I've got to go to
the embassy tomorrow, right?"
I'd been beaten at my own game. What's that axiom that
says
the last to speak in an encounter leaves with the power?
Anyway, I replied, "Yes, I know. I wonder what this
interview will be like?"
She said, "Don't know, don't care. I'll take my
passport in
and won't leave without the visa."
"Kick ass and take names, right?"
"Don't forget, I'm a chip off the 'ole block,
remember?"
"How could I, you have the tap."
"And don't you forget it either."
Damn! She'd done it again.
Changing tactics, I said, "I wonder how Aleeya will
be
tomorrow with just Monaavi?"
Priya replied, "I think she'll be OK, Attiya will
help her
get back to normal. While we're speaking of Aleeya, I don't
think you should do anything with her until she settles
down emotionally."
"I agree," I said, "I didn't plan on
it."
"Good." She grinned, "That means more for
me!"
"Kidding aside," I replied, "Do you think
she'll really be
OK?"
Priya replied, "I think it may take a week or so,
but
she'll be OK once we get into a routine of our own. Has
Pita started dinner yet?"
I don't know," I said, "I haven't heard her,
but then I
really wasn't paying any attention."
Priya and I walked to the kitchen and saw Pita preparing
dinner. She said she was trying to be as quiet as she could
because she knew we were sad and needed some peace. She
also said that she'd left Attiya with her mother today, and
that she was fixing a light supper. We thanked her for her
concern and went to check on Aleeya.
When we opened the door to my parent's room, Aleeya was
still sleeping under the duvet. I asked Priya if I should
wake her, but she said just to let her sleep, so we
retreated to our bedroom to clean up and say evening
prayers.
After praying, we again checked on Aleeya: still sound
asleep. We went downstairs to eat. It really felt strange
because before, we all had a specific seat at which we sat
to dine, but now, Priya and I looked at each other as if to
simultaneously ask, "Where do we sit?"
Priya spoke up and said, "You sit in Father's seat,
and
I'll sit on your right and Aleeya can sit on your left.
Sound like a plan?"
"Fine with me."
We moved the place settings and as Pita served dinner,
Priya told her, "This will be our new seating arrangement,
all right?"
Pita politely replied, "Yes Ma'am, as you
wish."
Priya and I ate dinner quietly, not talking much, except
a
little about her interview at the embassy tomorrow. I asked
her how Haseeba and Mahmoud were getting on and she said,
"Watching them reminded me of our courtship; the stealing
of unspoken intimate glances, the laughing and carrying
on."
Chuckling in remembrance, I replied, "Yeah,
remember when
Me Ma caught you kissing me? I thought that at that moment,
our courtship was over."
Laughing, she replied, "You? It was ME that was
leaning
over and was caught being the one to initiate the kiss. I
thought I was going to get the first spanking of my life
when Poppa got home! I too thought that I'd ruined things
forever with us."
Smiling, I said, "You know, I really love your
family and
have a special place in my heart for your naughty Me Ma."
Priya replied, "I never thought I'd marry a
foreigner, or
that my family, even my extended family would love my
husband so much. I'm really happy about that.
It's kinda funny though, I've always been very close to
Momma, and I think at first, she was a little jealous about
the relationship between your mom and I, but now, she is
happy that we're so very close.
Oh Sean. I miss her so much! She's been so supportive of
me, it's almost like we're sisters, not in-laws."
"I know. My mom is a very special person, and I
never
really appreciated her until I began seeing her for the
woman, and person, she really is these past few months.
And Dad. You have brought out a side of him I never
could
but always wanted to see growing up: his soft and tender
side. He was always so tough, abrupt and bossy when I was
growing up. I never saw my father shed a tear for me, or
anyone or anything, until he cried with you.
I feel so blessed to have you as my wife. Doesn't it
make
you see the wonder of God? I mean, everybody is searching
for that special someone, and He knows what we need, and
had someone special for me on the other side of the world.
It's when I think of things like this, I know He exists."
"I know what you mean. I used to lie in bed at
night and
cry because of my skin. I hated myself because everyone
else hated me. The first time our eyes met, I felt all that
pain just wash away, and I knew that my skin color didn't
matter anymore. I realized that night in bed that I'd spent
my life worrying about the wrong things."
We finished dinner on a much more relaxed mood, having
considered the good things the God had brought to our lives
and not dwelling on the sadness that parting with loved
ones brings.
We played some video games and watched some TV for a
while,
just to pass some time, but after Pita left about eight-
thirty, we went to bed. That night, we all slept in my
parent's bed. I enfolded my arms around both my tender
young wives, an after saying a prayer to keep my parents
safe, I fell sadly off to sleep.
Continued in Chapter 37…
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