Bonding
The next night Elisia and Betty having bonded like a mother and daughter never had been in their culture because of the shared pain for the girls, were sitting again on the couch talking, sharing secrets, but only the ones Elisia wanted to share. She had never felt closer to her daughter, as Betty was sharing how her impending marriage which was not what she wanted, bothered her. Elisia understood she was just venting her frustrations on the trials of all women, but the sooner she accepted her lot the better. Elisia knew that to question, or try to get out of it was useless. Betty herself knew if she didn't marry Wahid Najeem, she would never find a man. No one in her culture would take on a disobedient woman, and that would lead to the shame of having to live her life out at her parent's house. That prospect though wasn't likely, as how could she suppose her father being shamed, would support her if she chose not to marry a good man like Wahid. The shame she would bring on her father would be unbearable to him. Elisia sighed knowing how much Betty was hurting. Elisia wanting to unburden herself, considered telling Betty what she intended to do, but knew now that would burden Betty unnecessarily. What she had to do was on her alone. These last two nights had been special. Betty and she had never sat and talked like mother and daughter, and now they were much more than that. They were lowly despised women, whose lives were not their own, united in their common pain. She didn't want to spoil this bond by heaping more pain on her daughter. She knew it would be better to do what she had to do, hoping Betty would understand. She wanted to leave on good terms with her only daughter left to her for a short time. Once Betty found out what she was planning on doing, she would be gone, and not have to see her daughter's disapproval. Elisia was nervous and because of it, was starting to have second thoughts. Would it work even if she debased herself to that despicable man? Well, what could it hurt to try? After all, wasn't the lot of a woman to be despised and treated like dirt? No, she couldn't believe that in her heart of hearts. She was a human being with feelings, but if the men in your life or culture wouldn't see that, what could you do to change it? She thought maybe she should let this go after all. She had her boys at home still young who needed her, but why? Didn't they treat her more like their slave? Couldn't any woman do that for them cook and clean, and bow and scrape? Isn't that what Anson's mother was doing right now for her sons? They had left them behind until they had got this business done. Although Elisia wanted to be proud of her sons and love them, she couldn't. She in her pain, held back herself from her sons. She felt there was something wrong with her for not being proud of her four fine strong, strapping young sons any woman would be bragging about. Why wasn't it enough to have such fine sons? Why did she have to have sons who loved and respected her? She knew in this life that was not possible. So why did she long so much for something that could never be? Why continue to cause yourself pain? Elisia sighed. A woman's lot in life was pain. That was something that the god's decreed, it couldn't be changed, and she was only one lowly woman. How could she make things better for herself and daughters? She had married Anson because she loved him on a certain level, but he wouldn't have been her choice if she had had one. She also married him because she had no other prospects, and her parents had been pushing her to relieve themselves of their burden of a daughter. She had wished for better and wanted to hold out for better, but what man outside her culture would have married her? She was trapped as if she had been put in a cage and shackled. There was no escape for her kind in the mussim culture but death. She had nothing without her daughters, yet she knew this day would come the minute they were born, and wished that she had prepared for it better. She wished she had been like some women in her hometown who had carried the babies to term and then mercifully their baby girls had died shortly thereafter. Yet she never had the courage to be so strong. She as a mother had failed them. She should have done the right thing like those other women did and ended her girls pain before they were able to grow up and feel like she felt. In her heart of hearts knowing it would be bad, she foolishly held out hope that things would work out for good for her daughters. Oh what a fool she had been! She cursed herself roundly for being such a coward. She was despicable. She no longer had any hope. Abdullah that hard, cruel, monster of a man was the only escape for her daughters she had left, and going to him for mercy was like asking a hungry lion you are in a cage with not to tear you from limb to limb and eat you.. With no one to ease her pain, losing her baby girls and Betty added to her pain, especially knowing this is not the life she would have given them. This was a life chosen for them. That is why she had to try, for herself and her girls. She would run away with them and do what had to be done to protect them. She would give them the chance she never had if it wasn't too late. It was too late for Betty, but not for her Zoe and Charmaine, she hoped not at least. Elisia had longed to go home for a while now, but now that her daughters were with that monster she would not go home. If she rescued her daughters she would never go home, and if she was unsuccessful well it made no difference as she would die before she failed them.
,Anson walked in weary to death. He had been feeling guilty about what was done, but wouldn't let himself give in to it. He had berated himself all the way home. He had done what needed to be done. After all, they were just girls, unimportant, and he had provided them with a life and a position a lot of girls who were more privileged than them, would have given both eyes for. He had done well for them, and he should rest in the knowledge that he had done more than most fathers would have done. Abdullah was a hard man he knew, and not many in the village had the courage to approach him with offers of their daughters, afraid that their daughters would not meet Abdullah's standards and punish them for daring to give him an inferior product . The last few wives Abdullah had it was rumored, had been stolen from their homes when he had seen the girls and desired them. Their parents had refused to let him have them, because Abdullah had not wanted to pay a decent bridal price for them. Nobody knew what had happened to the parents of those girls, but they were never seen in the village again. It was rumored that Abdullah had them "taken care" of for their refusal to bow to his power. Anson knew it was probably true. He sighed thinking about the council. He had been a fool for going there. He hoped in a few days that he could go to Abdullah and ask his forgiveness and have the harsh sentence of the council reversed. Maybe after a few days with his daughters Abdullah would be in a more amenable mood. He had wanted to ask when he had been at Abdullah's house, but after what Zoe had done to Abdullah he didn't dare. He smiled thinking of his little spitfire. He hadn't been totally unhappy with what she did as at the time he had been angry at Abdullah because of how he had cheated him through the council. He had come to realize though since leaving Abdullah's house in one piece, that he was wrong in having gone above such a powerful man's head. Would he himself have done any different if he had been in Abdullah's place? No, Anson had besmirched the reputation of Abdullah and thinking of it now, he shuddered realizing how foolhardy he had been. By the time Anson got home he had convinced himself maybe out a sense of hopelessness that he was not at fault and in fact had done his girls a favor. He had to let go and know he had done his best for them. There was nothing to be done now, and feeling regret over two little girls who were being punished by the gods because they were born girls deserved what this life brought them was foolish. Was it his fault they were born to be weak and lowly? Was it his fault that the only thing they were good for was to please men? He hadn't made that so, and therefore he was not to blame. So feeling better Anson walked in the house tired, but eager to see his wife and daughter. They were sitting on the couch and clucking away like chickens. He shook his head in amusement. Women you had to love them. They were so predictable.
Elisia hearing the door looked up, and seeing Anson forced herself to keep a neutral face. She didn't want to show any emotion, or give anything away until it was time. There would be time later, but for now she just got up and walked over to Anson. She got on her hands and knees and bowed her head to the floor. Anson was surprised. His wife hadn't prostrated herself on the floor in front of him in a long time. He didn't know what to make of her doing so now, but it pleased him. So it seemed to him that Elisia realized he was right after all, and had accepted things. Good now life would go on and they could go home content secure in the knowledge that their duty was done and raise their sons.
Anson expansively: Get up dear one, we have much to say to one another, but I go to get changed and then we will talk. The dust of the road is heavy on me.
Betty had stood up bowing her head awaiting her father's acknowledgement. Anson glancing at Betty had walked away.
Betty used to her father's rudeness didn't let it bother her. She knew he was tired.
Elisia stood up and watched Anson walk away. She smiled knowing she had thrown Anson off guard. Good that is how she wished it when she dropped her bombshell on him.
Betty: Mother, I have been honored by our talks these past few days, and want to say when I am with my honorable husband, I will look back and cherish these memories. Thank you.
Elisia distracted now that Anson was home nodded.
Elisia: Betty, I must go prepare a hearty meal for your honorable father. With that she walked away.
Betty knowing her mother had a lot on her mind and feeling bad she wouldn't share it understood. She was just a young girl not wise to the ways of the world and perhaps her mother felt she wouldn't understand, Betty for the first time in a long time bowed to her mother as she left the room out of a deep love and respect, although she doubted her mother had seen it. With that, feeling all of a sudden deflated and empty, Betty trudged up the stairs feeling like life was a chore that was never ending and something that had to be endured.
Elisia hearing the door looked up, and seeing Anson forced herself to keep a neutral face. She didn't want to show any emotion, or give anything away until it was time. There would be time later, but for now she just got up and walked over to Anson. She got on her hands and knees and bowed her head to the floor. Anson was surprised. His wife hadn't prostrated herself on the floor in front of him in a long time. He didn't know what to make of her doing so now, but it pleased him. So it seemed to him that Elisia realized he was right after all, and had accepted things. Good now life would go on and they could go home content secure in the knowledge that their duty was done and raise their sons.
Anson expansively: Get up dear one, we have much to say to one another, but I go to get changed and then we will talk. The dust of the road is heavy on me.
Betty had stood up bowing her head awaiting her father's acknowledgement. Anson glancing at Betty had walked away.
Betty used to her father's rudeness didn't let it bother her. She knew he was tired.
Elisia stood up and watched Anson walk away. She smiled knowing she had thrown Anson off guard. Good that is how she wished it when she dropped her bombshell on him.
Betty: Mother, I have been honored by our talks these past few days, and want to say when I am with my honorable husband, I will look back and cherish these memories. Thank you.
Elisia distracted now that Anson was home nodded.
Elisia: Betty, I must go prepare a hearty meal for your honorable father. With that she walked away.
Betty knowing her mother had a lot on her mind and feeling bad she wouldn't share it understood. She was just a young girl not wise to the ways of the world and perhaps her mother felt she wouldn't understand, Betty for the first time in a long time bowed to her mother as she left the room out of a deep love and respect, although she doubted her mother had seen it. With that, feeling all of a sudden deflated and empty, Betty trudged up the stairs feeling like life was a chore that was never ending and something that had to be endured.