Broken Chains

On a hot summer day in Baku in 1973, Esmira met a young man in the bookshop that she managed. While speaking to a friend over the phone, her eye caught the mysterious stranger entering the store. Esmira glanced at him. Her gaze was caught by his striking looks: broad-shouldered with hazel eyes and an olive complexion. Esmira’s assistant saleswoman, Sveta, approached him with a broad smile on her face.

“Sir, how can I help you?” She tossed a paper fan back and forth in front of her doll-like face.

He shared the smile. “War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, please.”

Sveta located a copy of the classic, after which he paid for his purchase and departed. Her eyes lingered on him as he exited the shop. She sighed audibly.

A week passed, and this elusive male customer returned. When he came into the bookshop, Esmira was standing by the cash register scribbling sales inventory in a notebook. Sveta had abandoned the sales counter to take a nap in the store-room in the back, leaving Esmira as the only other person in the front of the shop. With a broad smile, the man greeted her and asked for a book by Nasradin Nuris. Esmira mounted a stool to retrieve the item. She began to search among the bookshelves. As she found the section where Nasradin’s books were located, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that the man was ogling her figure.

Noticeable warmth coursed through the man’s body. His heart pounded impatiently. As Samed licked his bottom lip, he pondered her lithe body, beautiful legs, and firm round bottom. The stinging sensations shot through his hands, which were fidgeting nervously. Because of his penchant for curvy women, he clearly aimed to possess her right there, without any regard whatsoever for her own intentions.

Finally, Esmira located the book and came down from the stool. Her long brown hair fell on her round face. He peered into her brown eyes, which were fringed with long eyelashes. Looking down at her plump rosy lips, he suddenly desired to kiss her on the spot.

“How much do I owe you, beautiful?”

“Three rubles.”

“Khanum, what is your name?”

The blood gushed into his brain like lightning, making him sweat. She glanced at his hazel eyes and felt her cheeks flush. Smiling shyly, she answered, “Esmira.”

“Your name is as enticing as you are.” Her admirer grinned, showing his white teeth, and undid the first button of his blue shirt.

She blushed and looked downward, feeling shy. Her eyes blinked like the fluttering wings of a dove.

“Thank you.”

Unable to stop looking at her rosy lips, he continued, “My name is Samed. I’m from Zardob.”

Beads of sweat dripped down from his temple. He felt an electric shock pass through his body and an ardent desire to peck her on more than just her cheek.

She tore her eyes away from his gaze.

“What are you doing in Baku?”

“I’m finishing my degree at Hazer University.”

He stared at her, sighing with the urge. “You possess the most beautiful eyes in the world.”

A burning sensation inflamed her cheeks, deepening her blush and rendering her speechless. He paid for his book and left the shop as she stood in shock.

After meeting Esmira, Samed Abdulaev purposely came to the shop and bought books regularly. As a predator of the opposite sex, he enticed too many women, using them merely for sex, then jettisoning and discarding his broken-hearted paramours like debris. However, this time it was different; it was difficult for him to determine his real intentions toward her.

Within a month, they started dating. Esmira was clearly happy with the attention from a man of his good looks. Every day after work, they went out either to the cinema or to Boulevard Park.

One evening while sitting in the film theater, Samed held Esmira’s hand gently, patting it as she leaned her head on his shoulder. However, she felt uncomfortable, noticing his evident arousal. To her shock, her boyfriend put his hand on her leg and started caressing it, drawing his fingers up her skirt. Esmira’s body tensed, and she purposely dropped her handbag on the floor. She stood, pretending to look for it, then sat back down, hoping not to be touched inappropriately again.

Soon thereafter, she told her mother about dating Samed. Sadaget stared at Esmira thoughtfully for a brief time, and then exclaimed, “I can’t imagine you finally have a boyfriend! I hope he is not one of those jerks who are only after sex.”

Esmira’s lips tightened, turning down at the ends. Her forehead furrowed. “Mother, he is not an idiot, but a good man. Why are you always so negative?”

“I’m trying to protect you. You don’t know anything about him. How can you say your boyfriend is a good man? First, ask about his parents, his friends, and livelihood. Please don’t jump into a relationship without checking into his background.”

Disappointment crawled into Esmira’s heart. “Mother, why are you always worrying unnecessarily? When you meet him, ask as many questions as you wish.”

On a cold, windy Sunday, Esmira invited Samed to meet her mom. He brought a big bouquet of roses to the shop. Together they went to the apartment she shared with her mother. When they reached their destination, Sadaget opened the door.

“Good day, Sadaget Khanum.” He grinned, flashing his perfect white teeth. His left eyelid twitched nervously.

“Hello, young man.” Sadaget gave him a cold look. She knitted her eyebrows suspiciously but invited him inside nonetheless.

In the living room, he peeked at her. Cold chills passed down his spine.

“Mother, this is Samed Abdulaev.” Esmira looked at her boyfriend gently, giving him a warm smile.

Sadaget again observed him without blinking. “Nice to meet you, young man.”

“Pleasure to meet you as well. These are the most beautiful roses I could find, for a wonderful mother like you.” He smirked and handed her the bouquet of roses.

She took them forcing a smile. “Thank you very much for the flowers. Please have a seat and make yourself at home.”

After putting the roses in a crystal vase, Sadaget offered him tea with a piece of Napoleon cake. They sat down with their cups. As they enjoyed the brew, she asked him questions, all the while staring at his face with a blank expression.

“Young man, what do you do for a living?” Sadaget bit a candy.

“I’m not working right now, just a student at the University.”

“What do you study?” Sadaget kept staring at him, her brown eyes trying to catch him lying.

“I’m getting trained in physical education.”

Sadaget’s staring made him agitated. He began to squirm. His palms started to sweat. The urge to smoke overtook him. He put a hand in his pocket and touched his lighter.

Sadaget calmly sipped her tea.

“Where do your parents live?”

“They live in Zardob.” With shaking fingers, he buttoned the top button of his red shirt.

Sadaget put her empty mug on the coffee table. Then she stared into his eyes without blinking.

“What are your intentions toward my daughter?”

Hearing this unexpected question, Samed almost choked on his tea coughing uncontrollably. He didn’t know what to say at first. Then Samed muttered, “I like your daughter. I hope that we will have a future together.”

A smile of approval flickered on Sadaget’s face.

“But it is too early to tell right now, since we met only recently.” He wiped his face with a handkerchief, feeling as if he was under interrogation.

The smile on Sadaget’s face faded. Displeased with his answer, she sat up straight staring at him without batting an eye.

He looked aside and crossed his legs, feeling an urge to bite his fingernails. He felt baffled as to why this woman persisted in asking so many questions in rapid machine-gun fire. Samed answered politely, giving assurances, not only that he indeed liked her daughter, but also that his intentions were good.

After spending an hour at Esmira’s apartment, he left feeling relieved. Esmira’s boyfriend was content that he did not have to respond to any further questions from her mother, nor be subjected any longer to her piercing glare.

As soon as he left, Sadaget crossed her arms. “He is a handsome and well-mannered man, but something about him is not right. If I were in your place, I wouldn’t trust him.”

Hearing her mother’s words, Esmira’s heart sank. She grimaced.

“Mother, I’m not surprised. You will never approve of any male, in my life or otherwise. It is no wonder you don’t have a man in your own.”

Sadaget gazed at her daughter silently for a second. “The only reason I rid myself of men revolves around my fear of you getting abused. Do you understand me?” She wagged a finger at Esmira.

Esmira’s body tensed as she looked down.

Sadaget scratched her ear. “Did you not witness his body language when I asked about his intentions toward you? He was certainly nervous, leading me to conclude that you should not date him.”

Distressed with her mother’s negativity, Esmira shook her head slowly. Her eyebrows moved closer together. “Mother, I don’t understand you. You can’t judge someone without getting to know them better.”

“Esi, I am not judging, but I got the feeling that he may make inappropriate advances toward you. I don’t know where this idea came from. When I picture him in my mind, it fills me with concern. I feel a weight and tension in my chest. Just be careful.”

“Okay, Mother I will not see him anymore,” she lied. She knew that, given her mother’s character, it would be difficult to meet anyone of whom she would approve.

One day, as winter approached, the roads became covered with a soft white rug of snow. By the afternoon, plenty of snow had fallen, making the roads icy. The ice on the ground caused traffic congestion, but it didn’t prevent Samed from seeing Esmira.

With a bundle of pink and red roses under his arm, he walked on the icy asphalt with long strides. Yet Samed was not impervious to the cold; as he approached the bookshop, gazing at the roofs of the two-story brick houses encased in snow, he sensed his blood becoming frigid, while his fingers ached as if someone had pricked them with needles. His body shook slightly. His teeth chattered. Samed tried to keep one hand in his pocket while holding the roses in the other.

A yellow cab drove up close to him.

“It is cold outside. Let me drop you off where you need to go.” The driver rubbed his freezing hands together.

“Thank you, but I am almost there.”

As soon as the taxi drove away, Samed felt something hard hit his head. His gray winter hat was knocked to the ground. He turned around and stared at a small trio of children nearby, each holding a snowball. A short fat boy picked up another snowball and threw it at Samed, striking him squarely in the face.

“Hey, you! I’ll get you!” he said, shouting angrily at the boy through a mouthful of snow. Samed put his flowers on the ground and made a huge, hard snowball. Then he threw it at the child, but his aim was not as good. The snowball fell harmlessly into the snow some feet away. Embarrassed, Samed retrieved his hat and the flowers. He stomped away, trying to ignore the laughter at his back.

He walked into the bookshop, armed with his beautiful bouquet of roses, and gave them to Esmira.

“When I saw these beautiful roses, they reminded me of your beauty. I couldn’t resist buying them for you.”

A smile of satisfaction lit up her round face. She took a deep breath while sniffing the roses. I could smell them all day, she thought to herself.

“You are so kind to me.” She gratefully caressed his cheek with her left hand.

He took her hand. His eyes bored into hers, making her blink.

“I got up early this morning and cooked a dinner for us. Will you please agree to dine with me in my apartment?”

As he waited for an answer, he looked at Esmira without blinking. At first, she didn’t know what to say. She knew that going to his apartment wasn’t a good idea. However, as she fell under the spell of his alluring eyes, she acquiesced.

She closed the bookshop. They walked to the train station, which was full of people trying to escape the cold. Some wore long coats with scarves over their heads, whereas others sported short coats. People were shoving each other in the rush to board the train.

After a series of connections, the young couple got off. They walked the rest of the way to his apartment in silence. Esmira’s body felt edgy as she debated within herself whether she should refuse and retreat. However, she continued following him.

They walked between five-story buildings that were in disrepair and needed a fresh coat of paint. Esmira noticed a few small grocery shops attached to the buildings. Russian-made cars sat in front, covered with snow. A few children threw snowballs at each other as parents sat alone on nearby benches. She glanced at the road noticing that a portion of it was unpaved and covered with snow mixed with mud.

If someone sees me entering his apartment, neighbors will spread gossip in all directions, she thought.

Meanwhile, his eyes skimmed her body as she walked. He licked his lips. His whole body felt aroused.

They approached a nine-story building. They climbed slowly to the fifth floor, gasping for air at the exertion. Esmira’s heart beat increasingly faster at every step. She put her hand over her heart to calm herself for a second.

Why is my heart ready to explode?

He opened the door and guided her into his dining room. Beautifully decorated, the walls had marvelous light-green wallpaper. On one wall was a painting of a beautiful woman. The room had long cream-colored curtains at the windows, a stereo, a small TV on a stand, and a table with matching chairs. He indeed had good taste.

He invited her to sit at the table. She eyed it and saw a couple of wine glasses, a bottle of red wine, roses, candles, and white plates. Her eyes grew wider.

“Wow! I’m struck by your hosting. You even laid out candles.”

“I’m a man who knows how to make a woman happy. Please sit at the table. I will be back.”

He left the living room and returned with a trolley, laden with their dinner. He removed the dishes of dolma, pilov, potato salad, black caviar from the cart, put them on the table, and lit the candles. Then he poured some wine into the goblets and handed one to her.

Esmira had never drunk alcohol before. She hesitated at first, merely holding her wine, and watched his every move. She breathed heavily as her muscles tightened in an uneasy cautiousness.

He lifted his glass of wine. “Let’s drink to our future and new love.” At that point, he drank half of his wine glass.

Following his lead, Esmira emptied her glass in a single gulp. They ate dinner, both feeling tense. After completing their meal, he removed all the dishes from the table, put on a soothing, soft song, and invited her to dance. She rose bashfully, looked down, and moved closer to him. Samed gently put his arm around her waist, cradled her. He rocked her back and forth to the music.

Feeling his body pressed to hers made Esmira feel overheated and giddy. The young woman wasn’t sure if it was because of the wine or because she was so close to him. He smelled nice. His skin was soft. As she rested her head on his shoulder while dancing, Esmira felt the urge to kiss him.

The music stopped. She sat down in her chair. She gazed around nervously and twirled her hair around her finger. Esmira’s whole body burned, especially her hands.

What is happening to my body?

He left the room, only to come back with a bottle of clear liquid and two small glasses. He poured some vodka for both of them. Samed passed her a glass.

“Esi, try this.”

She shrank back, looking at her drink. “What is it?”

His left eyelid jumped involuntarily. “Lemon vodka.”

She put the glass on the table. “But Samed, I don’t drink alcohol.

Samed gazed at his girlfriend with slightly narrowed eyes. His lips pursed together. She felt flushed and loosened her blouse.

“We are not killing, hurting, or stealing from anyone. Just taste it. If you don’t like it, then leave it.”

She took a few sips.

“Wow, I can taste the lemon!” She drank all the vodka at once.

After drinking two glasses, Esmira felt increasingly giddy and jolly. She was filled with the desire to sing and dance.

I feel so relaxed.

Samed poured another glass of vodka for her, but she tried to decline. He gazed at her with a kind, loving face, smiling widely.

“Let’s drink this to our future together.”

Esmira changed her mind. One more glass won’t do any harm, she thought. How could she resist his charming smile and begging, hazel eyes?

After a while, she made jokes laughing aloud. Esmira tried to get up from the sofa, but fell back, lightheaded. The whole room spun around her. She leaned back and bit her lips as she gazed at him. She felt an urge to get up and kiss him on the lips.

Seeing Esmira drunk, Samed made his move. He sat next to her and kissed her neck. She tried to push him away, all the while giggling.

“Stop, please!” She was confused, trying to understand what was happening.

He continued kissing her neck. “Esmira, you are so beautiful and untouched.”

She felt giddy and relaxed, and a warm flow of energy passed through her body as his warm lips touched her neck. Keeping her eyes closed, Esmira enjoyed the sensation of him kissing her. As he attempted to unbutton her blouse, she sought once again to push him away. When he started kissing her lips, she couldn’t control her emotions anymore. In fact, she realized that she wanted to make love to the man before her.

“To hell with society,” she whispered to herself, barely audibly.

She grabbed him tightly and passionately kissed his lips.

He grasped her hand, took her into his bedroom, undressed her, and then removed his clothing. She lay down on the bed, gazing at his naked, athletic body. He was so perfect and sexy that she could no longer resist her ardent desire. Breathing heavily and burning within, her whole body thirsted for his kisses. As she lay on his bed, she allowed Samed to kiss her lips again, and then her whole body. This made her more aroused. She liked the sensation and didn’t want him to stop.

After enjoying his touch on her body for some time, they had sex. Afterward, with both of them intoxicated, they fell asleep.

In the morning, she woke up with a massive headache in Samed’s bed. Seeing herself naked, and in his bed, she realized that she had done something shameful and sinful. Esmira sat up slowly, feeling weak. She covered her face with her hands.

Oh, Allah, I have sinned against you and brought shame to myself.

Horrified, Esmira shook her head in disbelief. What have I done?

She went into the bathroom to take a shower. Once dressed, she returned to the bedroom. She sat in the corner of the room, with her head against her knees, and started to cry.

Hearing her, Samed got up, half-naked. He looked over at her with concern.

Dear Reader the rest of the book is available on Amazon.Please do leave your review on Amazon and Goodreads.This book gives a hope to every victim of abuse.