Chapter 1
The Accident
The sound of the rushing sounds woke up Mia. She saw her relatives running around. She knew something had happened. She went to her elder sister Amelia and asked her “what happened”? Her blue eyes filled up with tears. She turned towards Mia with great effort. Amelia was Eighteen years old and she was pregnant. She was married off when she was Seventeen years old. That’s what Normal was in their community.
Amelia looked at her fifteen year old sister. She didn’t know what to tell Mia.
She just said “Mia, we will have a lot of relatives and Guests dropping by. Get Ready. Our Elders will be coming soon”
“Why”?
“First make yourself fresh, then go and have some Griddle Corn Cake or Oat Meal” she replied.
Mia went into the bathroom. She took her brush .She saw her reflection. She thought of Mark. She had climbed out of the window to for a walk with him. She could still feel his hand in hers. They had walked near the Moon lit Pond sharing sandwiches. He was planning to leave the community once he reached eighteen. He wanted to go to New York. His birthday was fast approaching and he will leave soon. He had already arranged his accommodation with his brother who had left four years back. His name was Eli and he loved Mark. Eli could never visit them there at Pennsylvania.
Eli was working in a restaurant called The Road side Grill. It was near his college. He was studying in Hunters College for Pre Med and worked at the restaurant whenever he had free time. Mark will also be staying and working with him.
Mia changed from her night dress to her traditional dresses. She knew that if the elders were coming she had to make sure that she should be proper, the cap in place. She didn’t want to upset her father Abram
Abram the patriarch in their family was a very strict and religious person. He hated uncleanliness, inconsistency and noise. If he was home everyone walked around shells. He was a very tall man, strong for his age, He expected everyone to do their share in the family business. Everyone including his two other wives and their children. They all lived together in three houses in the same courtyard. Mia s Mother was the second wife. Her name was Emma.
As Mia went down the stairs towards the Kitchen she could her mother’s sister wives sitting in their kitchen. She wondered what was going on. The undisputed rule of their father was that the wives don’t go to each other’s house. He wanted peace in his family. Jenna and Mary turned slowly towards Mia. Suddenly Mia noticed that her Mother was missing.
“Where is mamma? “She asked them.
“Eat your Oat meal dear, replied Jenna”.
Jenna was the eldest. Being married off at Fifteen years old, Giving birth to five boys every year continuously after marriage made her Age early. She was one of the ordinary girls in the community who existed only to serve the men in the family and to do the house work. She never went out. Didn’t have any dream or aspiration. Her Elder step brothers, all five were loving and protective towards Mia and Amelia. And they were very strict that they follow all the rules of their community .They didn’t want their sisters to drag their family name through Mud.
Jenna looked tired and something was eating her and Mary.
Mary didn’t look her happy young self anymore. She was also pregnant. Both Amelia and Mary would have their babies within days of each other. Mary was only 21 years. Six years elder than her. She had revolted against her parents saying she wanted to go to the city to join a college. They threatened to banish her from the community and was forced to marry her father since he was an Elder and well respected member in their community.
Mary walked slowly towards her
“Sweetheart, why don’t you take a seat?”
A chill went down her spine. Now she was sure that something was going on and it was related with her mother.
“There was an accident today early morning. Emma had gone to milk the cows. She slipped and fell. Though your Father was able to take her to the hospital as soon as possible, she was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors”
Emma didn’t feel anything.
Ok, her mother died well and good.
She didn’t feel any sadness at all.
Amelia was crying, Jenna and Mary were upset.
But she didn’t feel anything
Mary went and called Abram.
Mia turned towards her father and asked
“So father, should I wear the full Mourning Dress from today onwards or is it fine if I wear it only tomorrow for the funeral?”
Abram replied “Anything is fine dear”
She went to Jenna and asked her if she could borrow her black cap.
Jenna shook her head. She knew that Mia was the baby in the family. Emma and Mia loved each other dearly.
“What is happening?”
“I will wear the bbbbblack dress with the cap Jenna will give me.Maybe father will allow me to wear some powdeeerr.”
Jenna who worked in the community health center as a volunteer knew immediately that Mia had gone into a shock. She had started stammering. Her body had shut down from the unimaginable pain that she was going through.
“Whyyyyy amm iii nooottt abbbleee to talk properly? Jenna asked everyone.
Nobody replied.
That was the last thing she remembered asking her family.
Then she lost her consciousness.
