Betrayed

Chapter One

Just like last time four years ago, people sat in the same place staring at me with pity. Around me whispers started, I can hear people around me asking each other questions as if I am not sitting here with them. “Poor girl, who will take care of her now?” “Such a loser, death is always trailing around her.” I heard every single word such like last time but the difference is that four years ago when both my parents died I was only ten, the words did not make sense to me back then, also I had my grandmother defense me and shut them up, but now my grandmother is also dead leaving me alone, asking the same questions the people around me are asking. After people left at midnight, my uncle Hakim walked in with both his wives Aysha and Ranya who both hate each other but pretend that they are both besties trailing after him staring at me in a way that would kill me if stares could kill people. “Go pack your staff Fatimah,” Aba Hakim said quietly.
“Why?” I asked confused.
“She really doesn’t understand,” Khala Aysha said laughing.
“We’re your only hope now sugar,” Khala Ranya said laughing too.
“Just make sure your death doesn’t reach us or else you will be on your own honey.” Khala Aysha said, and both wives started laughing.
Enough Aysha, and Ranya,” Aba Hakim said, “leave the girl alone”.
B

oth wives fell silent, Aba Hakim smiled at me “Go pack Fatimah”
I walked to my room that I used to share with my grandma without saying a word, I threw myself on the bed which still smells like grandma Salha and started crying. It’s not like I chose that my family dies or anything, and it’s not like I chose to need my uncle and his wives, but I know that I must go with them, they are my only family now. As a fact I have no problem with my uncle, my problem is his wives, they hate me, and I am sure they will make my life hell which my uncle will do nothing about because both his wives control him instead of the opposite. I know they don’t want me as much as I don’t want them but they must take me because if they don’t then people in Sirs (the small village they live in which is located in Al-Munfiah, Egypt) will start talking about them with disrespect. I opened my bag and started throwing clothes in it as well as any pictures and utensils that I saw around, then I walked out the room pulling my bag behind me on the floor not bothering to wipe my tears.
“Oh god,” Khala Aysha said, “Did you pack the whole house?”
“Aysha” Aba Hakim warned.
“What Hakim?” Khala Aysha snapped, “Don’t you see how big that bag is?”
“It’s not your business, I will carry it”
Aba Hakim walked to me and took the bag from me telling me to follow him. I followed him silently, both wives trailing behind us their eyes burning through my back.
                                                                    Once in my uncle’s mansion, the Maid took me to my room. Unlike the whole house, my room seemed to have the oldest furniture, smelled bad, and dust filled each corner of it. I started changing the bedsheets, then removing the dust, and finally, I began getting out my clothes and settling in. Once I finished I looked at the clock it was four in the morning, finally, I threw myself on the bed and fell asleep.

“Wake up lazy thing” Khala Ranya yelled, “You are not planning on sleeping all day long, are you?”
“It is only ten in the morning Khala Ranya”
“It is Duha, almost Duhr” Khala Ranya snapped, “ And don’t call me Khala, how old do you see me?”
“Would Abla Ranya work?”
“Not even Abla, call me Madam”
“Fine Madam”
“Nah, not that either, call me Ranya Hanem”
“Sure, Ranya Hanem”
“Now, you missed breakfast,” Ranya Hanem said, “ We eat breakfast in this house at seven, if you live with us then you must learn the rules.”
“It’s fine, I am not hungry” I lied.
“Good girl, now follow me.”
Ranya Hanem led me downstairs where my seven cousins Doha, Salma, Manar, Mariam, Yasser, Sabry, and Mostafa sat watching tv while eating snacks. She gave me a towel and a spray “ I want all the furniture to shine” she said, “ Once you are finished go to the kitchen and help make lunch before your uncle gets home”
“Yes, Ranya Hanem”
I started dusting the furniture around the house, then went to help with lunch, which mostly all I did was chop onions. Aba Hakim came home around two o’clock. Lunch was already on the table, my seven cousins surrounded the table with both wives and my uncle. I went to sit with them but Ranya Hanem snapped at me “What do you think you are doing?”
“ I am sitting down to eat.”
“Oh no honey” Khala Aysha said dryly, “You eat with the maids in the kitchen”
“WHAT?” I asked horrified.
“As you heard sugar,” Ranya Hanem said.
I looked at my cousins they were all giggling, I looked at my uncle but he only stared at his food. “Enough drama” Ranya Hanem snapped and stood up grabbing my arm and pulling me to the kitchen, she threw me on the floor and left. The maid who led me to my room last night rushed to my side “Let me help you sweetheart” I let her help me stand up and walk me to a chair “Would you like to eat?” She asked. I shook my head. I don’t know how long we sat there until I heard Ranya Hanem call my name, slowly I walked out of the kitchen into the dining room, all eyes were on me. “Yes?” I asked.
“Clean up the table, then wash the dishes and clean the kitchen,” Ranya Hanem said smiling, I stood there staring at her.
“DID YOU HEAR ME?” Ranya Hanem yelled.
“If I do that, what are the maids supposed to do?” I asked her.
“Oh, usually they do that” Ranya Hanem said, “But since you are here I think I will fire them. You have to pay for living at this house after all”
I stared at my uncle “Are you going to let them do that to me, Aba Hakim?” I asked, “ Are you letting them turn me into a maid at my own uncle’s house?”
“I am so sorry” Aba Hakim whispered and walked out of the room.
“Do your job girl, enough playing,” Ranya Hanem said.
“ I AM NOT YOUR MAID WOMAN” I yelled, “AS A WIFE IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO ALL OF THAT NOT ME OR THE POOR PEOPLE WHO WORK AS YOUR MAIDS”
“ARE YOU YELLING AT ME?” Ranya Hanem yelled.
“I AM” I answered grabbing dishes from the table and throwing them on the floor “FUCK THIS HOUSE, I’m NOT STAYING HERE”. I ran toward the door not bothered by the shattered dishes under my barefoot. I ran outside between trees and on to the open road. I kept running with tears falling down my face. I cannot believe it, those women are making me a maid at their house, and my uncle is not reacting to it. I did not know that it was that hard to take care of me. I did not even have to go to school, unlike my uncle’s four daughters they all go to schools that requires money and they learn how to read and write which I can’t because I never had enough money to get rolled in a school even though half the money my uncle got is my dad’s but he cheated law and stole them after my parents died when I was too young to understand life. Traffic lights covered my face and car honks came from right behind me. I froze in the middle of the road staring at the car in front of me. My uncle got off the car and pushed me in the passenger seat then got in the car and started driving. 
“Where do you think you are going?” Aba Hakim asked.
“Anywhere away from your wives.”
“What do you think people will say now?”
“They can say whatever they say I don’t care.”
“Oh you don’t, but I do, as your uncle my head will be in the dirt because of you.” Aba Hakim snapped, “People will start talking about you running away, then rumors are gonna start that you ran away with a boy that you are secretly in love with.”
“I DON’T CARE” I yelled, “LET THEM TALK, IT IS NOTHING NEW, THEY ALWAYS TALK AND I’M TIRED OF CARING ABOUT THEIR FUCKIN RUMORS.”
“That’s it, young lady, I’m ending this before it goes any farther.”
“What do you mean?”
“ I am sending you to Cairo away from my wives.”
I smiled but my mind snapped back to reality “What about the rumors that people will say?”
“Oh,” Aba Hakim smiled nervously ”They won’t be able to open their mouth.”
“Why not?”
Aba Hakim stayed silent for a little then smiled and said, “You will be going with your husband.”
“WHAT?” I stared at him shocked.
“Your wedding will be in four days, after the wedding you will leave to Cairo with your husband.”
“Aba, you can’t do that to me.”
“Why not?”
“ I can’t be forced to marry someone I don’t know, also I’m only fourteen.”
“You will know him after you get married,” he said, “Really kid, he is not that old.”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked, “How old is he?”
“He is only forty”
“ONLY FORTY?” I yelled, “YOU ARE MAKING ME MARRY A MAN WHO IS TWENTY-SIX YEARS OLDER THAN ME?”
“It is okay if he is a little older than you” Aba Hakim spoke softly, “Look from the positive side, he is rich, and he is taking you to the big city; Half the people in Sirs would die to go live in Cairo if they can afford it.”
“I don’t want him”
“Fatimah, I am not asking you,” he said, “ I am informing you that your wedding will be held in four days so you can get ready.”
“But…
“End of discussion young lady” Aba Hakim snapped, “Now get inside that damn house I have a lot of arrangments to make before your wedding.”
I got off the car slamming the door behind me and walked into my nightmares mansion again, but this time I did not wish to come outside of it anytime soon.