I Am Worthy.

Chapter One

"Hurry up girls, you will be late for school". Haniya said looking in the direction of the staircase while packing lunch bags. She soon finished with the lunch bags and moved to the sink to do dishes.

The once beautiful and slender Haniya now looks worn out, overweight and exhausted. Stress was the simple definition of her life.

She woke up to chores and slept on chores. She has been married to her husband for ten years now, and all her married life has been bitter because it was controlled by her mother-in-law.

Her parents married her off to her husband at the tender age of eighteen years, now at only twenty-eight, she looks forty. A forty of one who is not living a good life.

A few seconds into the dishes, she noticed the frontal part of her hair was open. She raised her right hand to cover her hair properly with the worn-out yellow and red lafaya wrapped around her body.

The edges had loose threads, and tiny holes of wear and tear could be seen.

"Good morning mummy", echoed from the lips of her daughters; Mahira who was ten years old, and Sana who was six years old.

"Good morning my princesses. Hope you slept well"?

"No ma, Sana kept rolling on me".

"No ma. She was the one who rolled on me".

"No, I did not".

"Yes, you did".

"Enough dear. You will be late for school. Go sit at the dining table while I serve you breakfast".

Haniya said in an attempt to end the fight that often occurred between the sisters over irrelevant issues.

While she served her daughters, her husband and mother-in-law entered upon her.

"Good morning mother. Good morning sir", she said while lowering her gaze but she received no response.

"Good morning daddy and grandma", the girls echoed.

"Good morning my beautiful daughters...." Sa'ad replied only to get interrupted halfway by his mother.

"How many times have I cautioned you not to talk to these girls gently? You are only making them weak and lazy.

No man wants a weak girl for a wife. And if you do not find someone to marry them off to, they are only going to grow old and useless at home. Do you want that"?

"No mother", Sa'ad replied while lowering his gaze in discomfort. He did not agree with what his mother said but he could not protest.

"Common girls. Your school bus will be here soon. Hurry up". Haniya said to the girls who got up to leave the dining table.

"I do not even know why these girls are going to school rather than staying home to learn cooking and chores. I did not go to school, and neither did my mother or grandmother.

Your sisters did not go to school. Your wife standing here did not go to school. So why are you sending them to school? A home teacher who will teach them the English language is enough.

All they need is to learn how to converse in the English language with their husbands and in-laws.

They should be learning about cultures, cooking, and cleaning. Girls who go to school only become wayward". Minal said. She had barely taken a breath when Mahira retorted.

"I want to go to school and become a dancer like the superstars on tv. I do not want to be old and dull like grandma. She can not even read".

"Mahira"! Haniya screamed in shock.

"Shut up! Is this not what you are teaching your daughters? Do not pretend". Minal said to Haniya who was still in shock, and before long, tears started to roll down her right cheek.

"Sa'ad", Minal said turning to Sa'ad. "Before the death of your father, I never talked back at him for forty years till his death.

Your sisters never talked back at me, now they are doing well in their marriages.

Your daughter of only ten years has started talking back at her elders. How do you think she will thrive in her husband's house? Who will marry a rude girl"?

"Mother I will handle it".

"You had better handle it. The best solution is to take them out of school, this is an example of what school is doing to them. My grandson should be the only person going to school".

"Mum he is too young. He is just two years old, he can barely talk. But do not worry, I will handle everything. Girls, please go to school. And remember daddy loves you. I am off to work", Sa'ad said as he left the dining table without having breakfast.

Minal had breakfast in fury. She continued lashing out at Haniya who helplessly stood there.

After the girls returned from school later that day, Minal punished Mahira by making her fill up a big drum of water all by herself.

Haniya could not stand against her mother-in-law and Sa'ad was away at work, therefore no one could help the poor child.