A Piece Of His Heart

Three

Eliza

"Khuda ka waasta hai tayar hojao!" Mama yelled out from wherever she was in the house.

*"For God's sake, please get ready!"

I groaned and tipped my head back, looking heavenward. "Kabhi chain se bhi beth dene diya karein! Ab kyun tayar hona hai mujhe?"

*"At least let me sit in peace once! Why do I need to get ready now?"

Aaban, my brother— nuisance really— laughed, irritating me further. I slapped the upside of his head and he made a face at me for which I responded with sticking out my tongue.

The audacity of this eleven-year-old. My parents waited a long time, alright, before they decided they wanted another child.

"Zubaan andar karo!" To my luck, my mother came in just then and called me out. I instantly closed my mouth and played with my fingers in my lap, feigning guilt.

*"Put your tongue away!"

I wasn't guilty at all.

Aaban looked like he was stifling another laugh. I wanted to smack him really bad.

"Get ready, and please do it well. I have all plans of getting you married to this boy." She fixed me with a hard look and grunted.

"Why are you so eager to get rid of me, ammi ji? Har din koi naya larka le aati hain."

*"You bring a new guy every day."

"The earlier you get married, the better." She answered over her shoulder as she sifted through my clothes, pulling out a burgundy anarkali dress.

I don't even remember getting that.

"I'm only twenty-five!" I was so exasperated, done.

"And I got married when I was nineteen!" She answered with as much vigor as me. I huffed, knowing I'd lost the argument.

Nano needs to back me up. But then again, she would scold my mother for not getting me married earlier, considering she'd gotten my mother married at nineteen.

What does a girl have to do to stay single in Pakistan?

Oh well, at least I was wearing my favorite color today.

My mother left the room after strictly dictating how she wanted me to be ready and I kicked Aaban and his history homework out of the room before locking the door and slumping down.

Ya Allah, please let these people be nice.

I wasn't prepared right now, or ever would be, to be analyzed like an object to be bought from a store just because I looked and behaved slightly different.

I had a tongue, and it knew how to work. Apparently, my ability to talk and talk back was less than ideal for most people.

Well, bhaar mein jaye.