Unusual Love

Chapter 4: Winter

Winter came and for Mira, it never left. Seasons completed their course every year but for her, it had frozen on the winter four years ago. That year when she had left with her husband to another country after her father refused to acknowledge her anymore and give no more than she had taken, she thought things will change. She did not expect the change to be unfavourable. Her life had taken a dark turn and from there, it headed towards her doom.

After being constantly asked for dowry, she wrote to her father. The reply never came and with everyday that they waited for a reply, her abuse intensified. Her now wealthy sisters-in-law taunted her and her 'love' abused her. She thought she'll die of all the pain when a letter came. It was from her mother.

Mira,

I don't know if I should write to you. Your father won't send a reply, don't wait. He may act like a tough man when people taunt him for being a crazy father or that you running away hasn't affected him, but I know him, He is heartbroken. You betrayed us. We loved you and gave you the freedom that even sons imagine and daughters can't even dream of, but you abused our love. You took away cash, jewels and all our trust.

What you took is yours and I hope you live happily with your decisions. As for us, we cannot forgive you, nor send anything more. Your father has publicly refused having a daughter. I am shocked that even when you wrote, it wasn't for forgiveness but for more money but, as we have no daughter, we won't send anything to a greedy person who has hurt us. Live happy.

For the last time,

Your mother.

Mira remembers crying that day. She had stopped crying when they hit her, it didn't awake emotions anymore but the letter made her drown in guilt and she couldn't stop crying. She never wanted to take more from her family. If anything she wanted to rush back to them. With her jewels gone, she had nothing that reminded her of them. She kept the letter safe. It hurt her but it was something that reminded her for them.

She also remembers feeling extremely heartbroken when she saw the last thing from her mother torn to shreds the next morning and her husband ready with bags waiting. He took her out of the country and she hoped against hope that her life would change.

They settled in a small house and he used all her money to secure education and start a new business. While he struggled to set it properly, her pain increased. She did all the work and ate what was thought as sufficient to survive. She had forgotten the taste of her favourite dishes and all her tantrums. She had never imagined she'll live like this. Her father, Oh her father! If he knew someone spoke to her badly, he would have their heads on a platter and now he had disowned her. She couldn't blame him.

Years flew by and the winter ice in her life settled deep. She gave birth to a boy and a girl. She was given a sweet when she gave birth to her son. She had forgotten the taste. When her second child, a girl was born, she was beaten so bad that she was unconscious for days.

Now, four years later. She had grown accustomed to the life she blamed herself for. She got up. Cleaned, cooked and did everything she was told. She took care of her kids, the silver lining in her grey life. Every night, he would abuse, physically, mentally and emotionally. Mira questioned if her ever loved her or was she just a golden ticket to him. The hen that laid golden eggs. She concluded it was her punishment for cheating the man that loved her the most, her father.

Just when Mira thought life had punished her in every way possible and it cannot fall any further, the worst happened. Mira had her girl snatched away from her and sold as a servant to pay off the debt her husband took. She cried and shouted for people to stop. She couldn't believe how cruel people were. Her son was sent to live with his wealthy, windowed aunt so that she grooms him properly. As for her, she felt everything getting snatched from her even when she had nothing left.

She was bought back into the country and sold to a brothel. Even after years of abuse, she was beautiful and young. It bought him good money and he left happily like he hadn't sold his wife and daughter.

AS for Mira, she felt every bit of her dignity getting robbed as they dressed her clothes she wouldn't even touch and applied bold makeup. She refused, she cried and she pleaded but all her words and tears were wasted. Nobody cared. She cried in frustration. When her husband and her sisters-in-law, who built their house comforts on her jewels refused to respect, why would strangers do that.

She felt expecting respect for being a human was a luxury she couldn't afford. Tied up in a room, waiting for the customer, she'll was offered to for the night, she didn't notice the fragrance. Fragrance coming from the garden. It was spring again and maybe this year, it would bloom in her life as well.