|
Child Brides of India
By: C. Stanton Leman
Chapter 48: Child Brides (Mgg, rom, no sex)
Once upstairs, I silently laid out the prayer rugs: not
really expecting the others to pray with me, but I did so
anyway. I knelt and began to pray, asking for forgiveness
and that my actions wouldn't affect Emma adversely and that
my family wouldn't be torn apart by my inability to control
my carnal desires.
I fervently prayed for relief from the torment of my
desires for young girls and to live a life of edifying
people instead of equating sexual pleasure with love.
About ten minutes into my prayers, the three girls came
in,
knelt and began to silently pray. Having heard them enter,
I didn't turn around or acknowledge their presence, I just
kept praying. I did so out of shame: shame that I'd
conducted myself inappropriately and shame that I'd let my
two wives down by engaging in this activity with someone
other than my wives.
I could feel Priya's eyes upon me as I rocked, silently
cried and prayed for forgiveness, but I hadn't the courage
to look at her.
"Oh God! Please unleash me from this demon of the
flesh!" I
cried out silently, "Help me to see Your will in all of
this confusion!"
Again and again I silently cried out my supplications,
"All
graciousness and glory be yours Allah, the one true
messenger of God. Intercede for me and cover my shame with
your forgiveness and the forgiveness of my family! Bring me
back into the loving arms of your fold and comfort me in my
wickedness and shame!"
After about an hour of these gut-wrenching invocations,
I
was drenched in sweat and exhausted: both mentally and
emotionally. Having pleaded my case before God, I sat back
on my heels, covered my face with my hands and just sobbed.
I could feel the six eyes piercing my heart as I sobbed.
Priya quietly ushered Aleeya and Emma out of the room. She
returned and from behind, enfolded me in her arms and
softly said in my ear, "Fear not dear husband, everything
will work out. I know in my heart that it is the will of
God that Emma join our family."
Feeling despondent, I shook my head back and forth
saying,
"No, no, no this isn't right! What am I to do? Marry every
young girl I have an attraction to? There just never seems
to be an end to this torment!"
Turning and wrapping my arms around her, I buried my
head
in her chest and cried, "Why do I find the charms of a
tender young girl to be my torment, but at the same time,
my deepest desire? It isn't right… it just isn't right!"
Priya pulled away from me and gave me a soft, reassuring
smile saying, "Your torment will end, Sean. It will be over
in a short while. Maybe you think you dishonored Aleeya or
me, but you haven't. Both of us know that Emma will join
our sisterhood and become a part of our family."
Touching my check with her hand, she again smiled and
went
on, "Only heaven knows why things are as they are, but I
feel in my heart that this is ordained and will come to
pass. Emma is the last girl/child you will desire: this I
know."
Leaning down to gaze deep into my eyes, Priya asked,
"Do
you trust me, Sean? Have I ever lied to you about any of
this before? Haven't my words come to pass?"
Still not relieved in any way, I replied, "No,
you've never
lied to me and everything you've said has come to pass, but
I'm still not convinced. I broke my marriage vows today
with my cousin! How can you be so accepting of this?"
Priya pulled me to her breast and said, "She's your
second
cousin. By Muslim law - even US law, you can marry her. The
only hurdle to overcome is your parents. I suspect that
deep down they have a prejudice. For them, it's all right
if Aleeya and I are cousins, first cousins in fact, but
Emma is their own flesh and blood. Your mother thinks of
Emma almost as a daughter."
Rocking me in her arms, she continued, "Emma knows,
I think
that she's known all along, about the three of us. She's
also not as innocent about intimate things than we first
believed."
Priya let go, sat on the floor next to me and said,
"When
you were talking to Mom, Emma and I talked. She's seen
sexual activity at school, talked about sex with other
girls, and has been masturbating herself for several
months."
"Look at me," Priya asked, "She certainly
knew how to get
herself off today, didn't she? She tried and succeeded in
seducing you, doesn't that tell you something?"
Still in anguish, I shot back, "It doesn't matter
what she
knows or doesn't know, the fact still remains that I should
have known better. Think what you want, but when it comes
right down to it, I was thinking with my dick and not my
head."
Trying to make my point I said, "Look. She's in
emotional
turmoil right now. Yes she wants all those things you
talked about, and sometimes releasing tension through
sexual orgasm helps – temporarily at least, but that's not
the kind of affection or love she really needs right now;
you know it and I know it!"
Priya, trying to make her argument replied, "Sean.
For what
ever reason there is, Emma has made up her mind that she
wants more from you; just like Aleeya. I told you yesterday
that the two of you had made a connection: maybe not a
conscious one, but a connection nevertheless. I saw it and
your mother admittedly saw it."
Continuing she said, "Do you remember I told you I
didn't
want to reveal my thoughts about her when you asked me?"
I nodded.
The reason," she said, "Was because I wasn't
positively
sure myself until she made that comment when you got on the
horse today. Then I knew. And, more to the point, your
mother knew. That's why she shot you that look. Right now,
she may be trying to deny it, but she knows as well as I do
what Emma wants."
Continuing, Priya said, "Emma doesn't want a cuddly
affectionate cousin, she wants an intimate relationship
with you like Aleeya has. She's read between the lines and
has seen what you and Aleeya have and she wants it too. If
she didn't know in her heart of hearts that you and Aleeya
have an intimate relationship, she wouldn't have been so
overt in her seduction.
If what you said earlier is true, she ground her little
pussy against that saddle right in front of your face
because I think she knew how you'd react."
Just then, there was a knock at the door. We turned to
the
door to see Mom with her head peeking around the opened
door and I asked her, "What Mom, we're talking."
She wore a stoic expression on her face as she replied,
"Well, let's finish this discussion downstairs, in the
study with your father."
She didn't wait for a reply as she shut the door and
left.
I said to Priya, "Well, it's time to face the music. You
might see Dad kick my ass, or at the very least, throw me
out."
Putting her hand on my shoulder as she stood, she said,
"Just stay calm. If you lose control, you'll lose the
ability to reason. You don't have to face him alone, I'll
be there to help you."
Feeling a sense of doom, I retorted, "Yeah, the
last thing
Dad's gonna want to hear is your dreams again."
Priya bit her tongue, but said, "It's ordained and
it shall
come to pass. Have faith in me. That's all I ask, OK?"
I nodded as we made our way downstairs.
When we reached the study, Dad was sitting behind his
desk
while Mom was sitting in the armchair. Priya and I entered
and sat on the sofa next to each other facing the two.
Mom gave me a "you'd better be prepared to defend
yourself"
look, glanced at Priya then back at Dad.
Dad leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk and
started out with, "Well boy, what have you got to say for
yourself?"
Looking him right in the eye, I replied, "Nothing.
There's
no excuse for what I did, and I'm not gonna try and make
one up."
"You God damn right there's no reason!" he
shot back.
"You know," he began again, "This is all
Aleeya's fault. If
you and her hadn't been fucking and sucking, or doing
whatever you two do while she screams like a little trollop
in heat, this wouldn't have happened."
Priya started to launch in but I grabbed her arm and
replied, "Look Dad, if you want to kick my ass, throw me
out or have me sit through an hour of your abuse, that's
fine. But what happened today has absolutely nothing at all
to do with Aleeya. Just because you're angry doesn't give
you the right to kick her in the teeth by politely calling
her a whore!"
Sighing, Dad looked down at the desk and replied,
"You're
right. That wasn't called for and I apologize. But the fact
still remains that if Emma hadn't heard your two
shenanigans, she wouldn't have thought it was alright for
her to get into the act."
Before I could say anything, Priya cut in with,
"You don't
give Emma enough credit Father. Let me make a few things
perfectly clear."
She stuck up one finger and began again, "First,
you're
right. Emma has heard Sean and Aleeya and has figured out
that they have an intimate relationship. What you don't
know is that Emma has been experimenting with sex for
several months.
While Sean and Mom were talking, Emma and I had a talk.
She's been masturbating for several months now as a result
of talking about sex with her school friends, and has seen
sexual activity at school among the fifth graders. Emma
isn't as innocent about sex as you may think."
Shaking her head, Mom said, "Jesus Christ! How can
that be?
She's only eight for Christ sakes! You mean to tell me that
kids of ten and eleven engage in sexual activity in grammar
school?"
Priya nodded and continued, "Look Mom… Father, I've
done
some research and here are some interesting facts: In
America today, there are 770 preteens and teens under the
age of fourteen that lose their virginity every single day.
One out of four of those kids contract an STD. Twenty-seven
percent of ALL girls have had sex by age fifteen and out of
these, sixty-one percent have had four or more partners."
Priya continued rattling on statistics: "One fifth
of all
girls have had oral sex by age thirteen, and girls with low
self-esteem or are emotionally needy are four times more
likely to have had sex by the same age."
Priya continued her litany with, "What's sad is
that four
in ten girls who've had sex say that their first sexual
experience was either unwanted or non-voluntary, meaning
they simply acquiesced, were pressured into it, did it out
of peer pressure, or sadly … were raped. Nearly all girls
said that their first time was a frightening and painfully
traumatic experience. What's alarming is the fact that the
average age of NEWLY recruited prostitutes being arrested
today has now dropped to thirteen- some as young as
eleven."
Priya sat back and in a calmer voice said, "Girls
today
measure their self worth by how many boys like them. Their
primary activity is shopping at the mall for clothes and
make-up that enhance their desirability to boys. Sex is
everywhere; on TV, in advertising, video games, and in
music- it's everywhere! Kids today are maturing at younger
ages and at a much more rapid rate; peer pressure to fit in
and be cool are ALL contributing factors. Sadly, this isn't
happening just in America, it's spreading throughout the
entire world!"
Priya finished up by saying, "All these statistics
are from
school and government surveys of kids that have had
consensual sex. They don't even have any accurate numbers
regarding kids that are sexually abused by predators,
family members or other people in a position of authority
and become promiscuous because, like rape, the vast
majority of these cases go unreported."
While Priya rattled on statistics, Mom sat with open-
mouthed awe at the facts and Dad was shaking his head and
running his fingers through his hair.
Mom sighed and said, "My God! What's become of our
children! I had no idea!"
Priya leaned her elbows on her knees and said,
"Let's get
back to the issue at hand. Emma is looking for the same
thing Aleeya has: love, security and protection. Emma
deduced Sean and Aleeya's relationship because she wants
the same thing and was looking for it. Like I told Sean,
Emma doesn't want a cuddly, affectionate cousin, she wants
a deeper more intimate relationship with him."
Looking at Mom, she said, "Mom, whether you want to
admit
it or not, you recognized it too, but didn't intervene.
Emma knew exactly what she was doing out there today
because she wants what Aleeya has with Sean. She seduced
him today and it was planned as soon as she knew we were
going horseback riding. Mom and I BOTH knew what she meant
by her comment today, didn't we?"
Mom had tears running down her cheeks and said softly,
"Yes
I saw it, I saw it at the breakfast table, but I guess I
didn't trust my instincts. I guess I can't hold Sean
totally responsible for what happened. It's just that I'm
so close to her and didn't want to see the truth."
Dad said in a much calmer tone, "All this may be
true but
Sean, you were wrong for letting it happen."
"In a way you're right Dad," I replied,
"I shouldn't have
participated. She would have gotten herself off either way.
But I was wrong in participating and I told Emma that -
just like I told you and Mom."
Priya and I looked at my parents as they looked at each
other. After a long silence, Mom said to Dad, "Well, what
do we do now?"
Dad, throwing up his hands, said, "I guess the only
thing
left to do; talk to Emma. Find out for ourselves what she
really wants."
Mom looked at Priya and asked, "Would you please go
get
Emma and bring her down?"
Priya gave Mom a slight smile and nodded as she rose and
left. I barely looked up, dreading having to face Emma
while Mom and Dad looked at each other with stunned
disbelief as a result of the conversation that had just
transpired.
A few minutes later, Priya was at the study door with
Emma
by her side. Mom got up and moved to sit beside me on the
couch, then directed Emma to the "hot seat." I scooted down
and Priya sat between Mom and I.
Dad, I guess, not knowing how to start, motioned for Mom
to
begin. She took a deep breath and began with, "Emma, do you
know why we're here?"
Looking down, Emma silently nodded.
Touching Mom's hand, Priya said, "Emma?"
Silence.
"Emma, look at us."
Emma looked up through her tears.
"Emma," Priya began again, "We need to
talk about what
happened today, and it's very important that we only speak
the truth, understand?"
Emma nodded.
Priya continued, "Emma, no one's is angry at you,
and
nothing bad is going to happen if we all tell the truth.
The only way we can solve our problems is with the truth,
right?"
Emma nodded.
Mom cut in with, "Emma, look at me."
Emma's eyes met Mom's and she continued, "Most of
what
you're feeling is adult in nature. These adult issues
include the relationship between Sean and Priya, Sean and
Aleeya and lastly, how you feel about Sean and what
happened and was said between you and Sean today, do you
understand?"
Emma nodded her understanding.
Mom said, "If we, meaning all of us here including
you, are
going to talk about adult issues, you need to act like an
adult and speak. Your feelings and thoughts are important,
but we can only learn what's on your mind if you talk to
us. No more shy nodding; talk like an adult if you want to
be included as an adult talking about adult issues,
understand?"
Nodding, Emma said, "I understand, Auntie."
"Good." Mom replied, "Now that that's
settled, let's begin.
First of all, why don't you tell us why you did what you
did today. This isn't the time for schoolgirl games; no
bullshit, just tell the truth and nothing but the truth."
Looking at me, then Priya and lastly Mom, Emma said,
"I
want Sean to treat me like he treats 'Leeya."
"And how do you think Sean treats Aleeya?" Mom
asked.
"Like she's his wife." She said pointedly.
Dad asked, "Why do you think that way?"
"Their eyes." Emma replied as she looked at
Dad, "By their
eyes. I see the way they look at each other. They're
married - I just know it. Even when Sean isn't looking at
her, 'Leeya looks at him with a very deep and intimate
love."
Mom asked, "How do you know what a deep and
intimate look
of love looks like?"
"I'm not stupid," Emma began to say when Dad
cut in and
said, "Watch your tone, girl. You can express your
feelings, but do it with respect."
"I'm sorry," she said, "I can tell by the
way Sean and
Priya look at each other, and I can see the way you,
Auntie, look at Poppy. I also remember how Mommy and Daddy
looked at each other. It's easy to see. 'Leeya looks just
like that at Sean, she sometimes even stares at him with
longing."
Mom asked her, "Why do you want a relationship like
that
with Sean at your age?"
Folding her hands in her lap, Emma replied,
"Because both
Priya and 'leeya have had super big hurts in their hearts
and Sean married them and made them happy. Priya hurt
because she's black, 'Leeya hurt because her mommy beat
her. Sean took away all their hurt and loved them and made
them feel safe and protected. When I slept with Sean, I
knew right then that I would forever and ever feel safe and
protected with him."
Looking at Priya, Emma said, "'Leeya's only five
but she's
married, isn't she"
Looking back at her Priya responded, "Since we're
telling
the truth, yes. Yes, Aleeya is married to Sean. But why
would you want to marry Sean?"
Looking down shyly, Emma replied, "I've had this
feeling
since Priya's party and wedding when I fell in love with
Sean. I can't describe it, but its something deep down
inside me that knows I could be happy for the rest of my
life with Sean, and also with Priya and 'Leeya. Since that
night, I've dreamed of nothing else, except hopefully to be
a child bride of India just like you Priya. I've studied
Islam and I know Sean can have four wives. I want to be his
third wife."
Mom called her name and Emma looked up at her as Mom
asked,
"Why sex? Why did you masturbate today in front of Sean,
were you trying to seduce him?"
"In a way, I guess. Whenever I'm around him I get
wet and
tingly down there, and I wanted to be with him like that so
badly. I just had this feeling in my heart that he wouldn't
push me away and that I felt safe with him like that."
Mom asked, "How long have you been
masturbating?"
Emma blushed and whispered, "About two months. I
think
about Sean making love to me when I do it."
Dad sat back in his chair and uttered, "I can't
believe I'm
hearing this!"
Emma looked at him and said, "Well, you said to
tell the
truth. That's how I really feel!"
Mom calmed her by saying, "There's nothing wrong.
You told
the truth and I know it was really hard to do."
Priya, I guess wanting to prove her statistics to Mom
and
Dad, asked Emma, "Where did you learn to play with
yourself? Who taught you?"
Emma looked at Priya and then Mom and looked down as she
said, "At a sleepover about six months ago. There were
three of us and Sue suggested we take our clothes off and
play a game. She told us to try something her big sister
taught her and that it felt really good."
She looked around and continued, "When she started
playing
with herself, we all went "Eeeuuuuuww, that's nasty!" I
didn't want to do it but they teased me, so I did it. It
felt kinda good in a weird way, but not like Sue said it
would. I lied after that when they asked me if I did it,
telling them 'Yeah, I do it all the time.'"
Taking a breath, Emma started again by saying, "A
couple of
months ago, I was feeling ready bad and was just playing
around in the tub when, for the first time it felt really
good. After that night in the tub, I just kept doing it. I
started thinking about Sean when I did it and I had an
orgasm for the first time. Since then, I can always have
one when I think about being with him."
Priya asked her, "What other things of a sexual
nature have
you seen; you know, at school or with your friends?"
Emma, shy talking about this subject, covered her face
and
said, "We saw a fifth grade girl sucking a boy's thing
behind the gym… and another time, I saw two kids doing it
behind the dumpsters in back of the cafeteria."
Dad replied, "Isn't THAT a descriptive analogy:
Doing it
amongst the trash."
Mom asked, "And you want to do these things with
Sean?"
Emma blushed and nodded yes.
Mom sharply said, "What did you say? I can't hear
your head
move."
Looking Mom straight in the eye, Emma said with
conviction,
"Yes! Yes I do! I want to taste him and him to taste me. I
wanna feel him inside me and have him cum inside me. THERE.
I said it, are you happy now?"
Emma was now crying as she looked at Mom with a hint of
defiance.
Mom implored her "Where did you learn about such
things,
Emma? For Christ sakes, you're only eight. You sound like a
high school hooker! Where? How? Who taught you these
things?"
"Auntie," Emma answered, as if it should be
intuitively
obvious, "Kids talk. It's on the Internet, it's in the
movies and it's in ALL the music; everybody knows what kids
and grown-ups do in private. Kids talk about seeing their
parents or brothers or sisters doing it. Some kids are even
doing it with family members, like a brother and sister. I
know one girl who says she does it with her older brother.
We even know who's doing it with whom at school."
Mom, with her hands folded on her knees, asked Emma,
"Why
do you think the only way you can be happy is in an
intimate relationship with Sean? Why couldn't you be happy
here, with Poppy and me?"
Looking back at Mom she replied, "I guess I could,
to a
certain degree, but you don't choose who your heart falls
in love with. I know deep down that Sean is my one, true
love. If they left me here, I would probably grow up and
fall for some stupid guy that couldn't love me the way Sean
can. I just know it!"
Mom, almost pleading with her, asked Emma, "But why
Baby,
why does it have to be now? You're only eight. You've got
your whole life ahead of you. Why would you want to get
married now? I worry that maybe one day, Priya or Aleeya
will be smitten by some other good-looking guy and be
attracted to them; it's normal and natural when you're
young. What if either of them wants a divorce so that they
can move on to someone else?"
Looking down and wringing her hands Mom continued,
"I will
worry to my grave about whether or not I made a mistake in
consenting to Aleeya's marriage. When she's old and grey
and still in love with Sean, only then can my heart rest in
peace."
I think Emma decided to take her fate into her own hands
because she turned to me and forcefully said, "I love you
Sean, and I love you exactly the same way Priya and 'Leeya
do. I want to be married to you and be your wife."
I guess she was a little frightened by the possibility
of
rejection because she lowered her head and softly said to
me, "I've lost everyone in my life that was dearest to me.
You are there in the secret place in my heart, right next
to Mommy and Daddy. If you don't want me that's fine, but I
promise the world this: 'til the day I die, I will lock up
my heart FOREVER and NEVER let anyone get close enough to
me to ever hurt me again!"
Mom and Dad looked crushed!
Priya looked at Emma with as the same serious face she
wore
on the day of her battle with Singh. She took a breath and
said to Emma, "Do you honestly believe that you can
threaten your way into someone's heart while abandoning
those who've cared for you as their very own?"
I don't know if it was pubescent hormones or what, but
Emma
shot back, "Priya, it wasn't a threat. I have a special
love for Auntie and Poppy, but I can't marry either of them
or find the life of happiness I want with them. Even if I
didn't love Sean, it would be someone else later on. I'd
get married, leave and live my life."
Emma took the offensive by leaning over and asking Priya,
"How many people that were YOUR entire world have YOU lost?
If you lost both of your parents and knowing how you feel
about Sean he rejected you, what would YOU do? My heart
can't bear losing the last person in my life that can make
me completely happy."
Looking at mom and then Dad, Emma went on, "I love
you
Auntie and Poppy with all my heart in a very special way,
but it's not the kind of love that ALL girls dream of
finding with a guy. The only way I feel I can protect my
heart from being shattered again is to make sure no one
ever gets close enough to me to break my heart again by
leaving me all alone."
Looking down and crying, Emma said, “I know it wasn't
their
fault, but my parents are gone and I feel abandoned and all
alone. The only time I feel anything other than pain is
when I dream of being with Sean, of him making love to me
and knowing he'll be there for me always to keep me safe,
protected and heal the pains of my heart."
Everyone just sighed with sadness listening to her express
the pain in her heart. I leaned forward and said to her,
"Emma, death is a respecter of no one. I could die tomorrow
but that doesn't mean that the lives of those that love me
are over, or that they cannot move on and possibly love
again."
Not wanting to discuss or deal with abstract
hypothetical
"what ifs," Emma looked at me with pleading eyes and
pointedly asked, "How do you REALLY feel about me Sean? I
know you find me attractive because you got excited when I
sat on your lap and again today. Could you love me as a
wife?"
Now it was MY turn in the "hot seat." All eyes
were on me,
hanging on and waiting for my reply. I now had to admit to
everyone the feelings I harbored for my second cousin. I
took a deep breath and looked at her with love, but also
with some shame saying, "Yes, Emma, I do love you, and I
could love you as a wife. I've thought about being with you
intimately many times. The first time was that night in
India at Priya's party."
Looking up at everyone, Priya had a look that said she
knew; Mom looked like she was surprised upon hearing that
my first intimate thoughts of Emma began as early as our
introduction and Dad looked at me with some disgust,
shaking his head.
Now being the time for total honesty, I looked down with
shame and said, "I don't know why I have these feelings and
it bothers me. Not that I love you Emma, but that I find
being intimate with a young girl so overpowering. I think
and feel that something's wrong with me to have these
thoughts and feelings."
With tears running down my cheeks I looked up and
continued, "I live everyday in turmoil over this. What
makes things more difficult for me is that, because of
circumstances, I have been able to legally indulge in
intimacy with very young girls. On the one hand, I feel
it's not right. On the other hand, I've affected two lives
in a very positive way and they have likewise enriched my
life."
Sitting back and staring at the ceiling, I said,
"Looking
back, when I first talked to Imaam about courtship when we
were discussing Sarah, at the time I felt a shudder of
revulsion at the thought of marrying a child. But when my
life totally changed with Priya, my thinking changed. I
know Priya is more woman than child, despite her being
twelve."
Looking around I went on, "With Aleeya, it was
different. I
wanted to be with her very much, but it wasn't purely
sexual. I never would have believed that a child has such a
capacity to love in an adult way, or even express
themselves in an adult sexual manner, but she does; she
responds exactly like a grown woman.
I can't explain it, but I'm now convinced that for the
people involved, I've done the right thing and made a
difference - a positive, meaningful difference in Priya and
Aleeya's lives. I just don't want to make a huge mistake
and lose everything that's dear to me because I want Emma
also, can everyone understand me?"
Trying to make some sense of all of this, I said,
"Look. I
don't know if this is one of those situations where doing
the wrong thing for the right reason is true, and maybe
there's something wrong with me, but I can love these girls
with a meaningful love, be intimate with them and maintain
the focus of trying my best to provide them with a love
they'll never find with anyone else. Does any of this make
sense?"
Out of love (I guess), Dad, trying to understand and
make
some sense of my admission, asked, "Are you attracted to
all young girls, or at least a lot of young girls Aleeya
and Emma's age you know, see or meet?"
"No," I replied, "I've only been
attracted to three girls:
Priya, Aleeya and Emma. I think it's because I already have
a deep caring love for them. I don't have any such feelings
for girls I don't know or even other family members. I
can't explain it."
Priya stepped up, conversationally, and said, "I
know both
of you don't want to hear this, but I DID say months ago
that I had a feeling in my heart from God that there would
three wives in Sean's life. I discussed this with Aleeya
last night and we both feel Emma is that third sister."
Looking at Emma, Priya continued, "We want Emma to
join our
sisterhood and become one of our family. Even in the event
of Sean's death, we have all shared the same intimate love
with the same man and could better provide love and
understanding to each other's loss because our loss would
be exactly the same.
Priya went on to say, "I truly believe that these
circumstances have been allowed to happen, and that
includes Mom and my inaction, for a reason. They say that
time is the true teller of truth. If this is true, then
look at Aleeya and I; we have been given a very special,
healing love that has set us free to be what we were meant
to be."
Looking at Mom, Priya said, "Mom, you told me that
when you
love someone, you have to set them free. The love Sean has
given us HAS set us free; free to be happy, free to heal
the pains of the world that hold us back, free to grow in
love and finally, free to express a love in our hearts that
needed someone to share it with."
Sitting back, Priya continued, "Here's some more
statistics: In New Delhi alone, out of a population of
about 13.8 million people, there are an estimated 40,000
illegal child brides. Eighty percent of these are under the
age of ten; the other twenty percent are under the age of
thirteen. Seventy percent of all child brides are beaten,
abused, raped or sold into prostitution like Haseeba was.
Continuing, she said, "Eighty percent of those sold
into
slavery, either for work or sex, die of abuse, neglect,
malnutrition, disease or during pubescent child birth.
Child marriage is usually catastrophic for young girls
because they are treated and abused as sex toys- not
people. They're denied love, caring, encouragement,
education, medical care, proper food and clothing and even
decent living conditions. Their lives end with a marriage
because they are denied the right to be treated as a human
being to grow physically, mentally and emotionally."
Taking a breath, Priya went on, "In a 2001 Indian
census,
there were 300,000 births to mothers nine to twelve years
old. Out of these births to malnourished and anemic
children, 65.2 per 1000 resulted in death to either the
mother (a child herself), or the baby. Forty-six percent
suffered a permanent physical deformity called
cephalopelvic disposition. This is a result of the young
mother's underdeveloped pelvis not being mature enough to
deliver a full term baby. Girls between the ages of ten to
fourteen are five times more likely to die during
childbirth"
Looking around at all of our looks of horror, Priya
looked
down and said, "The single, highest contributing factor to
the high infant mortality rate in India is because of
pregnancy resulting from child marriages. This is one of
the reasons Sarah wants to become a pediatrician: to help
children like these."
Leaning forward again Priya finished with,
"Shocking isn't
it? Is this the case with Aleeya or I? Haven't we been
treated with love and had our education, emotional and
physical needs as well as our mental health nurtured and
encouraged to grow in love? Hasn't Sean vowed that we not
conceive until we are older and out of school? Some people,
who don't know or maybe wouldn't understand our situation,
would think we're being abused, but we simply share a
unique relationship that provides for ALL our needs,
including Sean's."
Everyone had tears of sadness upon hearing the chilling
facts Priya revealed. Mom looked up at the ceiling and got
a slight smile on her face. Dad, looking at her quizzically
asked, "What is it Joan? What's so funny?"
Mom looked back at us and replied, "Oh nothing. I
was just
thinking about a book I'd read while Priya was making her
last comment called, "Why Bad Things Happen to Good
People". It was written by a Jewish rabbi and in it, he
painted a picture of life as a patchwork quilt. He said
that life is like a patchwork quilt in that when we look at
the top with every seam perfect, complete with different
and intricate designs, like the world, to make a thing of
great beauty. But if you turn it over, one can see stitches
that are criss-crossed, broken, hanging threads and it
doesn't seem to have any order or make sense.
Looking at this mish-mash of confusion, one might gain
some
measure of understanding as to why some are cripple,
retarded or defective in some way, or innocent children die
of terrible diseases; why there's abuse, murder and all the
other atrocities of the world just like those broken and
hanging threads. Others live lives that are seemingly
strange and different and don't make any sense to us: just
like those criss-crossed threads, but it all comes together
to make that thing of immense beauty we call life."
With a sigh, Mom smiled again and said, "That why,
he said,
no one can understand the wisdom of God or answer the
question as to why bad things happen to good people. Our
duty is to live the life we've been given and love as much
as we can, hoping we do our share and make a difference in
people's lives."
Turning to me now with tears in her eyes, Mom said,
"Sean,
I don't know why you have an attraction to these three
girls; I just don't understand it. But I DO know that you
have made a difference - like you said, a positive
difference with Priya and Aleeya."
Looking at Dad, then at Emma Mom continued, "Emma,
if I
truly love you, I have to let you go if I feel in my heart
that your happiness lies with Sean. I can do this because I
feel in my heart that Sean will provide you with the life
of love and nurturing that you need. What do you have to
say, John?"
Dad sighed and shook his head. Looking up he replied,
"You're right, Joan. I can't for the life of me understand
how Sean and the girls can have a life together that's
beneficial to all of them, but they do. I've racked my
brain over how a five year-old girl can not only enjoy
intimacy, but also give herself willing with joy and love
to a man. She's happy, well adjusted and content with her
role as a wife. She approaches sex like an adult; it's just
a normal part of her life."
Looking at Emma he said, "If this is what you
really want,
then I won't stand in your way; but I have conditions.
First, until you're married, you will not sleep with Sean
or have any sexual contact with him. You can sit on his lap
or cuddle, but no intimacy, understand?"
With a loving smile Emma nodded and said, "Yes
Poppy, I
understand."
Priya said to Emma, "We are Muslim, and you seem to
be
taking to our faith. If you are to become a Muslim wife,
that means no more masturbation - ever! You must control
your urges and wait to have those urges satisfied by your
husband, do you understand?"
With shy meekness, Emma nodded and replied, "Yes
sister, I
will obey you."
Mom leaned over, put her hand on Emma's knee and said,
"You've got your heart's desire, now kiss your future
husband goodnight and go to bed."
With that, Emma rose, went around and kissed her Poppy,
then Mom and then Priya. After kissing Priya, she said, "I
will obey and learn your instructions on how to be a good
Muslim wife, I promise."
Priya smiled and replied, "I know you will, but
remember my
instructions; no sex of any kind before marriage, got it?"
Emma smiled and nodded yes.
She then turned to me, placed her hands on my shoulders
and
gave me a long passionate, closed mouth kiss and said,
"Goodnight future husband."
With a loving smile I replied, "Goodnight
Sweetheart."
Emma turned and left to go to bed.
Continued in Chapter 49…
|