Episode 6
When I came home, I found my mother talking very rudely. When I went inside to say something, I found him to be none other than my mother's distant relative. When I asked why he was speaking in such bad language, mother took my hand and took me into the house and said,
"Sit quietly here, don't go out at all."
After saying this mother went out. I got up and called Fatema, I told Fatema to come
"What happened? Why is he talking like that?"
“He brought a relation for you, but the mother did not,” he said.
My daughter is going on twenty-two, how many more will she keep in the house? Will give the pole of the house now! One girl even survived being raped. I know it when people rape and throw it on the street. I heard that if a girl returns home late at night, there is a reason for something like this to happen. Or leave the girl at home to do business? A large amount of money will also be earned and the girl will be in the house.
Hearing the words in Fatima's mouth, the anger in the head increased. So I left the house without thinking about anything. When I came, I told the man's purpose,
Don't go and marry your daughter when the love of marriage has arisen. Why did you get up later to marry me? Your daughter is one year older than me, think about her first. And my parents will not do business with me, let your daughter do it. Who impersonates big boys and embezzles their money. We do not know what he thinks about his house. Know all, but we know politeness, so say nothing. Before I could say anything else, mom grabbed my face.
Bhaijan go from here, and listen I will marry my daughter. And that's within this week. But don't make so many false accusations against my two daughters, for God's sake. And now you go, I will not be related to you.
He said after hearing his mother's words
"Haha, I'll see you, how good you wake up, I'll see you too! And I will avenge this insult."
I removed my mother's hand from my face and said
"You'll see when you take it, now get out of here."
As he left, mother said, "Get ready, some people will come to see you."
I was surprised to hear the words of the mother, actually trying to understand what the mother wants to do and what she wants to understand!
"What are you saying mother? Now you will marry your sister for that man?”
"You shut up. Don't say anything. Your father is still alive. He is lying comfortably on the bed with all the pain on my shoulders. Today Mizan said tomorrow everyone around will tell. Society will say tomorrow. But I can't listen to that much. And Rabeya if you don't listen to me I will go and put a rope around your neck. But then no one can stop me."
After saying the words, the mother went out. I knelt there and said, having worked so hard and achieved so much success, now I have to sit on the wedding table. Before I do anything for my parents, I have to leave everything. Thinking about it, I started crying. I didn't have to give so many exams in any school or college, as many exams as my life is taking.
I sat in a corner of the room. Mother really fixed my marriage, after some time the son's side will come to see me. The family of the boy who is now visiting me told an uncle of our house about this relationship a few days ago. But the mother then refused. Today, the uncle calls the boys and asks if they can come to see the girl. They can tell. They will come in the afternoon.
Seeing me sitting so quietly, Fatima hugged me and said,
“Apu what we think is not our life, our life is what happens to us. The poison that this society has poured into the mother's mind will not leave the mother's body until she marries you."
I could not say anything. In the afternoon, mother gave me a saree and told me to come later. I also wore the saree quietly. Mother forced me to wash my face and apply some cream. He left when I showed a bit of anger when he wanted to make up. After a while I got a call.
Mother took me and sat me on a chair. I sat with my head down. Squinting a little, I saw a huge food arrangement in front of the party. And how the boy is swallowing like a demon. If the girl likes it, if not, these gluttons will swallow it. But it does not think that we will not make the daughter of the son's wife. How would it be if such a rule was made, if the girl likes, then she will eat the food of that house. But this is not the rule. Mother raised my face in the middle of my thoughts. I felt a little pain but didn't say anything. Within seconds a woman called out from among the boys.
"Open your girl's hair a little"
Mother untied my hair
After untying her hair, she said, "Mom, walk a little."
My body was burning with anger, but I walked silently, then someone said.
Our daughter likes it. If you want, we can do it today.
Mother said "Alhamdulillah".
And a drop of water rolled down my eyelids.
One of them said.
I think my son gets a salary of twenty five thousand rupees. They have their own house in Jessore. Our daughter is loved so there are no claimants. We will take whatever you are happy to give to your daughter-in-law. So what do you say?
When I heard them, my hands tightened and I said something, mother said,
Brother, you have come to know about my condition from Raj Bhai. However, I will give the earrings to the girl and the ring to the boy. And this is what you think of the little things for the house. It is not possible for me to give more than that.
I digested my mother's words with great difficulty. At the end of their conversation, one of the boys put something in my hand and said to my mother,
"Think you can take the girl."
As mother took me home, I removed the veil from my head and opened my fist! Then I saw a note of 1000 taka in hand and retail 1 taka. Seeing this, I turned to my mother and said.
"Mom, do you think I'm some kind of zoo animal that you pay to see?"
"That's the rule."
"What kind of rules do you have to pay for seeing your daughter! And these nonsense rules of yours are making girls cheaper day by day. Why do I have to walk? When I walked in front of them, did they close their eyes? And why do I have to show my hair? Do they earn money by selling their wife's hair after marriage?
Will you be checking for that?"
"Rabeya, one more stupid thing to say to you
I'll give you a slap."
"mother"
Be quiet"
Mother left. And left me in the middle of the maze! The boys expressed their demands nicely, they didn't ask for anything and they didn't stop asking for anything. But where will the mother give so much? And most importantly, why is mother in such a hurry? I am standing on the ladder of success in life. A little further success is in front of me! So why is mother dragging me so close to success? But there is no answer. After half an hour mother came and said my marriage is this Friday. And if I say anything about this marriage, I will see my mother's dead face. Mother tied me with motherhood. I have nothing more to say. I don't remember when I fell asleep crying. But sleep was interrupted by someone's whisper. I got out of bed and followed the sound. After some distance I heard my mother's voice. The words are not clear, so I heard a little closer! After hearing that, my brain stopped moving.
To be continued...
