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After I had written Too young to wed and was agonising about all the child brides and how helpless I felt, it occurred to me that there was another side to the story – the husband’s side. I had to write another story just to look at things from his side too. I confess, I couldn’t see very clearly (being female and not being from that culture).
THE SAVOUR
(110 word flash fiction)
Khalid flops to his side. Lovemaking with Saida is always dissatisfying. Firstly, she doesn’t move. Then, she is so small. Guilt stabs at his heart. He shouldn’t have married someone so young.
But, her uncle had begged until he had relented. After all, he was saving her from possible rape and ruin. He had given her a ‘married woman‘ status. And now, the chance to be a mother.
Smug satisfaction wipes away the guilt. Saida gets up and leaves. ‘Ungrateful wretch! Crying all the time.’
Sleep clouds his brain as clouds obscure the moon just as the thought is forming that his child and wife could both go to school.
~~~
My second story for this week’s Friday Fictioneers
PHOTO PROMPT -© Madison Woods
Just Joyfulness 
If he felt that badly then he could have refrained from having sex with her at 14 years old.
True. As a woman I would agree. But in a lot of places, it is expected of a man that he consummate the marriage and subjugate his wife. Else, he is considered a wimp and laughed at. We are all trapped in our thinking.
Oh, I see. I guess everyone has their customs.
How would they know if he had or hadn’t?
In some places in North India, they put a while cloth on the bridal bed. In the morning the couple are expected to show the cloth to the family with blood stains. Of course, they can get around it by cutting a toe. I don’t know about Muslim customs though. Maybe it is ingrained in the men.
That seems a strange custom to me. But I understand that different parts of the world have different customs.
I had read the first one and liked it. But I liked this one too from the Husband s viewpoint. Things are not the same as they appear all the time.
Yes, that’s so true Lata
wow! I love that you said the man’s side of the story too….how I i wish Saida decided to live and maybe fulfill her dream of going to the school
I wish so too. Maybe she didn’t see any hope 😦
sad 😦
What a good idea, to show the other side. I still struggle to feel sympathy but you’ve certainly made him more human – great work!
Thanks 🙂 I thought every issue has more than one way of looking at it….
Good idea to show it from the other side. He doesn’t endear himself to me though. Nice work.
I think we live in our own mental prisons Sandra, some knowingly, some unknowingly ….
The child bride situation is a disturbing one. Of course even in Western culture it used to be considered perfectly normal for a much older man to marry a girl in her early teens.
I think some of the men who take child brides might indeed think they are doing the girl a favor. I think your story is very realistic.
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Thanks Illsa. That’s very understanding of you.
As sad as it is for such a young life to end so painfully, I hope she took him with her. I hope she burned the house down while he slept.
And a whole lot of men learned a lesson and reviewed their worldviews. Thanks Luna (am not sure if that is your name :))
The chance to be a mother….hmmm…as if she has a choice. It was a great idea to show the other side. I’ll admit I can’t understand this situation very well either, because it’s so far removed from me. You shed a good light on it. Well done, Jolly.
Thanks Amy. In some cultures, a girl’s sole raison d’etre is to bear children. It is considered a privilege and honour and childless women are discarded like rags.
I can’t sympathize, sorry. He’s among those who have power. Those in power determine customs. Those in power are the ones who could make changes. He doesn’t, nor do the other men.
I was not trying to evoke sympathy. Just presenting another viewpoint. Most people who wield power use it to their advantage and would not want to change the status quo. Think large banks, pharma companies, multinationals, the list is huge ….
Dear Joyfulness,
Interesting perspective from the other side. So when she goes up in flames she’s taking him with her, right?
Shalom,
Rochelle
Let’s hope she’s learned that much in her young life but we know the change has to come about in attitudes in order to bring about lasting change…
Considering the difficult task, I think you captured his thoughts very well and managed to make him more human. A job well done 😀
Thanks Cheryl. Yes, it was a bit hard, had to put judgement aside …
The mark of a good writer 😀 You don’t always agree with your characters point of view, but you do need the ability to get it across -which you did, perfectly!
We’re all products of our times but I sniff a great dollop of complacency from Hubby here.