When It Is Forbidden

chapter 4

            I became practically mute again.  But now, understanding how I felt, and feeling empathetic for me, Mother didn't bother me as much as she had before.  We mostly kept to ourselves.

            That was when I heard Mother and Father talking to each other at night through my bedroom wall.  About what, I did not know, but they had made an agreement with each other when Rafi was born that they would not talk once they were in their bedroom so not to wake him.  They had not broken this rule until now.  They had to be talking about something important.  Each night I tried to listen, but I couldn't figure out what they were saying.

            But I soon found out what it was all about.  One day, I had decided to come out of my room for a change and was in the living room sewing.  Father and Mother came in and sat across from me, looking at me intently.  I set down my needle work and looked back at them, waiting for whatever they had to say.

            "Oh, my darling Layla," My mother started out.  "You've grown to be such a beautiful young woman.  We are so proud of you."  Well, for whatever they had to say, they were certainly trying the charm tactic on me to convince me to do whatever they had up their sleeves.

            "To think, dear daughter," My father said, "that in half a year's time you will be 16 and married to a handsome young man!"

            Shock coursed through my body.

            "What?!"  I stammered.

            "Jamaal!  I told you I would handle this!"  My mother exclaimed, staring angrily at my father.

            I would have run straight upstairs, locked myself in my room, and stayed in there forever, but I didn't.  I had no strength left in me.  I just pressed my back up against the wall and slowly slid down it, resting my head in my hands, weeping.

            "Darling, it's for the best.  We thought that it would help you keep your mind off of Rafi."  My mother said lovingly.

            Hearing this only made my cry harder.  I looked up, tears streaking down my hot cheeks, I shouted at her angrily, "Well, you clearly don't know me!  Neither of you do!"  Then with that, I put my head back into my hands and continued my moaning.  Would these people ever stop finding ways to torture me?