The story is based on reality, made from an interview by our Editor Asim. The real names are kept confidential on the request of interviewees.
By: Asim Nawaz Abbasi
Sara’s mother lived a fearful life, a life full of torture, pressures and threats, Why? just because; divorce is a taboo, and it always brings a bad name to the woman in our society no matter who was on the wrong side. This is the reason she bared everything, and after her three daughters, living a separated life was not an option to even think about. Now the mother is not alone she is backed by three brave young women and one of them is Sara who decided to get rid of her cruel father and take her mother and two sisters in a normal life.
Sara just had a thought filled with contentment when she imagined herself almost wrapped around stacks of books where she’s looking for books that she think will change her life. One after another, she holds them subtle and tries to go through the titles. The more she reads the titles, the more captivated she is. She’s a reader. Soulful and humble in person. The stack fell so mesmerising to her that she almost forget the chores that the routine involves her in. The door bell rang and her attention from the heaven of stack swiftly changes to the door bell. With a lot of panic, she took the hassle of moving the stack to the corner of her room whilst moving the index finger terrifyingly back and forth as a precautionary symbol to her siblings to avoid opening the door until she’s done hiding all the books in the very corner of the house. A deep breathe thereafter and some seconds of silence were obeyed by every family member who seemed worried for Sara to finally open the door. Walking towards the door while breathing heavily, she unlocks the door and greets his dad with a smile on her face.
The family of 5 siblings along with the parents saw no day together as a whole. Sara’s dad has been like this ever since he got married to her mother. But no change could be witnessed. Only 1 out of the 6 family members thought that the only way to survive in the society is to tolerate the aggressiveness and that one person was Sara’s mother. The other 4 thought retaliating with the same violence will do enough. Sara was a pillar for her mother. The eldest yet the softest at heart. She was so keen to change her mothers life but couldn’t do so in spite of the efforts she did
‘What is wrong with you’, Sara’s dad yelled at her. ‘I’ve been waiting outside for a good time now. Shall I accommodate myself somewhere else?’, he inquired with the angriest of expressions. Shutting the door harder, he walk passed the members of the house without listening to any of Sara’s explanation for receiving him late at the door.
Sara who’s a profound reader, has learnt a lot from the books, the best lesson out of which was tolerance. Collecting all the good vibes again, she smiled post the scenario and went into the kitchen to cook for his dad.
With the passing time, Sara tried convincing her father that she held herself so busy in household chores which took her a little time to notice the door bell. The efforts were ridiculed by her dad and he uttered no word of gratitude for the apology by her daughter instead took her by the arm and pushed her down on the ground aggressively. Beating up a 23 year old daughter bought no Shame to Sara’s dad. His only wish was to be get praised and to be followed. Incidents like these were witnessed often and were assumed to be a part of routine though. So many days of unjust were witnessed all around the vicinity but nobody stepped in to counsel or even encounter in the worst case.
The family of 5 siblings along with the parents saw no day together as a whole. Sara’s dad has been like this ever since he got married to her mother. But no change could be witnessed. Only 1 out of the 6 family members thought that the only way to survive in the society is to tolerate the aggressiveness and that one person was Sara’s mother. The other 4 thought retaliating with the same violence will do enough. Sara was a pillar for her mother. The eldest yet the softest at heart. She was so keen to change her mothers life but couldn’t do so in spite of the efforts she did. Nevertheless, she was still thoughtful to be an obedient child to her father too.
But the only day she couldn’t held her words inside of her when her mother got brutally injured by her father. The only debate Sara’s dad created with her mother was to restrict Sara and the other sisters to talk to people. Sara was quiet a times told by her father to quit the tuitions she gives at home. Certain a times, her father threatened her to lock her up if she never gives up on studying too. She ended up quitting everything to be safe and in peace. But things never changed while Sara did. She spoke up the day, unconsciously, but she did. Her father was always been this wild in behaviour with everyone. ‘But letting him do the same, can never let me change my mothers life!’ , thought Sara and took her family to her aunts house.
The courage, the zeal to overcome the fear took her to speak up. She did it. Things strangely have neither been never in the favour of Sara and her mother. The two of them were witnessed being guilty of suffering because of their patience only. The fact that Sara was a book lover, tend to make her more flexible to mold herself or adjust in any kind of situation. Sara’s mother tragically survived the unjust behaviour and suffered silently. The unuttered words always flew directly to Sara and the other siblings. The aggressive yet rebellious attitude was not only to mock the family but to be a prominent in dominancy and power.
The day Sara and her mother took the charge of their lives. They went to file a case against the violence which with Sara’s dad had traumatise them with and only lesson learnt that day was to take a note of yourself, so that the world can take a note of you too.
The writer is Editor at The Dayspring and Women Deliver participant, he can be reached at [email protected]